Te Ata Māhina Bachelor of Social Work
Course details
| NZQF Level | 7 |
|---|
About the course
Build practical skills for a people-focused health or wellbeing career through social-work theory, bicultural practice, law, research and supervised placement.
Conditional to NZQA and SWRB approval
The aim of Te Ata Māhina Bachelor of Social Work is to prepare graduates to become skilled and reflective practitioners who are competent, confident, and equipped with the knowledge, skills and attributes to enable them to practice effectively in a range of settings in Aotearoa New Zealand and to apply to practice abroad. The graduate profile outlines the type of social work practitioner they should become through their learning journey.
This programme is aligned to the Social Workers Registration Board (SWRB) core competence standards. Graduates of Te Ata Māhina Bachelor of Social Work will be eligible to register with the Social Workers Registration Board and practice as a social worker in Aotearoa New Zealand and overseas.
Graduates will be able to promote social change and development, social cohesion, and the empowerment and liberation of people to address life challenges and enhance wellbeing in accordance with ngā kaupapa o te Tiriti o Waitangi. They will integrate the principles of social justice, human rights, collective responsibility, and respect for diverse identities as central to social work.
This programme is designed for ākonga from a wide range of cultural or ethnic backgrounds. It integrates mātauranga Māori approaches to teaching, learning and field education, underpinned by the articles of te Tiriti o Waitangi, and is committed to equity and inclusive practice to achieve equitable outcomes for Māori and all social work consumers.
Specifically, Te Ata Māhina Bachelor of Social Work is aimed at ākonga from a wide range of age groups and backgrounds who share a common desire to work to address the needs of individuals, whānau, and community to achieve positive outcomes.
Entry requirements
To be admitted to this programme, applicants must be at least 17 years of age on the date the programme commences, and meet one of the following general admission requirements:
- University Entrance as per New Zealand Qualification Authority Specifications
Or - Meet Special Admission requirements
Or
Meet Discretionary Admission requirements
Special admission
Applicants who are 20 years of age or older on or before the first day of the semester and do not meet the general admission requirements may apply for special admission.
Applicants must demonstrate that they are prepared for study at this level and have a reasonable likelihood of succeeding in the programme.
Special admission is granted at the discretion of the Delegated Authority, normally the Programme Manager.
Programme specific admission
In addition, applicants must also meet the following programme specific requirements:
In order to ensure an applicant is able to fully participate in the programme, including the field education placements, the following programme specific requirements must be met in addition to the general admission requirements above.
Prior to enrolment (at the time of application)
1. Safety Check: The Children’s Act 2014 requires people who work with tamariki and/or children in Aotearoa to undergo regular safety checks. The safety checking requirements are set out in the Children’s (Requirements for Safety Checks of the Children’s Workforce) Regulations 2015 (Children’s Regulations 2015). NB: You will not be accepted if your police check is not processed. All applications with any convictions will be required to attend an individual interview with an SIT department staff member.
2. Risk Assessment: The Children’s Regulations 2015 also require an interview (face to face or via telephone or other distance technology) for the purpose of carrying out a risk assessment to determine if the person poses or would pose a risk to children.
3. In addition, the interview process is used to carry out identity confirmation, to gather further information about previous convictions, previous work history, and any other information considered relevant to the safety of children.
Note: Upon consent, the information gathered as part of the above ‘Safety Check’ will be shared with a host organisation for the purposes of a field education placement.
4. It is also advised to provide a character reference as part of your application; this should include people from positions of trust such as an employer, teacher, pastor, kaumātua or kuia. References from family, friends or work colleagues will not be accepted.
English requirements
English language competency where English is not a first language:
• International applicants for whom English is not their first language will be required to show evidence of language competency, issued within the last two years. The minimum level of competency required is:
an IELTS Academic score of 6.5 with no band score lower than 6.5; or
an equivalent relevant English Proficiency Outcome as outlined in NZQF-related rules (Rule 21).
For domestic applicants for whom English is not their first language, evidence of language competency may be required.
*This course is not available to international students.
About the provider
Southern Institute of Technology (SIT) provides quality tertiary education and training across a wide range of subjects and qualifications. From certificates to postgraduate studies, we offer NZQA programmes for students to learn at a level and pathway that suits them.
We are home to the Zero Fees Scheme and are the only tertiary provider in New Zealand to offer a no tuition cost education to domestic NZ students for every year of study, at all levels.
We offer SIT programmes at campuses in Invercargill, Queenstown, Gore, and online through SIT2LRN Distance Learning.
We also have a specialised faculty in rural education at Telford in Balclutha, South Otago.