Module manager: Adam Boyes
Email: a.j.boyes@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2025/26
Successful completion of first year of the BA (Hons) Social Work Programme in accordance with programme requirements for progression to level 2 study
| HECS2213 | Professional Practice 2 |
HECS2207 Decision Making in Practice
This module is not approved as a discovery module
On successful completion of the module students will:
- Understand and analyse professional decision making skills
- Understand the particular issues affecting decision making processes in social work
- Analyse and evaluate contemporary policy and practice contexts for decision making and how they may impede or facilitate decision making
- Understand analytical and intuitive models of decision making, their strengths and weaknesses
Students will:
- Understand the ways in which judgements and decisions are made in professional practice contexts
- Analyse the factors that can inhibit or prevent good effective decision making
- Analyse relevant aspects of organisational structures that deliver social work services
- Explore evidence of past failings and identify strategies which may prevent such failings being repeated
- Compare decision making across different international systems
Professional Standards
1.1,1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5,1.6
2.4, 2.5
3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.7
4.2,4.4,4.5,4.6
6.1,6.2
PCF
Professionalism 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.7
Values & ethics 2.1, 2.2
Diversity 3.1, 3.2
Rights etc 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4
Knowledge 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5
Reflection & analysis 6.2, 6.4, 6.5
Intervention & skills 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.10, 7.12, 7.13
Context/Organisation 8.1, 8.2, 8.4, 8.6
Knowledge and Skills Statements for social workers
Children & Families sections 5,6,7
Adults sections 4,6,8,9
Understanding what is meant by facts, opinions and sound evidence
Evidence Based Practice in social work
The importance of hypotheses
Making judgements in conditions of uncertainty and complexity
Theories and models of decision making
Using decision trees
Biases and errors in decision making and how to recognise and minimise them
Arguing an evidence-based case
Decision making in inter professional contexts
Applying decision making theories in practice
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class tests, exams and assessment | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| Lecture | 12 | 1 | 12 |
| Seminar | 12 | 1.5 | 18 |
| Tutorial | 4 | 2 | 8 |
| Independent online learning hours | 30 | ||
| Private study hours | 128 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 42 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
Guided reading and research related to the syllabus using online and other resources
Preparation for class discussions and assessments
Online quizzes and exercises to reinforce classroom learning
Online research of relevant legislation and policy guidance.
Reading to complete essay
Lectures will be supplemented with a mix of discussions and group activities so there will be scope for dialogue between students and between students and lecturer when questions can be asked and understanding tested. There will be class quizzes and resumes to test knowledge. Case studies will be given for group discussion to test application of knowledge. Group and individual tutorial support will be given in preparation for essay.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Essay | 3000 words | 100 |
| In-course Assessment | FORMATIVE: 4 plus online exercises | 0 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 30/04/2025
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team