| Effective Term: | 2025/05 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Education, Arts & Community |
| Unit Title: | Social Policy and social change |
| Unit ID: | BSWUG2005 |
| Credit Points: | 15.00 |
| Prerequisite(s): | (BSWUG1001 or BSWUG1002 or CHSUG1001 or SOSCI1002) |
| Co-requisite(s): | Nil |
| Exclusion(s): | (CHSUG2005) |
| ASCED: | 090501 |
| Other Change: | |
| Brief description of the Unit |
Political ideology permeates social policy which, when implemented, affects people’s well-being in their social context, including their access to services and resources. Identifying with the marginalised, and taking a stance against oppressive social structures and practices, this unit equips students to critically analyse and proactively challenge policies that disenfranchise, exclude or oppress social communities and people of diverse cultures, including First Nations people within the Australian context. The unit develops students’ awareness of policymaking and practice, and sharpens their ability to analyse, question and challenge policies relevant to practice within the human services. |
| Grade Scheme: | Graded (HD, D, C, P, MF, F, XF) |
| Work Experience Indicator: |
| No work experience |
| Placement Component: | |
| Supplementary Assessment:Yes |
| Where supplementary assessment is available a student must have failed overall in the Unit but gained a final mark of 45 per cent or above, has completed all major assessment tasks (including all sub-components where a task has multiple parts) as specified in the Unit Description and is not eligible for any other form of supplementary assessment |
| Course Level: |
| Level of Unit in Course | AQF Level(s) of Course | | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | | Introductory | | | | | | | | Intermediate | | |  | | | | | Advanced | | | | | | |
|
| Learning Outcomes: |
| Knowledge: |
| K1. | Identify and place in historical context the major themes which have contributed to the development of the Australian Welfare state. |
|
| K2. | Critically review different discourses which underpin debates about social policy in Australia. |
|
| K3. | Examine contemporary issues and debates in a number of policy areas. |
|
| K4. | Critically review the policy-making process in Australia and be able to identify key stakeholders and actors in the policy making process |
|
| K5. | Analyse implications of specific areas of social policy for the community and human services field. |
|
| Skills: |
| S1. | Locate policy documentation and critique policies using a variety of sources. |
|
| S2. | Analyse the policy framework that underpins social policy |
|
| S3. | Evaluate the implications for service users and the Human Services field generally of specific areas of social policy |
|
| S4. | Debate the relative merits of social policy from a clearly identified value base |
|
| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Develop capacity to analyse social policy rhetoric, and identify underlying values. |
|
| A2. | Demonstrate knowledge of the stages of the policy cycle, and capacity to identify how and when the different stages are utilised in relation to existing policies. |
|
| A3. | Locate and research information about diverse social policies, and apply it to analysis of policies |
|
| Unit Content: |
Social Policy: Introducing approaches and concepts: What is social policy? - A Historical overview of the philosophical debates on the welfare state Values, ideology and social policy (Agenda Setting with special emphasis on media) An overview of welfare policy in Australia 1900s to 1970s. History of Australian Welfare State: Overview of welfare policy in Australia: 1970s-1990s Neo-liberalism and social policy: 1980s to date. Social Policy making processes, institutions and actions Stages of policy-making Policymaking and the implication for community services Community services, individuals and the market. Social Policy Case Studies: Poverty and Welfare Policy Housing Policy Education Policy Health Policy Unemployment Policy Australian Policy Trends in an International Context |
| Graduate Attributes: |
| Federation University recognises that students require key transferable employability skills to prepare them for their future workplace and society. FEDTASKS (Transferable Attributes Skills and Knowledge) provide a targeted focus on five key transferable Attributes, Skills, and Knowledge that are be embedded within curriculum, developed gradually towards successful measures and interlinked with cross-discipline and Co-operative Learning opportunities. One or more FEDTASK, transferable Attributes, Skills or Knowledge must be evident in the specified learning outcomes and assessment for each FedUni Unit, and all must be directly assessed in each Course.
|
| FED TASK and descriptor | Development and acquisition of FEDTASKS in the Unit | | Level | FEDTASK 1
Interpersonal | Students will demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate, inter-act and work with others both individually and in groups. Students will be required to display skills in-person and/or online in: • Using effective verbal and non-verbal communication • Listening for meaning and influencing via active listening • Showing empathy for others • Negotiating and demonstrating conflict resolution skills • Working respectfully in cross-cultural and diverse teams. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 2
Leadership | Students will demonstrate the ability to apply professional skills and behaviours in leading others. Students will be required to display skills in: • Creating a collegial environment • Showing self -awareness and the ability to self-reflect • Inspiring and convincing others • Making informed decisions • Displaying initiative | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 3
Critical Thinking and Creativity | Students will demonstrate an ability to work in complexity and ambiguity using the imagination to create new ideas. Students will be required to display skills in: • Reflecting critically • Evaluating ideas, concepts and information • Considering alternative perspectives to refine ideas • Challenging conventional thinking to clarify concepts • Forming creative solutions in problem solving. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 4
Digital Literacy | Students will demonstrate the ability to work fluently across a range of tools, platforms and applications to achieve a range of tasks. Students will be required to display skills in: • Finding, evaluating, managing, curating, organising and sharing digital information • Collating, managing, accessing and using digital data securely • Receiving and responding to messages in a range of digital media • Contributing actively to digital teams and working groups • Participating in and benefiting from digital learning opportunities. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 5
Sustainable and Ethical Mindset | Students will demonstrate the ability to consider and assess the consequences and impact of ideas and actions in enacting ethical and sustainable decisions. Students will be required to display skills in: • Making informed judgments that consider the impact of devising solutions in global economic environmental and societal contexts • Committing to social responsibility as a professional and a citizen • Evaluating ethical, socially responsible and/or sustainable challenges and generating and articulating responses • Embracing lifelong, life-wide and life-deep learning to be open to diverse others • Implementing required actions to foster sustainability in their professional and personal life. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines |
|
| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | | 1. | K2, K3, S1, S2, A1, A2 | Identify relevant and credible literature related to social policy debates, and summarise and critically evaluate this literature | Annotated Bibliography | 15-25% | | 2. | K1, K3, K5, S3, A3 | Analyse and critique different issues relevant to contemporary social policy (e.g. Indigenous policy, health policy, welfare policy etc.) | Essay | 25-40% | | 3. | K1, K3, K4, K5, S2, S3, S4, A3 | Develop and debate a position on the impact of the policy making process on social policies in Australia | Case study based policy submission | 35-50% |
|