BACHELOR OF SOCIAL WORK
WELCOME TO OPEN POLYTECHNIC Whether you are looking to improve your career prospects or want to learn something new, we can help you achieve your goal. We specialise in open learning – learning that gives you more freedom to decide what you study and where you study. Our courses are specifically designed for delivery by distance, which means you can fit your study around your life. And just because you are learning by distance, this doesn’t mean you have to do it alone. You will have access to your tutors and lecturers by email or phone and to other students studying the same course through Online Campus, the student support section of our website. It is our goal to make sure that you enjoy your study and that you succeed. So welcome to learning for today’s world, and congratulations on taking up the challenge of further education.
Please note that all information contained in this brochure may be subject to change without notice.
CONTENTS Key dates
2
Bachelor of Social Work
3
Requirements
5
Assessment
6
Enrolment
7
Recognition of prior learning
8
General information
9
Fees and costs
9
Loans, allowances and other funding
9
Learning support
9
Further study Appendix 1: Computer requirements Contact us Other useful contact details
10 11 inside back cover inside back cover
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KEY DATES TRIMESTER 3, 2014 Applications for admission open for new students
11 August 2014
Applications for admission close for new students
19 September 2014
Shortlisted applicants contacted for interviews
Early October
Interviews held
Mid and late October
Successful applicants contacted
Late October
Enrolments close for re-enrolling students
2 November 2014
Trimester 3 officially begins
10 November 2014
Last day for withdrawing (with refund)
7 December 2014
Last day for withdrawing (no refund)
25 January 2015
Trimester 3 final exams
25 – 27 February 2015
TRIMESTER 1, 2015 Applications for admission open for new students
3 November 2014
Applications for admission close for new students
9 January 2015
Shortlisted applicants contacted for interviews
Early January
Interviews held
Mid-January
Successful applicants contacted
Early February
Enrolments close for re-enrolling students
17 February 2015
Graduation ceremony attendance applications close
28 February 2015
Trimester 1 officially begins
2 March 2015
Last day for withdrawing (with refund)
29 March 2015
Last day for withdrawing (no refund)
24 May 2015
Trimester 1 final exams
19 – 26 June 2015
TRIMESTER 2, 2015 Applications for admission open for new students
6 April 2015
Applications for admission close for new students
22 May 2015
Shortlisted applicants contacted for interviews
Late May
Interviews held
Early June
Successful applicants contacted
Early-Mid June
Enrolments close for re-enrolling students
3 July 2015
Trimester 2 officially begins
13 July 2015
Last day for withdrawing (with refund)
9 August 2015
Last day for withdrawing from 40 credit courses (no refund)
9 August 2015
Last day for withdrawing (no refund)
4 October 2015
Trimester 2 final exams
2 – 6 November 2015
Note: All fees must be paid before each trimester starts, so that we can confirm your enrolment and send you your course materials. If you are planning to pay your fees by student loan, you need to apply to StudyLink at least four weeks before the start of the trimester.
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BACHELOR OF SOCIAL WORK Qualification code: OP7400 Level: 7
Credits: 480
INTRODUCTION Social work is the area of study and work relating to improving the lives of people. It involves understanding and working directly with people and the systems that surround them to achieve positive social outcomes. Social workers are employed by a wide range of organisations within three broad sectors: · Government services · Health services · Community-based organisations.
QUALIFICATION The Bachelor of Social Work is a professional social work degree at Level 7 on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework. It is designed for people who want to study full-time or part-time by distance education and become qualified with a degree. It will prepare you to become a confident, analytical and critically reflective practitioner. You will gain the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values to be a competent social worker in social service settings in Aotearoa New Zealand. A social worker can be employed as a generic social worker or within a specialist area such as drug or alcohol addiction, child protection, schools, disability, crisis response, violence, or community development.
GRADUATE PROFILE The graduate profile reflects the ideal competencies of our graduates and is mapped to the competencies of the Social Workers Registration Board. These competencies are: · Promote wellbeing and positive development · Use critical reflection and analysis to promote problem solving · Work in partnership with Mäori · Promote cultural safety, social justice and social equity · Seek and apply knowledge for practice · Apply social work values and ethical principles · Take responsibility for your professional development.
REGISTRATION Once you are enrolled in this qualification you will be able to apply for provisional registration with the Social Workers Registration Board (SWRB). Upon successful completion of this qualification, you will have met the academic requirements to apply for full registration. When you apply to graduate you will be able to apply for admission into post-graduate qualifications.
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Qualification structure This degree is made up of the following learning areas. Social, cultural and organisational contexts
Lifespan, transitions and wellbeing
Practice skills
Professional practice
A detailed description of each course is available on our website. Please visit the social work qualification page on our website to view course availability. The table below shows you the recommended study sequence of courses in this qualification. However, we do encourage you to customise your own study plan using our online interactive qualification planning tool called ‘My Study Plan’. You can access the tool on the qualification page on our website or by visiting openpolytechnic.ac.nz/mystudyplan COURSE COURSE NAME CODE YEAR 1: FOUNDATION KNOWLEDGE
LEVEL
CREDITS
77120
Te Ao Mäori and Social Work Practice
5
20
74111
Aotearoa New Zealand Society
5
20
73130
Relationship and Communication Management
5
20
73198*
Human Development
5
20
77121
Psychology for Human Services
5
20
77122
Professional Social Work Practice
5
20
CONTACT TIME
PREREQUISITE
Noho marae
77120
YEAR 2: PRACTICE AND APPLICATION Workshops and 1-week voluntary work
77221
Exploring Professional Practice
6
20
All Level 5 courses
77220
Social Work Theory, Models and Processes
6
20
All Level 5 courses
77222
Fields of Practice
6
20
All Level 5 courses
73221*
Child and Adolescent Issues
6
20
73223
Understanding Mental Health
6
20
77121
77328
Working with Older People
7
20
77220, 73223
77329
Working with Communities
7
20
77220
YEAR 3: INTEGRATION
77225
Becoming Professional: Practicum I
6
40
Workshops and 60-day practicum placement
73221, 77221, 77222, 77223
77330
Culturally Relevant Social Work Practice
7
20
Noho marae
77225
77331
Family and Whänau Dynamics
7
20
77225
77332
Social Work, The Law and Ethical Decision-Making
7
20
77225
YEAR 4: CRITICAL REFLECTION 77333
Organisation, Management and Interprofessional Practice
7
20
77225
77334
Social Justice, Social Policy and Social Problems
7
20
77225
77335
* 4
Critical Practice: Practicum II
Course has an exam
7
80
Workshops and 60-day practicum placement
77330, 77331, 77334, 77225
CONTACT TIME
· Should you not complete the practicum course successfully, you may be enrolled a second time at the discretion of the programme leader
This degree includes 20 days of compulsory face-to-face workshops and noho marae.
· In some cases, you may be required to travel to secure a placement for your practicum course
The initial noho marae, and all workshops, are expected to be held in Wellington. Students will need to cover their own travel costs to attend noho marae and workshops, and their own accommodation costs to attend workshops. Accomodation is provided when students attend the noho marae, but not for the workshops. Noho marae are held for 77120 Te Ao Mäori and Social Work Practice and 77330 Culturally Relevant Social Work Practice. Workshops are held for 77221 Exploring Professional Practice, 77225 Becoming Professional: Practicum I and 77335 Critical Practice: Practicum II.
· You may need to complete your practicum course at a time where there is less demand on placements.
WORK EXPERIENCE
· Practicum Portfolio – students are required to complete summative assessments during their practicum courses using their professional portfolio.
Requirements
You are not required to work in an agency while studying; however, we strongly encourage you to volunteer in a social work agency if you can. This will provide you with ongoing opportunities to: · put the theory you learn into practice · communicate with others involved in social work · develop an understanding of the sector. Note: This work does not count towards the practicum days required as part of this qualification.
Note: The practice skills workshop held before a practicum placement includes an assessment of student readiness for placement. If you are assessed as not ready for placement you may be withdrawn from the courses you enrolled in and a refund will be provided. PROFESSIONAL PORTFOLIO A professional portfolio is a requirement of this qualification. It will be used in two ways.
· Professional Development Portfolio – students are required to submit all of their professional portfolio for formative assessment and feedback during selected courses. The aim is for a student to be able to present a well-developed professional portfolio to the Social Workers Registration Board to assist with registration requirements. Contact us for more information. See the last page of this brochure for contact details.
PRACTICA This qualification requires that you complete and are assessed on 120 days of supervised practice while on practica. The practicum experience is associated with the following courses:
COURSE MATERIALS
· 77225 Becoming Professional: Practicum I a Level 6, 40 credit course with 60 days of practicum experience.
SET TEXTS
· 77335 Critical Practice: Practicum II a Level 7, 80 credit course with 60 days of practicum experience. The practicums must be completed in at least two different organisational settings and you must be exposed to at least two different fields of practice. If you are employed in social service work you may be able to complete a maximum of one practicum in your place of work. Decisions about the type of agency where you will complete your practicum are made on a case-by-case basis by your programme leader in consultation with you and the agency. A practicum placement is influenced by a number of factors, as follows.
Course materials will be sent to you at the beginning of each trimester.
A list of set texts required is on our website at openpolytechnic.ac.nz/textbooks Texts can be bought online via a link on the qualification page on our website. Or you can go directly to vicbooks.co.nz and click the Open Polytechnic link. STUDY TIME The Bachelor of Social Work has 20 compulsory courses. It will take you four years to complete if you study fulltime (120 credits per year). If you study part-time you have up to eight years to complete the qualification. Most courses have 20 credits except for 77225 (40 credits) and 77335 (80 credits). A 20-credit course will require at least 200 hours of learning. You will need to complete about 11–12 (200 ÷ 17) hours of study per week.
· There are a limited number of available placement opportunities for students in social work agencies
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ORIENTATION If you are accepted for admission to the Bachelor of Social Work you will complete a mandatory online orientation for the qualification as you study your first course. The orientation is required as part of the Bachelor of Social Work and is offered to new students at the start of each trimester. It will show you how to use Online Campus, assist you to complete personal profiles, and to network and share your background experience and interests with other students. You will learn about: tips and techniques for managing distance learning; the expectations of the programme (including practicum, noho marae, and practice skills workshops); cultural awareness; use of library and online programmes; and academic and reflective writing. More information about Online Campus is available in the learning support section of this brochure.
Assessment We measure your progress and determine whether you have achieved the learning outcomes of your course through assessments such as essays, reports, tasks, projects and evidence gathered on practicums. There are two types of assessment. Formative assessment, which involves activities and feedback designed to improve learning. This is not used to decide your final result. Summative assessment, which involves grading of in-course assessments which do decide your final result. Some courses also have a 3-hour final examination. To be eligible to sit the final examination you must finish all the summative in-course assessments by their due date. To pass each course, you must: 路 finish all your summative in-course assessments by their due date 路 score at least 40% in each assessment 路 receive a final mark of at least 50% of the total possible marks for the course. Assessment varies for each course. Full details will be in the course information, which is sent to you when you enrol.
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Examinations Courses 73198 Human Development and 73221 Child and Adolescent Issues have an exam. We have examination venues throughout New Zealand. You will be allocated a venue closest to your home address. Before you choose the courses that you want to enrol in, check that you can attend the examination, because examination times and dates cannot be changed. Examination dates and times are listed on our website. Sitting examinations outside New Zealand If you are, or will be, living overseas at the time of the examination, you will need to arrange a suitable examination venue and an appropriate supervisor. We will contact you eight weeks before the examination to help you make these arrangements. Any costs relating to the overseas venue and supervision will be your responsibility, including the costs associated with your supervisor returning your completed examination paper to us by courier. Note: A fee may apply if you need to sit your examination overseas and did not pay the international handling fee at the time of enrolment. Special assistance for examinations If you need special arrangements to enable you to sit an examination, we may be able to help. Submit the Application for Special Assistance which is available at openpolytechnic.ac.nz/examinations
Enrolment
Interview
This degree is run on a trimester basis generally with two intakes per year.
After the application close-off date (see the key dates section at the start of this brochure) we will let you know if your application has been shortlisted for an interview, or declined. Interviews are in person at Open Polytechnic in Lower Hutt or by telephone or video conference. You will need to cover any travel expenses incurred if you need to attend an interview. We will then be in touch to let you know if your admission into the degree is approved.
ADMISSION PROCESS You must apply for admission into the degree by completing an online enrolment form on our website. Visit openpolytechnic.ac.nz/howtoenrol for more information. If this is your first enrolment, we recommend you apply to enrol in one 20 credit course only if you’re working full-time. Please note this will affect your student loan eligibility. Note: You can save your enrolment at any time and return to it later. You will be asked to provide the following additional information during your online enrolment: 1. Confirmation of driver’s licence.
ADMISSION CRITERIA Age and residency requirements To apply for admission to the degree you must be a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident and be at least 17 years of age at the time of admission. International students
2. Your intention to study part-time or full-time.
This qualification is not available for international students who are studying overseas.
3. If you will apply for assessment of prior learning (APL) or cross-credit.
Academic requirements
4. Verified evidence of your previous study. 5. Your employment record (paid and unpaid work including stay-at-home parenting). 6. Your interests and hobbies to help us gain an understanding of your knowledge, skills and experience with people and the community. 7. The name, email address and contact phone number of two referees who can support your application. 8. Answer questions so that we can assess your suitability to study and work in the social work profession. 9. Complete a written exercise which asks you why you want to be a social worker and to identify your own values and those of the social work profession. 10. Download and complete an Authorisation to Disclose Information form and return it to us in the post. This will give us permission to obtain any records of criminal offences from the New Zealand Police. You will need to obtain a police certificate from any overseas countries which you have lived in for more than 12 months, within the past 10 years and include it with your application. More detailed information will be provided during the online application process. For more information about how to apply to enrol online visit openpolytechnic.ac.nz/howtoenrol Note: Your acceptance into the degree is subject to meeting admission criteria and approval by the Bachelor of Social Work programme staff.
Applicants must be 17 years of age on the programme start date and have the following university entrance requirements: · NCEA Level 3 –
14 credits in each of three approved subjects* at Level 3 or above.
· Literacy – 10 credits in English or te reo Mäori at Level 2 or above, made up of: –
5 credits in reading
–
5 credits in writing.
· Numeracy – 10 credits at Level 1 or above, made up of: –
Specified achievement standards available through a range of subjects, or
–
3 unit standards: 26623, 26626, and 26627.
Applicants who do not meet the above requirements may be considered for provisional admission. In such cases admission will be dependent on whether applicants demonstrate a reasonable likelihood of success in the programme. *For a list of approved subjects go to nzqa.govt.nz and search for university entrance. If we are not confident that applicants can meet the academic requirements of Level 5 study, we may recommend that you study the Certificate in Tertiary Study Skills first.
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English language
Recognition of prior learning
You need to be able to read and write well in English so you can write your assessments and understand written English course materials. As some courses include workshops and practical assessments, you will need to speak English fluently and understand spoken English easily. If English is not your first language, you must supply proof of one of the following with your enrolment application:
You may be eligible to have a maximum of half of the degree, including a maximum of one Level 7 course, recognised through recognition of prior learning. Practicum courses may also be considered from qualifications that entitle you to apply for social worker registration.
· A minimum score of 550 in TOEFL. · A minimum grade of 6.5 in all academic categories of the IELTS test. · Passes in other recognised English proficiency tests subject to the Academic Registrar’s discretion. · Evidence of successful study at another New Zealand tertiary institution. If you do not meet these admission requirements, you may still be able to apply for admission. Contact us for more information. See the last page of this brochure for contact details. Referees Your references should be completed by people who know you in a professional context and who will answer questions about your strengths and limitations honestly. If you are unable to find two people who know you in a professional context, then one may be completed by a respected member of your community. If the referees have access to email we will send them a link to a confidential online form that they can complete and submit electronically. If they do not have access to email we will ask you to download the two referee forms. Fit and proper Applicants are required to demonstrate suitability for the programme and for social work registration. Open Polytechnic is guided by the latest version of the SWRB policy statement on fit and proper persons. We reserve the right to decline entry, or suspend continuation on the programme, to any applicant whose police record, health difficulties or conduct are such that they may be considered unsuitable for professional registration by the SWRB. This includes any applicant who is found to demonstrate behaviour, values or ethics which contradict the professional ethical standards and values as outlined in the SWRB Code of Conduct and the Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW) Code of Ethics. You will need to complete the Authorisation to Disclose Information form as part of the admission process and consent to ongoing checks for the duration of your study.
Cross-credit and credit transfer You will need to provide evidence that you have already met the learning outcomes of the course you want credit for and supply an original signed copy of your formal academic transcript. Usually no credits will be awarded for successful study that took place more than five years prior to the date of your first enrolment in the Bachelor of Social Work programme. You can download the Application for Cross-Credit and Credit Transfer form during the online admission process. If the course has been previously assessed then it will be noted on the register of courses approved for cross-credit. If the awarded course is not on the register, faculty will need you to provide full course details, including learning outcomes to support your application for cross-credit. Without learning outcomes, faculty cannot compare credits. If you are not sure you meet the criteria, please give us a call and the programme leader can discuss your options with you. See the last page of this brochure for contact details. Assessment of Prior Learning (APL) APL is an option available if you can provide evidence of formal and non-formal learning which is related to the learning outcomes of a Bachelor of Social Work course. Examples of evidence include but are not limited to: · academic study older than five years · employment history · current and previous competency certificates through ANZASW or SWRB · performance reviews or assessments · attestations from qualified and registered social workers · examples of professional development undertaken · presentation of knowledge and/or interviews with faculty. To apply for APL, download the Application for Assessment of Prior Learning form during the online admission process. You need to fill it in and pay the APL application fee when you're accepted into the programme. Faculty will review the evidence provided and determine if you are eligible for APL. You will be charged a further fee per course for the credits which are awarded. There is an evidence table in PDF format which is at the bottom of the qualification page on our website to assist you.
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GENERAL INFORMATION Fees and costs
Learning support
Fees are displayed on each course and qualification page on our website. Visit openpolytechnic.ac.nz and browse our subjects and courses to find the fee information you need.
STUDY HELP
OVERSEAS HANDLING FEE
Course lecturers are there to help you through the course work, make sure you have understood the study material and check your progress. You can contact lecturers on our freephone 0508 650 200 or by email. Their contact details will be in the information we send you when you are enrolled.
If you live overseas, you will need to pay an extra international handling charge. The amount of this fee will depend on where you live. The overseas handling fee will be added to your course fees when you enrol.
TE WÄNANGA WHAKAPAKARI AKO (THE LEARNING CENTRE)
LOCATION
CHARGE PER TRIMESTER
Australia
$50
South Pacific region
$70
East Asia and North America
$95
Europe
$105
Rest of the world
$120
Te Wänanga Whakapakari Ako (the Learning Centre) can help you with a wide range of learning support services and resources. These include: · tips and techniques to help you succeed in online and distance learning · one-to-one consultations with a learning advisor (telephone or email) · StudyWise and ExamWise which are free online study and exam preparation workshops · disability services
Loans, allowances and other funding Student loans and allowances are administered by StudyLink. We recommend that you apply for a student loan at least four weeks before the trimester starts. We cannot confirm your enrolment or send your course materials until your fees have been paid. For more information, or to find out if you’re eligible for a student loan, visit studylink.govt.nz or give StudyLink a call on 0800 88 99 00.
· a student mentoring programme. For more information visit openpolytechnic.ac.nz/learningsupport
TE KURA WÄNANGA (THE MÄORI OFFICE) Te Kura Wänanga (the Mäori Office) can help you with your learning and cultural needs in a kaupapa Mäori context. We use Mäori values and principles to enhance your learning journey. For more information visit openpolytechnic.ac.nz/maorisupport
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE We have a fund to help students who are in financial need and have no other option for financial support. This fund is available for course fees and/or set textbooks. Conditions apply. Contact us for more information. See the last page of this brochure for contact details.
MY OPEN POLYTECHNIC My Open Polytechnic is our online portal for our students. With My Open Polytechnic you can: · update your details · view your study information
SCHOLARSHIPS We also offer a range of scholarships to support students. Visit openpolytechnic.ac.nz/scholarships for more information.
· track the status of your materials · access your assessment submission deadlines, marks and final grades for each course · check your account balance · access Online Campus and the library.
NGO (NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANISATION) SOCIAL WORK STUDY AWARDS If you are already employed as a social worker in a non-government organisation (NGO), your employer may be able to access support from Family and Community Services, a service of the Ministry of Social Development. Visit msd.govt.nz for more information.
Once you’re enrolled, you can also keep track of your study information on the go with the My Open Polytechnic smartphone app called My OP. To download the app, search for ‘My OP’ on the App Store (Apple iPhone) or Google Play Store (Android smartphone). These come pre-installed on your smartphone. 9
ONLINE CAMPUS Online Campus is the area of our website where you can: · access and submit assessments · link to web pages specific to your course, including frequently asked questions (FAQ), assessment hints, web resources, staff information and sometimes online quizzes and tutorials · communicate with other students in your course, and with your lecturer or tutor · access the library · store and manage documents in an electronic portfolio of evidence.
LIBRARY We provide a library service for students. There is no additional fee for using it. The library service provides: · online resources · guides on how to search for information · a distance lending service with free and fast delivery · information about study techniques. For more information visit openpolytechnic.ac.nz/oplibrary
STUDENT INFORMATION You can find current enrolment and study information on our website including details of our systems and processes and the services we offer. For more information visit openpolytechnic.ac.nz/studywithus
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Further study For information on other courses and qualifications available at Open Polytechnic, visit our website or contact us. See the last page of this brochure for contact details.
APPENDIX 1: COMPUTER REQUIREMENTS To study the Bachelor of Social Work degree at Open Polytechnic, you need to have access to a computer with an internet connection, ideally broadband, to do the following: · Send and receive emails · Access and contribute to the Online Campus discussion forums · Download documents, including PDFs · Watch online videos · Carry out online research · Submit your work to us online in one of the following formats: .doc, .pdf, .ppt, .rtf or .zip. For some courses you will also need to provide spreadsheets and/or databases to us in one of the following formats: .xls and/or .mdb. Note: The software you use must allow you to save your work in these specified formats. For some courses you may also need specialised software, a DVD drive and a printer. See individual course descriptions for details. Note: We use Microsoft software and the resources we provide for your study are in this format. If you need to buy software, you can buy it at a special academic price from most software retailers (generally about a third of the normal retail cost). You will need proof you have been accepted into a course. Your letter confirming your enrolment will provide this. There is a list of Microsoft software retailers at microsoft.com/nz/retailers We also recommend you install virus protection software.
HELP We have a helpdesk that can give you technical help or support. You can email our helpdesk at helpdesk@openpolytechnic.ac.nz. Please include your name and student number in the message.
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NOTES
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Contact us Website: openpolytechnic.ac.nz Freephone: 0508 650 200 Overseas phone: +64 4 913 5300 Email: customerservices@openpolytechnic.ac.nz Private Bag 31914 Lower Hutt 5040 New Zealand
OTHER USEFUL CONTACT DETAILS StudyLink Website: studylink.govt.nz Phone: 0800 889 900 Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers Website: anzasw.org.nz Phone: 03 349 0190 Email: admin@anzasw.org.nz Social Workers Registration Board Website: swrb.govt.nz Phone: 04 931 2650 Email: info@swrb.org.nz Ministry of Social Development Website: msd.govt.nz Phone: 04 916 3300
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Open Polytechnic Freephone 0508 650 200 Overseas phone +64 4 913 5300 openpolytechnic.ac.nz Private Bag 31914 路 Lower Hutt 5040 路 New Zealand