- Overview
- Career Opportunities
- Programme Structure
Overview
Duration: 12 months
Credit Load: 156
Minimum Credit Load: 156
Maximum Credit Load: 156
Maximum MBK Credit Load: 156
ZNQF Level: 7
PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAMME
The programme also aims at producing para-social workers with the competencies to work in statutory and non-statutory settings as social work support workforce and/or are working in social work-related settings but want to attain or upgrade skills for career advancement.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
For all entry pathways candidates must have at least five Ordinary Level subjects/ National Foundation Certificates including English Language at grade C or better.
Normal Entry: Five Ordinary Level subjects/ National Foundation Certificates including English Language at grade C or better.
Career Opportunities
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AND FURTHER EDUCATION
Employability: Certificate in Social work graduates can work in a variety of settings as a social work support workforce.
Further Studies: Diploma in Social Work and Bachelor of Science Honours Degree in Social Work (Mature Entry).
PROGRAMME DELIVERY
Teaching and Learning Methods: Lectures, tutorials, role plays, seminars, group work, field-based activities, work-related learning, dissertation, and individual independent study.
Assessment Methods: Written and oral examinations, tests, written and practical assignments, field reports, seminar presentations, work-related learning reports, dissertations and continuous assessment.
Programme Structure
PROGRAMME STRUCTURE
Module Credits
Level 1 Semester 1
CSW031 Introduction to Social Work 8
CSW032 Communication Skills 8
CSW033 Introduction to Social Work with Individuals 8
CSW034 Introduction to Social Work with Groups 8
CSW035 Introduction to Social Work with Communities 8
CSW036 Introduction to Social Work Research 8
Level 1 Semester 2
CSW037 Introduction to Social Policy and Administration 8
CSW038 Introduction to Social Services and Development 8
CSW039 Introduction to Social Work with Children and Families 8
CSW040 Introduction to Community Health 8
CSW041 Management of Welfare Organizations 8
CSW042 Social Work and Crisis Intervention 8
CSW043 Work -Related Learning 24
MODULE SYNOPSES
CSW031 Introduction to Social Work
The module is intended to provide students with a foundational critical overview of the history, methods, purpose, values, principles and ethics of the social work discipline. The module will also allow the students to interrogate the role and efficacy of remedial social work practice in developing countries.
CSW 032 Communication Skills
The module will raise awareness among students on the importance of effective oral and written communication in social work training and practice. The module will also introduce students to the concept of how the acquisition of communication skills enhances assessment, decision-making processes and intervention in social work practice. The module will capacitate students to demonstrate effective and appropriate skills in communicating information and professional opinions to colleagues, clients (service users) and caregivers.
CSW 033 Introduction to Social Work with Individuals
The module is intended to prepare students for generalist social work practice with individuals. The module aims to equip students with an appreciation of social work concepts that underpin social work practice with individuals. The module will also introduce students to the principles, values and ethics of casework.
CSW 034 Introduction to Social Work with Groups
The module will examine the concepts and functions of social group work as a method of social work. The module will explore group dynamics in group work and the phases of group development. The module will also assess the role and functions of the social group worker and the relevance of group work practice in Zimbabwe.
CSW 035 Introduction to Social Work with Communities
The module will introduce students to strategies for agency and community engagement as well as community organising. It develops students’ capacities to critically engage in reflection to address community problems of oppression, social exclusion and marginalisation.
CSW 036 Introduction to Social Work Research
The module introduces students to basic social work research, emphasizing the importance of evidence-based social work interventions using quantitative and qualitative research methods. Students will also be introduced to the basics of Monitoring and Evaluation of interventions as well as the basic analysis of data.
CSW 037 Introduction to Social Policy and Administration
The module will introduce students to social welfare policies, the policy formulation process and the challenges of policy implementation. The effects of social policy administration on marginalized and vulnerable populations will also be analysed.
CSW 038 Introduction to Social Services and Development
The module will introduce students to the domain of social welfare and social services provision. An attempt to define the concept of poverty will be made with an emphasis on the various comparative categories of poverty. The module will also interrogate the constraints to achieving the goals of social welfare services provision.
CSW 039 Introduction to Social Work with Children and Families
The module will introduce students to child development, parenting practices, family systems and common settings for social workers specializing in practice with children and families. Students will also be introduced to Zimbabwe’s public/statutory child welfare and protection system and the relevant international, regional and national policy and legislative frameworks. The National Case Management System will be reviewed to give students an in-depth appreciation of the integrated and collaborative approach to the provision of child welfare and protection services to children.
CSW 040 Introduction to Community Health
The module will introduce students to the practice of integrated health primary care. Students will become knowledgeable of the social work roles of awareness raising and advocacy in the prevention of communicable and non-communicable diseases. The course will equip students with basic information on communicable and non-communicable diseases to enable them to recognise and understand health problems among their clients and refer them appropriately for treatment. Students will develop skills in engagement, assessment, intervention and supporting clients across a range of health conditions including HIV, substance abuse and mental illness.
CSW 041 Management of Welfare Organisations
The module will introduce students to management and accountability principles as they relate to social welfare organisations. Students will also learn about the basic management functions of planning, leading, controlling and organising and the application of these concepts in social welfare organisations. The module will also focus on the basics of administrative roles such as program development, resource mobilisation budgeting, data management, staff supervision, advocacy and program evaluation.
CSW 042 Social Work and Crisis Intervention
This module introduces students to basic crisis intervention skills to provide immediate and short-term responses to various client groups. The crisis intervention model will be explored as a possible technique. The scope of the module will encompass both man-made and natural disasters such as induced mass movement of people due to conflict, industrial accidents, famine, floods and earthquakes respectively.
CSW043 Work-Related Learning
The 12-week-long supervised practical fieldwork emphasizes the development of professional identity and conduct, professional values and ethics, and the skills of client engagement. The practical fieldwork placement will afford students an opportunity to blend learned social work methods with practice. The main objective of the practical fieldwork is to produce fully groomed results-oriented cadres who can competently practice using the knowledge imparted to them. Practical fieldwork placements must be preceded by a fieldwork orientation course to prepare students for field placement. To ensure critical reflection of theoretical and practical issues among students the fieldwork placement will be held in between the blocks for the taught courses.