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School of Social Work 2009-2011 Online Bulletin

School of Social Work 2009-2011 Online Bulletin Table of Contents

 

 

School of Social Work
2009-2011
Academic Bulletin

socialwork.iu.edu
Indiana University School of Social Work
902 West New York Street  
Indianapolis, IN 46202
Local: (317) 274-6705
Fax: (317) 274-8630
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Courses of Instruction

In the following course listings, the abbreviation “P” refers to prerequisite and “C” indicates corequisite courses. This bulletin lists only the social work prerequisite and corequisite courses. A list of the specific prerequisite and corequisite courses from the general and supportive area requirements needed for social work courses can be requested from the B.S.W. program office on the campus of your choice. Students on the Bloomington campus need to consult with the social work program to verify the P and C social work prerequisites.

B.S.W. Courses
M.S.W. Courses
Ph.D. Courses

B.S.W. Courses

The following course listing includes B.S.W. required courses and selected elective courses.

S 100 Understanding Diversity in a Pluralistic Society (3 cr.) 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.

*S 141 Introduction to Social Work (3 cr.) Examination of characteristics, function, and requirements of social work as a profession. Emphasis on the ideological perspectives of the profession and the nature of professional function and interaction. Overview of the different fields in which social workers practice.

S 180 Exploring Child Welfare in Indiana (3 cr.) Provides a comprehensive overview of the child welfare system, with special emphasis on current child protection and child welfare services in Indiana. Students have the opportunity to explore careers working with children and families in the child welfare system. This course is a service learning course with a required component of a minimum of 20 hours of volunteer work in an identified social service agency in the child welfare system.

*S 200 Introduction to Case Management (3 cr.) Students may use this course to fulfill requirements for the Certificate in Case Management, or they may take it as an elective. This course explores current models of case management. It addresses emerging case manager functions and roles within the contemporary network of human services.

*S 221 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I: Individual Functioning (3 cr.) P: S 141 or consent of the instructor. Understanding of human development and functioning at all system levels as a basis for social work practice. Emphasizes the interaction between the person and family, groups, and communities. Coverage of major theories of individual functioning, life cycle development, and the family context. Exploration of inequality, discrimination, and differential access to opportunities for diverse populations.

*S 231 Generalist Social Work Practice I: Theory and Skills (3 cr.) P or C: S 221. Development of a critical understanding of social work practice. It focuses on the beginning phase of the helping process and related skills. Topics include the nature of the helping relationship, NASW Code of Ethics, practice as it relates to oppressed groups, assessment, and practice evaluations.

*S 251 Emergence of Social Services (3 cr.) P: S 141 or consent of the instructor. Examination of the evolution of social services in response to human needs and social problems as related to the Case Management Certificate.

S 280 Introduction to Field Experience (1-3 cr.) P: consent of the instructor. Introductory field experience for testing interest in a social work career. It is also required for non-social work students pursuing the Case Management Certification.

S 300 Child Abuse and Family Violence (3 cr.) This elective course examines both research studies and the service application of knowledge in the field of family violence, abuse, and neglect. Recent findings from empirical studies are reviewed and then compared to the beliefs and practices of treatment and legal services designed to intervene in situations of family violence.

S 300 Child Abuse and Neglect (3 cr.) This course is designed to provide a comprehensive introduction to child abuse and neglect from psychological, social, cultural, legal, and economic perspectives. This course introduces the values and ethics of the social work profession in the child welfare arena, specifically the right of children to appropriate care, to be free of abuse and neglect, and to grow up in a safe environment.

*S 300 Computer Technology for Social Workers (3 cr.) Students may use this course to fulfill the computer course requirement, or they may take it as an elective. Students receive a broad overview of computer software application, Internet, and World Wide Web, with an emphasis on their utilization in the social work profession. The course addresses some of the ethical and social implications of computer technology for the social work profession, highlighting considerations specific to at-risk populations.

*S 300 Crisis Intervention (3 cr.) Students may use this course to fulfill requirements for the Certificate on Case Management, or they may take it as an elective. This course focuses on the increasing number of complex and painful personal, couple, family and community crisis situations encountered by social workers in the course of service delivery.

S 300 Developmental Issues for Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual People
(3 cr.)
Gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GL&B) people constitute an important presence in American society. They are denied full participation in a wide range of social institutions including family life, religion, education, employment, recreation, the military, and many others. Serious issues related to lack of legal protection, violence, and limited political representation are analyzed.

*S 300 Global Society: Human, Economic, Social, and Political Issues (3 cr.) The purpose of this course is to examine a range of issues including human rights, distribution of wealth, ethnic diversity, and social development, within a global interdependent context. Problems of global poverty, social injustice, and inequality receive special attention.

S 300 Working with Families (3 cr.) Exploration of family relationships and roles in the 21st century. Examination of challenges encountered by families across the family life cycle.

*S300/400 Latin American Issues in a Global Society (3 cr.) Considering the rich as well as debilitating aspects of a global society, this course focuses on selected socio-cultural-political and economic issues that impact Latin America. Particular attention will be given to the rise of social movements and regional alliances that have emerged to advocate for the rights and wellbeing of individuals, communities, and countries of this awaking giant of the south.

S 300/S 400 Family Life Education (3 cr.) Students may use this course to fulfill requirements for the Certificate in Family Life Education. An understanding of the general philosophy and broad principles of family life education in conjunction with the ability to plan, implement, and evaluate such educational programs.

S 322 Human Behavior and Social Environment II: Small Group Functioning (3 cr.) P: S 221. Examination of the significance of the small group as context and means for social development of individuals and as a vehicle for generalist practice. 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.

S 323 Organization Behavior and Practice within a Generalist Perspective (3 cr.) P or C: S 322. 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.

*S 332 Generalist Social Work Practice II: Theory and Skills (3 cr.) P:
S 231, S 251. P or C: S 352. C: S 381. Examination of middle and ending phases of the helping process and related skills. Topics include the helping relationship with various client system sizes, impact of agency policies and procedures upon practice and resolution of clients’ challenges, and practice evaluation.

*S 352 Social Service Delivery Systems (3 cr.) P: S 251. Examination of policies, structures, and programs of service delivery systems at local, regional, and national levels with emphasis on relations among such systems as formal organizations. Students acquire knowledge of the policy development process, which helps them establish a beginning capacity for policy analysis and practice.

*S 371 Social Work Research (3 cr.) Examination of basic research methods in social work, the relevance of research for social work practice, and selection of knowledge for use in social work.

*S 381 Social Work Practicum I (4 cr.) P: S 231, S 251. P or C: S 352. C: S 332. Guided field practice experience (15 hours per week) for application of generalist practice concepts and principles and development of basic practice skills. Students practice in a human service organization for a minimum of 240 clock hours, including a bimonthly seminar.

*S 400 Field Practicum Seminar (1 cr.) P: all junior-level social work courses. C: S 400 S 472, S 482. This course provides the theoretical foundation about community functioning and behavior and the knowledge and skills of community interventions geared to mitigate social, political and economic injustice and bring social change.

*S 433 Community Behavior and Practice within a Generalist Perspective (3 cr.) P: all junior-level social work courses. C: S 400, S 472, S 482. This course provides the theoretical foundation about community functioning and behavior and the knowledge and skills of community interventions geared to mitigate social, political and economic injustice and bring social change.

S 442 Practice-Policy Seminar in Fields of Practice (two courses required) (3 cr.) P: S 400, S 433, S 472, S 482. Addresses practice and policy issues in specific fields of practice such as child and family, aging, addictions, and developmental disabilities.

*S 472 Practice Evaluation (3 cr.) P: S 371 and all other junior-level social work courses. C: S 400, S 433, S 482. Develops the knowledge and skills necessary to evaluate one’s own practice with individuals, groups, communities, and organizations.

S 482 Social Work Practicum II (5 cr.) P: all junior-level social work courses. C: S 400, S 433, S 472. Guided field experience (20 hours per week) for application of concepts and principles and development of skills for generalist practice with selected social systems. Students practice in a human-service organization for a minimum of 320 clock hours of supervised field experience.

S 490 Independent Study (1-6 cr.) P: permission of program administrator. An opportunity to engage in a self-directed study of an area related to the school’s curriculum in which no formal course is available.

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M.S.W. Courses

(Graduate M.S.W. standing is required.)

S 501 Professional Social Work at the Master's Level: An Immersion
(3 cr.)
This foundation course provides an overview of social work, including the definition, scope, history, ethics, and values of the profession. This course will provide basic orientation to the available resources and expectations of graduate education in general and the M.S.W. program in particular, all within the framework of the adult learner model. Students will develop basic communication, self-assessment, and reflection skills necessary for success in the M.S.W. program. Students will have an opportunity to survey various fields of practice and will begin to identify personal learning goals for their M.S.W. education as well as develop a commitment to lifelong learning as a part of professional practice.

S 502 Research I (3 cr.) This foundation research course assists students in developing the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of social work practice. Emphasis is placed on knowledge of qualitative and quantitative designs, methodologies, and techniques that inform students of best practices in social work. Students will recognize the impact of ethnicity, gender, age, and sexual orientation on the research process and be able to critically review published studies with attention to researcher bias.

S 503 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I (3 cr.) This course provides content on the reciprocal relationships between human behavior and social environments. It includes empirically based theories and knowledge that focus on the interactions between and within diverse populations of individuals, groups, families, organizations, communities, societal institutions, and global systems. Knowledge of biological, psychological, sociological, cultural, and spiritual development across the lifespan is included. Students learn to analyze critically micro and macro theories and explore ways in which theories can be used to structure professional activities. Concepts such as person-in-environment are used to examine the ways in which social systems promote or deter human well-being and social and economic justice.

S 504 Professional Practice Skills I (3 cr.) This foundation practice course focuses on basic generalist theory and skills that are necessary when working with a wide variety of client systems: individuals, families, small groups, communities, and organizations. Students are expected to demonstrate competent use of the following skills: attending, establishing rapport, reflecting, summarizing, exploring, questioning, contracting, and establishing clear, well-formed goals. In this course, students will have opportunities to continue learning about themselves and will examine their personal values and any conflict between personal and professional values so the professional practice standards can be upheld.

S 505 Social Policy Analysis and Practice (3 cr.) This foundation policy course will focus on using several policy analysis frameworks to analyze current social policies and programs both at the state and federal levels and to develop policies that increase social and economic justice. Students will be expected to develop a range of policy practice skills to influence policy development within legislative, administrative, community, political, and economic arenas.

S 513 Human Behavior and the Social Environment II: (topic varies)
(3 cr.)
This course builds upon S 503 and focuses on developing further knowledge of human behavior theories and their application to practice. Students will link course content to the concentration that the student has selected.

S 514 Practice with Individuals and Families I (3 cr.) This course builds on the practice theories, principles, and skills introduced in S 504 to prepare students for competent social work practice with individuals and families. A strengths perspective will be emphasized, and students will be introduced to the fundamental components of the task-centered and solution-focused approaches to practice. The transtheoretical model of change will be presented, and students will develop skills which will empower individuals and families to engage in the process of change. Students will be prepared to complete assessments and to use intervention skills that will serve diverse populations with specific attention to gender, class, race, and ethnicity.

S 515 Social Policy and Services II: (topic varies) (3 cr.) A group of courses covering topics or content including social problems, special populations, particular social service delivery areas, and social indicators that predict areas of future social policy transformations.

S 516 Practice with Organizations, Communities, and Societies II (3 cr.) This course is concerned with helping communities and other social units to empower themselves and eradicate oppressive situations and practices through networking, political participation, leadership development, mobilization, utilization of resources, and other strategies and techniques.

S 555 Social Work Practicum I (3 cr.) M.S.W. Social Work Practicum I is an educationally-directed practice experience under the direct supervision of an approved field instructor. The assigned faculty liaison oversees the practicum to ensure that course objectives have been met. The practicum provides opportunities for the application and integration of classroom concepts and principles for the development of core skills in generalist social work practice with selected social systems using a strengths perspective. It builds upon the knowledge and skills learned and developed during the immersion and intermediate course work of the program.

Learning opportunities emphasize the values and ethics of the profession, foster the integration of empirical and practice-based knowledge, and promote the development of professional competence. Field education is systematically designed, supervised, coordinated, and evaluated on the basis of criteria by which students demonstrate the achievement of program objectives.

S 600 Electives Vary in subject matter. Scheduling of these courses will be announced prior to semester registration.

S 623 Practice Research Integrative Seminar I: (topic varies) (3 cr.) This course furthers the knowledge, skills, and values students develop in the foundation year research course. Students will apply their knowledge and skills in research to evaluate practice or program effectiveness in their concentrations, using research methods that are sensitive to consumers' needs and clients’ race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and additional aspects important to effective and ethical research.

S 632 Child Welfare Practice I: Working with Children Impacted by Violence in the Family (3 cr.) This course is designed to provide practice skills for students working with children and families impacted by abuse, neglect, or family violence. The course is designed to cover the scope, causes, and consequences of child physical, emotional, and sexual abuse and neglect and applications of this knowledge in a wide range of settings that deal with children and families as well as formal child protection services. Students will learn about the dynamics and indicators of maltreatments, etiology of child abuse and neglect, assessing risk, the continuum of intervention from prevention through intervention and future planning, out-of-home placement considerations, and the issues impacting particular oppressed and underserved populations. The focus of this course will be on how to work effectively with clients to achieve the goals of safety, permanency, and well-being.

S 633 Child Welfare Practice II: Working with Diverse and Transitioning Families (3 cr.) This course will focus on the experiences of children and families in the child welfare system. Content will include interventions with families through all stages of change including preparation for change, separation and loss, the changed family system, reintegration as children transition into a family, and adolescents transitioning into independent living. Content will include the impact on families when the natural cycle of family development is disrupted. Special consideration will be given to various family types including adoptive, foster care, kinship, extended, single parent, multigenerational, and homosexual families. Practice content will emphasize strengths based and family-centered approaches and include knowledge and skill development to help children and families work through their family and personal crisis and grief in a timely manner to achieve permanency for children in safe and nurturing environments within 12 months after separation.

S 634 Community-Based Practice with Children and Families (3 cr.) This course will examine the development and implementation of a wide range of prevention and intervention strategies provided at the community level. Special attention will be given to the philosophy of empowerment-oriented and client-driven service models. The course will explore the community as a resource and discuss strategies of collaboration and advocacy to enhance the well-being of children and families. Issues explored will include services for families and children to prevent out-of-home placement or involvement in other formal child protection/juvenile justice services, such as models of community-building, youth development, and family group conferencing/restorative justice. This course will also provide content on mutual aid and self-help groups to support and educate children and families on issues such as parenting, domestic violence, and abuse.

S651 MSW Concentration Practicum II (4 cr.) S652 MSW Concentration Practicum III (5 cr.) These courses together provide an in-depth practicum experience for MSW Concentration students under the guidance and supervision of an approved field instructor. A field liaison oversees the practica. Students complete both courses in the same agency, although the student may use multiple departments or programs as sites for learning experiences. Practicum II and III build upon and deepen the practicum experiences and classroom knowledge gained in the Intermediate year. The practicum courses provide students with experiences in the aforementioned curricular emphasis areas, which support the processes of synthesis, application, critical analysis, and evaluation of knowledge using strengths perspectives. The field practice seminar integrates Concentration classroom learning with the experience of an internship. Students have the opportunity to apply their basic knowledge of group process as well as practice group leadership skills. This seminar will assist students in the identification and examination of significant practice and professional issues that occur in the last phase of the MSW program. A major instructional goal of the practicum is to increase the students’ competence in understanding and dealing with cross-cultural issues. It is expected that students will develop an awareness of their own privilege in relationship to their client systems. Further, students are expected to use advocacy skills in a cultural context and carry these skills into action in their agencies and the wider community. (A total of 640 clock hours are required for the completion of S651 and S652)

S 661 Executive Leadership Practice (3 cr.) This course addresses administrative, management, leadership, and supervisory skills necessary for leadership practice. Included are staff hiring, supervision, evaluation, and termination, working with boards and volunteers, leadership styles, strategic planning, and current best practices in administration.

S 662 Fiscal Management, Marketing, and Resource Development (3 cr.) This course consists of three modules designed to develop core skills in fiscal management (including issues of budgeting, understanding balance sheets, audits, and theories of accounting), resource development (including fund raising, grant writing, and personnel policies), and marketing for social work leaders.

S 663 Leveraging Organizations, Communities, and Political Systems (3 cr.) This course focuses on the knowledge and skills essential for understanding, analysis, and application in organizations, communities, and political arenas. Such knowledge and skills include, but are not limited to: organizational theories, structures, and processes; examination and application of rural, urban, and virtual community models, themes, and practices; and understanding and involvement in political, social action, and social change interventions and empowerment practices.

S 664 Designing Transformational Programs (3 cr.) This course focuses on alternative, transformational models of strategic, community, and program planning. Featured development models center on collaboration, cultural competence, empowerment, and social justice. The course will address advanced grant writing, identification of funding and other resources, and philanthropic trends within a variety of social service delivery systems. It will move beyond a focus on the technology of program development to examine planning as a vehicle for designing organizational, community, and social change.

S 672 Families, Theories, and Culture (3 cr.) This course is designed to enhance student ability to assess and intervene with families in a culturally sensitive way from a strengths-oriented perspective. It examines the cultural context of families from a multidimensional perspective including race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, education, economics, and regional background. This course overviews the major theories of family intervention and discusses how students can apply family theory in practice situations.

S 673 Couples and Families Interventions I (3 cr.) This course provides in-depth discussion of ways to intervene with individuals on family-of-origin issues, couples at different stages of family development, parents with children at different ages, and the family as part of a larger social context utilizing a strengths perspective.

S 674 Couples and Families Interventions II (3 cr.) This course emphasizes family interventions on a variety of family challenges often seen in family agencies (substance abuse, violence, physical illness, mental illness, family life cycle disruption, etc.). The course reviews assessment and intervention strategies and how to build skills with a variety of family issues.

S 680 Special Social Work Practicum (1-9 cr.) An educationally-directed field seminar in addition to the required practicum courses.

S 682 Assessment in Mental Health and Addictions (3 cr.) Recognizing the social, political, legal, and ethical implications of assessment, students enrolled in this course critically examine various conceptual frameworks and apply bio-psychosocial and strengths perspectives to understand its multidimensional aspects. Students learn to conduct sophisticated mental status and lethality risk interviews, engage in strengths and assets discovery, and apply the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association and other classification schemes in formulating assessment hypotheses. They gain an understanding of the application of several relevant assessment instruments and learn to evaluate their relevance for service to at-risk populations, including persons affected by mental health and addictions issues. Students learn to collaborate with a diverse range of consumers and other professionals in developing meaningful assessments upon which to plan goals, intervention strategies, and means for evaluation.

S 683 Community-Based Practice in Mental Health and Addiction (3 cr.) Students enrolled in this course examine a wide range of community-based services provided for people with severe mental illness and/or severe addiction problems. Special attention is given to strength-based, client-driven, and evidence-based practice models. Content includes community-based services in areas of case management, employment, housing, illness management, family, dual disorder treatment, and consumer self-help. Students also examine a variety of issues involved in the provision of community-based services such as ethical and legal issues, quality and continuity of care, cultural competency, organizational and financial factors, and other relevant policy and practice issues.

S 685 Mental Health and Addictions Practice with Individuals and Families (3 cr.) Students enrolled in this course develop knowledge, values and ethics, skills, and judgment necessary for competent application of selected evidence-based, best practice approaches for service for children, youth, adults, and families affected by mental health and addictions issues. Students explore topics such as risk and resilience, recovery, and relapse prevention and consider implications of current social and policy factors affecting service delivery to persons affected by mental health and addictions issues. Students learn to discover, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate evidence of practice effectiveness and apply that knowledge in communication, strengths discovery and assessment, hypothesis formation, contracting, intervention and prevention planning, service delivery, and evaluation. Students develop professional understanding and expertise in the application of at least one evidence-based approach for service to individuals and families affected by at least one specific mental health or addictions issue.

S 686 Social Work Practice: Addictions (3 cr.) The purpose of this course is to provide learners with knowledge and skills relevant to various aspects of social work practice in prevention, intervention, and treatment of selected addictions. Students draw upon previous and concurrent learning experiences and integrate values, knowledge, and skills acquired in other social work courses with the values, knowledge, and skills characteristic of addictions practice. The course assists students to develop a multidimensional understanding of prevention, intervention, and treatment needs of diverse populations and associated social work practice principles, methods, and skills. Students explore the relationships between and among addiction and socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, culture, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, physical and mental ability, and other socioenvironmental factors of vulnerability. Consistent with strengths and ecosystems perspectives, students consider the impact of social environments, physical settings, community contexts, and political realities that support or inhibit the emergence of addiction problems.

S 687 Mental Health and Addiction Practice with Groups (3 cr.) Students enrolled in this course develop professional knowledge and skills for group work services to persons affected by mental health and addictions issues. The phases of group development and intervention during the various group work stages provide a conceptual framework for the course experience. Students learn to serve children, youth, adults, and families in groups that are therapeutic, growth producing, and life enhancing. Students examine a number of theoretical perspectives, including cognitive behavioral, communications, behavioral, and interpersonal approaches.

S 690 Independent Study (1-6 cr.) An opportunity to engage in a self-directed study of an area related to the school’s curriculum in which no formal course is available. (In order to enroll in S 690, approval from an academic advisor and the director of the M.S.W. program is required.)

S 692 Health Care Practice I (3 cr.) This course will focus on the role of the social worker in a health care setting. Issues such as team building, professional identity, patient advocacy, ethics, and managed care will be addressed. Also, the impact of health care payment sources and health care choices for patients will be explored.

S 693 Health Care Practice II (3 cr.) This course will examine the psychosocial impact of illnesses. Areas such as coping with chronic illness, caregiver stress, grieving and loss, medical ethics, and violence as a health care issue will be examined. The needs of at-risk populations (i.e., children, survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence, frail elderly, individuals living with HIV/AIDS, etc.) will be addressed.

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Ph.D. Courses

In addition to the required courses listed below, all students must complete a minimum of 12 credit hours outside the School of Social Work related to their area of specialization. An advanced course in measurement and statistics is also required. All students enroll for 6 elective credits, which may be taken within or outside the School of Social Work with the approval of the student’s advisory committee.

S 710 Social Work Theories of Human and Social Behavior (3 cr.) This seminar focuses on the converging forces that have shaped the development, dissemination, and utilization of the human behavior knowledge base of social work. It specifically examines the social and behavioral science theory and research that provide the foundation for social work practice across a variety of system levels.

S712 International Social Development in a Global Context (3 cr.) This course is an advanced seminar for students interested in developing an in-depth understanding of complex social problems in a global world. Students will have the opportunities to learn theories of development, critically analyze international agreements, and explore and appropriately use social development models.

S 718 Intermediate Statistics for Social Work (3 cr.) Students will learn selected parametric and non-parametric statistics to examine research problems. Included in the learning process are hand computations of statistics, development of skills in using a comprehensive computer statistics package, and selection of statistical techniques based on levels of measurement and analyses of the assumptions of statistics.

S 720 Philosophy of Science and Social Work (3 cr.) This course examines the nature and sources of social work knowledge and considers a range of epistemological issues involved in the selection, development, evaluation, and use of knowledge for social work.

S 721 Preparing to Publish: Seminar in Advanced Scholarship Skills (3 cr.) This course prepares doctoral students for academic scholarship. Topics include expectations and standards for scholarly discourse, critical and analytic thinking skills, logical argument, scholarly writing for publication, and the development of a research agenda. Web-based peer and instructor review of successive drafts of writing assignments culminate in a synthesized review of literature.

S 724 Theory, Practice, and Assessment of Social Work Teaching (3 cr.) This course prepares doctoral students to effectively and competently teach social work courses. Content includes teaching philosophies; curriculum and syllabus development; teaching methods; technology related to teaching; assessment, testing, and evaluation of students; and research related to teaching. Students will learn accreditation standards for bachelor’s and master’s social work education. Course goals will be accomplished using readings, written assignments, guest speakers, demonstrations of teaching, and class discussion.

S 725 Social Work Research Internship (6 cr.) P: S 720, S 721, foundation statistics course, and at least one of the following: S 710, S 730, or S 740. This supervised field internship provides practical experience in conducting research relevant to social work practice. Students participate in a new or ongoing faculty-supervised research project involving the design and implementation of a study, including the collection and analysis of data and the development of appropriate research reports. Internship may be registered for up to three times.

S 726 Advanced Social Work Research: Qualitative Methods (3 cr.) This course provides an opportunity for students to initiate a research project using qualitative research methods. Topics covered will include developing the research question, exploring the literature, writing an interview guide, interviewing, analyzing data, computer analysis, writing reports, subjectivity and bias, ethics, role of theory, trustworthiness, and audits.

S 727 Advanced Social Work Research: Quantitative Methods (3 cr.) This course explores the similarities and differences in various quantitative research design methods. Students will learn to critically evaluate quantitative research studies, in particular the role of ethics, theory, hypothesis development, methodology, sampling, and reporting of findings in sound studies. They will also develop and begin a research project. Topics covered in the class will include the formulation of a research question, literature data collection tools, survey interviewing, data coding, management, and analysis. Access to online data sources will be highlighted through demonstrations and hands-on sessions in the computer lab.

S 728 Advanced Statistics for Social Work (3 cr.) P: S 600. Students in this course learn how to evaluate statistical assumptions and select, compute, and substantively interpret a variety of multivariate statistics, using SPSS to analyze actual social work research data. Online resources, Web-based materials, and model applications of the statistics support students’ learning.

S 730 Proseminar on Social Work Policy Analysis (3 cr.) This seminar focuses on the development and application of analytical tools necessary to critically examine and evaluate social policy theory and research germane to social work, including the values and ideologies that undergird social problem construction, social policy creation, and social program design. Specific attention is devoted to the application of this schemata for diverse populations.

S 740 Social Work Practice: Theory and Research (3 cr.) This seminar provides students opportunities to refine the knowledge, skill, and judgment necessary for competent analysis and evaluation of various aspects of social work practice. During the seminar, students conduct an intensive analysis of the effectiveness of practice services to a distinct at-risk population affected by a contemporary social problem.

S 790 Special Topics in Social Work Practice, Theory, and Research
(1-3 cr.)
P: approval by appropriate instructor. This course provides students with an opportunity to engage in focused study of a substantive area of social work practice directly related to the student’s identified area of theoretical and research interest. It is completed with the approval and under the guidance of a member of the Ph.D. faculty.

S 791 Integrative Seminar I (1.5 cr.) This course acquaints incoming doctoral students with campus resources for graduate students and with the expectations for doctoral education, including policies, procedures, and academic standards of the Graduate School and of the School of Social Work.

S 792 Integrative Seminar II (1.5 cr.) This course is intended to support Ph.D. students as they finish their doctoral coursework and prepare for their qualifying paper, dissertation, and subsequent professional career.

S 800/G 901 Ph.D. Dissertation Research (12 cr.)


*Also available online.

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