Admission and Unit Information - Master of Social Science

Research for Practice explores the role of research in generating professional bodies of knowledge and the epistemological, ethical, political, theoretical and methodological underpinnings of such knowledge. Students select approaches to research relevant to their practice domains and apply them, conceptually, to contemporary research problems.

This unit examines social and practitioner theories that inform and provide critical perspectives upon a range of disciplines and professions. Students will reflect upon the relationships between theory, social practice and professional practice. The unit examines these relationships by deploying such key constructs as: subjectivity, agency and identity; power and resistance; class, economy and consumption; social change; globalisation and nationhood; gender and sexuality; race and colonisation; governmentality and social discipline; mobilities and place. Students will consider the social, political and discursive processes through which theories are made and applied, and how theories limit and create possibilities for research and practice.

This unit builds on the work undertaken in the previous units 101887 Research for Practice and 101888 Theories for Critical Practice. It is designed to extend students’ critical practice in their specialist field through an integrated project. The project will demonstrate students’ knowledge, understanding and skills in bringing together theory and research and practice in their professional field of work. Students will have the opportunity to work together to support each other and extend each other’s work

This unit explores theories and practical experiences relevant to art therapy. Consideration is given to the major theoretical frameworks of art therapy, its historical development and group processes. There is a major experiential component which provides practical experience in exploring the process of art therapy by working in a group situation led by an experienced art therapist/s. The process will be explored and examined in relation to the self, to the self as artist and to therapeutic practice.

This unit examines therapeutic approaches and their application to the field of art therapy with different client populations. Different models, techniques and processes will be explored and examined in relation to the self and to therapeutic practice. An experiential component provides practical experience in exploring the process of art therapy by working in a group situation led by an experienced art therapist/s.

Counselling 1 is a foundational unit for postgraduate counselling and therapeutic studies. It forms the first part of a 40 credit point sequence undertaken during the first year. Counselling 1 presents the foundational skills necessary for the successful inception of a productive counselling relationship. The sequenced, progressive presentation of these skills via experiential learning is framed by the simultaneous presentation of key theoretical concepts relevant to the skills in question. Students will be required to analyse the features of their own personalities, and to reflect on feedback that they receive from others in the role of counsellor, in order to develop the self-awareness and sensitivity necessary for this professional role.

Counselling 2 is a foundational unit for postgraduate counselling and therapeutic studies. It forms the second part of a 40 credit point sequence undertaken during the first year. Counselling 2 offers further practice in foundational counselling skills introduced in Counselling 1. In addition, students are introduced to skills appropriate to the unfolding counselling relationship, those that involve an authentic ‘encounter’ between counsellor and client. Continued skills practice in triads is required, plus completion of eight sessions of counselling with a volunteer client who has already studied in this, or a similar, program.. Assessment tasks will require in-depth analysis of the student’s skills and countertransference in an unfolding counselling relationship. Theoretical perspectives will include concepts of problem-formation and change facilitation across the major paradigms; and stages and change-points in the adult life cycle, with appropriateness of varying therapeutic models to each stage.

This unit concerns philosophical thought and critical thinking in public planning. It develops an understanding of planning theories and examines past and present trends in this area. It reviews the theoretical frameworks for an insight into planning processes and analyses the economic, spatial and socio-political dimensions of activities involved.

Governance is a central but often overlooked issue in Urban Management. What is governance? What are the principles of good governance? How can they be extended to all parts of your organisation? How can you audit your own practices? This unit answers these questions, reviews governance practice in urban organisations across the world and provides participants with knowledge about some key governance tools. Participants also get an opportunity as part of the course to prepare a governance audit for an organisation they are familiar with and provide recommendations about how governance in that organization could be improved. The central objective of the course is to provide urban managers with a sound framework and set of tools with which to address governance issues in their own organisation and elsewhere.

This unit provides an understanding of environmental, economic and social issues arising from the effects of urban development within city regions and examines the relationship between sustainable development and metropolitan planning in the Australian and global context. It focuses on the concepts related to sustainability, sustainable development and sustainable cities. It also looks into recent initiatives towards the realisation of sustainable cities.

Financing the large amounts of physical infrastructure required to keep cities running and growing at a time when many governments, who have been the traditional providers of this infrastructure, face financial constraints is a key challenge for urban managers. In order to be able to enter into the debate about financing cities it is important to develop a basic financial literacy and to understand the framework of public finance in Australia and elsewhere. This course undertakes both these tasks as well as providing a rigorous introduction to public private partnerships (PPPs) - seen by many as a key source of infrastructure financing. Lastly, the course undertakes a detailed case study in the economics of development which enables participants to practice their financial skills in a familiar urban context.