Social Work Field Placement (USVP80)
The Department of Social Studies offers two bachelor's programmes in the area of social work: child welfare and social work. The department accepts trainee students from other countries that offer a similar education to those provided in these two areas. Work experience in the relevant area is an important part of social work education. Gaining experience and reflecting on practical professional work should be included in initiatives in which thinking and work methods in social studies are central.
Course description for study year 2024-2025. Please note that changes may occur.
Course code
USVP80
Version
1
Credits (ECTS)
20
Semester tution start
Spring, Autumn
Number of semesters
1
Exam semester
Spring, Autumn
Language of instruction
Norwegian
Content
This course consists of professional training that will be supervised, varied and assessed. Through training, the students will develop their understanding of the relationship between theory and practice. Supervised professional training will provide increased expertise that is relevant to the social worker’s field of work. Ethically assessed actions play a key role in the field placement course.
The field placement is initially offered in Rogaland, and is organised by UiS. The university allocates a place of supervised professional training to each individual student. The students will complete a total of 420 fours of training over a period of at least 14 weeks.
Inbound exchange students apply via standard international admission procedures after the department has received a request to take trainee students.
The course consists of 6 topics:
- The course consists of 6 topics:
- Independent practice of social science-related work under supervised professional training
- Relationships and communication
- Professional role and ethics
- Participation
- Interprofessional collaboration
- Applying research-based knowledge
Learning outcome
After successfully completing and passing the course, candidates will have achieved the following learning outcomes:
Independent practice of social science-related work under supervised professional training
- Can plan and carry out work tasks in complex and conflictive situations.
- Can apply social discretion in encounters with individuals, families and groups.
- Can apply academic knowledge in order to identify resources and provide hope in collaboration with people in vulnerable life situations.
- Can master relevant mapping, analysis and decision-making methods.
- Can find, assess and refer to relevant information and subject matter, and present this both orally and in writing.
Relationships and communication
- Can apply academic knowledge about relationships and communication in supervision/guidance, motivation and systematic change work.
- Has insight into the importance of digital communication in professional practice and interaction.
Professional role and ethics
- Has insight into ethical issues and can manage ethical dilemmas in encounters with people.
- Has insight into and can reflect critically on their professional role in relation to institutional and political requirements in the provision of services.
- Has insight into how to exercise judgment in situations where there is inadequate and/or conflicting information, and identify opportunities within different professional and institutional contexts.
- Can reflect on risk and how to manage conflicts and reduce the risk of adverse events, and has knowledge about methods for following this up systematically.
Participation
- Can apply academic knowledge and methods in order to interact and collaborate with children and young people regarding everyday life and difficult topics in a way that safeguards their interests, participation and rights.
Interprofessional collaboration
- Can communicate the subject and exchange views and experiences with partners.
- Can plan and participate in interprofessional collaboration between different services and service levels.
Applying research-based knowledge
- Can assess scientific knowledge and political framework conditions in a practical context.
- Can apply research-based, experience-based and user-based knowledge in practical social work.
Required prerequisite knowledge
Recommended prerequisites
Exam
Form of assessment | Weight | Duration | Marks | Aid |
---|---|---|---|---|
Practical placement | 1/1 | Passed / Not Passed |
The fieldwork supervisor (on-site) will do a continuous evaluation of the students’ efforts and will write up the final evaluation by the end of the placement. The students can have a maximum 7 sick leave days during training.
Coursework requirements
Clarification of plan for learning and both supervised professional training assignments must be approved before final assessment of the supervised professional training course. Approval/non-approval of compulsory activities is announced on Studentweb.
Clarification of learning outcomes: At the start of supervised professional training, students must clarify their individual learning outcomes in collaboration with the supervisor and submit them in Inspera.
Supervised professional training assignment 1: Scope of 1500 words (+/- 10%) including table of contents and notes; excluding source referencing and bibliography. Referencing style: APA 7th.
Supervised professional training assignment 2: Scope of 2500 words (+/- 10%) including table of contents and notes; excluding source referencing and bibliography. Referencing style: APA 7th.
The supervised professional training assignments are to be submitted in Inspera at UiS in accordance with the deadline set by the department. Late submission is considered failure to submit an assignment and will therefore be assessed as not approved. If it is necessary to postpone submission, this must be agreed with the contact teacher.
Course teacher(s)
Course coordinator:
Heidi Lie EriksenPlacement coordinator:
Ingunn ØyreMethod of work
Supervised professional training work methods include:
- Guidance groups with contact teathers at UiS.
- Supervised professional training - 30 hours per week.
- Independent supervised professional training assignments.
- Study day - 1 day per week to work on practical assignements an the syllabus.