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 - 2024
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.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from External agency feedback Self-reflection
Increased length of placement (>50 hours)
The length of the placement experience should be increased to provide the opportunity for more meaningful engagement with agency induction and a greater breadth of experience across the agency. This should be negotiated with both the agency and the student to ensure it is appropriate.
Feedback from Self-reflection
Reduce impact of external assessors on final grade outcomes
The final assessment provided by external agency supervisors should shift to a hurdle requirement, marked on a pass/fail basis, therefore not contributing as significantly to the final grade outcome. This means the final grade will be derived from grading that has been undertaken by the UC only, based on placement related assessment items, to ensure a more even grade distribution.
- 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)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
r.hale@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Introduction: Your career goals & ambitions
Chapter
Hays (2023). How to set career goals. https://www.hays.com.au/career-advice/career-development/setting-career-goals
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Working in professional settings: Standards and expectations
Chapter
Victorian Public Sector Commission (2023). Code of conduct for VPS employees. https://vpsc.vic.gov.au/ethics-behaviours-culture/codes-of-conduct/code-of-conduct-for-victorian-public-sector-employees/
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Skill set 1: Professional integrity, boundaries and ethical dilemmas.
Chapter
Relationships Australia Victoria (n.d). Maintaining professional and personal boundaries. https://www.relationshipsvictoria.org.au/media/g10lkvqa/maintaining-professional-boundaries-tip-sheet-21079-web.pdf
Cypher, R.L. (2023). Social Media: Crossing the Lines of Professional Boundaries? The Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing, 36(4), 337–339. https://doi.org/10.1097/JPN.0000000000000687
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Skill set 2: Teamwork and interpersonal skills for the modern workplace
Chapter
Cooks-Campbell, A (2022). Why communication is key in the workplace. https://www.betterup.com/blog/why-communication-is-key-to-workplace-and-how-to-improve-skills
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Skill set 3 - Client facing work: Communicating effectively with diverse clients
Chapter
Ginicola, M. M., Smith, C., & Filmore, J. M. (2017). Developing Competence in Working With LGBTQI+ Communities: Awareness, Knowledge, Skills, and Action. In Affirmative Counseling With LGBTQI+ People (pp. 1–20). American Counseling Association. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119375517.ch1
Ginicola, M. M., Smith, C., & Filmore, J. M. (2017). Developing Competence in Working With LGBTQI+ Communities: Awareness, Knowledge, Skills, and Action. In Affirmative Counseling With LGBTQI+ People (pp. 1–20). American Counseling Association. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119375517.ch1
Cortoni, F., Beech, A. R., & Craig, L. A. (2017). Sexual Offenders. In Forensic Practice (pp. 52–75). John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118314531.ch4
Barry, M. Promoting desistance with young people. In Earle, R., Hester, R., Taylor, W., Hester, R. (2013) Youth justice handbook: theory, policy and practice. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315820064
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Break
Chapter
Nil
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Area 1: Public service roles
Chapter
Howes, L. M., & Goodman-Delahunty, J. (2015). Career decisions by Australian police officers: a cross-section of perspectives on entering, staying in and leaving policing careers. Police Practice & Research, 16(6), 453–468. https://doi.org/10.1080/15614263.2014.951936
Rhineberger-Dunn, G., & Mack, K. Y. (2020). Predicting Burnout Among Juvenile Detention and Juvenile Probation Officers. Criminal Justice Policy Review, 31(3), 335–355. https://doi.org/10.1177/0887403419831352
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Area 2: Non-government and community-based roles
Chapter
Price, A., & Kelly, S. (2021). Caught between a rock and a hard place: Social work in non-government organisations. Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work. 33. 67-80. 10.11157/anzswj-vol33iss1id824
McGrath, S., & Johnson, M (2023). The provision of support and advocacy for rural victims. Case study: Victim advocacy in the Delta Region of the United States. In Hale, R., & Harkness, A. (2023). Rural victims of crime: representations, realities and responses. Routledge.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Area 3: Regulation, oversight and investigations
Chapter
Queensland Family and Child Commission (2023). Oversight Framework and Forward Work Plan 2023-2027. https://www.qfcc.qld.gov.au/sector/monitoring-and-reviewing-systems/oversight
Naylor, B. (2021). Human rights oversight of correctional institutions in Australia. European Journal of Criminology, 18(1), 52–73. https://doi.org/10.1177/1477370820958238
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Area 4: Research and evaluation
Chapter
Queensland Government. Criminal Justice evaluation framework. https://www.premiers.qld.gov.au/publications/categories/guides/criminal-justice.aspx
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Employability 1: Identifying suitable roles and writing strong applications
Chapter
See CQU careers module - available on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Employability 2 - Securing the role: interview preparation and presentation
Chapter
See CQU careers module - available on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Preparing for post-graduate career pathways: Reassessing ambitions and goals
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
WORK PLACEMENT AND PROJECT Due: Week 12 Friday (4 Oct 2024) 11:59 pm AEST
1 Portfolio
Students must maintain a reflective career portfolio based on the activites undertaken in the unit. This can be in the form of a word document, PowerPoint presentation, or other suitable format.
The portfolio should include three parts, mapped against the topics in the unit.
Each section should be at least 500 words long (1500 words total).
1. CAREER GOALS, AMBITIONS AND PLANNING
Document your career goals and ambitions at the start of the unit versus the end.
Reflecting on the areas covered in the unit, what area would you enjoy the least and why?
Document your career plans - what sector do you hope to work in? What do you think you will enjoy about it and why? How will you go about obtaining a career in your desired area?
Who might some potential employers be? (specify agencies in your area). Do they have any entry requirements to work there? Do you need to do any further study?
2. CAPABILITIES AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT
Based on the activities undertaken in class, what are your skill strengths and skill gaps (how do you know this e.g. what tests you did). How and why are you stronger/weaker in these areas? How will these be advantageous/limiting to your career?
How can you go about developing your skills further to suit your career goals? Provide examples of methods you could use to develop your skills further.
3. JOB APPLICATIONS AND INTERVIEWS
Keep a record of examples from your experience you can draw upon for job applications - write a paragraph for each including where you worked, what you were tasked with doing, how you did it, and what you achieved (using the STAR technique).
Submit a CV to the careers team for feedback and present this in your portfolio.
Describe your feelings about interviews - are they a strong point or do you find them intimidating? What can you do to ensure your best performance at interview?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Each section is worth 10 marks based on the depth of your reflection, including reflection on the workshop activities and unit content (total 30 marks).
Students should attribute 1 hour per week to completing this task.
This task will be much easier if you keep a running journal of the workshop activities throughout the term, maintaining a working document that can be edited for submission.
Submit the completed entries in week 12 to Moodle.
Week 12 Friday (4 Oct 2024) 11:59 pm AEST
Submit via the drop box on Moodle.
Returning within two weeks of timely submission.
SECTION 1 - depth of reflection and alignment to unit content /10
SECTION 2 - depth of reflection and alignment to unit content /10
SECTION 3 - depth of reflection and alignemtnt to unit content /10
- 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
PART 1: PLACEMENT PROJECT (35%)
All students must complete a project attached to their placement experience to be presented back to the agency at the completion of placement.
The precise nature of the project is to be negotiated with the agency and approved by the unit coordinator. It could be producing a research report, developing a resource, revising a policy or procedure, or other similar outputs that are beneficial to the agency and suitable to the student's current skill set and capabilities.
Students must complete the workplace project to a suitable level and submit it via the Moodle submission box. If the task is not of a suitable quality for presentation to the agency it will be returned for amendment and resubmission will be possible once changes are made.
Students must also submit a 5-minute presentation documenting the placement project (e.g., PowerPoint, Prezi), which can be provided to the agency. The presentation should cover the following:
- Project purpose and aim - what were you tasked with doing?
- Project methodology- how did you do it?
- Project findings/outcome - present the project to the agency including any findings, resources etc.
These two items will be assessed by the unit coordinator and marked out of 35 on the following criteria: -
- Quality of project output including sophistication of content, presentation, spelling, grammar etc. /20
- Quality of project presentation, including oral communication and accompanying visual media/slides etc. /15
Students should attribute approximately 3 hours per week to completing this task.
PART 2: PLACEMENT PERFORMANCE (PASS/FAIL) (35%)
All students must receive a satisfactory placement pass this aspect of the unit to receive the full 35 marks. This is based on completion of the minimum 50 hours of placement experience to a minimum expected professional standard. For an overview, please see the "Placement assessment report".
The outcome is determined by the agency supervisor based on their oversight of the student during the placement experience. Any concerns regarding student performance are expected to be raised with the student and unit coordinator during the placement with an effort made to resolve them before the end of the placement experience.
At the end of your placement a meeting will be held between the placement unit coordinator, agency supervisor and yourself to appraise your performance during placement. This is a constructive discussion focused on providing critical feedback to highlight your strengths and areas for further improvement.
Week 12 Friday (4 Oct 2024) 11:59 pm AEST
Submit multiple files via Moodle drop box
PLACEMENT PROJECT 35%
- Quality of project output including detail and sophistication of content, and presentation, spelling, grammar etc. /20
Quality of project presentation, including oral communication skills and quality of accompanying visual media/slides etc. /15
PLACEMENT PERFORMANCE 35%
Hurdle requirement - students must pass this to pass the assessment
- Satisfactory/unsatisfactory on the basis of performance equivalent to entry level professional expectations (e.g. respectful communication, puncutality, completion of minimum hours and requirements). /35
- 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?
