Courses
PHD Courses
- SWK-G 901 Advanced Research (6 cr.) This dissertation course is to be used once PhD candidates have completed 12 credits of S800. Students may register for G901 up to 6 semesters.
- SWK-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.
- SWK-S 718 Introductory Statistics in Social Science (3 cr.) The intent of this course is for PhD-level students to acquire an understanding of basic and intermediate statistical analyses that are used in the social sciences, the concepts and uses related to those statistics, and to be able to use a decision-making framework for selecting and computing appropriate statistical techniques for data analysis. The course content will assist students in developing knowledge and skill in selecting appropriate statistics to compute from a variety of univariate and bivariate statistics. 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.
- SWK-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.
- SWK-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 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.
- SWK-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.
- SWK-S 725 Social Work Research Internship (3-6 cr.) P: SWK-S 720, SWK-S 721, a foundation statistics course, and at least one of the following: SWK-S 710 or SWK-S 730. 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. May be registered for up to three times.
- SWK-S 726 Advanced Social Work Research: Qualitative Methods I (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.
- SWK-S 727 Advanced Social Work Research: Quantitative Methods I (3 cr.) This course on quantitative research explores the similarities and differences in the various research methods and provides an opportunity to formulate and test a research question. Students will formulate and refine a research question based on interest and a thorough review of the literature. They will learn how to choose an appropriate design for answering testable problems, questions, or hypotheses. The role of theory, fundamentals of sampling, the role of informants, and steps of preparatory work will be explored. Students will generate, test, and refine interview questions or instruments appropriate to their chosen design. They will identify potential funding opportunities and current research through online data searches. Computer demonstrations and experiential computer exercises will expose students to research software and available databases. At the conclusion of the semester, students will have developed a research proposal and field tested their data collection instruments.
- SWK-S 728 Multivariate Statistics in Social Science (3 cr.) This is a course on multivariate statistics for doctoral-level students. The content of this course will include continued content on correlational and predictive statistics, including multivariate statistics. Students will learn how to select and compute statistics on the basis of a given statistic’s purposes, the number of independent and dependent variables, and tests of relevant assumptions of given statistics. Included in the learning process are (1) the development of a decision-making framework for selecting statistical analyses; (2) hand computations, from results provided in computer outputs, that are a part of understanding and presenting multivariate statistical results; and, (3) furthering skills in using a comprehensive computer statistics package. Large data sets on actual research conducted in social science will be used for computer computations of statistics. In addition to assigned reading materials from the required textbook, students will have assigned readings from articles that describe the uses, computations, interpretations, and test assumptions of each multivariate statistic presented in this course.
- SWK-S 730 Pro-seminar 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 under gird social problem construction, social policy creation, and social program design. Specific attention is devoted to the application of this schema for diverse populations.
- SWK-S 732 Community-Engaged Participatory Research: Approaches to Implementation and Evaluation (3 cr.) This course reviews community engaged participatory research (CEPR) approaches and models of implementation science and evaluation in order to help researchers to create and sustain evidence-based programs and practices in collaboration with agencies and communities. Major topic areas include theoretical foundations, models, ethics, and development of a CEPR compliant project.
- SWK-S 737 Advanced Social Work Research: Quantitative Methods II (3 cr.)
Quantitative Methods II is the second course in the research sequence designed to further develop students’ knowledge, skills, and application of research methods. Based on their research proposal developed in the first sequence class, students will conduct their own research project and learn data collection and management, statistical analysis, interpretation of data, and writing a research report. Their learning will be facilitated through demonstrations and hands-on sessions in the computer lab as well as careful examination of application of research procedures in their own project.
- SWK-S 790 Independent Study (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.
- SWK-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 the policies, procedures, and academic standards of the Graduate School and of the School of Social Work. Students register for this seminar in their first semester.
- SWK-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.
- SWK-S 800 Ph.D. Dissertation Research (12 cr.) Students must be continually registered for dissertation credits every Fall and Spring semester once they are admitted to candidacy up to a total of 12 credits of S800. Students do not need to register for dissertation credits in the summer unless they graduate in the summer. You are considered graduated when you deposit your final formatted dissertation pdf with the Graduate School.
