Faculty of Education and Social Work Handbook

On behalf of the teaching and administrative staff I welcome you to the Faculty of Education and Social Work. Formerly a department in the Faculty of Arts, the Faculty of Education was established in 1986. In 2003, it welcomed colleagues from the Department of Social Work, Social Policy and Sociology to create the Faculty of Education and Social Work. The occupations associated with Education and Social Work share much in common, and we are in the process of developing joint programs that involve aspects of both professions and which allow our graduates to be particularly effective in working with young people. The amalgamation has been very important in developing concepts of professional education and ways of supporting students as learners and practitioners.

As might be expected, the Faculty is blessed with many excellent teachers who model best practice to their students. It also has a research-intensive culture, the output of which is important in policy development and practice in a range of professions, as well as in providing opportunities for students to learn about new issues and developments in their chosen professions.

The Faculty is one of the largest in the country and at the undergraduate level, offers courses to students wishing to become teachers at the primary or secondary school levels, or who will specialise in the PDHPE (Personal development, health and physical education), school counselling or D&T (Design and Technology) areas, and, of course, Social Work. In addition to dedicated, single degrees, the Faculty also offers a number of combined degree courses with other faculties in the University. A feature of both types of courses is a strong partnership with other faculties in the University. In all degree courses, students have the opportunity to study in areas of their interest in the Faculty of Arts, Science or Economics and Business. Professional experience in schools or human services agencies are important components of all degrees.

Among the features of Education courses is inclusion of units of study which help students learn how to integrate IT into their teaching practices and cater for students with special needs, as well as those who are of indigenous heritage or who are speakers of languages other than English. In addition to specialist study in teaching subjects, students learn the latest developments in pedagogy and curriculum studies, as well as relevant aspects of the foundation disciplines of history, philosophy, psychology and sociology. Social Work at the University of Sydney is similarly regarded with the highest esteem because of the quality of education provided and the calibre of the

graduates within the profession. The degrees are notable for the integration of studies of social policy with social work. Students are encouraged to take advantage of oppor- tunities to study abroad for a semester during their course and to learn about the professional issues in a variety of cultural contexts.

At the postgraduate level, the Faculty offers an innovative Master of Teaching degree to students seeking a professional teaching credential, and has a range of specialist Master of Education and Master of Social Work courses. In addition, the Faculty has a large and vibrant group of postgraduate research students undertaking degrees at the master and doctoral levels.

The Faculty is pleased to have some of the best facilities in the country and boasts good IT labs, a dance studio, art workshops, music rooms, an exercise physiology lab, and the Early Intervention Centre, which includes demonstration classrooms that are attended by school children in the area. The Faculty maintains excellent relations with the professions, and professional experience is an important part of students' experience in the Faculty. Best of all are the Faculty's staff and students, who together create an exciting intellectual environment, in which it is very rewarding to participate. We are pleased that you are considering joining the Faculty of Education and Social Work at the University of Sydney and hope that we will be able to welcome you in coming months.

Professor Derrick Armstrong
Dean