SOWK203-18S2 (C) Semester Two 2018

Policy Debates in the Social Services

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 16 July 2018
End Date: Sunday, 18 November 2018
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 29 July 2018
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 14 October 2018

Description

This course examines key principles guiding policy on the provision of social services. Trends and debates around the shifting relationship between welfare systems and the state are explored along with factors influencing the delivery of human services in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Students will learn to critically assess the implications of social service delivery for providers and consumers of welfare services, and issues around the impact of inequalities in society.

At an advanced level, this course examines key principles guiding policy about the provision of social services.  Trends and debates around the shifting relationship between welfare systems and the state are explored, along with a thorough analysis of factors influencing the delivery of human services.  Students will learn to critically assess the implications of social service delivery for providers and consumers of welfare services, and the impact of inequalities in societies, especially New Zealand society.

The purpose of the course is that students develop a refined ability to analyse contemporary social issues in a systematic way, helping equip them as future human service practitioners or policy makers to apply their understanding. The relationship between ‘private troubles’ and ‘public issues’ will inform analysis and will assist students in appreciating the forces that impact on citizens' circumstances and on service delivery.   A history of social policy in Aotearoa is included in the course with emphasis on the effects of colonisation and iwi resurgence in sustaining well-being.

Learning Goals:
1. To introduce social policy as it has developed in Aotearoa/New Zealand
2. To explore ideologies, values and beliefs that underpin current social policy
    debates
3. To introduce policy formulation and policy process
4. To analyse contemporary social issues and their social policy implications
5. To consider the influence of social policy on both human service
    organisations and their clients

Learning Outcomes

  • Sound grasp of social policy theories and how they inform current debates
  • Refined capacity to analyse and explain the complex interplay of factors that influence policy development
  • Advanced understanding of policy process and implementation in Aotearoa/New Zealand
  • Facility to critically assess the impact of social policy on service provision

      • University Graduate Attributes

      This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attributes specified below:

      Critically competent in a core academic discipline of their award

      Students know and can critically evaluate and, where applicable, apply this knowledge to topics/issues within their majoring subject.

Prerequisites

30 points from HSRV101, HSRV102, HSRV103, HSRV104, SOWK101, SOWK102 and SOWK104. Students without this prerequisite but with at least 60 points in appropriate courses may enter the course with the permission of the Programme Coordinator.

Restrictions

Equivalent Courses

Course Coordinator

Josiah Banbury

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $746.00

International fee $3,038.00

* 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 Language, Social and Political Sciences .

All SOWK203 Occurrences

  • SOWK203-18S2 (C) Semester Two 2018
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