University Of Zululand Social Work, The Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) is a generalist programme designed for the students’ acquisition of knowledge, skills and values, with the emphasis on preventive, pro-active and developmental approaches to social service delivery to individuals, groups and communities in accordance with developmental policy as outlined post 1994.
Structure / Composition of the curriculum
The curriculum shall consist of at least 32 semester modules as follows:
First year – a minimum of eight semester modules
Second year – a minimum of eight semester modules
Third year – a minimum of eight semester modules
Fourth year- a minimum of eight semester modules
Purpose of the programme
The purpose of the four year BSW professional qualification which serves as the driver of the core purpose of social work in South Africa, is to equip social workers with:
- Skills to challenge structural sources of poverty, inequality, oppression, discrimination and exclusion
- Knowledge and understanding of human behaviour and social systems and the skills to intervene at the points where people interact with their environments in order to promote social well-being
- The ability and competence to assist and empower individuals, families, groups, organisations and communities to enhance their social functioning and their problem-solving capacities
- The ability to promote, restore, maintain and enhance the functioning of individuals, families, groups and communities by enabling them to accomplish tasks, prevent and alleviate distress and use resources effectively
- Understanding of and the ability to demonstrate social work values and the principles of human rights and social justice while interacting with and assisting the range of human diversity
- Understanding and ability to provide social work services towards protecting people who are vulnerable, at-risk and unable to protect themselves
- Knowledge and understanding of both the South African and the global welfare context and the ability to implement the social development approach in social work services
- Understanding of the major social needs, issues, policies and legislation in the South African social welfare context and the social worker’s role and contribution
- The skill to work effectively within teams, including social work teams, multi- and inter- disciplinary teams as well as multi-sectoral
The above purpose is consistent with the core purposes of social work as identified in the Global Standards for the Education and Training of Social Work (adopted by the IASSW and IFSW in 2004) (Sewpaul & Jones, 2005), as reflected below:
- Facilitate the inclusion of marginalized, socially excluded, dispossessed, vulnerable and at- risk groups of people.
- Address and challenge barriers, inequalities and injustices that exist in socie
- Form short and longer-term working relationships with and mobilize individuals, families, groups, organisations and communities to enhance their well-being and their problem-solving capacitie
- Assist and educate people to obtain services and resources in their commun
- Formulate and implement policies and programmes that enhance people’s well-being, promote development and human rights, and promote collective social harmony and social stability, insofar as such stability does not violate human righ
- Encourage people to engage in advocacy with regard to pertinent local, national, regional and international aspects.
Exit Level Outcomes of The BSW programme
- Policy & Legislation
- Critically appraise social welfare and social work from a global, region(African) and nation perspective
- Critically appraise the current status and position of the social work profession within the South African welfare context
- Apply and uphold the basic values and principles enshrined in the Bill of Rights in the SA Constitution in relation to social work service delivery
- Elucidate national and local governance structures and the general laws and charters governing social welfare policy and social work services in South Africa
- Demonstrate understanding of how social policies and legislation on social issues impact on these issues and how to use legislation, ethically and accountably in order to protect and improve the quality of life of client systems from a social work perspective
- Demonstrate understanding of how social welfare policy and legislation are developed and influenced
- Demonstrate understanding of the roles and functions of the social worker within relevant statutory frameworks
- Identify how social security is used optimally for the benefit of client systems
- Intervention
- Develop and maintain professional social work relationships with client systems
- Access clients social functioning
- Plan and implement appropriate social work interventions strategies and techniques at micro, mezzo and macro levels
- Access and utilise resources appropriate to client systems’ needs and strengths
- Evaluate the outcome of social work intervention strategies, techniques and processes
- Terminate social work intervention
- Negotiate and utilise contracts during social work intervention
- Demonstrate social work values while interacting with human diversity
- Appraise and implement the ethical principles and values of social work
- Work effectively with social workers and members of inter-sectoral and multi-and/or inter-disciplinary teams in social work service delivery
- Inequality and Social Inclusion
- Identify, select and implement various techniques, methods and means of raising awareness, developing critical consciousness about the structural forces of oppression, exclusion and disempowerment and use such awareness to engage people as change agents
- Analyse human behaviour with regard to the intersections of race, class, culture, ethnicity, gender, differential abilities and sexual orientation
- Identify the influence of the relationship between socio-political and economic factors on social services
- Identify the purpose, functions and principles of social work within the social development paradigm
- Management, Administration and Supervision
- Produce and maintain records of social work interventions, processes and outcomes
- Demonstrate understanding of the roles, functions, knowledge and skills for effective social work supervision and consultation
- Demonstrate understanding of roles, functions and characteristics of management and administration within the social service delivery
- Formulate a business plan for the funding to fund social services
- Research
- Use and plan social work research
- Skills to be learned
- Interviewing skills
- Counselling skills
- Communication skills
- Report Writing skills
- Research skills
- Presentation Skills
- Computer literacy skills
- Human relations skills
- Leadership skills
- Administrative skills
- Listening skills
- Management skills
- Planning skills
- Policy formulation skills
- Target group of students
- The National Senior Certificate (NSC) as certified by Umalusi, with an achievement rating of four (50%) or higher in four (4) recognised NSC subjects with 26 credits and achievement rating 4 or higher in English.
- Admission selection is done through the Central Applications Office (CAO) or some students who have registered with the University from other programmes who would like to modify and study social wor
- Students shortlisted must attend selection interviews held in November
- Must have satisfied the Department during the interview and in the course of his/her study that she/he possesses the qualities required to train as a social worker
Additional information relevant to the programme eg WIL, practicals, dress codes, etc Rules
- General rules of the Faculty of Arts app
- The curriculum shall extend over at least four years of stud
Departmental Policy on Work Integrated Learning
- A student shall complete the practical work/service learning programme for the second, third and fourth year levels and shall hand in all reports as determined by the Head of Departmen
- A student who does not report at the school/community project/social welfare and social work agency where he/she is placed and does not produce satisfactory written justification for his/her absence, will not be considered to have met the requirements for the practical work programme.
- A student who misses more than 3 days of Practical Work with no valid and satisfactory reason(s) will be disqualified and stopped from proceeding training in that year.
- Students undergoing practical work must register with the South African Council for Social Service Professions as a student social worker in terms of the regulations made under the Social Service Professions Act, 1978.
- No student will undertake 4th year practical work if he or she has outstanding first semester module(s) from previous year(s).
- All students undergoing practical work from 2nd year to 4th year must be registered with the South African Council for Social Service Professions, a statutory body regulating the Code of Ethics for Social Workers, as a student social worker in terms of the regulations made under the Social Service Professions Act, 1978.
Dress Code
Students must dress appropriately and formal for practical work, in comfortable clothing which adequately covers the body all the time.
Ethical Rules and Code of Conduct
- Students in practical settings are required to maintain a Professional Relationship with clients, colleagues and other Professionals at all
- Students are forbidden from engaging in sexual relationships with clien Any student who is found to be engaging in a sexual relationship with a client before the expiry period of 24 months will be PERMANENLY discontinued from the BSW Training Programme and struck off the roll as a student Social Worker or future practicing Social Worker by the SACSSP.
Departmental Policy on Portfolio of Evidence
Social work students from level one to four are required to keep a portfolio of evidence of all the work done (and other recommended documents) in the Bachelor of Social Work Programme in order for them to fulfill the requirements for a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work. BSW qualification will only be conferred once the student has satisfied the Department that she/he has submitted evidence as stipulated above.
Assessment of students’ work
The Department uses the University assessment policy. Four(4) assessments per semester to be administered by all lecturers within the department for theory modules. Continuous assessments are implemented by the department. Practical work is done through the submission of weekly reports, and there are no examinations for practical work modules, unless if practical work has been infused into a theory module
Teaching and learning within the department
The Department uses the University teaching and learning policy. Students should demonstrate understanding and integration of BSW exit level outcomes in their learning and practicum tasks. A variety of teaching and learning methods should be utilized.Lecturers should prepare and review study guides annually.
University Exclusion Policy
The Department also applies the exclusion policy if the need arises.
| FACULTY: | FACULTY OF ARTS |
|---|---|
| Department: | Social Work |
| Degree (Designator): | Bachelor of Social Work |
| Qualifier: | |
| Majors: | Social Work |
| Abbreviation: | BSW |
| Qualification Code (SAQA): | |
| UNIZULU Code: | AWDEG1 |
| EXIT NQF Level: | 8 |
| Admission Requirements: | The National Senior Certificate (NSC) as certified by Umalusi, with an achievement rating of four (50%) or higher in four (4) recognised NSC subjects with 26 credits and achievement rating 4 or higher in English. Admission selection is done through the Central Applications Office (CAO) or some students who have registered with the University from other programmes who would like to modify and study social work. Students shortlisted must attend selection interviews held in November |
| Minimum Credits for Admission: | 26 NSC points |
| Minimum duration of studies | 4 YEARS |
| Presentation mode of subjects: | DAY CLASSES |
| Presentation mode of subjects: | DAY CLASSES |
| Intake for the qualification: | JANUARY |
| Registration Cycle for the subjects: | JANUARY |
| Readmission: | Subject to prior performance and current applicability of passed modules |
| Total credits to Graduate: | 480 |
FIRST YEAR
| SUBJECT CODE | MODULE NAME | CREDITS | NQF LEVEL | PRE-REQUISITES | CO-REQUISITES | COMPULSORY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASWK111 | Introduction to Social Welfare and Social Work | 15 | 5 | None | ASWK 121 | Y |
| ASWK 121 | Social Work Practice 1 | 15 | 5 | None | ASWK 111 | Y |
| AENG121 | Practical English 1 A | 15 | 5 | None | N | |
| APSY111 | Introduction to Psychology | 15 | 5 | None | N | |
| ASWK112 | Introduction to Social Work Methods and Special Issues | 15 | 5 | ASWK121 | ASWK 122 | Y |
| ASWK122 | Social Work Practice 2 Purpose: | 15 | 5 | ASWK111 | ASWK 112 | Y |
| AENG122 | Practical English 1 B | 15 | 5 | AENG121 | None | N |
| ASGY122 | Social Change and Development | 15 | 5 | ASGY 111 | None | N |
| Total Credits: Level 1 | 120 |
SECOND YEAR
| SUBJECT CODE | MODULE NAME | CREDITS | NQF LEVEL | PRE-REQUISITES | CO-REQUISITES | COMPULSORY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASWK211 | Social Group work with reference to activity | 15 | 6 | ASWK 112 | ASWK221 | Y |
| ASWK221 | Social Casework, Family and Childcare | 15 | 6 | ASWK 122 | ASWK211 | Y |
| ASWK241 | Theories of Social Work | 15 | 6 | ASWK122 | ASWK 221 | Y |
| SCPS121 | Computer Literacy 1 | 15 | 5 | None | None | N |
| ASWK 212 | Cross-cultural understanding in professional practice | 15 | 6 | ASWK221 | ASWK 222 | Y |
| ASWK222 | Life Skills (Fieldwork Practice) | 15 | 6 | ASWK211 | ASWK212 | Y |
| APSY222 | Developmental Psychology | 15 | 6 | None | APSY111 | N |
| ASWK232 | Substance Abuse from childhood to adulthood | 15 | 6 | None | ASWK222 | Y |
| Total Credits: Level 2 | 120 |
THIRD YEAR
| SUBJECTCODE | MODULE NAME | CREDITS | NQF LEVEL | PRE-REQUISITES | CO-REQUISITES | COMPULSORY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASWK311 | Programme and Project Management (Community Development Practice) | 15 | 7 | ASWK222 | ASWK 321 | Y |
| ASWK321 | Preparation and Fieldwork Practice 1 | 15 | 7 | ASWK221&ASWK 222 | ASWK 311 | Y |
| ASWK341 | Philosophy of social work and social ethics | 15 | 7 | ASWK221 | ASWK321 | Y |
| ACOR211 | Crime Prevention | 15 | 6 | None | None | N |
| ASWK 312 | Social Development for Social Service Professions | 15 | 7 | ASWK311 | ASWK332 | Y |
| ASWK322 | Research Methodology: Beginning Social Work Research | 15 | 7 | None | ASWK 312 | y |
| ASWK332 | Integrative Service Learning (Fieldwork Practice 2 | 15 | 7 | ASWK 321 | ASWK 312 | y |
| CBMG302 | Business Management 3B | 15 | 7 | None | None | N |
| Total Credit | 120 |
FOURTH YEAR
| SUBJECTCODE | MODULE NAME | CREDITS | NQF LEVEL | PRE-REQUISITES | CO-REQUISITES | COMPULSORY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASWK411 | Fieldwork Instruction 1: Direct Practice with individuals | 15 | 8 | ASWK 321 | ASWK421 | Y |
| ASWK 421 | Fieldwork Instruction 2: Direct Practice with groups and/or communities | 15 | 8 | ASWK 222&ASWK 332 | ASWK431 | Y |
| ASWK431 | Fieldwork Practice 3: Indirect practice: Agency Assessment | 15 | 8 | ASWK321 | ASWK441 | Y |
| ASWK441 | Fieldwork 4: Indirect Practice: Practical Work Assessment | 15 | 8 | ASWK321 | ASWK411 | Y |
| ASWK 412 | HIV/AIDS Counselling | 15 | 8 | None | ASWK422 | Y |
| ASWK422 | Research Methodology: Guide for preparing a research document and production of a project of approximately 25 pages | 15 | 8 | ASWK322 | ASWK432 | Y |
| ASWK432 | Management and Administration in Social Work | 15 | 8 | ASWK332 | ASWK412 | Y |
| ASWK442 | Youth and Social Service (Social Policy) | 15 | 8 | ASWK312 | ASWK422 | Y |
| Total Credits: Year 4 Total credits for degree | 120480 |