SOWK - Social Work (SOWK)

This course introduces students to the nature and extent of social problems and governmental and not-for-profit programs that attempt to ameliorate, prevent, or eliminate these problems. This course is designed to further inform students of the history and operation of social welfare programs as responses to social problems. The course focuses on history within the contexts of politics, economics, and social values at respective points in time, up to the present. This course focuses upon learning about understanding social justice; advocacy for human rights; and advancing social and economic justice by means of learning about social welfare programs as a response to social problems.

This course provides an overview of the major human behavioral theories used to guide social work practice with individuals, families, small groups, and organizations. The course examines a different theoretical approach in each section, from its historical and conceptual origins to its relevance to social work and clinical applications. Each section draws on a theoretical approach to foster understanding of normative individual human development and the etiology of dysfunctional behavior, as well as to provide guidance in the application of social work intervention.

The purpose of the field practicum is to facilitate the integration of social work theories and specific skills that students will apply in the field practice experience. Students complete 400 hours under the supervision of a qualified Field Instructor. See Field manual for full details and expectations for Field placement. The seminar, which will run concurrently with the field practicum, will facilitate student’s understanding of the field/class learning experience utilizing critical reflection. It is also intended to provide guidance concerning practical issues that the student may encounter in the field experience. The discussion of experiences and situations students may come across during the different stages of the internship will help to maximize their learning experience. Required readings and assignments provide additional content on topics presented in the seminar.

This course introduces students to social work research. Topics include: working with human research subjects; problem selection and conceptualization; formulating research hypotheses; research design; sampling; survey instrument construction; collecting quantitative and qualitative data; data treatment and analysis procedures.

Course materials emphasize how the nature (function and structure) of the agency gives focus and direction to the process in which social workers and clients mutually engage in meeting identified needs. Issues of access to resources and social and economic justice as they impact on clients’ needs are addressed. Clinical assessment and intervention are taught from a bio-psychosocial perspective within the ecological/systemic conceptual framework and the NASW code of professional values and ethics.

This is an online course which will use Blackboard to access the online portion. This practice course provides students with theories and skills needed for direct supervision of line workers, and middle and upper management skills in human service organizations. The course addresses relevant theories and models of supervision and administration as well as key skills needed to perform the functions of supervision and administration in complex organizations.

This is an online course which will use Blackboard to access the online portion. This course is designed to introduce students to advanced level cultural competencies in cultural awareness, knowledge acquisition, and skills development. The course incorporates the knowledge, attitudes, and skills model of cultural competency as outlined by Lum (2011). Students will be introduced to knowledge, attitudes and skills for practice with diverse populations that are part of our communities: First Nation people, European Americans, African American, Latino American, Asian American, Muslim American, Women, People with disabilities, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender persons, and older adults. This course emphasizes cultural competence as dialogical process to assist students’ engagement in conversations aimed to increase self and others awareness, promote acceptance and understanding. In addition, students will have the opportunity to learn and practice skills necessary to advocate for social justice and client’s rights.

This course will prepare the social work student for practicing within or collaborating with criminal courts, probation and parole services, victim services and correctional programs.

This course will prepare the social work student for practicing within or collaborating with criminal courts, probation and parole services, victim services and correctional programs.

This is an online course which will use Blackboard to access the online portion. This course will introduce students to the basic theories and principles of substance abuse prevention. The Social Development Model of human development, and its application through the Communities That Care prevention framework will be covered. The course also includes the impacts of substance abuse upon families and relapse prevention techniques.

This is an online course which will use Blackboard to access the online portion. This is an advanced social work class, and the material presented in this class is at an advanced level. This course will focus on current and emerging health behavior theory, research, and practice specific to a variety of health related settings and to populations diverse on gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation and health status. The content of the course will also include information about the major chronic diseases identified as the leading cause of death in the US. This course will examine disparities in health outcomes as a function of access to and quality of care for persons disadvantaged by income, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and other factors. Theories of behavior change will be related to research and practice across micro, mezzo, and macro practice arenas.