School: Arts and Humanities

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Australian Politics and Policy
  • Unit Code

    SWK2112
  • Year

    2021
  • Enrolment Period

    1
  • Version

    1
  • Credit Points

    15
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online
  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr Shajimon PETER

Description

This unit introduces students to the notion of government, beginning with competing theories about the state, its role and relationship to civil society. The unit provides an introduction to the political system in Australia, offering a detailed account of the structure of government (federal, state and local) and the differing legislative responsibilities, with reference to the Constitution. It explores the notion of democracy, parliament, party political process and responsible government. Students are encouraged to see the way in which different ideological positions influence the party political and parliamentary processes, with a focus on global, national and local social policy. A critical framework for the analysis of policies and policy development, including the diversity of influencing factors and stakeholders, is provided.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Articulate an understanding of social policy, and its relevance to social work practice.
  2. Demonstrate a knowledge of the structure and role of the Australian parliamentary, judicial and other law creation and decision-making processes.
  3. Demonstrate teamwork in the analysis of Australian politics.
  4. Explain how concepts such as ideology, democracy, government, parliament, political parties, federalism, elections and pressure groups are relevant to the study of politics and policy.
  5. Identify and analyse the impact of social, political and economic factors on the policy development process as a form of sustainability; and,

Unit Content

  1. Critical analysis of social policy and the policy development process.
  2. Key areas of social policy: health, eduction, income security, employment, families.
  3. Key concepts in social welfare policy: welfare ideology; welfare state; poverty; taxation; universalism; social, occupational and fiscal welfare.
  4. Key concepts: ideology; democracy; government; civil society; parliament; political parties; federalism; elections; pressure group and public policy.
  5. Social policy as a form of public policy and its relationship to economic policy.
  6. The development of innovative and responsive rural and regional social policy.
  7. The main features of the state and of government in Australia.
  8. The making of social policy people and processes.
  9. The relationship between social policy and social work practice.
  10. Theories of the State.

Learning Experience

ON-CAMPUS

Students will attend on campus classes as well as engage in learning activities through ECUs LMS

JoondalupMount LawleySouth West (Bunbury)
Semester 2Not OfferedNot Offered13 x 3 hour seminar

For more information see the Semester Timetable

ONLINE

Students will engage in learning experiences through ECUs LMS as well as additional ECU l

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
ExerciseIn class activities45%
AssignmentPaper35%
AssignmentReflective paper20%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
ExerciseIn class activites45%
AssignmentPaper35%
AssignmentReflective paper20%

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

SWK2112|1|1

School: Arts and Humanities

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Australian Politics and Policy
  • Unit Code

    SWK2112
  • Year

    2021
  • Enrolment Period

    2
  • Version

    1
  • Credit Points

    15
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online
  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr Shajimon PETER

Description

This unit introduces students to the notion of government, beginning with competing theories about the state, its role and relationship to civil society. The unit provides an introduction to the political system in Australia, offering a detailed account of the structure of government (federal, state and local) and the differing legislative responsibilities, with reference to the Constitution. It explores the notion of democracy, parliament, party political process and responsible government. Students are encouraged to see the way in which different ideological positions influence the party political and parliamentary processes, with a focus on global, national and local social policy. A critical framework for the analysis of policies and policy development, including the diversity of influencing factors and stakeholders, is provided.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Articulate an understanding of social policy, and its relevance to social work practice.
  2. Demonstrate a knowledge of the structure and role of the Australian parliamentary, judicial and other law creation and decision-making processes.
  3. Demonstrate teamwork in the analysis of Australian politics.
  4. Explain how concepts such as ideology, democracy, government, parliament, political parties, federalism, elections and pressure groups are relevant to the study of politics and policy.
  5. Identify and analyse the impact of social, political and economic factors on the policy development process as a form of sustainability; and,

Unit Content

  1. Critical analysis of social policy and the policy development process.
  2. Key areas of social policy: health, eduction, income security, employment, families.
  3. Key concepts in social welfare policy: welfare ideology; welfare state; poverty; taxation; universalism; social, occupational and fiscal welfare.
  4. Key concepts: ideology; democracy; government; civil society; parliament; political parties; federalism; elections; pressure group and public policy.
  5. Social policy as a form of public policy and its relationship to economic policy.
  6. The development of innovative and responsive rural and regional social policy.
  7. The main features of the state and of government in Australia.
  8. The making of social policy people and processes.
  9. The relationship between social policy and social work practice.
  10. Theories of the State.

Learning Experience

ON-CAMPUS

Students will attend on campus classes as well as engage in learning activities through ECUs LMS

JoondalupMount LawleySouth West (Bunbury)
Semester 2Not OfferedNot Offered13 x 3 hour seminar

For more information see the Semester Timetable

ONLINE

Students will engage in learning experiences through ECUs LMS as well as additional ECU l

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
ExerciseWorkbook Activities50%
AssignmentPolicy Analysis Paper50%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
ExerciseWorkbook activities50%
AssignmentPolicy Analysis Paper50%

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

SWK2112|1|2