1. Apply appropriate research skills to identify, define and apply key sociological theories used in social work practice, including strengths and limitations.

Knowledge and Understanding

Research Skills

2. Describe how social work is situated within wider social institutions and demonstrate awareness of the roles of other professionals involved in supporting people.

Knowledge and Understanding

3. Apply knowledge of how different social factors (such as class, race, gender, and disability) intersect to shape experiences of oppression and empowerment.

Application and Problem Solving

4. Communicate effectively to professional and non-specialist audiences about the role of social work values in challenging inequality.

Communication

Formative Assessment:  

You will perform tasks throughout the module aimed at aiding you to define and explain sociological theories, these will be aligned to the case study and will support you in application of theoretical perspectives to social work practice. You will receive verbal, and written feedback (both formally and informally) from the module lead on these.

Summative assessment:

Assessment 1:

You will be asked to write a 1000-word essay.. The assignment will focus on application of theoretical perspectives to analyse and explain the lived experiences of power, empowerment, discrimination and oppression that individuals or groups have linked to different social characteristics or factors e.g. race, class, gender.

Assessment 2:

Presentations will be 15 minutes long. As a group, you will present an analysis of a scenario written in partnership with key stakeholders such as people with lived experience of social work, and social work practitioners. All group members are expected to present.

This module will introduce the core sociological theories that are used in social work practice. Learning to think sociologically is one of the most important skills a social work can bring to their practice. A sociological imagination enables social workers to step back from taken for granted assumptions about social life and encourages them to unpack these assumptions, to develop skills which enable them to link issues in their lives and the lives of services users to the bigger picture of society. Consideration will be given to the relationship between social work and social institutions such as the family, education and government, and how social workers practice in multi-agency contexts. The module will explore the links between social work values, sociological theories, and social work practice, a focus within this module will be on the role of power and the way in which these impacts on lived experience and social work practice.

A range of sociological theories will be explored in the module with a focus on understanding a range of global, social issues that impact on the lived experiences of people who access social work services and how they interact or intersect to compound experiences of oppression, discrimination and power. Therefore, the module will address a range of social factors such as Culture, Religion, Global and Local Inequality, Poverty, Social class & geography, Gender, Race and ethnicity, Age, Sexuality, Disability and Mental health.

This module will challenge your underlying assumptions about society and the people that live in it.

Sociology not only explores society but how society functions, it gives you a different perspective on power, particularly the power of human agency. It also explores the role of structure and culture and how they dominate not only your life but the lives of people who access social work services. This is an exciting and challenging module that will prepare you for your first placement in practice.

Scheduled teaching and learning activities

During the classroom sessions there may be -

Lectures on key topics

Peer learning: Small group discussion to explore some of the key issues in greater depth.

Case-based learning: Realistic scenarios to demonstrate the link between theory and practice

Simulated practice experiences

Reflective groups: Peer discussion.

Guest speakers: Experienced practitioners and people with lived experience of social worksDirected Independent Study:

To consist of

Accessing online resources

Use of the VLE

Independent reading to consolidate the knowledge introduced in the scheduled teaching and learning session

Formative and summative assessment preparation

Bernard, C (2021) Intersectionality for Social Work: A practical introduction to theory and practice. Routledge: London

Cunningham, Cunningham and Sullivan (2022) Sociology and Social Work (Transforming Social Work Practice Series): London: Learning Matters

Giddens, A and Sutton, P (2021) Essential Concepts in Sociology. Cambridge: Polity Press

Tedam, P (2020) Anti-oppressive Social Work Practice. London: Sage

Simulation suites

Virti or other digital tools to support with phenomena or simulation-based learning