SOCWORK 315 : Organisations and Management

Education and Social Work

2024 Semester One (1243) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Examines the variety of organisational frameworks from which human services are practised and the impact of these contexts on professional identity and practice in the workplace. Contemporary management approaches will be examined with reference to theory and roles and responsibilities assumed by human service managers in a complex and dynamic environment.

Course Overview

Introduction to organisations and management. Theorising organisations and organisational culture and indigenous mātaruanga.  Discuss influences within organisations and how this in turn shapes social work and social policy.  What are leadership and supervision theories and practices?

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: SOCWORK 202 or 30 points from SOCWORK 211, 216, 283

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 2: Sustainability
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 5: Solution Seeking
Capability 6: Communication
Capability 7: Collaboration
Capability 8: Ethics and Professionalism
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Social Work

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Describe the relationship of human service managers and workers with their employing organisation and critically evaluate tensions associated with professional practice and organisational structure and operations. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1, 4.2, 5.2, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 7.1, 8.1 and 8.2)
  2. Critique theories of organisational structures, organisational culture, indigenous mātaruanga and complex adaptive systems approaches. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.3, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 7.1, 8.1 and 8.2)
  3. Examine the capacity of professional human service managers to act as organisational change agents through an understanding of power, authority, and ethical leadership. (Capability 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1, 4.2, 5.2, 6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 8.1 and 8.2)
  4. Develop a model of integrated practice in the context of human service organisations, using personal and professional values and a critical reflective approach to working in organisations. (Capability 1.2, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.2, 4.3, 5.1, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 7.1, 7.2, 8.1 and 8.2)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Test 25% Individual Coursework
Presentation 45% Individual Coursework
Reflection 30% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4
Test
Presentation
Reflection

Students must complete and submit all components for each of the assessment tasks for this course - students must achieve at least 50% mark to pass the overall course.

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 36 hours of lectures,  5 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 5 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is required at scheduled activities to complete components of the course.
Lectures will be available as recordings. 
Attendance on campus is not required for the tests.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a weekly timetable.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Student feedback has been taken into consideration.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.

Published on 01/11/2023 05:12 p.m.