SWK-7045B Professional Judgement and Decision-making
Key Details
- Module leader
- Dr Mark Gregory
- Credit value
- 20 Level 7 (M) credits, Autumn Semester
- Module fee
- £450
- Summative assessment submission
- 30th June 2025
Welcome to Norwich
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Introduction
This module can be taken as a stand-alone module, or the credits can be put towards the MA in Advanced Social Work. It is possible to exit from the MA in Advanced Social Work with a Post Graduate Certificate (60 credits) or Post Graduate Diploma (120 credits).
This module is aimed at social workers and social work managers at all levels and in all areas of practice.
The way that professional judgements and decisions are reached in social work is complex and involves the interaction of individual, social, and macro factors. However, social workers do not routinely have opportunities to reflect on and learn from their decision-making practices, even though research suggests that opportunities for reflection, regular feedback loops, and learning from decision-making are central to developing expertise in professional judgement. This module aims to offer social workers and social work managers the opportunity to deepen their knowledge and understanding of the complex processes that underpin decision-making and judgement. In doing so, the module also offers the chance for practitioners to develop their capacity to unpick, reflect on, and analyse their own decision-making and judgement.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES
This objective of this module is to provide students with in-depth knowledge of theories and models of professional judgement and decision-making, and, through tailored learning activities and the module assignments, to support students to develop confidence and skill in decision-making and judgement and will enable students to understand how decisions are made in day to day social work practice. The learning outcomes for this module are:
- To develop understanding of theories of decision-making and judgement
- To engage in critical reflection on decision-making and judgement
- Building capacity to develop skills in professional judgement
- Having confidence in promoting effective decision-making
Teaching and Assessment
TEACHING METHODS
Teaching will take place online and will involve a combination of self-directed learning activities, pre-recorded mini-lectures, and live online workshops to apply learning to practice and reflect on professional judgement and decision-making. Live teaching takes place across three days, including an online workshop on the assignment activity.
EXPECTED TIME SPENT BY STUDENTS
For 20 credits: 200 effort hours
ASSESSMENT
A 4000 word reflection on how you have reached a professional judgement in your practice. There will be a formative activity involving keeping a decision-making and judgement diary to track how your thinking about an individual or family has progressed towards the judgement you have reached.
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT SUBMISSION
30th June 2025
TEACHING DATES
- 27th February 2025
- 27th March 2025
- 1st May 2025 (half day assignment workshop)
These sessions are delivered live online. You should diary some time ahead of the teaching days to ensure you complete the self-directed learning activities. This independent study will feed into the live teaching and learning on the following days.
How to apply
Please contact your agency Workforce Development Department about the application process. If this is your first CPD module at UEA you will need to register with UEA Admissions.
If this is a second or further CPD module you will need to enrol through the Postgraduate Learning and Teaching Service: lts.swk.pgt@uea.ac.uk
For local authorities or other organisations who are booking multiple candidates on a module, please email a list of approved delegates to lts.swk.pgt@uea.ac.uk at least 4 weeks in advance of applications closing to give enough time for approved applicants to complete their application.
Please wait until you have approval from your agency before you enrol. Once you are enrolled, please check you have access to Blackboard before the first teaching date.
Applications open on the 1st of December 2024 and close in mid-February (date TBC).
Please be aware that this module will need a minimum of 12 students in order to run and that teaching and assessment dates are subject to change. All up to date information will be available via your UEA E-vision account once you are enrolled onto the module.