UWA Handbook 2025

Unit Overview

Description

The purpose of Field Education is to provide students with opportunities to integrate their knowledge, skills and experience into practice situations. First placement provides students with an opportunity to observe, participate in and examine social work practice within a human services agency in Perth and/or in Country locations. Students are expected to explore their theoretical knowledge that they have learnt so far during the course and examine how this is demonstrated in a social work workplace setting. Students also start to consider their own social work identity within the social work field. The required hours of the AASW for all placements during the BSW is 1000 hours. Placement hours include compulsory attendance at integration days. Students are also required to attend orientation days and consolidation, which are in addition to placement hours. Students complete a Common Assessment Tool and supporting Portfolio of Evidence. Students also undertake a presentation of a critical reflection during placement.

Credit

18 points

Offering

Availability	Location	Mode	First year of offer
Not available in 2025

Details for undergraduate courses

• Level 3 core unit in the Social Work major sequence

Outcomes

Students are able to (1) analyse personal practice in accordance with the AASW Code of Ethics (2010) including managing ethical dilemmas arising from practice; (2) analyse professionalism, working with integrity and being accountable for all actions and decisions; (3) analyse personal respect and culturally sensitive practice when working with different cultures, particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their culture; (4) articulate relevant social work theories and concepts which inform social work practice; (5) analyse a range of social work knowledge and methods in practice including assessing needs, formulating intervention plans and evaluating their effectiveness; (6) analyse effective interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills with a range of people; (7) demonstrate appropriate recording and management of information in accordance with the ethical principles of the profession; and (8) demonstrate participation in supervision and professional learning and development.

Assessment

Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) placement appraisal; (2) written assignment; and (3) personal behaviour assessment. Further information is available in the unit outline.

To pass this unit, a student must: (a) achieve an overall mark of 50 per cent or higher for the unit; and (b) achieve the requisite requirements(s) or a mark of 50 per cent or greater, whichever is higher and specified in the unit outline, for the placement appraisal and personal behaviour assessment components.

This unit is assessed on an ungraded pass/ungraded failed basis. All assessment items must be successfully completed.

Student may be offered supplementary assessment in this unit if they meet the eligibility criteria.

Unit rules

Prerequisites

Enrolment in

BH017 Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)

and Successful completion of

96 points
and SWSP1001 Professionalism, Values and Ethics in Human Services
and SWSP1002 The relationship between Welfare States and Australian Social Work
and SWSP1004 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander History, Policy, and Culture
and SWSP1005 Human Development in Social and Cultural Contexts
and SWSP2001 Knowledges and Skills for working with Indigenous Peoples
and SWSP2002 SW Methods 1: Psychosocial Theories and practices for working with people
and SWSP2004 Foundations of Social Work Thinking and Identity
and SWSP2008 SW Methods 2: Relational Practices for Working with People
and SWSP2009 Policy and practice for working with vulnerable groups
and SWSP2012 Trauma, Violence, Healing and Recovery

Incompatibility

SWSP5309 Field Education 1: First Placement

Incidental fees

Incidental student fees and charges are costs incurred by students as part of their studies at UWA that are in addition to their tuition fees (further information is available "
Participation in this unit will incur the following incidental fee(s):
(1) Optional rural placement travel costs (estimated cost - Variable)
(2) Department of Education Criminal Clearance (estimated cost - $35).

Contact hours

450 hours

Note

This unit does not fall into the standard University semesters and thus has non-standard withdrawal and census deadlines. Contact Student Administration for more information. Students are required to travel as part of their field placement. This unit is full-time 450 hours field placement.