Courses
B.S.W. Social Work Courses
- SWK-S 102 Understanding Diversity in a Pluralistic Society (3 cr.) P: or C Elementary Compositon. This course covers theories and models that enhance understanding of our diverse society. It provides content about differences and similarities in the experiences, needs and beliefs of selected minority groups and their relation to the majority group. These groups include, but are not limited to, people of color, women, gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons. This course analyzes the interrelationship of race, class, age, ethnicity, and gender and how these factors influence the social values regarding economic and social justice.
- SWK-S 141 Introduction to Social Work (3 cr.) P: or C. Elementary Composition. This course is an introduction to the profession of social work and the philosophical, societal, and organizational contexts within which professional social work activities are conducted. It provides the opportunity for students to explore their interest in and potential for a career in social work. It introduces the knowledge, skills and values of social work as a profession and explores the role of social workers within the broad area of social welfare and social services.
- SWK-S 221 Human Growth and Development in the Social Environment (3 cr.) This course assists the undergraduate social work student in building a foundation for understanding human behavior and development in diverse contexts across the life course. The course emphasizes the interdependence of dynamic interactions between a person and that individual’s environment, and thus introduces students to implications for human development through a person-in-environment lens.
- SWK-S 251 History and Analysis of Social Welfare Policy (3 cr.) This course is designed to provide a historical perspective on the evolution of social welfare policies and programs and allow students to develop beginning policy analysis skills so that students will be able to identify gaps in the service delivery system and inequitable or oppressive aspects of current policy delivery. Students acquire knowledge of the prevailing social, political, ideological, and economic contexts that gave rise to the various social welfare policies and programs and have influenced how programs and policies have changed over time.
- SWK-S 322 Small Group Theory and Practice (3 cr.) P: or C S221. The course examines the significance of the small group as both the context and means for social development of individuals and as a vehicle for generalist practice. It includes discussion of the individual as a member of a variety of groups, including the family. The course covers group theories as well as mezzo practice strategies. Generalist social work practice recognizes the importance of groups in the life of individuals and societies. Groups are one of the most important vehicles for the social development of the individual as well as one of the basic structures by which a society organizes itself.
- SWK-S 331 Generalist Social Work Practice I: Theory and Skills (3 cr.) P: or C S221 & Elementary Composition. This course focuses primarily on the application of basic generalist social work skills that demonstrate an understanding and application of the continuum of social work practice in the helping relationship. The course focuses on the beginning phase of the problem-solving process and related skills. This course is designed to provide students with a beginning understanding of generalist social work practice. It uses a range of perspectives including strengths perspective, empowerment perspective and person-in-environment perspective.
- SWK-S 332 Generalist Social Work Practice II: Theory and Skills (3 cr.) P: S331 & S251 Social Welfare Policy. P or C S322 & S352 This practice course examines the middle and ending phases of the helping process and related skills. Students explore the helping relationship with various client system sizes, impact of agency policies and procedures upon practice and resolution of clients' problems; practice evaluation.Generalist Social Work Practice II: Theory and Skills focuses primarily on application of basic social work skills that demonstrate understanding and application of the continuum of social work practice at the middle and ending phases of the helping relationship.
- SWK-S 352 Social Welfare Policy and Practice s (3 cr.) P: S251. This second course in social welfare policy builds on S251 by exploring in depth the current social welfare delivery system through policy analysis using a variety of frameworks and developing policy practice skills. The course also develops beginning policy practice skills so that students will know how to work toward social change congruent with social work ethics and the profession’s commitment to social and economic justice.
- SWK-S 371 Social Work Research (3 cr.) P: Junior standing according to the social work curriculum. The general goal of this basic social science research methods course is to introduce and develop skills needed to conceptualize a problem, make use of available literature, design a research strategy, evaluate, organize, and integrate relevant data (both existing and new), derive useful solutions based on knowledge, and communicate those solutions to clients and colleagues. The attainment of this goal will prepare students to continue their own professional education, contribute to the development of the profession as a whole, and maintain their service to clients at a standard commensurate with the current level of knowledge.
- SWK-S 423 Organizational Theory and Practice (3 cr.) This course provides the theoretical and conceptual foundation for understanding organizational functioning and behavior, and introduces the knowledge and skills necessary for generalist social work practice and leadership within an organizational context. The course assists the undergraduate social work student in building a knowledge base about organizations and organizational life from the perspective of consumers, practitioners, and leaders.
- SWK-S 433 Community Behavior and Practice within a Generalist Perspective (3 cr.) P: All junior level social work courses. C. S472 & S482 This course provides the theoretical foundation for community functioning and behavior and the knowledge and skills of community interventions designed to mitigate social, political and economic injustice and bring social change. The orientation of this course is primarily based on systems theory, the ecological and strengths perspectives and concepts of conflict, power, empowerment, corporate domination, global interconnections, and advocacy.
- SWK-S 472 Social Work Practice Evaluation (3 cr.) P: All 300 level courses. C: S423 & S482. This course provides students with the knowledge and skills needed to evaluate their own practice and the effectiveness of social service programs within which they work, as well as to become critical consumers of the professional literature to guide their practice. This course reviews a variety of evaluation designs, methodologies and techniques applicable to evaluating generalist social work practice. Attention is given to the social work practice continuum of problem definition, goal setting, intervention and evaluation of goal attainment.
- SWK-S 481 Social Work Practicum I (6 cr.) P: All 300 level courses. P or C S423 & S442. Field education provides the opportunity for social work students to demonstrate competency in practice, integrating knowledge, values and skills gained in the professional education curriculum. The first practicum experience in the Bachelor of Social Work program allows the student to develop and demonstrate beginning practice competency, laying the foundation for the final field experience (S482). S481 Social Work Practicum I builds upon the theoretical and experiential learning of both S231 Generalist Social Work Practice I: Theory and Skills and S332 Generalist Social Work Practice II: Theory and Skills both taught during the Junior year. S481 Social Work Practicum I affords the student an opportunity to make application of practice knowledge, values, and skills within an organizational structure of a human service agency. In the agency settings, students are expected to demonstrate beginning competency in working with clients, utilizing community resources, interacting with other professionals, and in functioning effectively within an organization. Furthermore, students are expected to identify and work to alleviate (at a beginning level) oppressive conditions in the lives of their clients.
- SWK-S 482 Social Work Practicum II (7 cr.) P: S481. P or C: S433 & S472. This course is the continuation of S481 agency-based field experience which provides opportunities for students to demonstrate the practice behaviors outlined in the competencies defined by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) in preparation for professional practice at the BSW level. Demonstration of competencies requires the application and integration of classroom concepts and principles and the development of skills for generalist practice.
- SWK-S 442 Integrated Practice/Policy Seminar: Case Management (3 cr.)
This course focuses the student upon a specific field of social work practice in increased depth, provides further opportunity for synthesis of student learning from previous courses, and seeks to integrate social welfare policies and policy analysis with social work practice. Students will be expected to integrate the theoretical content from previous coursework and the content presented in this course with opportunities for practical application. The course emphasizes the value base of social work practice and its commitment to social and economic justice as students identify and analyze ethical dilemmas found in generalist practice. Students will be expected to explore the recent literature to build knowledge for the demonstration of research-informed practice in a specific area such as Addictions, Children & Families, Mental Health, Aging and Health Care.