SOWK101-21S1 (C) Semester One 2021

Introduction to Social Policy

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 22 February 2021
End Date: Sunday, 27 June 2021
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 7 March 2021
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Friday, 14 May 2021

Description

An introduction to the provision of welfare in New Zealand, providing students with the opportunity to examine socio-cultural, economic and political factors that have influenced current welfare policies, practice and services. The course addresses basic organising concepts of welfare, using historical and contemporary case studies. Students will be introduced to tools and frameworks that will enable them to develop research skills and critical thinking. Using current case studies of service delivery presented by guest practitioners, contemporary research practices, social worlds/issues and welfare services/responses are analysed.

This course reviews the fundamentals of social research, including: ethical considerations; sampling and data collection; data analysis and, dissemination and distribution of research knowledge related to the social work. The execution of a research project is required as the major course assessment.

The development of research skills by students is an important component of a social work degree.  

This course aims to build on the skills gained in earlier methods courses and provide an opportunity for students to begin to consolidate a research culture within their current or future employment.  By providing the platform to complete manageable research assignments, this course allows students to become increasingly familiar with the business of research and how it fits within a theory/practice/research framework.  

Course Goals:

To introduce and define key concepts associated with welfare and social policy, using historical and contemporary case studies.

To introduce ‘tools’ and frameworks that will enable you to develop research skills and critical thinking in this and other fields.

To analyse contemporary research practices, social issues, and welfare services, including Māori, Pasifika and other diverse perspectives.

Learning Outcomes

  • Demonstrated understanding of the research process
  • Demonstrated engagement with research participants
  • Demonstrated understanding of key ethical principles for social research
  • Ability to articulate the relationship between practice, theory and research
  • Increased confidence to undertake practice research.

Restrictions

HSRV101

Equivalent Courses

HSRV101

Course Coordinator

Gretchen Perry

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage  Description
Participation 10% There are eight tutorial sessions throughout this course. To be eligible for full participation marks, students need to attend a minimum of six tutorials
Multiple Choice 26 Mar 2021 30% This is a one-hour multiple-choice test with 30 questions. It includes elements of memorization, comprehension and critical thinking.
Policy Analysis Assignment 09 May 2021 30% 1500 words excl references
Multiple Choice 02 Jun 2021 30% This is a one-hour multiple-choice test with 30 questions. It includes elements of memorization, comprehension and critical thinking.

Textbooks / Resources

There is no textbook for this course. Throughout the course readings and resources will be uploaded to the University of Canterbury LEARN site - course SOWK101.

There is a reading for the first week of class, so please read that prior to the first lecture.
The Lecture Schedule is available in the “Course Information” tab on the LEARN website for this course.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $785.00

International fee $3,500.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see School of Health Sciences .

All SOWK101 Occurrences

  • SOWK101-21S1 (C) Semester One 2021
  • SOWK101-21S1 (D) Semester One 2021 (Distance)