Course Title: Advanced Professional Practice in Social Work

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Advanced Professional Practice in Social Work

Credit Points: 12


Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

HWSS2183

City Campus

Postgraduate

365H Global, Urban & Social Studies

Face-to-Face

 Sem 1 2010,
Sem 1 2011,
Sem 1 2012,
Sem 1 2013,
Sem 1 2014

Course Coordinator: Ms Ronnie Egan

Course Coordinator Phone: +(61 3) 9925 1105

Course Coordinator Email:ronnie.egan@rmit.edu.au


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None


Course Description

This course will introduce you to generic professional practice skills required in workplaces providing human services. You will have the opportunity to develop skills need for recording, report writing, letter writing and working in human service organisations. In addition to practice skills you will consider ethical principles and social work concepts that underpin professional practice.
 


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

This course will also foster development of the following graduate capabilities:

  • Advanced critical analysis and problem solving
  • Life-long learning
  • Informed professional social work practice
  • Ethical practice
     


On completion of this course, you will be able to:

  • Apply advanced professional practice skills to a range of human services practice settings
  • Work constructively and respectfully with colleagues in the human services
  • Reflect on the meaning and implications of professional accountability for the human services
  • Respond appropriately to complaints and other critical incidents that may arise in the human services
  • Reflect on the role of ethical reasoning in human services practice
  • Reflect on the principles of administrative ethics
  • Practice ethical decision making


Overview of Learning Activities

Key concepts will be explained in class and a workshop format will provide you with opportunities to discuss ideas, develop strategies and role play work situations.


Overview of Learning Resources

You will have access to a textbook providing a comprehensive overview of professional practice in human service organisations as well as a list of recommended readings and a substantive bibliography for broader readings on selected topics. This literature provides the basis of class discussion and essay preparation. RMIT will provide you with the resources and tools for learning in this course through our online systems via myRMIT Studies. Additional sources, links and postings of relevant material will be made available online through the RMIT library.

 


Overview of Assessment

You will be assessed on the above learning outcomes and capabilities. Assessment tasks may include (but are not limited to) practical work such as case notes for a given scenario, plus reflections on your work including ethical, theoretical and personal perspectives. Together the assessments will be the equivalent of 5000 words.