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  2. Social Policy [SWK4106]

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.

Please note that there may be some modifications to the assessment schedule promoted in Handbook for Semester 1 2023 Units. All assessment changes will be published by 20th February 2023. All students are reminded to check the handbook at the beginning of semester to ensure they have the correct outline.

  • Unit Title

    Social Policy

  • Unit Code

    SWK4106

  • Year

    2023

  • Enrolment Period

    1

  • Version

    2

  • Credit Points

    15

  • Full Year Unit

     N

  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online

  • Unit Coordinator

    Mr Omid REZAEI

Description

This unit outlines major theoretical approaches to the study of social policy within a historical and contemporary Australian context. It will build upon the specific knowledge gained in previously studied policy and politics units. Students will explore the philosophical concepts and ideological positions which underpin current debates relevant to social policy and social work practice. Students will also develop the skills to critically analyse policy and communicate policy analysis.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Analyse a critical policy analysis framework to contemporary Australian and relevant international policies.
  2. Communicate the key social policy debates and appraise current policies in Australia and internationally, particularly as they relate to rural and remote communities.
  3. Articulate and reflect on own values and ideological positions which inform approaches to social problems and social policies.
  4. Apply skills in policy analysis and communication.
  5. Appraise the influence of various theoretical and ideological positions on the policy development process and specific social policies.

Unit Content

  1. Definitions of social policy and the policy process and the relevance of social policy to social work practice.
  2. Overview of current social policy issues and the relevance to social work such as: privatisation, contracting of services, corporatisation, economic rationalism, and the New Right; social justice strategies. Welfare and citizenship; institutionalism/residualism.
  3. Regionalisation and decentralised decision-making \ remote communities and issues of privatisation.
  4. Techniques of communicating policy analysis.
  5. The components of a critical policy analysis framework.
  6. The relationship between approaches to social problems (private/public issues), social change, values/ideology and social policy, and how these are reflected in political platforms and particular policy areas by applying major conventional classifying perspectives.

Learning Experience

ON-CAMPUS

Students will attend on campus classes as well as engage in learning activities through ECU's LMS

JoondalupMount LawleySouth West (Bunbury)
Semester 1Not OfferedNot Offered13 x 3 hour seminar

For more information see the Semester Timetable

ONLINE

Students will engage in learning experiences via ECU’s LMS as well as additional ECU learning technologies

Additional Learning Experience Information

Lectures and tutorials, student discussion groups, student presentations, guest speakers and video resources.

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
Case StudyOnline analysis30%
ReportBriefing paper30%
AssignmentExercise40%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
Case StudyOnline analysis30%
ReportBriefing paper30%
AssignmentExercise40%

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.

SWK4106|2|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

    Social Policy

  • Unit Code

    SWK4106

  • Year

    2023

  • Enrolment Period

    2

  • Version

    2

  • Credit Points

    15

  • Full Year Unit

     N

  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online

  • Unit Coordinator

    Mr Omid REZAEI

Description

This unit outlines major theoretical approaches to the study of social policy within a historical and contemporary Australian context. It will build upon the specific knowledge gained in previously studied policy and politics units. Students will explore the philosophical concepts and ideological positions which underpin current debates relevant to social policy and social work practice. Students will also develop the skills to critically analyse policy and communicate policy analysis.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Analyse a critical policy analysis framework to contemporary Australian and relevant international policies.
  2. Communicate the key social policy debates and appraise current policies in Australia and internationally, particularly as they relate to rural and remote communities.
  3. Articulate and reflect on own values and ideological positions which inform approaches to social problems and social policies.
  4. Apply skills in policy analysis and communication.
  5. Appraise the influence of various theoretical and ideological positions on the policy development process and specific social policies.

Unit Content

  1. Definitions of social policy and the policy process and the relevance of social policy to social work practice.
  2. Overview of current social policy issues and the relevance to social work such as: privatisation, contracting of services, corporatisation, economic rationalism, and the New Right; social justice strategies. Welfare and citizenship; institutionalism/residualism.
  3. Regionalisation and decentralised decision-making \ remote communities and issues of privatisation.
  4. Techniques of communicating policy analysis.
  5. The components of a critical policy analysis framework.
  6. The relationship between approaches to social problems (private/public issues), social change, values/ideology and social policy, and how these are reflected in political platforms and particular policy areas by applying major conventional classifying perspectives.

Learning Experience

ON-CAMPUS

Students will attend on campus classes as well as engage in learning activities through ECU's LMS

JoondalupMount LawleySouth West (Bunbury)
Semester 1Not OfferedNot Offered13 x 3 hour seminar

For more information see the Semester Timetable

ONLINE

Students will engage in learning experiences via ECU’s LMS as well as additional ECU learning technologies

Additional Learning Experience Information

Lectures and tutorials, student discussion groups, student presentations, guest speakers and video resources.

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
Case StudyOnline analysis30%
ReportBriefing paper30%
AssignmentExercise40%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
Case StudyOnline analysis30%
ReportBriefing paper30%
AssignmentExercise40%

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.

SWK4106|2|2