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There are now 2 possible online modes for units:

Units with modes Online timetabled and Online flexible are available for any student to self-enrol and study online.

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Unit Overview

Description

The Readiness to Practice unit is a core requirement for first-year students enrolled in the Master of Social Work at UWA. This unit ensures that students possess the necessary skills, competencies, and ethical grounding to practice effectively as social workers. Students will be assessed on their advanced oral, written, and nonverbal communication skills, ability to navigate stakeholder relationships for their own learning, and capacity to work collaboratively within a professional team. A key component of the unit is the assessment of ethical positioning for working with service users and stakeholders, including the identification and resolution of problems while analysing case assessments and making recommendations. This unit adopts a pass/fail assessment approach, emphasising practical application to prepare students for their first field placement.

Credit
0 points
Offering
AvailabilityLocationModeFirst year of offer
Not available in 2025UWA (Perth)On-campus
Outcomes

Students are able to (1) demonstrate advanced oral, written, and nonverbal communication skills in interactions with academic staff, stakeholders, and professional peers; (2) apply key social work skills including building a relationship, engagement, assessment and decision making effectively with individuals and groups in diverse social work contexts; (3) demonstrate effective work in a team environment by collaborating with other students, staff and stakeholders to develop and implement interventions; (4) create, document, and communicate case assessments and recommendations clearly, accurately, and in a professional manner; and (5) demonstrate understanding of the Australian social work and social policy context.

Assessment

Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) first interview with academic staff member; (2) second interview with academic staff member or Industry partner; and (3) portfolio of evidence. 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 portfolio of evidence component.

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 Coordinator(s)
Dr Stephan Lund
Contact hours
approximately 20 hours of online content &10 hours of face to face contact
  • The availability of units in Semester 1, 2, etc. was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change.
  • All students are responsible for identifying when they need assistance to improve their academic learning, research, English language and numeracy skills; seeking out the services and resources available to help them; and applying what they learn. Students are encouraged to register for free online support through GETSmart; to help themselves to the extensive range of resources on UWA's STUDYSmarter website; and to participate in WRITESmart and (ma+hs)Smart drop-ins and workshops.
  • Visit the Essential Textbooks website to see if any textbooks are required for this Unit. The website is updated regularly so content may change. Students are recommended to purchase Essential Textbooks, but a limited number of copies of all Essential Textbooks are held in the Library in print, and as an ebook where possible. Recommended readings for the unit can be accessed in Unit Readings directly through the Learning Management System (LMS).
  • Contact hours provide an indication of the type and extent of in-class activities this unit may contain. The total amount of student work (including contact hours, assessment time, and self-study) will approximate 150 hours per 6 credit points.