Educational aims
The programme aims to equip students as competent social workers by ensuring that they have the relevant knowledge, skills and values in accordance with the QAA Benchmark Statements for degrees in Social Work and National Occupational Standards, the Scottish Standards in Social Work Education (SiSWE), the Scottish Requirements for Social Work Training and the SSSC’s Code of Practice for Social Service Workers. The international definition of social work (2001), which has been adopted to underpin the key purpose and occupational standards for social work, describes it as:
a profession which promotes social change, problem solving in human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance well-being. Utilising theories of human behaviour and social systems, social work intervenes at the points where people interact with their environments. Principles of human rights and social justice are fundamental to social work.
From this key purpose the following six key roles are identified:
- Key role 1: Prepare for and work with individuals, families, carers, groups and communities to assess their needs and circumstances
- Key role 2: Plan, carry out, review and evaluate social work practice, with individuals, families, carers, groups, communities and other professionals
- Key role 3: Assess and manage risk to individuals, families, carers, groups, communities, self and colleagues
- Key role 4: Demonstrate professional competence in social work practice
- Key role 5: Manage and be accountable, with supervision and support, for their own social work practice within their organisation
- Key role 6: Support individuals to represent and manage their needs, views and circumstances.
The programme is designed to equip students to fulfil these key roles as competent, beginner social workers. To achieve this it is structured to promote the integration of theory and practice, and to embed theory and practice within an explicit framework of values and ethics.
The structure of the 480-credit honours degree is built on 240 credits at SCQF levels 7 and 8, and 120 credits at each of levels 9 and 10. At stage 1, students study two key introductory Level 1 modules, one in social sciences and one in health and social care. Stage 2 includes a Foundations for Practice Learning module and one from a choice of four optional modules addressing issues related to different adult service user groups. At stages 3 and 4, students will engage with 60 credits of theoretical, but occupationally relevant material (including a 60 credit law module) and 60 credits of practice embedded learning. The practice learning includes the time spent in practice settings as well as the study time needed to explore and develop this experience and to integrate it with the more theoretically-based learning. The assessment strategies for these two aspects of learning are different, with the practice-learning requiring evidence of personal and professional skills through portfolio development and feedback from practice assessors.
Progression through the degree will be paced. The programme will aim to move the students from a development of awareness and understanding at stages 1 – 2, through a process of application and engagement at stages 2 – 3, to a capacity for critical, reflective and evidence-based practice at stage 4.
The descriptions below account for learning outcomes under discrete headings. It should be borne in mind, however, that the integrative and holistic approach to teaching and learning social work competencies means that the boundaries between knowledge and understanding, cognitive skills, key skills and practical and professional skills are inevitably blurred.
Teaching, learning and assessment methods
Knowledge and understanding
Core knowledge and understanding is taught via the use of specially prepared texts, reference texts, learning guides, directed reading, DVDs/CDs, web-based resources and CD-ROMs. Interactive learning helps to consolidate knowledge and understanding, and develops the skills described later in this table. It takes place via the activities within the prepared texts. These may involve the students working alone with ideas, referred across perhaps to other module components or resources to draw upon. It may also take place on-line in guided discussion with other students. Additionally there will be opportunities for interactive learning in face to face group tutorials or day schools.
Students work independently with the teaching materials but are encouraged to form self-help groups. Associate lecturers support students both face-to-face and also through correspondence tuition providing detailed guidance and feedback on assignments. On the modules with embedded practice learning (K216 and K315), students will also have the assistance of a programme tutor.
Assessment is an integral part of the teaching and learning – students will be required to complete scheduled assignments. These may take the form of essays, case studies, reflective accounts, interviews, questionnaires or projects. An end-of-module assessment may be via a written three-hour examination or a reflective review as a piece of extended writing. The examinations use a similar style of questions as in the assignments, suitably adapted for exam conditions.
Cognitive skills
Cognitive skills are promoted by the critical approach of the specially prepared texts and the other module resources. Students are encouraged to develop their own skills via the activities and exercises in the materials and through the tutorials and day schools. Within the context of the module and level, many activities require students to implement one or more of the cognitive skill outcomes.
As students progress through the levels of the programme, they will be initially expected to demonstrate a capacity to describe and articulate key understandings, then to examine, evaluate and compare different accounts and competing evidence and finally, at honours level, to analyse critically, taking account of the basis of any evidence and reviewing the level of risk and implications of any consequent actions.
Such skills are assessed via the same assignments and exams outlined above, any of which require demonstration of one or more cognitive skills. Developmental feedback from the associate lecturers encourages further refinement and progression.
Practical and/or professional skills
Teaching and assessment on the three practice learning modules at each of the levels will be concerned specifically with developing and testing practical and professional skills.
Teaching on the practice learning modules will be delivered in workshops and on placement. Each workshop will include training style activities to develop the student’s ability to understand key concepts and develop practice skills.
Written assessment will require students to demonstrate an understanding of the theoretical basis of social work and how they have applied this to practice. They will be required to show an ability to reflect on their own practice. The written assignments will be an opportunity for students to show integration of their learning across the programme.
Students’ practice learning opportunities will be supervised and assessed by a practice assessor. The assessor will judge the student’s practice using the framework of the six key roles and values requirements and the learning outcomes identified in the SiSWE.
Key skills
A framework for developing and assessing key skills will be established through specific Stage 1 and 2 modules. An introduction to health and social care assumes that students are new to degree-level study and offers carefully paced and structured support in developing study skills, basic information handling and communication skills. A series of ICT skills modules are incorporated to lay down a foundation capability for using ICT (to ECDL standards) and developing further information literacy and learning skills in later modules. An integrated series of face-to-face workshops and online tutorials run through the practice modules and enable key skills development to be supported and assessed. The Stage 3 practice module will require students to build and apply key skills in undertaking a series of learning activities/assignments centred on social work practice situations. By Stage 4, the relevant key skills will be expected to be integrated into the performance of students demonstrating their ability to fulfil the key professional roles, but there will be a special emphasis on consolidation of information literacy and collaborative learning skills development to equip students for continuing professional development.