Course coordinator
Dr John Drayton
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 6
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Nursing, Midwifery & Social Wk
First supervised practice experience in a social welfare agency for Bachelor of Social Work students. It focuses on integration of practice experience with course material and companion courses.
The placement consists of 500 hours (approximately 18 weeks, 4 days per week) commencing two weeks prior to the beginning of the semester.
Please note that supplementary assessment is not available for this course.
SWSP3155 is the first placement course in the Bachelor of Social Work program.
This course profile provides basic information on key dates and requirements for successfully completing the placement.
For full details, ensure you read the Social Work Practice Education Guide 2025 which can be accessed through the School website.
In order to pass this course you must successfully complete 500 hours of placement in your assigned agency. It is an AASW requirement that all absences (including public holidays and days off due to illness or other circumstances) must be made up.
Course requirements
Assumed background
Prerequisistes for SWSP3155 are the successful completion of SWSP1011, SWSP1033, SWSP1044, SWSP2066, SWSP2077 and SWSP2088.
During placement it is expected that students review the contents of first two year's academic work in order to facilitate linking academic and practice learning.
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
SWSP1011, SWSP1033, SWSP1044, SWSP2066, SWSP2077 and SWSP2088
Companion or co-requisite courses
You'll need to complete the following courses at the same time:
SWSP3011
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
SWSP7077, SWSP7155, SWSP3077
Restrictions
Restricted to BSocWk or BSocWk (Hons) students
Course contact
Course staff
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Pre-placement workshop
- The compulsory pre-placement workshop will be held via Zoom at 10:00am on 7 February 2025, as per the published timetable.
- The zoom link will be made available via the course Blackboard site.
- This is a great time for you to raise any questions you have about any aspect of the placement process and university expectations.ﾠ
- You are able to credit the two hours from this session toward your placement provided you attend the entire session and have your camera on.
- You are expected to participate in the session.
Placement
- For most students, placement will begin the following Monday, 10 February 2025.
- Sometimes start dates can be delayed to suit the agency. The Practice Education Team will work with you if there are any delays.ﾠ
- It is best-practice and professional conduct for you to telephone your agency supervisor on the Friday before commencing, to check arrangements.
Integration Workshops
The integration workshops will develop your ability to link placement experiences with the theoretical and knowledge bases of the profession will be held across the placement.
- Attendance and participation in these sessions is an AASW expectation and is strongly advised, but not compulsory.
- The workshops will all be conducted over Zoom to ensure as many students as possible are able to attend. The zoom links will be made available via the course Blackboard site.
- You can credit two-hours to placement for each session in which you participate. Note that you must attend the entire session in order to be eligible to credit attendance.
- To credit this time you must be present, with your camera on, for the entirety of the session. We insist on cameras being on because this is an interactive session. It is also professionally disrespectful in practice not to be on camera - and as this is a practice course we expect you to demonstrate your professionalism at all times.
- Sessions may be recorded. This will depend on the permission of attendees. Time spent watching the recording will not be credited toward placement, because watching a recording is not the same as participating in the class.
- The workshops are timetabled for:
- 28 February, 2:00pm-4:00pm
- 28 March, 2:00pm-4:00pm
- 2 May, 2:00pm-4:00pm
- 30 May, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Aims and outcomes
SWSP3155ﾠaimsﾠtoﾠprovideﾠstudentsﾠwithﾠtheﾠopportunityﾠto:
- Experienceﾠthe challenges of social work practice in a supported, learning-focused context.
- Develop the capacity to integrate theoretical knowledge derived from academic study with practical knowledge fromﾠﾠthe placement experience.
- Develop skills in purposeful, relational and professional communication with service users, colleagues and other stakeholders.
- Develop the capacity to critically reflect on the social work role, its values and strategies, from a practical perspective.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Identify and respond to practice challenges to core social work principles of respect for persons, social justice or professional integrity in the placement context. (Values and ethics)
LO2.
Establish constructive rapport with clients based on respect, accountability and appropriate boundaries. Maintain purpose and clarity in heightened emotional circumstances. (Professionalism)
LO3.
Recognise the complexity of personal, social and cultural identity (avoiding homogenisation of clients experience) and their influence on clients understandings of services, needs and professional roles. (Culturally responsive and inclusive practice)
LO4.
Identify links between individual problems and structural patterns of inequity in terms of the agencys practice field. (Knowledge for practice)
LO5.
Work inclusively and respectfully with client and service users to promote client involvement in decision-making, recognising the need for assessments and interventions to be informed by the lived experience of clients. (Applying knowledge to practice)
LO6.
Communicate role and mandate to clients and other stakeholders clearly and unambiguously, ensuring clients and service users are provided with clear details of the rights and responsibilities of all parties involved in service provision. (Communication and interpersonal skills)
LO7.
Record, manage and safeguard the confidentiality of information according to agency standards of accuracy and scope. (Information recording and sharing)
LO8.
Make proactive use of supervision to identify and account for your emotional and assumptive responses to placement incidents, tensions and challenges. (Professional development and supervision)
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Placement | Mid-point Evaluation | Formative |
Approximately by the end of Week 9 of your placement. |
| Reflection | Practice Reflection 1 | Pass/Fail |
1:00pm on the Friday of the 7th week of your placement, as per Task Description. |
| Reflection | Practice Reflection 2 | Pass/Fail |
1:00pm on the Friday of the 11th week of your placement as per Task Description |
| Placement | End of Placement Evaluation | Pass/Fail |
No later than the final week of placement. |
Assessment details
Mid-point Evaluation
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance, Oral
- Category
- Placement
- Weight
- Formative
- Due date
Approximately by the end of Week 9 of your placement.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07, L08
Task description
The reality of placement is that your work is constantly being assessed by your Field Educators. Formal assessment of performance, however, occurs at two points.
- At the mid-point of the placement, your Supervisor is required to complete and submit to the University a mid-placement review. This provides a basis for identifying the extent of your progress and any specific learning tasks that need to be completed in the remaining portion of the placement to assist you to pass the placement. Ideally this will arise from on-going discussions in supervision.
- The mid-placement evaluation is a progress report, and is submitted by the student on Blackboard via Turnitin.
- Please note: students may not receive a satisfactory rating on all learning objectives in their mid evaluation. This is normal! It simply means that students may have to do more work to complete at a satisfactory standard in a specific learning objective in the final part of placement.
- If there are serious issues which suggest the student is not on-track to pass, identified by either the Supervisor or the student, these need to be identified and discussed with the UQ Liaison Person, so that a Learning Development plan can be put in place for the second half of the placement.
Aim to complete the mid-evaluation by the end of Placement week 9.
Submission guidelines
Student submits via Turnitin link on course Blackboard site
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
Precise date of evaluation should be negotiated by student with Supervisor and Liaison.
Practice Reflection 1
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Reflection
- Weight
- Pass/Fail
- Due date
1:00pm on the Friday of the 7th week of your placement, as per Task Description.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07, L08
Task description
Practice Reflection 1 (500 words) to be submitted by 1:00pm on the Friday of the 7th week of your placement.
- We know that the actual dates will vary, depending on when you started. We also know that at times placement requirements may mean you can't upload on time. That's fine: provided you have submitted your reflection before your mid-placement review, there is no need to apply for an extension.
See the 2025 Practice Education Guide (sec. 4.3) for detailed information regarding this task.
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
You must liaise with your Placement Supervisor if you are not able to submit by the due date.
Late submission
We are able to be flexible regarding the due date of this reflection, however you must liaise with your Placement Supervisor if you are not able to submit by the due date.
Practice Reflection 2
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Reflection
- Weight
- Pass/Fail
- Due date
1:00pm on the Friday of the 11th week of your placement as per Task Description
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07, L08
Task description
Practice Reflection 2 (500 words) to be submitted by 1:00pm on the Friday of the 11th week of your placement.
- We know that the actual dates will vary, depending on when you started. We also know that at times placement requirements may mean you can't upload on time. That's fine: provided you have submitted your reflection before your mid-placement review, there is no need to apply for an extension.
See the 2025 Practice Education Guide (sec. 4.3) for detailed information regarding this task.
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
Must be completed PRIOR to final evaluation.
End of Placement Evaluation
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance, Oral
- Category
- Placement
- Weight
- Pass/Fail
- Due date
No later than the final week of placement.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07, L08
Task description
In order to pass this course you must successfully complete 500 hours of placement in your assigned agency. It is an AASW requirement that all absences (including public holidays and days off due to illness or other circumstances) must be made up.
- At the end of the placement, the supervisor completes and submits to the University a final evaluation of your work. The review is a comprehensive discussion of your performance in key areas you have linked to the Learning Objectives.
- The review is to be uploaded by the student on Turnitin via Blackboard.
- The end of placement evaluation is a collaborative process involving you, your Supervisor and your UQ Liaison person. To receive a pass grade students must receive a satisfactory or proficient rating on all the learning objectives.
- Students must obtain a ‘pass’ for their placement to obtain a grade for the remainder of their course assessment. The University subsequently awards a formal grade for the course (pass or fail).
- A fail grade is subject to the usual University appeal mechanisms.
Submission guidelines
Students submits via Turnitin link on course Blackboard site
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
The precise date of evaluation should be negotiated by student with Supervisor and Liaison.
- Students requiring aﾠformal extension to placement within the semesterﾠdue to absences of 4 consecutive days or more (not single days due to illness etc.)ﾠmustﾠsubmit a formal application to the Program Lead, Bachelor of Social Work (Hons), with a Cc to the the Practice Education Team.
- Application must be made using theﾠApplication for Extension to Field Placementﾠform available on Backboardﾠfor the relevant placement course.
- The applicationﾠmust be substantiated with supporting evidenceﾠsuch as a medical certificate orﾠStatutory Declaration.
- Approval for extension rests with the Program Lead, who will consult with Practice Education staff when making the decision. Approvalﾠwill only be granted in exceptional circumstances, on a case by case basis.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Pass/Fails | Description |
|---|---|
| P |
Course grade description: Students should consult their manual for detailed instructions. There are two evaluation events - the first at mid-placement is designed to provide feedback on progress to date, with the second and final evaluation scored to indicate whether eachﾠspecific aspect of the module has been achieved at a passing level. To pass this course students must complete the required number of placement hours and must passﾠin all aspects of each module, as detailed in the final evaluation form. Students are also required to submit via Turnitin, a number of pieces by certain dates, as recorded in the Assessment section of this eCourse profile. |
| F |
Course grade description: Not withstanding achieving passing rankings as outlined above, a student may fail a placement if their behaviour in an instance isﾠdeemed to be unprofessional or unethical, malicious or dangerous by the field educator and/or field tutor. In such a circumstance a student may have their placement terminated and they may be assigned a failing grade. Students will fail a placement if they do not complete the hours or do not achieve a pass in each element of each module, as detailed on the final evaluation, and achieve a pass grade in the pieces required to be submitted on Turnitin. |
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is not available for this course.
Additional assessment information
Students must completeﾠall of the placement assessment requirements and placement hoursﾠto a satisfactory standard and within the required timeframeﾠto pass the course. Students who do not complete all placement assessment requirements and placement hoursﾠwill receive a failing grade with no option for formalﾠsupplementary assessment.
Note also that:
- Students who commences placement and are unable to completeﾠthe semesterﾠare encouraged toﾠapply to the University toﾠwithdraw fromﾠthe courseﾠcodeﾠwithout academic penalty. Further information on how to apply to withdraw without academic penalty can be accessed throughﾠmy.UQﾠor through the Student Centre:ﾠhttp://www.uq.edu.au/student-centre/. Please note that students who withdraw from placement at any stage of the semesterﾠwill need to repeat the entire placement in a future semester. It is not possible to "carry over" completed placement hours or assessment items.
- Students who do not meet the academic field standards required during the latter part of the placement, but are considered by their Supervisor and UQ Liaison Person to beﾠlikely to reach the required standards for the placement in the same enrolment withﾠmore time and remedial interventionﾠmay be permitted a short extension of time to reach theﾠminimum standard. This is determined by the Program Lead,ﾠMaster of Social Work Studies following consultation with the Supervisor and UQ Liaison and receipt of aﾠstatement ofﾠlearningﾠ fromﾠthe student. The extension of time and remedial intervention is expected to take place in the same agency, or another agency, as per the ASWEAS (2021) Accreditation Field Education Guidelines.
- For details in relation to difficulties occurring on placement, please refer to the Social Work Practice Education Guide, 2025, Chapter 5.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
Your progress on placement is measured against the course Learning Objectives which have been developed to incorporate key elements of the AASW Education and Practice Standards 2024. The trajectory of the placement will be negotiated and developed collaboratively between each student, their Supervisor and UQ Liaison. It is primarily the responsibility of the student to ensure their learning goals are articulated and met.
The recommended format for this articulation is the Learning Agreement (an example is included in appendix 1 of your Practice Education Guide). The agreement is between the student and their Field Educator. As such it is not an assessable item however you will find that having a completed agreement will be hugely beneficial should any difficulties or misunderstandings arise subsequently in the placement. Don't assume that the agreement is not important simply because you don't need to submit it.
Over the course of the placement, students will be required to immerse themselves in the daily tasks of the agency, proactively engage in supervision, critically reflect on their practice and embrace challenging experiences. Student progress will be critically evaluated by Field Educators and Principal Practice Educators on the basis of direct engagement, observation and discussion.
Like social work practice itself, placement offers a holistic, confronting and rewarding experience. The extent to which the student chooses to embrace this opportunity typically corresponds with the learning they derive.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Not scheduled |
Workshop |
Pre-placement workshop (10:00am on 7 February 2025) Workshop focuses on practical arrangements for placement and your responsibilities. |
Week 1 (24 Feb - 02 Mar) |
Workshop |
Integration Workshop 1 All workshops are designed to facilitate your ability to link academic learning with practice. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07, L08 |
Week 5 (24 Mar - 30 Mar) |
Workshop |
Integration Workshop 2 All workshops are designed to facilitate your ability to link academic learning with practice. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07, L08 |
Week 9 (28 Apr - 04 May) |
Workshop |
Integration Workshop 3 All workshops are designed to facilitate your ability to link academic learning with practice. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07, L08 |
Week 13 (26 May - 01 Jun) |
Workshop |
Integration Workshop 4 All workshops are designed to facilitate your ability to link academic learning with practice. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07, L08 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.