Trabajo Social
Grado y Doble Grado. Curso 2026/2027.
COMMUNITY WORK FROM AN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE - 801897
Curso Académico 2026-27
Datos Generales
- Plan de estudios: 0830 - GRADO EN TRABAJO SOCIAL (2009-10)
- Carácter: Optativa
- ECTS: 18.0
SINOPSIS
COMPETENCIAS
Generales
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
Knowledge
Describe, analyse and compare theories and methods of community work from an international perspective.
Develop a project plan for a community work intervention.
Skills
Collect, analyse and interpret relevant information about communities and present the findings in a clear and structured way.
Identify opportunities for community work at the macro, meso and micro levels.
Design a community work project, including aims, stakeholders, methods, resources and evaluation.
International and Collaborative Competences
Work collaboratively with students and teachers from different countries in an international virtual learning environment.
Exchange information about their own communities and compare similarities and differences with communities in other countries.
Critically reflect on the role and relevance of community work in contemporary society.
Cooperate effectively in interdisciplinary, national and international teams.
Take responsibility for their own learning process and professional development.
Específicas
Module 1. Analysing Communities
By the end of this module, students will be able to:
Explain different concepts and definitions of community.
Analyse a community using appropriate theoretical frameworks and analytical tools.
Compare community characteristics across different national contexts.
Reflect on the role of community work within social work practice.
Module 2. Methods in Community Work
By the end of this module, students will be able to:
Explain and apply different methods and approaches to community work.
Analyse processes of participation, empowerment and collective action.
Develop intervention strategies appropriate to different community contexts.
Exchange experiences and learn collaboratively with students from other countries.
Module 3. Local and Global Challenges in Community Work
By the end of this module, students will be able to:
Analyse the impact of global social challenges on local communities.
Relate global issues to community work practice.
Evaluate community responses to contemporary social challenges.
Apply an international and comparative perspective to community work.
ACTIVIDADES DOCENTES
Clases teóricas
Introduce students to the course structure, the VirCamp Moodle platform, and the learning activities.
Guide and support students throughout the learning process.
Moderate and facilitate discussions in the international learning environment.
Supervise collaborative group work and encourage intercultural exchange.
Provide timely formative feedback on key assignments submitted by the announced deadlines.
Support students in developing critical thinking, reflection, and comparative analysis skills.
Facilitate the compulsory live online sessions (videoconferences).
Monitor students' progress and participation throughout the course.
Assess the final portfolio according to the course assessment criteria, together with the international teaching team.
Encourage active participation, collaborative learning, and professional development in an international context.
Presenciales
No presenciales
Semestre
Breve descriptor:
Social Work from an international perspective is an online course that allows social work students
in various countries to learn from each other and to share information and knowledge about social
work.
Rapid changes in contemporary societies, increasing mobility and local differences in social and
economic factors influence the living conditions and thereby the social problems in various parts of
the world. This has serious implications for the field of social work and for the framework and the
role of social workers, which emphasises the importance for intercultural exchange. An international
perspective on Social Work is significant for social workers directly involved with clients from
different countries and for bachelor and postgraduate students who are considering an
international perspective in their future career.
The Course taught entirely in Englishis, is offered and developed by the SW‐VirCamp Consortium. All Partner Higher Education Institutions are responsible for it.
Every SW‐VirCamp Partner Institution has a local contact person responsible for the intake procedure and academic accreditation of the ECTS in each Institution.
Course period and course structure
The Social Work from an international perspective is divide in 3 modules
January and February | Analysing communities
March and April | Methods in community work
April to June | Local and global challenges in community work.
The course runs fully online and is organized in a weekly structure.
Each week contains readings, videos or case materials, learning activities, and assignments.
Requisitos
Adequate level of oral and written English language skills; minimally level B1 of the
Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
Reliable internet connection.
Expect to spend about 12-15 hours per week on readings, assignments, and discussions.
Use your Complutense University corporate email account to access and work on the VirCamp platform.
Objetivos
General Course Objective
Community Work from an International Perspective gives Social Work students from different countries the opportunity to learn from one another and share knowledge about community work. The course focuses on participation, empowerment, emancipation and social change through collective action, while promoting the comparative analysis of communities and professional practices.
Contenido
In this course, the students will learn about commonalities and differences between countries in the
field of social work and how these contextualise and influence living conditions. The students will
explore social organisations, welfare systems and methods within social work.
Throughout the course, students will cooperate on cases that illustrate the phenomenon of social
exclusion. Students are assigned to work with challenges related to social work with elderly people,
adults or children and to compare the living conditions with two other countries than their own.
During the course, the students take part in various activities in a virtual classroom together with
students from different countries. These activities aim to enhance the students’ communication
skills and give a unique experience of working with students from different countries.
As mentioned earlier, the course is divided into three modules:
- January and February | Analysing Communities
- March and April | Methods in Community Work
- April to June | Local and Global Challenges in Community Work
Students may enrol in all three modules or select only the module(s) they wish to take.
All course content, learning materials, and reading resources are organised by modules and are available on the VirCamp Moodle platform, which is managed by the consortium responsible for the course.
Evaluación
This course uses a portfolio assessment model. That means:
Some assignments from each module that you complete during the course will become part of your final portfolio.
You will receive teacher feedback on key assignments when they are submitted by the announced deadlines.
You will also give and receive peer feedback, which is an important part of collaborative learning in VirCamp.
Before the final portfolio submission, there will be a portfolio check (on the Moodle platform) to ensure that all compulsory assignments have been completed. Only then can you submit your final portfolio.
The course is asynchronous ¿ you can work at your own pace each week, but you must meet the weekly deadlines.
There will also be a few live sessions (videoconferences) where you will meet your peers and teachers in real time. The live conference sessions are compulsory.
You will work both individually and collaboratively, reflecting on case studies and comparing national perspectives.
Expect to spend about 12-15 hours per week on readings, assignments, and discussions.
Bibliografía
Castles, F.C./Leibfried, S./Lewi S, J./Obinger, H./Pierson, C. (eds.) (2010). The Oxford
Handbook of the Welfare State. Oxford University Press. Oxford.
Social Work / Social Work Education / Profession
Horst, J. T. (ed.) (2009) Social Work in Europe. HBuitgevers, Baarn
Larsen, A.K. & Hole, G.O. (2007) The Role of the Virtual Classroom in Opening Up the
European Curriculum, in Frost, E., Freitas, J.F. & Campanini, A. (eds) Social Work Education
in Europe, Roma: Carocci. (pp 73-88)
Lyons, K.; Hokestad T.; Pawar, M.; Huegler, N. & Hall, N. (2012) Handbook of international
Social Work, Los Angeles, Ca: Sage Publication.
Otte, C. & Olsson, K¿G. (2007) Professionalism in Social Work and the Education of Social
Workers: A Cross¿Cultural Perspective, In Frost, E., Freitas, J.F. & Campanini, A. (eds.) Social
Work Education in Europe Roma: Carocci. (pp 89 - 101)
Payne, M. 2014. Modern social work theory. 4th ed. Oxford University Press. (pp. 3 -29)
Comparative Methods
Horst, J. T., Zierer, B. (2009). The Need for an International and Comparative Social Work
Perspective. In: Ter Horst, J. (ed.). Social Work in Europe. HBuitgevers, Baarn. (pp.10 - 16)
Additional readings will be presented when the course starts.
Otra información relevante
Use the Discussion Forum in Moodle for general questions and interaction. There are also discussion forums for each group so that students can communicate internally
For technical or administrative issues, contact your local coordinator.
For course-related questions, you can contact the teaching team through the Moodle-messaging system.
Teachers and students work together as an international community of learners ¿ please communicate respectfully and be open to cultural differences and diverse viewpoints.
More detailed and specific information is available on the VirCamp Moodle platform, which you will be able to access once each module begins.
Estructura
| Módulos | Materias |
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| No existen datos de módulos o materias para esta asignatura. | |
Grupos
| Clases teóricas y/o prácticas | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grupo | Periodos | Horarios | Aula | Profesor |
| Grupo A | - | - | - | CARMEN MARIA RONCAL VARGAS |