Overview
This work placement capstone unit enables you to apply the theories, content knowledge and skills you have learned to a workplace environment. Your work will involve finding solutions to a problem in a regulatory agency, criminal justice agency, government or other organisation involved in the prevention or regulation of criminal activity. This practical experience will involve 50 hours of workplace experience which may be accrued intensively or distributed throughout the term. The university will assist in finding suitable workplace arrangements. You will be required to log this time and have this certified by your workplace mentor. You will be required to keep a digital portfolio of your workplace experiences and reflect on what this means for professional practice while setting a professional development agenda. During your practical experience you will complete a workplace project, under the supervision of your workplace mentor and our unit coordinator, supported by online resources and advice. The deliverables from this project will be submitted for assessment and will form part of your professional portfolio.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Enrolment in CL55 or CL75 and 72 cp of completed units.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2022
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
- Apply skills and knowledge developed in the course to criminology practice in a regulatory agency, criminal justice agency, government or other organisation involved in the prevention or regulation of criminal activity
- Evaluate and report work placement experience and assess personal and professional growth, strengths and weaknesses in intellectual development, social development and professional development
- Reflect upon and describe the careers, roles, relationships, responsibilities and activities of people engaged in the practice of criminology in the workplace
- Reflect upon, evaluate and report enhanced knowledge of criminology gained as a result of participation in work placement and the nature of the environment that supported such learning.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Portfolio - 30% | ||||
| 2 - Workplace Project - 70% | ||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Communication | ||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | ||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | ||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | ||||
| 5 - Team Work | ||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | ||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | ||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | ||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | ||||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 1 - Portfolio - 30% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Workplace Project - 70% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Zoom (both microphone and webcam capability)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing styles below:
- Australian Guide to Legal Citation, 4th ed
- American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
r.hale@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Introduction to workplace learning
Chapter
NCVER (2003) What makes good workplace learning?, https://www.ncver.edu.au/__data/assets/file/0016/5632/cp0207.pdf
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Assessment Information Workshop (Portfolio & Report)
Chapter
Bridges, J. (2020) 13 Things you need to include in your career portfolio, https://www.reputationdefender.com/blog/job-seekers/13-things-you-need-to-include-in-your-career-portfolio
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Self directed study
Chapter
Kissflow (2022) How to create a project management plan online - 9 simple steps, https://kissflow.com/project/steps-to-create-successful-project-plan/
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Drop-in Workshop
Chapter
Guan, D. (2007). Conflicts in the project environment. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2007—Asia Pacific, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute. https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/project-environment-eleven-project-conflicts-7348
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Drop-in Workshop
Chapter
Thai, J. (2021) 8 Steps to writing an effective project status report, https://asana.com/resources/how-project-status-reports
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Self directed study
Chapter
Andrea G. Marshall, Lillian J. Brady, Caroline B. Palavicino-Maggio, Kit Neirkirk, Zer Vue, Heather Beasley, Edgar Garza-Lopez, Sandra Murray, Denise Martinez, Haysetta Shuler, Elsie C. Spencer, Derrick Morton, Antentor Hinton Jr (2021) The Importance of Mentors and How to Handle More Than One Mentor
bioRxiv 2021.11.29.469764; https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.11.29.469764v1.full
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Assessment Information Workshop - Portfolio
Chapter
Banks, Sarah (2016) 'Everyday ethics in professional life : social work as ethics work.', Ethics and social welfare., 10 (1). pp. 35-52. https://dro.dur.ac.uk/18036/1/18036.pdf?DDD34+dss0sjb+dul4eg
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Drop-in Workshop
Chapter
Young, S.H. (2022) 22 Tips for Effective Deadlines, https://www.lifehack.org/articles/featured/22-tips-for-effective-deadlines.html
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Self Directed study
Chapter
Heathfield, S (2020) How to receive feedback with grace and dignity, https://www.thebalancecareers.com/receive-feedback-with-grace-and-dignity-1916643
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Drop-in workshop.
Chapter
Wax, D (2022) Getting past done: What to do after you’ve finished a big project, https://www.lifehack.org/articles/featured/getting-past-done-what-to-do-after-youve-finished-a-big-project.html
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Group Reflection and Debrief
Chapter
Hays Recruiting (2022) How to set career goals, https://www.hays.com.au/career-advice/career-development/setting-career-goals
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Report Due
Report Due: Week 12 Friday (7 Oct 2022) 1:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Portfolio
Task Description
Maximum 10 pages, due week 9
This unit provides an opportunity to reflect on your skills - those you have acquired during your studies and those which have developed from other life experiences. Back in term one of your course you were introduced to your professional portfolio as a vehicle for recording your capabilities and conveying them to an audience of potential employers. While you have hopefully been working on this throughout your studies, the time has come to have a thorough review of your portfolio.
Your assignment will include:
- A link to your digital portfolio, that MUST be accessible to any reader with the link.
- An example job advertisement for which your portfolio is appropriate.
- A covering letter for a job application that connects your portfolio to job criteria.
- A 2-300 word reflection/self assessment.
Week 9 Friday (16 Sept 2022) 1:00 pm AEST
Week 11 Friday (30 Sept 2022)
- Quality of portfolio artefacts and curation text.
- Connection of artefacts to potential employability criteria.
- Application of learning artefacts to job criteria.
- Critical reflection and self assessment.
- Apply skills and knowledge developed in the course to criminology practice in a regulatory agency, criminal justice agency, government or other organisation involved in the prevention or regulation of criminal activity
- Evaluate and report work placement experience and assess personal and professional growth, strengths and weaknesses in intellectual development, social development and professional development
- Reflect upon and describe the careers, roles, relationships, responsibilities and activities of people engaged in the practice of criminology in the workplace
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Team Work
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
2 Workplace Project
Task Description
Maximum 3000 words, due week 12
During this term you will experience a workplace environment through one of these potential methods:
- A physical or virtual placement organised by yourself, with the assistance of criminology staff.
- An online ‘externship’ project organised by the criminology staff.
- A special project for your current workplace/volunteering organisation, negotiated by yourself and approved by your unit coordinator.
- A study tour with a criminal justice focus.
- Participation in a competition, like The Big Idea, for a project with criminal justice implications.
This workplace experience should be the equivalent commitment to a unit of study contact hours, 36 hours, and can be distributed in whatever way that is agreed by yourself and the experience host. It may all take place in one or two weeks, or be distributed throughout the term.
During this experience you will complete a report that will include the following:
- A profile of your organisation or event.
- The negotiated project statement, which involves your whole team.
- Time management plan (include individual and team objectives).
- Conflict resolution plan. This includes an evaluation of possible risks and strategies for management.
- A progress report on the project which was submitted to the host for feedback during the placement period.
- An interview with someone in the organisation, discussing issues such as career, good skills to develop, lessons learned from their time in practice.
- A short discussion on professionalism and ethics in this context. This might include issues such as confidentiality, duty of care to clients, potential conflicts of interest and risk management.
- A final report on the project. If the project has produced a digital outcome, this can also be attached.
- A feedback letter from the host. (not included in word count)
- A reflection on the experience and a plan to implement changes.
This is not a typical academic research paper and does not require reference to research journal articles, however you should demonstrate your reading of secondary literature via references.
Week 12 Friday (7 Oct 2022) 1:00 pm AEST
Exam Week Friday (21 Oct 2022)
- Demonstrated understanding of the placement context, organisation and project.
- Ability to plan and implement planning strategies.
- Reporting of project outcomes and impact.
- Critical self reflection and planning for professional development.
- Apply skills and knowledge developed in the course to criminology practice in a regulatory agency, criminal justice agency, government or other organisation involved in the prevention or regulation of criminal activity
- Reflect upon, evaluate and report enhanced knowledge of criminology gained as a result of participation in work placement and the nature of the environment that supported such learning.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Information Literacy
- Social Innovation
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
