Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE SWP1354

 
TITLE Introduction to the World of Social Work

 
UM LEVEL 01 - Year 1 in Modular Undergraduate Course

 
MQF LEVEL 5

 
ECTS CREDITS 6

 
DEPARTMENT Social Policy and Social Work

 
DESCRIPTION This study-unit is intended to give students an idea of the social worker's role as a professional. It is also intended to help students apply theories of psychology to social work practice.

It proposes to give the students first-hand information about the role of the social worker within different social work agencies, the type of intervention carried out, and also about services available in different fields.

The study-unit should provide the students with a good opportunity to learn about the experiences, trials, rewards and challenges faced by social workers in their profession, and about the importance of good social work intervention.

The social work areas to be covered will include:

- Addiction;
- Corrective services/probation;
- Children in care;
- Child protection services;
- Fostering and adoption;
- Education welfare;
- Elderly;
- Disabilities;
- Psychiatric;
- Terminally ill;
- Domestic violence; and others.

A number of lectures will take the form of a presentation by a social worker from the field, supported by the tutor, allowing time for questions and discussion with the students. Students will be expected to further their knowledge through their own reading.

Study-unit Aims:

Generally, the study-unit aims to:

- Provide students with an initial understanding of what social work is about, encouraging them to reflect on what it means to take up social work as a career;
- Assist students in answering the decisive question of whether to take up social work for the rest of the remaining three years of the degree course.

The lectures:

- Aim to help students understand that becoming a social worker involves embracing a very special and particular identity;
- Aim to provide information and knowledge about social work;
- Aim to provide a context where students will reflect about social work;
- Aim to expose students to different areas which social workers work within.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- Explain the basic distinguishing features of social work as a distinct profession;
- Define social work and the aspects that distinguish it from other professions;
- Look critically at the advantages and disadvantages of being a social worker;
- Show knowledge of the role of the social worker in different areas of social work and awareness of the knowledge, skills and values specific to these areas;
- Show an understanding of the different tasks that social workers in diverse settings are engaged in.

2. Skills:

This study-unit is a theoretical study-unit that mainly offers students foundation knowledge that is then to be applied in other study-units offered during their degree course. These study-units include SWP2552, SWP2641, SWP3611, SWP3311 and SWP4311.

By the end of the study-unit, student will be able to:

- Use a reflective approach in relation to various social work issues;
- Evaluate the important characteristics that social workers should possess and apply in practice;
- Reflect about their strengths vis a' vis the social work profession as well as areas for further development;
- Demonstrate awareness of the importance of the social workers' professional identity.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

- Beckett, C. (2006). Essential Theory for Social Work Practice. London: Sage Publications.
- Thompson, N. (2009). Understanding Social Work: Preparing for Practice (3rd edition). UK: Palgrave Macmillan.

Supplementary Readings:

- Carter, P. Jeffs, T. and Smith, M.K. (eds.) (1995) Social Working. Basingstoke and London: Macmillan.
- Corey, G., Schnieder Corey, Marianne and Callanan, P. (1988) Issues and Ethics in the Helping Professions (3rd ed.) California: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company.
- Coulshed, V. and Orme, J. (1998) Social Work Practice: An Introduction. (3rd ed.) Basingstoke and London: Macmillan in association with BASW.
- Davies, M. (1994) The Essential Social Worker: a guide to positive practice. (3rd ed.) Aldershot Hants: Arena.
- Davies, M. (ed.) (2002) The Blackwell Encyclopaedia of Social Work. (2nd ed.) Oxford:Blackwell.
- Howe, D. (1992) An Introduction to Social Work Theory. England: Ashgate Publishing Ltd.
- Morales, A. and Sheafer, B. W. (1989) Social Work:A Profession of Many Faces. (5th ed.) Needham Heights, MA : Allyn and Bacon.

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Assessment Due Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Assignment SEM2 Yes 40%
Examination (2 Hours) SEM2 Yes 60%

 
LECTURER/S Katya Cachia

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit