Psychosocial Health Across the Lifecycle PG (12014.1)
Please note these are the 2025 details for this unit
| Available teaching periods | Delivery mode | Location |
|---|---|---|
| View teaching periods | Online |
UC - Canberra, Online |
| EFTSL | Credit points | Faculty |
| 0.125 | 3 | Faculty Of Health |
| Discipline | Study level | HECS Bands |
| Discipline Of Social Work | Post Graduate Level | Band 2 2021 (Commenced Before 1 Jan 2021) Band 2 2021 (Prof Pathway Social Work- After 1 Jan 2021) Band 4 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan 2021) |
This unit explores psychosocial health and wellbeing across the life course and the role of social work. Students will focus on social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities. Recovery as the philosophy underpinning mental health services introduces students to developing knowledge and skills in working with people with mental health concerns. The growing practice areas of supporting people with disability and those who are aging will be introduced through focus on working within the NDIS and My Aged Care contexts. The unit highlights the importance of lived experience of people for social work practice.
1. Critically evaluate health and wellbeing over the life course and the role of social workers;
2. Analyse and demonstrate the competencies required for social work practice in health, mental health, and disability; and
3. Conceptually map the knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples social and emotional wellbeing and the impacts of colonisation.
1. UC graduates are professional - display initiative and drive, and use their organisation skills to plan and manage their workload
1. UC graduates are professional - employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills
1. UC graduates are professional - take pride in their professional and personal integrity
1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
1. UC graduates are professional - work collaboratively as part of a team, negotiate, and resolve conflict
2. UC graduates are global citizens - adopt an informed and balanced approach across professional and international boundaries
2. UC graduates are global citizens - communicate effectively in diverse cultural and social settings
2. UC graduates are global citizens - make creative use of technology in their learning and professional lives
2. UC graduates are global citizens - think globally about issues in their profession
2. UC graduates are global citizens - understand issues in their profession from the perspective of other cultures
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - adapt to complexity, ambiguity and change by being flexible and keen to engage with new ideas
4. UC graduates are able to demonstrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing - apply their knowledge to working with Indigenous Australians in socially just ways
4. UC graduates are able to demonstrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing - use Indigenous histories and traditional ecological knowledge to develop and augment understanding of their discipline
Learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:1. Critically evaluate health and wellbeing over the life course and the role of social workers;
2. Analyse and demonstrate the competencies required for social work practice in health, mental health, and disability; and
3. Conceptually map the knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples social and emotional wellbeing and the impacts of colonisation.
Graduate attributes
1. UC graduates are professional - communicate effectively1. UC graduates are professional - display initiative and drive, and use their organisation skills to plan and manage their workload
1. UC graduates are professional - employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills
1. UC graduates are professional - take pride in their professional and personal integrity
1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
1. UC graduates are professional - work collaboratively as part of a team, negotiate, and resolve conflict
2. UC graduates are global citizens - adopt an informed and balanced approach across professional and international boundaries
2. UC graduates are global citizens - communicate effectively in diverse cultural and social settings
2. UC graduates are global citizens - make creative use of technology in their learning and professional lives
2. UC graduates are global citizens - think globally about issues in their profession
2. UC graduates are global citizens - understand issues in their profession from the perspective of other cultures
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - adapt to complexity, ambiguity and change by being flexible and keen to engage with new ideas
4. UC graduates are able to demonstrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing - apply their knowledge to working with Indigenous Australians in socially just ways
4. UC graduates are able to demonstrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing - use Indigenous histories and traditional ecological knowledge to develop and augment understanding of their discipline
Prerequisites
None.Corequisites
None.Incompatible units
None.Equivalent units
None.Assumed knowledge
None.
Availability for enrolment in 2025 is subject to change and may not be confirmed until closer to the teaching start date.
| Year | Location | Teaching period | Teaching start date | Delivery mode | Unit convener |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | UC - Canberra, Online | Study Block 4 | 01 July 2024 | Online | Dr Laura Vidal |
| 2025 | UC - Canberra, Online | Study Block 2 | 17 March 2025 | Online | Dr Tanya Lawlis |
| 2025 | UC - Canberra, Online | Study Block 6 | 27 October 2025 | Online | Prof Lynne Keevers |
The information provided should be used as a guide only. Timetables may not be finalised until week 2 of the teaching period and are subject to change. Search for the unit
timetable.
Required texts
Please note: All readings relating to the course are digitised and a reading list, with links to online readings, will be available on the Unit Canvas site.
The following texts form part of the required readings and may be useful for broader understanding of the unit of study:
- Duckett, S. (2022). The Australin Health Care System (6th Ed). Oxford University Press
- Liamputtong, P. (2019). Social Determinants of Health. Oxford University Press
- Hepworth, DH., Rooney, RH., Rooney, GD. Strom-Gottfried, K. (2017). Direct Social Work Practice: Theory and Skills (10th Ed). Cengage Learning
- Coady, N. & Lehmann, P. (2016). Theoretical Perspectives for Direct Social Work Practice: A Generalist-Eclectic Approach. Springer Publishing Company
- Bennett, B. & Green, S. Our Voices: Aboriginal Social Work. Bloomsbury
Inclusion and engagement
During your study in this program, if you identify a need for support, please reach out to the course convenor:
Dr Laura Vidal, Lecturer in Social Work
laura.vidal@canberra.edu.au
You are also wlecome to contact the University of Canberra Student Wellbeing Service:
Email: wellbeing@canberra.edu.au
Phone: (02) 6206 8841
Website: https://www.canberra.edu.au/future-students/support-at-uc/student-wellbeing
OR for students who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander:
Ngunnawal Centre
Email: ngunnawal@canberra.edu.au
Phone: (02) 6201 2998
Website: https://www.canberra.edu.au/about-uc/ngunnawal-centre/
Participation requirements
- If this is your first unit of study in the Social Work program you are required to complete the 'Social Work Foundations Module' located within the Social Work Hub. This module provides essential information and core skills needed to fully participate in this unit of study.
- Attendance at tutorials is highly recommended in this course. Students will be strongly supported to attain and demonstrate the required learning outcomes in their assessments via attendance and participation in weekly tutorials.
- Recordings will be made available for those students who are unable to attend live tutorial sessions, however recordings cannot replicate the live learning experience of engagement with peers, teachers and guest speakers.
- Please note sections of tutorial recordings may be removed if sensitive information has been disclosed.
Required IT skills
- In order to engage in this unit, you are expected to have a reliable computer with the latest operating system. You will also need reliable internet connections and the latest version of Google Chrome (preferred browser) to access UCLearn.
- You are expected to have access to Microsoft Office applications: including OneNote, Word, Excel and PowerPoint equivalent.
- In some units, you will be required to download specific software applications to complete the unit content and assessment successfully.
- This unit involves online meetings in real time using the Virtual Room in your UCLearn teaching site. The Virtual Room allows you to communicate in real time with your lecturer and other students. To participate verbally, rather than just typing, you will need a microphone. For best audio quality we recommend a microphone and speaker headset. For more information and to test your computer, go to the Virtual Room in your UCLearn site and 'Join Course Room'. This will trigger a tutorial to help familiarise you with the functionality of the virtual room.
- In order to complete research, you will need to be able to search the library data bases for relevant journal articles. It is the individual student's responsibility to access appropriate help from the University IT services or the library if they do not have adequate skills.
- Please see the Social Work Hub on Canvas for orientation to key software and applications.
Work placement, internships or practicums
This unit involves work integrated learning: Simulation.
Students must adhere to University policy during WIL activities, including the Student Conduct Rules 2018, the WIL Policy and WIL Procedure, and the Assessment Policy and Assessment Procedure.
Assessment 3 involves simultation of a social work practice activity: Biopsychosocial-Spiritual Assessment.
The skills you develop through successful completion of this unit are essential for social work practice.
