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
Second supervised practice experience in a social welfare agency. Placement of 500 hours duration in a social welfare agency, focusing on integration of practice experience with course material and companion courses. The placement runs for approximately four days a week for 18 weeks commencing two weeks prior to the beginning of the semester.
SWSP4266 is the second and final 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 here .
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
The prerequisite for SWSP4266 is the successful completion of Years 1, 2, 3 and semester 1 of year 4 of the BSocWk(Hons) program including Professional Practiceﾠ courses.
During placement it is expected that students review the content ﾠof all previous year's courses in order to facilitate linking between academic and practice learning.
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
SWSP3155. Students undertake SWSP4266 in their final semester of study.
Companion or co-requisite courses
You'll need to complete the following courses at the same time:
SWSP4100
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
SWSP7088, SWSP7266, SWSP4088, SWSP7288, SWSP7366
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Tutor
Ms Claire Turner
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.This is a great time for you to raise any questions you have about any aspect of the placement process and university expectations.ﾠ
- The zoom link will be made available via the course Blackboard site.
- 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
- 30 May, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Aims and outcomes
SWSP4266 aims to afford students ﾠthe opportunity to develop and demonstrate the skills and knowledge appropriate to Australian social work practice at a new-graduate level within the context of an existing social work service.
Upon successfully completing SWSP4266, students will be able to demonstrate they are 'competent, effective, skilled, knowledge-based, ethicalﾠ and confident practitioners'.ﾠ
As per the AASW accreditation guidelines, students will 'have a commitment to social justice and social change in the interests of the citizens of their society, recognising that there are competing views of desirable approaches to the organisation of society and the provision of social services. They will have the ability to think critically and reflectively about their practice, and a commitment to intervene in the interests of the client groups they serve.'
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Demonstrate the consistent application of the AASW Code of Ethics (2020) to all aspects of practice in the placement agency. (Values and ethics)
LO2.
Articulate professional purpose taking account of context, client needs and capacities, social work knowledge, theory, skills and values and the power and authority inherent in the social workers role. (Professionalism)
LO3.
Recognise and manage the impact of institutionalised racism on how social work may be perceived by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients and other culturally and linguistically diverse service users. (Culturally responsive and inclusive practice)
LO4.
Articulate a coherent practice framework incorporating critical reflection, theoretical positions and a reflexive examination of your skills and knowledge. (Knowledge for practice)
LO5.
In collaboration with clients, assess needs and appropriate interventions using evidence-informed independent critical thought and judgement. (Applying knowledge to practice)
LO6.
Establish and maintain respectful and accountable relationships with a diverse range of clients, engaging in effective rapport-building and professional dialogue, taking into account their varying communication capacities and needs. (Communication and interpersonal skills)
LO7.
Maintain accurate, comprehensive records, including the documentation of all interventions and assessments in accordance with ethical principles and relevant legislation, using agency templates and storage facilities. Develop templates where necessary. (Information recording and sharing)
LO8.
Monitor and manage your professional development needs, attitudes and behaviour to promote and advance social work practice by actively engaging with supervision, research, academic literature and professional learning opportunities. (Professional development and supervision)
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Mid-point Evaluation | Formative |
Approximately by the end of Week 9 of your placement. |
| Placement | Final Placement Evaluation | Pass/Fail |
No later than final week of placement |
Assessment details
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 (750 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
Submit via the Turnitin link on the Course Blackboard site
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
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 (750 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
Submit via Turnitin link on course Blackboard site
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
Must be completed prior to end-of-placement evaluation
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 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
Submit via Turnitin link on course Blackboard site
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
Any scheduling difficulty must be discussed with Supervisor and UQ Liaison person.
Final Placement Evaluation
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance, Oral
- Category
- Placement
- Weight
- Pass/Fail
- Due date
No later than 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 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 a pass or fail.
- A fail grade is subject to the usual University appeal mechanisms.
Submission guidelines
Submit 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.</p> |
| 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.</p> |
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is not available for this course.
Additional assessment information
Students must complete all 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:
- If a student commences placement andﾠthen requires aﾠformal interruption to placement within the semester due to exceptional extenuating circumstances, they can apply for an interruption / extension for placement.ﾠStudents will beﾠrequired to submit a formal application for interruption and extension, and the application must be substantiated with supporting documentation such asﾠmedical certificates, Statutory Declarations and / or other evidence. Approval for interruption and extension rests with the Program Lead, who will consult withﾠField Education staff when making the decision.ﾠApprovals will only be granted in exceptional circumstances, on a case by case basis.
- If a student commences placement and is then unable to complete placement in the semester due to exceptional extenuating circumstances,ﾠthey are encouraged toﾠapply to the University to withdraw fromﾠthe course without academic penalty. Further information on how to apply to withdraw without academic penalty can be accessed through my.UQ or through the Student Centre: http://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.
- Additionally, students who do not quite meet the academic field standards required during the latter part of the placement, but with more time and remedial intervention are likely to reach the required standards for the placement in the same enrolment, may be permitted a short extension of time to reach theﾠminimum standard. This would be determinedﾠafter feedback from the Supervisor, UQ Liaison and aﾠstatement ofﾠlearningﾠpiece fromﾠthe student. Final approval rests with the Program Lead, after consultation with Practice Education staff. The extension of time and remedial intervention would normally take place in the same agency, or another agency, as per the ASWEAS (2012) Accreditation field education guidelines.
For details in relation to difficulties occurring on placement, please refer to the Practice Education Guide, chapter 6.
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 |
|---|---|---|
Workshop |
Pre-placement workshop Compulsory Workshop focuses on practical arrangements for placement and your responsibilities. |
|
Week 1 (24 Feb - 02 Mar) |
Workshop |
Integration Workshop 1 Both 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 2 Both 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.