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Course Outline

SWK706 International and Global Social Work

Course Coordinator:Vinathe Sharma-Brymer (vsharmabrymer@usc.edu.au) School:School of Law and Society

2026Trimester 2

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

 Many issues that the world currently faces are related to international and global dimensions of development and well-being. It is necessary that social workers understand international and global aspects for professional response. This course equips students with relevant knowledge and skills of international and global social work education and practice from social development and well-being foundations. It prepares them to critically comprehend, reflect on, and analyse international issues, organisations, the UN programs and Conventions, and practice at different levels. In doing all these, the course engages students to propose social work interventions to address international and global issues with local and global approaches.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Online
Learning materials – 12*1hr Online learning 1hr Week 1 12 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – 12*2hr online workshop 2hrs Week 1 10 times

Course Topics

  • Concepts and theories in international social work
  • Global contexts of social work and international social work and related organisations
  • Fields of practice in international social work
  • Regional perspectives in international social work education and practice
  • Issues and interventions in international social work

Mature Content

Violence, Adult themes

What level is this course?

700 Level (Specialised)

Demonstrating a specialised body of knowledge and set of skills for professional practice or further learning. Advanced application of knowledge and skills in unfamiliar contexts.

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 assess and explain theories and concepts underpinning the idea of international social work. Knowledgeable 
3, 4, 5, 9
2 Critically investigate the contemporary fields of international social work and apply international social work knowledge and skills innovatively to produce social work intervention in those fields. Knowledgeable
Creative and critical thinker
Empowered 
3, 4, 5, 6
3 Identify international social work organisations and other relevant institutions involved in the international social work fields and critically evaluate their contributions Knowledgeable
Creative and critical thinker 
3, 4, 5, 6
4 Ability to engage with others and critically and culturally explore about international social work issues and interventions Knowledgeable
Creative and critical thinker
Empowered
Communication 
5, 6, 9
5 Critically research and present both orally and in writing about international social work issues and interventions Knowledgeable
Creative and critical thinker
Empowered
Communication
Problem solving 
1, 5, 6, 9
6 Apply an intersectionality lens in your approach to culture and diversity and recognise the complexities of diversity and culture in relations to service provision across international service organisations Knowledgeable
Creative and critical thinker
Empowered 
1, 3, 4
7 Recognise the power and authority that impacts international social service organisations and impacts service provision and service users Knowledgeable
Creative and critical thinker
Empowered 
3, 4, 5, 6
8 Ability to work effectively with others in a group environment and engage professionally with peers Knowledgeable
Creative and critical thinker
Empowered 
7

* 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
7 Practice Standard 7: Professional identity
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

Enrolled in any PGRD Program

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

Not applicable

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

Not applicable

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

Tutorial activities, discussions and Assessment Task 1 will be used to provide early feedback on the understanding of course content.

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 Oral and Written Piece Individual 30% 
1500 words
 Week 5 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 2 Artefact - Creative, and Oral Group 30% 
A 15-minute in-class group presentation followed by Q&A for a maximum of 5 minutes, a 300-word group process statement, and a 300-word peer-review.
 Week 8 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check and in class
All 3 Written Piece Individual 30% 
A 2000-word written piece excluding reference list.
 Week 11 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 4 Activity Participation Individual 10% 
10 Tutorials
 Throughout teaching period (refer to Format) In Class
All - Assessment Task 1:Newspaper Article Review
Goal: 
This task aims to engage students to demonstrate their developing understanding of international social work concepts.
Product: Oral and Written Piece
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
In this assessment, students will undertake a critical review of a media article to demonstrate their beginning understanding of course concepts. Choose an article from a globally acclaimed newspaper (e.g. The Guardian, The New York Times, The Hindu, The Independent) where the author provides their perspective on a global social development situation concerning human rights. Review their perspective with a comprehensive critical analysis (1500 words). Your review should include critical analyses of the author’s standpoint, how the article focus aligns with international social work concepts, the impact of the situation on local-global populations, and social work positionality on the situation from the Australian context. 
Students will then submit a 4–5-minute video-recorded oral reflection on the process of their review-related learning. Your reflection should include what you learnt from the review process, connecting your learning with social work values and ethical principles, and how you’d sustain the learning with examples.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Ability to identify a global social development situation and critically analyse the author’s perspective.
 1 2 3 4 6 7
2 
Ability to critically reflect on representation (audience, power relations, impact on global-local populations).
 1 2 3 4 6 7
3 
Ability to justify how the chosen article focus and author’s perspective align with international social work concepts and relate to them the social work positionality from Australian context.
 1 2 3 4 6 7
4 
Ability to reflect on the review process, identifying learning and its alignment with social work values and principles, and sustenance of learning with examples.
 1 2 3 4 6 7 8
5 
Ability to demonstrate skills of comprehensive critical analyses, research, organisation, and academic writing.
 1 2 4 6 7
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Collaboration, Problem solving, Organisation, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 2:Group Presentation and Peer-review
Goal: 
This task aims to engage students in a critical exploration of international issues in a chosen region/country through group presentation, write a group process statement, and undertake a review of peer-presentation.
Product: Artefact - Creative, and Oral
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
This is a group presentation task, involving writing a group process statement, and a peer-review of another group presentation. Drawing from course materials, academic literature, and other authentic sources, students will choose and research an international socio-political issue from a specific region/country and relate to that issue from an Australian context. Note that the topic students choose for this task will also be the topic they use for Task 3 individual social work response. Students will develop and deliver a comprehensive 15-minute (maximum) group/team-presentation in class. In an interactive style using the whiteboard, they will pose stimulus questions to the audience to gather spontaneous responses (5 minutes). They will submit a 300-word statement on group processes including shared responsibilities and contributions. They will also review another group’s in-class presentation and submit a 300-word written peer-review on Canvas.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Ability to demonstrate critical comprehension of the international socio-political issue in the chosen region/country.
 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
2 
Ability to critically explain ‘why’ does the chosen issue exist in the country and ‘how’ this issue is prominent from an international social work perspective in Australian context.
 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
3 
Ability to critically analyse the issue aligned with international social work concepts, theories, and practice fields and perspectives.
 1 2 4 5 6 7
4 
Ability to develop and deliver a professional presentation demonstrating research and communication skills, working with peers in a group setting.
 4 5 8
5 
Ability to peer-review another group’s presentation, submitting a written review on Canvas.
 4 5 8
6 
Ability to write a statement on group processes recording shared responsibilities and contributions.
 4 5 8
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Collaboration, Problem solving, Organisation, Applying technologies, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 3:Individual Response with Intervention Plan
Goal: 
This task aims to engage students to develop a case study, addressing the international issue in a particular region/country and offer social work intervention/s plan.
Product: Written Piece
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
In their Task 2 group presentation, students researched an international socio-political issue and offered critical analyses aligned with international social work. Using the same topic as was used for Task 2, students in this individual critical response paper will develop a case study pertaining to that issue/s. In their response, students will offer appropriate social work intervention/s plan with relevance to global and local social work contexts with considerations of professional values, ethical principles, cultural safety and cultural responsiveness.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Ability to develop a case study pertaining to the socio-political issues presented as a group in Task 2, providing case context appropriate for international social work perspectives.
 1 2 3 4 6 7
2 
Ability to use an intersectional lens to critically analyse the issue/s presented in the case study and draw specific links to SDGs Targets and Indicators.
 1 2 3 6 7
3 
Ability to comprehensively identify stakeholder relationships, analyse complexities of roles, power dynamics, policies, and integrate multiple international social work theories.
 1 2 6 7
4 
Ability to develop social work response with appropriate interventions relevant to global and local social work contexts with values, ethical principles, cultural safety and cultural responsiveness.
 1 2 3 6 7
5 
Ability to demonstrate comprehensive structure, organisation, research, and academic writing skills.
 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Problem solving, Organisation, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 4:Tutorial Attendance and Active Participation
Goal: 
AASW external accreditation requires mandatory attendance for skills-based tutorials. Students must attend weekly tutorials and actively participate in all tutorial activities.
Product: Activity Participation
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
Tutorial attendance will be recorded to meet external AASW accreditation requirements. Student participation and engagement in tutorial activities are assessed based upon weekly attendance and active participation across all tutorials. Students are expected to engage and collaborate with peers and teacher/s showing professionalism for effectively and positively contributing to class interactions and discussions. They will respectfully interact, generate and facilitate class activities.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Work effectively with others in a team environment.
 4
2 
Be an active learner, open to new and emerging knowledge, research, and evidence informing your practice.
 4
3 
Contribute your critical perspectives in interactions with peers in a positive, respectful, collaborative and constructive manner to support learning experience and receive feedback.
 1 4
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Collaboration, Problem solving, Organisation, Applying technologies, Information literacy

Assessment to competency mapping

Programme Delivery Mode Assessment Type Title Competency Teaching Methods
Australian Social Work Education and Accreditation Standards (ASWEAS)
All delivery modes Activity Participation Tutorial Attendance and Active Participation 6 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
9 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
Artefact - Creative, and Oral Group Presentation and Peer-review 3 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
4 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
5 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
6 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
9 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
Oral and Written Piece Newspaper Article Review 3 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
4 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
5 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
9 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
Written Piece Individual Response with Intervention Plan 3 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
4 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
5 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
6 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

You need regular access to the resource(s) below. Many texts are available as ebooks through the Library at no additional cost.

Required? Author Year Title Edition Publisher
Required David Cox,Manohar Pawar 2012 International Social Work 2nd ed. SAGE
Recommended Lynne M. Healy,Rosemary J. Link 2012 Handbook of International Social Work n/a Oxford University Press, USA

Specific requirements

Not applicable

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: 

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