Diploma in Social Work - Assessment Principles.

The Consortium has 7 principles regarding assessment of the Diploma in Social Work (DipSW).

  1. To qualify for the award of DipSW, student must evidence that they have
  1. For the award of the DipSW, academic disciplines should only be assessed with relevance to social work practice.
    (CCETSW, Rules and Requirements for the DipSW, Revised 1995,)

  2. Values are integral to, rather than separate from, competent practice and evidence that the value requirements that have been met must be drawn from, and refer to, practice undertaken in relation to each of the six core competences and be evidenced in all assessable work.
    (CCETSW, Rules and Requirements for the DipSW, Revised 1995,)

  3. Curriculum is centrally determined with all routes working to agreed learning outcomes. Each route will determine the method of assessment apart from the integrative practice study and the practice teacher's and student's report at interim and final stage, the framework for which will be centrally determined.

  4. In order that route determined assignments are logically linked with module learning outcomes, each assignment must test the main learning outcome(s) for a module, set by the module subgroup and approved by the external assessor(s). Issues related to discrimination and racism should be one of the main learning outcomes of each module and, therefore, incorporated within each assignment.

  5. Routes may decide to test learning in practice. However, only one such assignment can be set over the complete DipSW programme.

  6. Each module is assessed, so that a process of credit accumulation or transfer is possible.

There are two major assessment points in the Diploma: at the end of Part 1 (the Intermediate Assessment) and at the end of Part 2 (Final Assessment). To Pass either of these points requires the successful completion of academic assessable assignments (including the integrative practice study) and learning and practice performance (through Direct Practice Modules). Students will not normally proceed to Part 2 without succeeding in the Intermediate Assessment, unless in exceptional circumstances and with the approval of the external assessors and the Programme Assessment Board.
(CCETSW, Rules and Requirements for the DipSW, Revised 1995,)

Assessment of Academic Modules.

The method of assessment set for each module will be determined by the route, approved by the route external assessor(s) and monitored by the Programme Assessment Board through its Annual Review.


©West of Scotland Consortium for Education and Training in Social Work 2001.