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SPOL40990

Academic Year 2025/2026

Prep forProfessional Practice1 (SPOL40990)

Subject:
Social Policy
College:
Social Sciences & Law
School:
Soc Pol, Soc Wrk & Soc Justice
Level:
4 (Masters)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Dr Elaine Wilson
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

Preparation for Professional Practice 1 is an intensive module deisgned to introduce students to the core elements of professional practice. The module will introduce students to the key components of practice learning, the role and purpose of supervision, and also provide them with input on Professional Writing, Court Report Writing and Direct Work with Children. Self care is considered very important for students who are embarking on their professional career, and the module will introduce key concepts of both self care and reflective practice.
The module is underpinned by the values and ethics of professional social work.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this module students should be able to:
-Know and understand the requirements for placement
-Understand the role of supervision within professional social work practice and on placement
-Understand the importance of self care within professional social work practice and on placement

The module content will begin to enable students to meet the following CORU standards:

Domain 1: Professional Autonomy and Accountability
Graduates will:
1. Be able to practise safely and effectively within the legal, ethical and practice boundaries of the profession
2. Be able to identify the limits of their practice and know when to seek advice and additional expertise or refer to another professional
3. Be able to act in the best interest of service users at all times with due regard to their will and preference
5. Respect and uphold the rights, dignity and autonomy of every service user including their role in the diagnostic, therapeutic and social care process
6. Be able to exercise a professional duty of care
7. Understand the importance of maintaining accurate up to date documentation
8. Understand what is required of them by the Registration Board and be familiar with the provisions of the current Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics for the profession issued by the Registration Board
11. Understand and respect the confidentiality of service users and use information only for the purpose for which it was given
12. Understand the limits of confidentiality in the context of a variety of team settings
19. Be able to take responsibility for managing one’s own workload
21. Be aware of and be able to take responsibility for managing one’s own health and wellbeing

Domain 2 . Communication, Collaborative Practice and Teamworking
Graduates will:
3. Recognise service users as active participants in their health and social care and be able to support service users in communicating their health and/or social care needs, choices and concerns
6. Be able to produce clear, concise, accurate and objective documentation
13. Understand the need to build and sustain professional relationships as both an independent practitioner and collaboratively as a member of a team
15. Understand the role of relationships with professional colleagues and other workers in service delivery and the need to create professional relationships based on mutual respect and trust

Domain 3. Safety and Quality
Graduates will:
6. Be able to demonstrate an evidence-informed approach to professional decision-making, adapting practice to the needs of the service user and draw on appropriate knowledge and skills in order to make professional judgments
7. Be able to prioritise and maintain the safety of both service users and those involved in their care
14. Be able to establish safe environments for practice which minimises risks to service users, those treating them and others

Domain 4. Professional Development
Graduates will:
1. Be able to engage in and take responsibility for professional development
2. Understand the need to demonstrate evidence of ongoing continuing professional development and education, be aware of professional regulation requirements and understand the benefits of continuing professional development to professional practice
3. Be able to evaluate and reflect critically on own professional practice to identify learning and development needs; be able to select appropriate learning activities to achieve professional development goals and be able to integrate new knowledge and skills into professional practice
4. Understand and recognise the impact of personal values and life experience on professional practice and be able to take responsibility and manage this impact appropriately
5. Understand the importance of and be able to seek professional development, supervision, feedback and peer review opportunities in order to continuously improve practice
6. Understand the importance of participation in performance management activities for effective service delivery

Domain 5. Professional Knowledge and Skills
Graduates will:
1. Know, understand and apply the key concepts of the domains of knowledge which are relevant to the profession for individuals, groups and communities
2. Demonstrate a critical understanding of social work theory, methods and skills, social policy and social research, including consideration in a global context
4. Critically understand the importance of effective supervisory frameworks and be able to actively participate in same.
13. Be able to evaluate the effect of their own characteristics, values and practice on interactions with service users and be able to critically reflect on this to improve practice
14. Critically understand the concepts and frameworks that underpin a range of individual counselling theory and skills; theory and practice of working with children and families; community work theory and practice and group work theory and practice
19. Critically understand the role of ethics in the use of digital and social media including maintaining confidentiality and professionalism
20. Be able to write concise, accurate reports which articulate and justify professional decisions made
26. Know the basic principles of effective teaching and learning, mentoring and supervision

Indicative Module Content:

Key topics to be addressed include the role and purpose of supervision, self care, working with children, and professional writing.

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

24

Autonomous Student Learning

76

Total

100


Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
A mix of teaching and learning approaches will be utilised including active/task-based learning; peer and group work; lectures; reflective learning; and discussions.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): 2500 word reflective assignment Week 9 Alternative non-linear conversion grade scale 50% No
100
No

Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Summer No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback will be provided individually to students on their assignment

Name Role
Assoc Professor Sarah Donnelly Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Joseph Mooney Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Elaine Wilson Lecturer / Co-Lecturer

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20 Tues 09:00 - 15:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20 Wed 09:00 - 15:50