SCWK2008: Semester 2, 2023

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Units SCWK2008 Semester 2 2023 [Normal day]

Unit of study_

SCWK2008: Social Perspectives on Mental Health

Semester 2, 2023 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

This unit of study focuses on a range of social perspectives on mental health. It introduces students to mental health issues commonly experienced in contemporary society, including depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, drug and alcohol addiction, self-harm and suicidality. It also explores several contextual issues surrounding the topic of mental illness, including the social determinants of mental illness, labelling and stigma, working with young people experiencing distress, working with families, the effects of child abuse and domestic violence, and grief.

Unit details and rules

Unit code	SCWK2008
Academic unit	Social Work
Credit points	6
Prohibitions ?	SCWK2005
Prerequisites ?	48 credit points including (SCLG1001 and SCLG1002) or (12cp of SCLG1U01) or (12cp of 1000 level units in Diversity Studies)
Corequisites ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Emma Tseris, emma.tseris@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Assignment	Assignment 1: Key concepts Short-answer questions	25%	Week 04 Due date: 27 Aug 2023 at 23:59	1000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Peer teaching and learning essay Summary of learning achieved within a small peer group	30%	Week 08 Due date: 24 Sep 2023 at 23:59	1500 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Assignment 2: vignette Respond to a vignette, drawing upon literature to guide your understandings	25%	Week 12 Due date: 29 Oct 2023 at 23:59	1000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Final reflection essay Critical analysis	20%	Week 12 Due date: 29 Oct 2023 at 23:59	1000 words
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

Assignment 1: Consists of short essay questions on key concepts.
Peer teaching reflection essay: You will be allocated a week in which you need to prepare discussion questions and/or an exercise for your peers based on the weekly readings. The assessable component of this task is a written summary and critical analysis regarding the learning achieved within the peer learning group that you participated in across Weeks 3-8.
Assignment 2: Respond to a vignette, drawing on literature and learning from across the semester.
Final reflection essay: A reflection on your learning across the semester and what you will take forward into your future practice.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100
Distinction	75 - 84
Credit	65 - 74
Pass	50 - 64
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Introduction to the unit of study - key concepts	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 02	Debates about labelling practices in mental health	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 03	The impacts of social environments on mental health	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 04	Debates in child and adolescent mental health, including the medicalisation of childhood	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 05	Biomedical, psychological and social understandings of psychosis	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 06	Human rights and mental health, including tensions between 'risk' and rights	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 07	Engaging effectively with self-harm and suicidality	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 08	De-centreing western perspectives and whiteness in mental health	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 09	Engaging with lived experience and the peer workforce	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 11	Cultural and spiritual perspectives on mental health; assignment preparation	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 11	Diverse and contested understandings of recovery	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 12	Preparing for field education	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: The Sydney School of Education and Social Work requires attendance of at least 90 percent of all seminars, workshops or lectures. Where a student is unable to attend at the required rate evidence of illness or misadventure may be required and the student may be required to undertake extra work. Students should discuss the circumstances of their absence(s) with the co-ordinator of the unit of study. Further details are provided in the School canvas site: https://canvas.sydney.edu.au/courses/13426

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Please refer to the reading list on Canvas

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. analyse key contemporary debates in mental health policy and practice
LO2. discuss the relationship between emotional distress and the social environment
LO3. reflect on lived experience narratives of mental distress, including critiques of service provision, and how these can inform social work practice
LO4. appreciate the multiple forms of discrimination facing people diagnosed with a mental illness, and discuss the social work role in addressing such discrimination
LO5. articulate a working knowledge of commonly diagnosed mental health problems
LO6. explain the contribution of social work concepts to the contemporary mental health field, including the relationship between mental health and human rights

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

In response to student feedback, some modifications were made to the assessments to improve clarity and to enhance connections with lectures, tutorials, and readings.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

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