HS658-7-AU-CO:
Global Social Work
2025/26
Health and Social Care (School of)
Colchester Campus
Autumn
Postgraduate: Level 7
Current
Thursday 02 October 2025
Friday 12 December 2025
15
02 July 2025
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
HS659
This module will help you explore a specific aspect of your professional practice, or a global social work issue informed by theoretical and practical focus on social work as a human rights profession. This will advance your knowledge, skills and understanding in this area to compliment both your optional dissertation related modules.
The delivery will focus on several critical debates in local and global approaches to practice, innovations in intervention and human rights issues working in complex situations. This module provides an opportunity to conduct some preliminary enquiries into an area of your choice.
The aims of this module are:
- To demonstrate a clear understanding of the nature, evolution and practice of human rights norms within the UK and International legal systems. This is informed by examples of areas of practice that could be used as the substantial field or methodological approach in an independent research activity.
- To provide opportunities to develop skills, knowledge and understanding of a specific area of professional practice from a local or global context (situating the local into the global and vice versa) that could be explored against the tensions that may occur between human rights principles and social work practice.
- To provide an overview of global social work issues and/or innovative areas of professional practice to critically evaluate specific human rights claims, comparing different theoretical approaches in relation to Social Work, Law and Social Movements.
By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:
- Explore a range of global social work issues and/or innovative areas of professional practice in social work and critically evaluate and compare different approaches to human rights in relation to the disciplines of Law, Social Work and Social Movements.
- Develop skills, knowledge and understanding in a specific global social work issues and/or innovative area of professional practice informed by the principles of the UK and International Human Rights Law.
- Critically reflect on the underpinning evidence base for their chosen area of professional practice.
- Appreciate the tensions and ethical dilemmas that may occur when practicing human rights in a social work context.
No additional information available.
This module will be delivered via:
- Lectures:
Lectures will be delivered by module lead, Experts by Experience and colleagues.
- Independent:
Small/ PBL group work and independent work on searching the literature and any research related activities. Practice and presentations to be discussed on sphere of practice.
- Online:
A range of materials and resources relating to this module are available through the MA Social Work Moodle site. Students should upon registering for this module be able to access this Moodle course by going to https://moodle.essex.ac.uk or by accessing Moodle via the 'my study' section of the main University of Essex website. If you are experiencing any technical difficulties with Moodle then please contact; helpdesk@essex.ac.uk
- Tutorials:
On commencing the course students will be allocated an Academic Supervisor, (usually the module leader). Academic Supervisors will support the student in the preparation of the module assessment.
Students will be expected to meet with their Academic Supervisor on a regular basis throughout the course. Arrangements for supervision will be the responsibility of the student. Any student may elect to change his/her Academic Supervisor following discussion with the module or programme Leader or the Director of Education.
Students are expected to maintain contact with their academic and practice Supervisors throughout the module. Tutorial sessions will be negotiated between student and supervisor. It expected that tutorial support and supervision will total no more than 2 full days over the period of the module.
- Skills:
As part of their independent learning the student will be expected to engage in a range of research related activities: searching the literature, visiting the library, attending seminars and participating in conferences (where appropriate).
The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's
reading list.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Practical |
Poster Presentation |
|
|
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Yes
No
No
Mrs Karen Jane Hubbard
University of Hull
Lecturer
Available via Moodle
No lecture recording information available for this module.
* Please note: due to differing publication schedules, items marked with an asterisk (*) base their information upon the previous academic year.
Disclaimer: The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its Module Directory is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can
be necessary to make changes, for example to programmes, modules, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include a change of law or regulatory requirements,
industrial action, lack of demand, departure of key personnel, change in government policy, or withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to modules may for example consist
of variations to the content and method of delivery or assessment of modules and other services, to discontinue modules and other services and to merge or combine modules.
The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications and module directory.
The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.