Course Outline

SCS235 Social Justice, Welfare and the State

Course Coordinator:Peter Innes (pinnes@usc.edu.au) School:School of Law and Society

2026Trimester 2

UniSC Sunshine Coast

UniSC Moreton Bay

UniSC Fraser Coast

Blended learning Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online.

Online

Online You can do this course without coming onto campus, unless your program has specified a mandatory onsite requirement.

Please go to unisc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.

What is this course about?

Description

Debate about the appropriate role of the state in welfare has been heightened by contemporary neoliberal reforms, including privatisation, managerialism, competition policy and economic globalisation. These developments have impacted upon welfare provision, on economic policy and social equity and wellbeing. This course explores the domestic and international factors that have shaped the welfare system in Australia  with a strong focus on contemporary developments.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Learning materials – 1 hour online learning materials and activities 1hr Week 1 12 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – On campus 10*2hrs tutorial/workshop 2hrs Week 1 10 times
Online
Learning materials – 1 hour online learning materials and activities 1hr Week 1 12 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Online tutorial 2hrs Week 1 10 times

Course Topics

  • Concept of state, welfare, and justice
  • Discussion on Australian welfare policy
  • Comparison of Australian welfare state with others
  • Theories of welfare
  • Neoliberalism and welfare
  • Knowledge and skills in analysing welfare issues
  • Welfare, creativity, and innovation

Mature Content

Adult themes

What level is this course?

200 Level (Developing)

Building on and expanding the scope of introductory knowledge and skills, developing breadth or depth and applying knowledge and skills in a new context. May require pre-requisites where discipline specific introductory knowledge or skills is necessary. Normally, undertaken in the second or third full-time year of an undergraduate programs.

What is the unit value of this course?

12 units

How does this course contribute to my learning?

Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... Graduate Qualities Mapping Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming... Professional Standard Mapping * Australian Association of Social Workers
1 Critically understand and explain the Australian welfare issues and its comparison with others Knowledgeable
1, 3, 5, 6, 9
2 Critically assess and analyse neoliberal welfare discourse and its implications for contemporary and future debate Creative and critical thinker
1, 3, 5, 9
3 Critically investigate Australian welfare policies and apply knowledge and skills to evaluate these Creative and critical thinker
Empowered
1, 3, 5, 6, 9
4 Critically and scholarly engage in learning about welfare and synthesise it to develop own unique, personal understanding Knowledgeable
Creative and critical thinker
1, 3, 5, 6, 9
5 Ability to research and communicate both orally and in written format about Australian welfare issues and interventions Knowledgeable
Creative and critical thinker
Communication
5, 6, 9
6 Ability to effectively participate in a group and critically explore about Australian welfare issues and interventions Knowledgeable
Creative and critical thinker
Ethical
Engaged
Communication
1, 6, 9
7 Identify discriminatory practices in the social welfare system and how they impact clients and service users. Creative and critical thinker
Empowered
Ethical
3, 4, 5, 6

* Competencies by Professional Body

CODE COMPETENCY
Australian Association of Social Workers
1 Practice Standard 1: AASW Code of Ethics
3 Practice Standard 3: Human rights and social justice
4 Practice Standard 4: Culture, identity and intersectionality
5 Practice Standard 5: Critical thinking in practice
6 Practice Standard 6: Exercising professional judgement
9 Practice Standard 9: Professional growth

Am I eligible to enrol in this course?

Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.

Pre-requisites

Not applicable

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

Not applicable

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

This course assumes students have completed at least one sociology or politics course

Microcredential Information

Not applicable

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Standard Grading (GRD)

High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL).

Details of early feedback on progress

Timely and detailed feedback is provided for each assessment. Feedback is provided both within text and general comments to build scholarly skills. Students are able to seek feedback through face-to-face discussion with the course coordinator. Tutorials will include extended discussion and review of the assessment task requirements and scope.

Assessment tasks

Delivery mode Task No. Assessment Product Individual or Group Weighting % What is the duration / length? When should I submit? Where should I submit it?
All 1 Quiz/zes Individual 20%
1 Hour
Week 4 Online Test (Quiz)
All 2 Written Piece Individual 40%
2000 words
Week 9 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 3 Written Piece Individual 40%
1500 words
Week 12 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All - Assessment Task 1:Basic conceptual understanding of state, welfare, and justice
Goal:
The goal of this task is to test students’ knowledge and understanding of some basic concepts in welfare studies.
Product: Quiz/zes
Authorship Statement:
Format:
Multiple choice quiz via Canvas.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Correct identification of knowledge and understanding of basic concepts in welfare studies.
1 3 7
Generic Skills:
All - Assessment Task 2:Critical analysis of an Australian welfare policy
Goal:
This task intends to collectively engage students in assessing and investigating welfare policies in Australia.
Product: Written Piece
Authorship Statement:
Format:
Students will choose an active welfare policy – either federal or state level – from Australia and will critically engage in policy analysis.
Students will be required to use Cadmus for this Task.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Criteria 1: Ability to critically locate the main issue/s represented in the policy.
1 3
2
Criteria 2: Ability to outline and discuss dominant ideologies and discourses that underpin the policy.
2 3
3
Criteria 3: Ability to assess and analyse the impacts of policy on its target population.
3 7
4
Criteria 4: Ability to propose effective and practical recommendations to improve the policy.
3 4
5
Criteria 5: Ability to present effectively and creatively, as well as show interest to respond to the questions arising from the presentation.
4 5 6
Generic Skills:
Problem solving, Organisation
All - Assessment Task 3:Personal reflection on contemporary welfare studies and issues.
Goal:
The main goal of this task is to assess students’ personal reflection on contemporary welfare studies and issues.
Product: Written Piece
Authorship Statement:
Format:
This assessment builds on Task 2 to explore on alternative approaches, practice application and provide a reflection on ethics.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Criteria 1: Ability to systematically assess their learning and synthesise it as a personal reflection.
4 7
2
Criteria 2: Ability to research and scholarly explore about the real world of welfare studies and practice and compare these against their learning.
2 4 5
3
Criteria 3: Ability to predict challenges and ethical dilemma for themselves to work in the welfare, as well as identify how to address these.
4
4
Criteria 4: Ability to build self-learning strategies to explore about welfare issues in the future.
4
5
Ability to write a critical personal reflection
5
Generic Skills:
Communication, Problem solving, Organisation

Assessment to competency mapping

Programme Delivery Mode Assessment Type Title Competency Teaching Methods
Australian Social Work Education and Accreditation Standards (ASWEAS)
All delivery modes Quiz/zes Basic conceptual understanding of state, welfare, and justice 1 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
3 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
4 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
5 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
6 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
9 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
Written Piece Critical analysis of an Australian welfare policy 1 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
3 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
4 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
5 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
6 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
9 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
Personal reflection on contemporary welfare studies and issues. 1 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
3 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
4 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
5 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
9 Taught, Practiced, Assessed

Directed study hours

A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.

What resources do I need to undertake this course?

Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.

Prescribed text(s) or course reader

There are no required/recommended resources for this course.

Specific requirements

Nil

How are risks managed in this course?

Health and safety risks for this course have been assessed as low. It is your responsibility to review course material, search online, discuss with lecturers and peers and understand the health and safety risks associated with your specific course of study and to familiarise yourself with the University’s general health and safety principles by reviewing the online induction training for students, and following the instructions of the University staff.

What administrative information is relevant to this course?

Assessment: Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.

Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.

In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.

Assessment: Additional Requirements

Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment

Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:
(a) The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%; and
(b) The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale

Assessment: Submission penalties

Late submissions may be penalised up to and including the following maximum percentage of the assessment task’s identified value, with weekdays and weekends included in the calculation of days late:
(a) One day: deduct 5%;
(b) Two days: deduct 10%;
(c) Three days: deduct 20%;
(d) Four days: deduct 40%;
(e) Five days: deduct 60%;
(f) Six days: deduct 80%;
(g) Seven days: A result of zero is awarded for the assessment task.

The following penalties will apply for a late submission for an online examination:
Less than 15 minutes: No penalty
From 15 minutes to 30 minutes: 20% penalty
More than 30 minutes: 100% penalty

Links to relevant University policy and procedures

For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:

  • Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
  • Review of Assessment and Final Grades
  • Supplementary Assessment
  • Central Examinations
  • Deferred Examinations
  • Student Conduct
  • Students with a Disability

For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching

Student Charter

UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.

General Enquiries

For course-specific questions, contact your teaching staff or Course Coordinator.  

For other enquiries or to access support, please contact Student Central: