Introduction to Social Work and Human Service Practice
UndergraduateTAS-HGW1012027
Course information for 2027 intake View information for 2026 course intake
Learn how social workers advocate for justice and empower communities. You’ll explore inequality and the role social workers play in creating a more inclusive and equitable society. Build your social work foundations. Reflect and engage with the class.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Enrol by
- 14 Feb 2027
- Entry requirements
- Part of a degree
- Duration
- 12 weeks
- Price from
- $2,690
- Upfront cost
- $0
- Loan available
- HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
Introduction to Social Work and Human Service Practice
About this subject
On successful completion of this subject, students will be able to:
- Analyse social justice and human rights issues to explain structural drivers of inequity.
- Analyse how power, privilege and inequality influence communication and engagement with diverse people, communities, and organisations to inform culturally responsive social work practice.
- Apply ethical, human rights and decolonising social work perspectives to guide practitioner responses to inequality and injustice in social work practice.
- Examine how experiences of inequality influence access to social services to identify barriers and enablers of people’s engagement.
- Module 1: What is social work?
- Origins of the work
- Ethics in Social Work
- Fields and context of practice
- Module 2: How the work is done
- Use of Self
- Working relationally and collaboratively
- Scope of practice
- Module 3: Key Issues for Social Work
- Thinking globally
- Frameworks and theories
- Workplace practice
- Module 4: Social Work in Action
- Theory into practice 1
- Theory into practice 2
- Change and influence
This subject introduces you to social justice, human rights and decolonising perspectives that underpin social work practice. You will explore how social, cultural, historical and structural factors shape inequality and influence the experiences of diverse people and communities. You will examine how power, privilege and assumptions influence communication, relationships and engagement in social work contexts. You will develop an understanding of how ethical and culturally responsive approaches can inform social work responses to inequality, injustice and barriers to accessing social services.
- Social Work Practice Analysis (35%)
- Reflective Learning Journal (35%)
- Critical analysis of case study resources and implications for social work practice (30%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
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Entry requirements
Part of a degree
To enrol in this subject you must be accepted into one of the following degrees:
Core
- TAS-COU-DIP-2027 - Diploma of Counselling
Equivalent subjects
You won't be able to enrol into this subject if you've already successfully completed or currently enrolled in the following subject(s) as they are considered anti-requisites due to the similarity of the content.
Additional requirements
- Other requirements - Teaching Arrangements: Two-hour online learning and eight hours independent self-directed learning weekly. The eight hours includes one hour as dedicated reading time. Additionally, optional drop-in sessions will be offered over the semester to support students with engaging with content and clarity about assessment.
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
Related degrees
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
UndergraduateTAS-COU-DIP