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SWK-20022 - Module Specification
School of Medicine
Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences

For academic year: 2025/26 Last Updated: 04 December 2025

SWK-20022 - Understanding Contemporary Society: Key concepts
Coordinator: Matthew Clarke
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 5
Credits: 15
Study Hours: 150
School Office: 01782 733928

Programme/Approved Electives for 2025/26

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2025/26

This module builds upon human growth and development in year one of the degree. It expands upon this subject, within a broader societal context in order for the student to understand how austerity or inequality impacts upon service users lives in different ways. Understood as contemporary societal challenges, this module includes topics such as dual diagnosis, alcohol and drug misuse, violence and mental health, preparing the learner for the complex experiences that service users can encounter throughout many aspects of their lives.

Aims
This module aims to explore and analyse social issues and challenges within contemporary society and their impact upon social work service users, including alcohol and drug misuse, violence and mental health across the life course.

Talis Aspire Reading List
Any reading lists will be provided by the start of the course.
http://lists.lib.keele.ac.uk/modules/swk-20022/lists

Intended Learning Outcomes

analyse the impact upon of a chosen societal challenge upon individuals, families and communities: 1
discuss the impact of socio-economic processes upon service provision and delivery: 1
explain how social challenges (how they are identified, defined and responded to) may change across time and place: 1

Study hours

Scheduled Teaching: 30 hours to include approximately 6 hours of input from practitioners
Independent study hours: 50 hours on reading key articles + 70 hours on preparation and construction of assignment.

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Report weighted 100%
3000 word Report
Report: 3,000 words. The student will choose a service user group and analyse how the chosen group has been socially and historically constructed. Students will analyse the associated inequalities and disadvantages and the impact this may have upon the outcomes for service users, carers and families

The University undertakes a continuous review of its teaching and research provision to ensure programmes are of a high quality and changes may be made to modules where it is necessary and reasonable to do so. Please be aware that minor changes to modules, such as a change to an individual assessment, can occur up until enrolment, although we endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes. Details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/legalgovernancecompliance/governance/actcharterstatutesordinancesandregulations/studenttermsconditions/

Last Updated: 04 December 2025