Social Work
There will be no new enrolments in the Bachelor of Social Work from 2022.
The Social Work programme is currently offering a four-year Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree, at the Tauranga Campus. The BSW degree is recognised by the New Zealand Social Workers Registration Board (SWRB) and will enable graduates to obtain professional registration as a social worker in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Social Workers are critical thinkers and problem solvers, who challenge societal inequities to generate social change. The Social Work programme strives to offer bicultural education that is grounded on the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Our curriculum is also founded on the principles of social justice, human rights, collective responsibility, and respect for diversities that are central to social work.
Throughout your social work studies, you will gain new knowledge to help you thrive as a social worker. At the end of your studies, you will have a critical understanding of socio-structural inadequacies, discrimination, oppression and social, political and economic injustices. The programme will help you gain the practice skills to work with individuals, families, whānau, hapū, iwi and diverse communities.
Key information
| Study Location: | Tauranga |
|---|---|
| Area of Study: |
Study Social Work in these qualifications
Study Social Work as a specialisation of
Career opportunities
- Child and Family Services Worker
- Child Protection Worker
- Community Worker
- Kaupapa Māori Services Worker
- Manager
- Probation Officer
- Social Policy Analyst
- Social Worker
- Therapist/Counsellor
- Youth Worker
Papers
Available Social Work papers
Year 1
Students must take HMDEV100, MAORI101, MAORI150, PSYCH101, SOCWK101, SOCWK103, and 15 points from any 100-level paper from Sociology, and 15 points from any 100-level paper from Social Policy.
In the event a required paper (excluding SOCWK papers) is not offered, students may substitute an alternative paper identified and approved by the Social Work Programme Convenor.
Year 2
Students must take SOCWK203, SOCWK204, SOCWK206 and 15 points from any 200-level MAORI coded paper and 15 points from any 200-level paper from one of the following subjects listed for the degree: Human Development, Māori and Indigenous Studies, Philosophy, Political Sciences, Psychology, Social Policy, Social Work, Sociology and Te Reo Māori.
In the event a required paper (excluding SOCWK papers) is not offered, students may substitute an alternative paper identified and approved by the Social Work Programme Convenor.
Year 3
Students must take HMDEV340, SOCWK301, SOCWK310 and 15 points from one of the following subjects listed for the degree: Human Development, Māori and Indigenous Studies, Philosophy, Political Sciences, Psychology, Social Policy, Social Work, Sociology and Te Reo Māori.
In the event a required paper (excluding SOCWK papers) is not offered, students may substitute an alternative paper identified and approved by the Social Work Programme Convenor.
Year 4
Students must take SOCWK403, SOCWK405 and SOCWK410.
300 Level
| Code | Paper Title | Points | Occurrence / Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| HMDEV340 | Perspectives on Counselling | 15.0 | 23A (Hamilton) & 23A (Tauranga) |
| This paper examines the philosophical, psychological and sociological principles that underpin the aims and methods of the helping professions in general, and counselling in particular. | |||
| SOCWK301 | Managing Risk to Safeguard Children | 30.0 | 23A (Tauranga) |
| Students will critically examine the application of social work theory and research to practice issues with children and young people, within the context of assessing and managing risk. | |||
| SOCWK310 | Field Placement 1 | 60.0 | 23X (Tauranga) |
| This paper is the first of two social work field education papers that meet the SWRB requirements. This 60-day supervised field placement in a social service agency provides students with the opportunity to apply theoretical learning, skills and social work values to practice. | |||
400 Level
| Code | Paper Title | Points | Occurrence / Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| SOCWK403 | Social Justice, Ethics and Law | 30.0 | 23A (Tauranga) |
| This paper critically examines social justice issues, principles and models of justice and human rights. Students develop an understanding of the judicial system in Aotearoa New Zealand, and the legal, ethical and professional responsibilities of social workers. | |||
| SOCWK405 | Research for Social Work Practice | 30.0 | 23A (Tauranga) |
| In this paper, learners examine a range of methodological approaches to social work research and analyse the application of research evidence to inform social work decision-making. | |||
| SOCWK410 | Field Placement 2 | 60.0 | 23X (Tauranga) |
| This paper extends previous field placement learning to meet the SWRB requirements. This 60-day supervised field placement in a social service agency provides students with the opportunity to apply and further develop theoretical learning, skills and social work values to practice. | |||
Scholarships and prizes
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Visit our Scholarship Finder for information about possible scholarships
Subject links
Subject Requirements
For more information about subject requirements, please refer to the Catalogue of Papers for the most up to date information. If you have any questions and need more advice, contact one of our friendly student advisors on phone:
Contacts
School of Social Sciences
Phone: 0800 800 145 or +64 7 838 4030
General and Undergraduate Email Enquiries: [email protected]