Introduction
Contact Info
Head of Department
- Ms. Ung Kimkanika
- Email: ung.kimkanika@rupp.edu.kh
Deputy Head of Department
Mr. Phal Oudamsambath
Email: phal.oudamsambath@rupp.edu.kh
Tel: (+855)77-796-371/(+855)87-844-691/(+855)88-4088-813
Office Room: Campus II, RUPP
Social Work is a catalyst for social change that promotes the strengths of individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities to enhance the social welfare of our society. Social workers seek to support poor and vulnerable populations through the promotion of social justice and respect and compassion for all.
Students in the Bachelor of Arts in Social Work degree will develop a greater understanding of complex social problems using an ecological framework. Students will learn about strategies of empowerment that intervene at the micro, meso, and macro levels of society.
About
Example
The RUPP/University of Washington Social Work Partnership was established in 2004 to support development of the new Department of Social Work at RUPP. The first class of students enrolled in 2008-2009.
The Department of Social Work has developed linkages with over 40 organizations to offer placement opportunities to students. Integral parts of the Bachelor of Arts degree are three separate experiential learning opportunities. In the second year of the program, students spend four hours a week within a community setting to learn about the mission of the agency and be exposed to direct service. They attend a seminar that accompanies this experience. In year three, students spend one and a half days a week within an agency developing social work skills through a supportive and supervised experience. In year four, students continue to develop their skills through a block placement in the second semester.
Admission
Admission to the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Social Work is administered by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, based on sound results in the High School Certificate subjects of Civic morality and English.
Assessment
Students are expected to be active adult learners and their academic participation is strongly encouraged. Students are assessed by attendance (70%), assignments, and end of the semester papers or examinations. Students must receive a satisfactory evaluation from each of their three field placements in years two through four. All social work students must adhere to the social work code of ethics and standards for professional behavior.
Curriculum
*Note: Students are required to complete a first year of foundation studies for all degrees. For more information of the foundation year course, please refer to RUPP’s handbook.
*Explanation: The code a (b-c) indicates number of credits and weekly study load. In this example: ‘a’= number of credits, ‘b’ = number of lecture hours, and ‘c’ = number of tutorial or practical hours.
*Note: English language, run by ELSU, runs on a variable course code system, ENG001- ENG 400 (Elective) depending on students’ skill level.
Total Credits: 151 Credits (Including Foundation Year)
YEAR TWO
| Semester One | Semester Two | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 hours/week | code | 20 credits | code | 19 credits | |
| English | 4(6-0) | English | 4(6-0) | ||
| Basic Requirements | Basic Requirements | ||||
| Interpersonal Skills I | HSW201 | 3(3-0) | Interpersonal Skills II | HSW206 | 3(3-0) |
| Community Empowerment Practice I | HSW202 | 3(3-0) | Community Empowerment Practice II | HSW207 | 3(3-0) |
| Causes and Consequences of Poverty | HSW203 | 3(3-0) | Governance | HSW208 | 3(3-0) |
| Sociology of Culture | HSW204 | 3(4-0) | Developmental Psychology | HSW209 | 3(3-0) |
| Community Service Learning I | HSW204 | 3(4-0) | Community Service Learning II | HSW210 | 3(1-7) |
YEAR THREE
| Semester One | Semester Two | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 hours/week | code | 18 credits | 27 hours/week | code | 17 credits |
| English | 4(6-0) | English | 4(6-0) | ||
| Community Empowerment Practice III | HSW301 | 3(3-0) | Introduction to Social Work Research Methods | HSW305 | 3(3-0) |
| Interpersonal Skill III | HSW302 | 3(3-0) | Introduction to Mental Health | HSW306 | 3(3-0) |
| Introduction to Organizational Development | HSW303 | 3(3-0) | Building Relationships Among Diverse Groups Task and Treatment Groups | HSW307 | 3(3-0) |
| Practicum I | HSW304 | 5(1-12) | Practicum II | HSW308 | 4(0-12) |
YEAR FOUR
| Semester One | Semester Two | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 hours/week | code | 13 credits | 20 hours/week | code | 16 credits |
| Senior Project | HSW401 | 1(1-0) | Senior Project | HSW406 | 1(1-0) |
| Advance Practice I | HSW402 | 3(3-0) | Advance Practice V | HSW407 | 3(3-0) |
| Advance Practice II | HSW403 | 3(3-0) | Practicum III | HSW408 | 12(1-30) |
| Advance Practice III | HSW404 | 3(3-0) | |||
| Advance Practice IV | HSW405 | 3(3-0) | |||
Course Description
Year 2
HSW201: Interpersonal Skills (IP-I)
Mr. Leang Lo & Ms. Chea Somnang
Semester I
This is the first of a three course sequence that prepares student for enter-level generalist practice with basic knowledge and interpersonal skill needed for effective and accountable social word practice to promote maximal functioning and quality of life.
HSW206: Interpersonal Skills (IP-II)
Mr. Leang Lo & Ms. Chea Somnang
Semester II
This is the second of a three course sequence that prepares student for enter-level generalist practice with the knowledge and skill needed for engagement and assessment to be an effective and accountable social work practitioner.
HSW202: Community Empowerment Practice I (CEP-I)
Ms. Nguon Sophak Kanika & Ms. Ros Sokunthy
Semester I
This is the first of a three course sequence that focuses on community level practice. In the first course student develop an understanding of community development and explore the recent history of development in Cambodia. Students focus on differences between a need based and right based approach to development and embed this understanding within a social work context. They will examine different components within developing community capacity.
HSW207: Community Empowerment Practice II (CEP-II)
Ms. Nguon Sophak Kanika & Ms. Ros Sokunthy
Semester II
This is the second of a three course sequence that focuses on community level practice of strategies to supporting community capacity building, in particular methods for community mobilizing, creating an action team, community assessment, developing an action plan, implementing the action plan, and monitoring and evaluation implementation.
HSW203: Causes & Consequences of Poverty
Mr. Cheng Bunkheang
Semester I
This course enable student to review and critically analyze the causes and consequences of poverty and inequality in Cambodia and globally. It will have an analytic and descriptive focus on definition of poverty, links between how poverty is defined and addressed, causes of poverty, and its consequences. The course introduces the concept of social welfare states.
HSW208: Governance
Mr. Cheng Bunkheang
Semester II
This course enable student to review and critically analyze the causes and consequences of poverty and inequality in Cambodia and globally. It will have an analytic and descriptive focus on definition of poverty, links between how poverty is defined and addressed, causes of poverty, and its consequences. The course introduces the concept of social welfare states.
HSW205/210: Community Service Learning I & II
Mr. Chhim Vornthyroth & Ms. Srey Sochenda
Semester I & II
This two course sequence presents a unique opportunity for student to develop a better understanding of social work as a field of study, and to discover where can make a valuable contribution in the future as a professional, volunteer, and citizen. It is an opportunity for student to explore the world of practice and find social work meaning in everyday life. In addition to classroom session, students spend time based in a community setting learning about the mission of an agency and observing direct services. The focus of this course is leaning by doing and leaning by reflecting on doing.
HSW204: Sociology of Culture
Ms. Puch Sina
Semester I
In this course, students examine the meanings and structures of culture, and its role in social and economic development. They learn sociological frameworks for thinking about culture deconstruct folk culture and conceptualize the past as a mirror of present. In addition, students study rituals and community solidarity, and examine pre-industrial sources of contemporary culture, industrialism and mass culture, power and culture, and cultural change.
HSW209: Developmental Psychology
Mr. Som Chan Savannara
Semester II
Student learn about human development from the prenatal period through to adolescence, exploring and analyzing theories of physical, emotional, cognitive, intellectual, creative and social development.
Year III
HSW302: Interpersonal Practice Skills (IP-III)
Mr. Leang Lo & Ms Meng Dalin
Semester I
This is the last of the three course sequence which prepare students for entry-level generalist practice with the knowledge and skills needed for intervention planning and decision making drawing heavily from the fundamentals of Task-centered Practice and crisis Intervention.
HSW301: Community Empowerment Practice III (CEP-III)
Ms. Nguon sophak Kanika, Ms. Ros Sokunthy & Mr. Cheng Bunkheang
Semester I
This is the last of the three courses sequence in which students continue to develop knowledge and skills related to community practice. This course focuses on an understanding of policy, the process of policy making, and methods of analysis. Students gain the ability to identify evidence-based resources and strategies to advocate for policy change in community. Throughout the courses, students recognize the potential impacts of policy on communities and reinforce the value of community input in the policy making process.
HSW303: Introduction to Organization Development
Mr. Chun Bora
Semester I
This course prepares students for entry-level macro practice in organizations through an examination of theories and real world examples in the Cambodia context. Students will use theoretical models to evaluated organizations where they are currently being placed for Year 3 Field Learning. The course also provides an overview of organizational assessment, planning, and evaluation.
HSW306: Introduction to Mental health
Ms. Thoun Nary & Ms. Meng Dalin
Semester II
Students are introduced to mental illness, different diagnostic systems, traditional and current methods for intervention. Students are exposed to approaches to community based care.
HSW307: Building Relationships Among Diverse Groups
Mr. Chun Bora
Semester II
Students will define group work and different types of groups in the social work discipline; describe the process of how to plan, begin, run/maintain and working effectively in groups by using interpersonal and communication skills i.e. listening, suspending judgment, respecting other ideas, checking assumptions, reflecting and asking for feedback. Students will practice basic skills in planning, beginning, facilitating, supporting, working with task group.
HSW305 : Introduction to Social Work Research Methods
Ms. Ung kim kanika
Semester II
Students learn basic principles and skills for evaluating their social work practice and how to be effective consumers of research findings. Emphasis is placed on the logic of the scientific method, understanding the interrelated stages of research the process understanding and critiquing research literature, learning strategies for gathering information, and approaches to the analysis of data.
HSW304/HSW308 : Practicum 1 & 2
Mr. Chhim Vornthyroth Ms. Srey Sochenda
Semester I & II
Students gain hands on experience working in the field within programs and organizations who practice social work. Practicum I and II focuses on the development of generalist skill that have been introduced in foundation and core courses up to this point and allow student to translate their theoretical learning in to practice knowledge.
Year 4
Advanced Generalist Practice 1- V
These courses are designed to build on the prior course of the degree programs and continue to develop students skill set in several key social welfare areas. These areas will change from time to time based instructor availability and topic relevance. A sample of these areas includes:
HHW402: Working with Traumatized Clients
Ms. Sok Phaneth
Semester I
This course equips students with introductory skill to work with trauma survivors. A foundational knowledge of the nature of trauma, types of trauma, and its effects are examined. Different strategies for healing trauma are explored. Additionally, compassion fatigue and self care strategies are addressed.
HSW403: Building Strong Families
Mr. Leang L
Semester I
This course focuses on issues of child welfare, preventing out of home placement, and how best to support children and families in the community.
HSW404: Proposal Writing
Ms. Nguon Sophak kanika
Semester I
This course supports the development of proposal writing skills for social workers.
HSW405: Skill Lab I
Mr. Chun Bora and Ms. Meng Dalin
Semester I
This course continues to build the skills and knowledge of social workers to conduct effective practice by focusing on current issues and state of the art strategies.
HSW406: Skill Lab II
Ms. Nguon sophak Kanika & Mr. leang Lo
Semester II
This course continues to build the skills and knowledge of social workers to conduct effective practice by focusing on current issues and state of the art strategies.
HSW401: Senior Project
Ms. Nguon Sopak Kanika, Leang Lo & Mr. Chun Bora
Semester I & II
Students develop enhanced substantive knowledge related to the population or service sector of their Year 4 practicum placement through the development and implementation of an individualized project.
HSW407: Practicum III
Mr. Chhim Vornthyroth & Ms. Srey Sochenda
Semester II
Students continue to gain hands on experience working in the field within programs and organizations that practice social work. Practicum III allows an opportunity to build on the generalist skills and further specialize their practice knowledge in a topical area.
Staff
Activities
Date: September 4, 2025
Type: Training
Uploaded By: Staff
Activities
