Board of Studies in Social Work

With the introduction of the Diploma in Social Work (Dip. Soc. Wk.), the Diploma in Social Studies was discontinued. The new Diploma in Social Work was supervised by the Board of Studies in Social Work which was established under By-Laws Chap XXXB outlining the requirements for the Diploma. The Board after its establishment was also responsible for students completing the Diploma in Social Studies. No new students were excepted for this Diploma after 31 December 1957. 

The Board was established in 1955. At its first meeting held on 2 August 1955 it was reported that the Governor had finally approved the amended By-Laws establishing the Diploma course and the Board of Studies, The Department of Social Work was first listed in the 1955 Calendar, the amended By-Laws were published in the 1956 Calendar. Dr Morven Brown was appointed as the first Director of Social Work from 1 January 1955. The Board reported to the Professorial Board on all matters relating to the Diploma course.

The Board's constitution and responsibilities were:

2. The award of the Diploma shall be supervised by a Board of Studies consisting of the Vice-Chancellor, the Professors of Philosophy, Moral and Political Philosophy, History, Psychology. Economics, Government and Public Administration, Preventive Medicine, the Director of the Department of Social Work, the Supervisor of Professional Training, and three members of the full-time or part-time teaching staff of the Department to be elected every two years by the aforesaid Professors and the Director, together with not more than eight additional members who may be co-opted annually by the aforesaid members, subject to the approval of the Senate.
3. The Board of Studies in Social Work shall
(a) supervise the teaching in the subjects with which the Board of Studies is concerned.
(b)) be responsible, with the assistance of such examiners as the Professorial Board may, on the report of the Board of Studies or of the Chairman of the Board of Studies, from time to time appoint for the conduct of examinations in those subjects.
(c) take cognisance of and encourage scholarship and research in those subjects.
(d) consider and report upon all matters referred to it by the Senate, the Professorial Board or the Vice Chancellor.
The Board of Studies may consider and report to the Professorial Board on all matters relating to the Diploma.
4. The Board shall, at its first meeting in every second year, elect a Chairman who shall be one of the Professorial members of the Board, and who shall hold office for a period of two years.
5. The Board shall, in the month of June each year, lay before the Senate a report of its proceedings for the previous twelve months.

New By-laws were approved in 1966 which replaced the Diploma in Social Work with a degree of Bachelor of Social Studies. By 1967 the Diploma course was available only to students who commenced in the Faculty prior to 1967, and the requirements for the Diploma had to be completed by 1970. The role and functions of the Board in relation to the Bachelor's degree were defined in By-Laws Chap. XE.

* Chapter 10 of the By-laws was repealed, and Part 9, section 47, of the University of Sydney (Amendment Act) Rule 1999 referred.
By Resolution of Senate until 2002 the functions of the Board of Studies were
4. The Board of Studies shall supervise the award of the degrees in Social Work and, in particular, the Board:
(a) shall supervise the teaching and examining in such subjects as may be provided by the Department of Social Work, Social Policy and Sociology and prescribed by resolution of the Senate;
(b) shall be responsible for the conduct of examinations in those subjects with the assistance of such examiners as the Academic Board may, on the recommendation of the Board of Studies or of the Chairperson of the Board of Studies, from time to time appoint;
(c) shall take cognisance of and encourage scholarship and research in those subjects;
(d) may consider and report to the Academic Board on all matters relating to the degrees;
(e) shall consider and report upon all matters referred to it by the Senate, the Academic Board or the Vice-Chancellor; and
(f) shall elect one of its members as Chairperson.

At the beginning of 2003 Social Work in the School of Society, Culture and Performance within the Faculty of Arts was moved into the newly established School of Social Work and Policy Studies within the renamed Faculty of Education, now called Faculty of Education and Social Work. [Senate resolution 503/02 of 2 December 2002]