Unit of Study SWRK6001 Social Work across the Lifespan (2025)

Future students:
T: 1800 626 481
E: Email your enquiry here

Current students:
Contact: Faculty of Health

Students studying at an education collaboration:
Please contact your relevant institution

Show me unit information for year

View previous years of our units

Unit Snapshot

Unit type

PG Coursework Unit
Credit points

12
Faculty & College

Faculty of Health
Placement

No

Enrolment information

Full-time students are advised to take this unit at the same time as SWRK6002 Social Work in Groups and Communities. Students are required to meet participation requirements in this unit. Attendance is compulsory. All students must attend for a total of 24.5 hours. Online students are asked to attend a 3.5 day residential. Gold Coast students are asked to attend 7 × 3.5-hour seminars delivered as one day and ½ day workshops. Further details, including dates, will be advised via the Blackboard site. This unit should be completed after SWRK5001, SWRK5002 and SWRK5004.

Unit description

Develops an understanding of health and wellbeing across the lifespan particularly with reference to mental health. Explores the potential of social work practice with people of different ages, health conditions and disabilities. Focuses on social work practice with people experiencing mental health issues and strategies for promoting mental health in diverse communities.

Unit content

Constructions of health and illness
Explanatory frameworks of mental distress
Fostering well-being
Mental health social work
Practising social work in this field I
Practising social work in this field II

Availabilities

Location	Domestic	International
Gold Coast	Term2	Term2
Online	Term2	Term2

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

explain dominant discourses and constructions of health and illness, including mental distress, acknowledging the diverse lived experiences of people who live with mental distress and their families and friends

explain the mental health service system and identify how legislation and policy influence the theoretical frameworks and practices related to mental health practice

critically analyse the potential and scope of social work practice in building resilience and facilitating recovery with respect to health and wellbeing across the lifespan particularly with reference to mental health

demonstrate social work practice skills in assessing and working with people with mental health needs and their partners, family members and friends.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching method

Seminar 7 x 3.5 hour seminars (Scheduled throughout the term)

Assessment
Essay	40%
Clinical skills	60%
Participation	SR

Teaching method

Residential 7 hours x 3.5 days (Once during term)

Assessment
Essay	40%
Clinical skills	60%
Participation	SR

Prescribed learning resources

Prescribed Texts

Prescribed text information is not currently available.

Prescribed Resources/Equipment

Prescribed resources/equipment information is not currently available.

Prescribed Learning Resources may change in future Teaching Periods.

Fee information

Domestic

Commonwealth Supported courses
For information regarding Student Contribution Amounts please visit the Student Contribution Amounts.

Fee paying courses
For postgraduate or undergraduate full-fee paying courses please check Domestic Postgraduate Fees OR Domestic Undergraduate Fees.

Find out more for domestic fees