SWM5116 Foundations for social work practice 2
Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
SWM5116 Foundations for social work practice 2 is a level 5, 6-credit-point, postgraduate unit from the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences. It isn't offered in 2025. It needs SWM5115 and unlocks 3 units, leading on to 4 units in all.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2025
- Other periods
- Caulfield
- Assessment
- Exam 60%
- and 1 other task
The 2027 handbook has no page for SWM5116. This is its 2025 entry, the latest one.
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Requisites
Before SWM5116
Prerequisites
Pass these before you enrol.
Prohibitions
You can't enrol if you have passed any of these.
After SWM5116
3 units list SWM5116 as a prerequisite or corequisite.
Enrolment rules
Corequisite: Must be enrolled in a Postgraduate course
Overview
This unit is the second of two foundational units for social work practice which will progress your knowledge beyond the presenting problem and moving into assessment and basic intervention.
The unit uses a human development framework emphasising resilience across the lifespan. The dependency on accurate social assessments that account for a person's physical, emotional, cognitive, spiritual, cultural, temporal states are emphasised.
You will critically appraise and practice administering a biopsychosocial assessment. Risk and protective factors at individual, family, community and societal levels that impede or enhance child, adolescent and adult development will also be identified.
You will explore the symbiotic relationship between assessment and intervention and the common skills that form the bedrock of accurate and effective assessment tools and interventions in social work practice to enhance wellbeing and reduce risk.
Offerings in 2025
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Trimester 2 | Caulfield | Bld blk |
Assessment
- Case study - Critical Analysis (2,000 words)Written40%
- Biopsychosocial Assessment and Case Plan (15 min interview + 2,000 words)Examination60%
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Identify the biopsychosocial developmental needs that arise in the life course and apply this knowledge to social work practice.
- 2
Apply evidence-informed approaches to understand, assess and intervene effectively with individuals and families
- 3
Identify the risk and protective factors of an individual/family and their circumstances by undertaking a biopsychosocial assessment
- 4
Examine the ways in which power structures disadvantage specific groups with particular consideration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and use strength-based approaches to redress marginalisation
- 5
Critically analyse the elements of effective social work practice in assessment and intervention
Workload and teaching
- Tutorials24 hours
- Lectures12 hours
- Seminars5 hours
6 hours of teacher directed study per week, including a 2 hour seminar/lecture, 2 hour tutorial, and three 2-hour Clinical Practice Lab (CPL) sessions over the semester.
The remaining hours involve directed readings and class preparation, along with guided reflection and consolidation activities. Both tutorials and CPLs are compulsory for all students 6 hours per week of self-directed study.
Off campus attendance requirements: Mandatory attendance:3 days of on-campus workshops. To be advised at the start of semester.
Contacts
- Chief Examiners
- Associate Professor Catherine Flynn
- Unit Coordinators
- Associate Professor Catherine Flynn
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for SWM5116?
You need SWM5115 before you enrol. Enrolment rules also apply.
What can I take after SWM5116?
SWM5116 is a prerequisite or corequisite for 3 units, including SWM5005, SWM5170 and SWM5171. Those lead on to 4 units in all.
When is SWM5116 offered?
SWM5116 has no offerings listed in the 2025 handbook.
Does SWM5116 have an exam?
Yes. The exam is worth 60% of the final mark, alongside 1 other task.