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

    Social Work Placement 1
  • Unit Code

    SWK6440
  • Year

    2026
  • Enrolment Period

    1
  • Version

    2
  • Credit Points

    40
  • Full Year Unit

    Y
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
  • Unit Coordinator

    Mrs Gemma MARTIN

Description

Social Work Placement 1 comprises two components: a supervised social work practice placement (minimum of 500 hours) plus integrative academic study. Students are placed in organisational or community settings, where they learn about and practice social work skills under the supervision of a qualified social worker. The unit enables students to build an understanding of a particular field of practice through a structured fieldwork placement, organised and supported by academic staff. Social Work Placement 1 meets the standards of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) guidelines for social work field placement education.

Prerequisite Rule

Must have passed SWK6405, SWK6410

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Analyse personal practice and social work practice skills in accordance with the AASW Code of Ethics (2020) in the context of an organisational and agency setting in order to address inequalities.
  2. Analyse personal respect, cultural humility and culturally sensitive practice when working with diversity and different cultures, particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their culture.
  3. Appraise and demonstrate understanding of the legislative and policy context of the placement agency's work, and the broader policy contexts as they affect individuals, families and communities’ fair access to resources.
  4. Research, analyse and apply appropriate social work theories, change strategies and communication skills which are responsive to the interaction between person(s), situation and context within an agency and organisational setting, taking a holistic approach.
  5. Respond appropriately to ethical considerations that arise on placement, and feedback provided in supervision for professional development.
  6. Demonstrate learning from the lived experience of service users and research to inform practice.
  7. Actively learn and demonstrate understanding of the particular role of social workers in the placement organisation and take responsibility to contribute to meetings, discussions and supervision via reflection, research, observation and discussion to broaden and deepen professional knowledge base.

Unit Content

  1. Structured fieldwork placement, organised and supported by academic staff.
  2. Reflective practice focused on integration of theory with practicum experience.
  3. Case studies.

Learning Experience

WIL - Internship, Clinical or Professional placement (on-campus)

Work done in an actual workplace in which the student applies discipline-specific knowledge and skills, supervised by an industry professional at an ECU campus or location.  

Additional Learning Experience Information

In this unit, students undertake compulsory professional practice comprising 500 hours over 13 weeks. This is a requirement set by the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) for accredited programs. Graduates of accredited programs are eligible for membership to AASW. While on placement, Students are required to uphold the current AASW Code of Ethics and AASW Professional Practice Rules. Social Work Placement 1 meets the standards of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) guidelines for social work field placement education. ASWEAS Graduate Attributes: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9.

Assessment

GS2 GRADING SCHEMA 2 Used for Undifferentiated Pass/Fail units inc. practical units or work-integrated learning

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.

Due to the professional competency skill development associated with this Unit, student attendance/participation within listed in-class activities and/or online activities including discussion boards is compulsory. Students failing to meet participation standards as outlined in the unit information may be awarded an I Grade (Fail - incomplete). Students who are unable to meet this requirement for medical or other reasons must seek the approval of the unit coordinator.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescription
Project ^Field placement
Portfolio ^Learning links

^ Mandatory to Pass


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.

Assessment

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. Informal vivas may be conducted as part of an assessment task, where staff require further information to confirm the learning outcomes have been met. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

Academic Integrity

Integrity is a core value at Edith Cowan University, and it is expected that ECU students complete their assessment tasks honestly and with acknowledgement of other people's work as well as any generative artificial intelligence tools that may have been used. This means that assessment tasks must be completed individually (unless it is an authorised group assessment task) and any sources used must be referenced.

Breaches of academic integrity can include:

Plagiarism

Copying the words, ideas or creative works of other people or generative artificial intelligence tools, without referencing in accordance with stated University requirements. Students need to seek approval from the Unit Coordinator within the first week of study if they intend to use some of their previous work in an assessment task (self-plagiarism).

Unauthorised collaboration (collusion)

Working with other students and submitting the same or substantially similar work or portions of work when an individual submission was required. This includes students knowingly providing others with copies of their own work to use in the same or similar assessment task(s).

Contract cheating

Organising a friend, a family member, another student or an external person or organisation (e.g. through an online website) to complete or substantially edit or refine part or all of an assessment task(s) on their behalf.

Cheating in an exam

Using or having access to unauthorised materials in an exam or test.

Serious outcomes may be imposed if a student is found to have committed one of these breaches, up to and including expulsion from the University for repeated or serious acts.

ECU's policies and more information about academic integrity can be found on the student academic integrity website.

All commencing ECU students are required to complete the Academic Integrity Module.

Assessment Extension

In some circumstances, Students may apply to their Unit Coordinator to extend the due date of their Assessment Task(s) in accordance with ECU's Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000001386.

Special Consideration

Students may apply for Special Consideration in respect of a final unit grade, where their achievement was affected by Exceptional Circumstances as set out in the Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000003318.

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