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Course Descriptions
Course Offerings in the MSW Program
(All SW Courses are 3 credits, unless otherwise noted.)
SW 500. RESEARCH METHODS IN SOCIAL WORK
Understanding and appreciation of a scientific, analytic approach to building knowledge for social work practice and for evaluating service delivery in all areas of practice. Ethical standards of scientific inquiry. Qualitative and quantitative research methodologies; analysis of data, including statistical procedures; systematic evaluation of practice; analysis and evaluation of theoretical bases, research questions, methodologies, statistical procedures, and conclusions of research reports; and relevant technological advances. (Offered in the fall semester for full-time students and in the spring semester for part-time students.)
SW 501. HUMAN BEHAVIOR IN THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT I
Theories and knowledge of human bio-psycho-social-spiritual-cultural development, including theories and knowledge about the range of social systems in which individuals live (families, groups, organizations, institutions and communities). Presents frameworks for understanding the interactions among human biological, social, psychological, cultural and spiritual systems as they affect and are affected by human behavior. The impact of social and economic forces on individuals and social systems is presented, including theoretical content about the patterns, dynamics and consequences of discrimination, economic deprivation and oppression. Content about values and ethical issues related to bio-psycho-social-spiritual-cultural theories is included. The secondary purpose of this course is to have an intensive writing focus in order to help students further develop and hone their writing skills early in the MSW program.
(Offered in the fall semester.)
SW 502. HUMAN BEHAVIOR IN THE SOCIAL
ENVIRONMENT II
Theories and knowledge of the human bio-psycho-social-spiritual-cultural development, including the range of social systems in which individuals live (families, groups, organizations, institutions, and communities). Focus on the developmental stages of individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Impact of social and economic forces on developmental processes, including content about patterns, dynamics and consequences of discrimination, economic deprivation and oppression. (Offered in the spring semester.)
SW 503. DIVERSITY AND OPPRESSION
The primary purpose of this course is for students to be able to grapple with and identify meaningful, working definitions of prejudice, discrimination, and oppression and to situate these definitions—and people’s lived experiences—within historical and contemporary societal contexts in social work practice, research, policy, theory and activism. The course is designed to create explicit linkages between practice and policy. Students will discuss racism, sexism, transphobia, homophobia, biphobia, ageism, classism, ableism, xenophobia, etc., as well as the ways in which these overlap and intersect, and the societal implications of such overlaps and intersections. Students will examine and develop models of culturally competent, ethical social work practice by integrating an understanding of the dynamics of prejudice, discrimination and oppression with a professional use of self and a commitment to social justice.
SW 510. GENERALIST SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE I
Introduction to generalist social work practice with systems of all sizes. Knowledge, values, and skills to enhance the well being of people through ethical practice. Content on practice assessment focuses on the examination of client strengths and problems in the interactions among individuals and between people and their environments. Defining issues; collecting and assessing data; planning and contracting; identifying alternative interventions; selecting and implementing appropriate courses of actions; using appropriate research to monitor and evaluate outcomes; and, termination. Particular attention on working with individuals and family systems.
SW 511. GENERALIST SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE II
Continuation of SW 510. Knowledge, values, and skills to enhance the well being of people through generalist social work practice. Defining issues; collecting and assessing data; planning and contracting; identifying alternative interventions; selecting and implementing appropriate courses of actions; using appropriate research to monitor and evaluate outcomes; and, termination. Attention on working with families and groups.
SW 512. GENERALIST SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE III
Continuation of SW 510 and SW 511. Knowledge, values, and skills to enhance the well being of people through generalist social work practice. Defining issues; collecting and assessing data; planning and contracting; identifying alternative interventions; selecting and implementing appropriate courses of actions; using appropriate research to monitor and evaluate outcomes; and, termination. Attention on working with organizations, communities and other larger client systems around issues involving social justice and social change.
SW 515. SOCIAL WELFARE POLICY AND PROGRAMS
History, philosophy, and structure of social welfare and social work within the American social system. Model for understanding social welfare issues, programs, and services and to enhance social work practice with clients. Role of social policy in helping or deterring people in the maintenance or attainment of optimal health and well being; effect of policy on social work practice. Analysis of current social policy within the context of historical and contemporary factors that shape policy. Political and organizational processes used to influence policy, process of policy formulation and frameworks for analyzing policies in light of principles of social and economic justice.
SW 516. SOCIAL WORK FIELDS OF PRACTICE
Introduction to fields and settings in which social work is currently practiced. Practice and policy issues confronting social workers in these settings. Fields/settings of practice including child welfare, juvenile and criminal justice, social work in health care, mental health, schools and gerontology.
SW 520. EVALUATIONS OF SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE
Understanding and appreciation of a scientific, analytic approach to building knowledge for ethical, competent social work practice and for evaluating service delivery in all areas of practice. Emphasis on application of appropriate research principles and methods in design, implementation and evaluation of social work services in larger and more complex client systems. Intervention research and program evaluation. Fostering of thoughtful, self-reflective professional practice. Students apply course content to existing services in the context of the current field placement or work setting.
SW 521. ADVANCED SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE WITH INDIVIDUALS
Preparation to engage in therapeutic interventions at a rudimentary level with individual clients in a culturally competent manner. Focus on specific modalities: cognitive-behavioral therapy and task-centered/brief therapy, utilizing a strength-based/ecological perspective. Additional commonly practiced therapeutic approaches and their tenets and parameters. Role of individual counseling or therapy in social work's history and development as it relates to current practice. Effect of environmental and policy influences on the practice of therapy in its various settings.
SW 522. ADVANCED SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE WITH ORGANIZATIONS
Organizational policies, processes, structures and roles that translate social policies into goals, service strategies, and case decisions. A number of conceptual frameworks for understanding the role of professional social workers in organizational settings that provide human services. Organizational theories of administration as a framework for examining administrative practices in human service organizations and other host settings in which social workers are employed. Role and practice of supervision within the profession within various organizational contexts.
SW 523. ADVANCED SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE WITH GROUPS
Deepen understanding of the major models of social work practice with groups relevant for agency-based practice. Beginning tools to apply these models in practice. All models viewed through an ecological lens, integrating the impact of policy, ethics, values, agency, economics, race, gender, sexual orientation, culture and oppression. Group work from a developmental perspective exploring group stages and tasks over time, as well as from a systematic perspective. Group work models to be examined include: remedial, reciprocal, psychosocial, problem solving, empowerment, cognitive-behavioral and task. Opportunities to apply these perspectives to a range of client situations in a variety of settings.
SW 524. ADVANCED SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE WITH FAMILIES
Deepen understanding of the major models of social work practice with families relevant for agency-based practice. Beginning tools to apply these models in practice. All models viewed through an ecological lens, integrating the impact of policy, ethics, values, agency, economics, race, gender, sexual orientation, culture and oppression. Family treatment from a developmental perspective through the family life cycle and from a systemic perspective. Systems models to be explored include the intergenerational, structural, brief strategic and solution-oriented approaches. Opportunities to apply these perspectives to a range of clients in a variety of settings.
SW 525. SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE WITH COMMUNITIES
Broad range of interactional, analytical, and political skills needed to assist communities and community organizations and to serve as change agents to promote social and economic justice. Technical and practical elements of planning, organizing and development work, as well as social advocacy, with emphasis on values of democratic, participatory models and methods which empower individuals and groups. Content includes assessment of major social problems and how such assessment influences the choice of intervention strategies.
SW 541. SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE IN HEALTH CARE
Introduction to social work services relevant to medical settings and settings where workers need to be attentive to physiological concerns. A range of theories and practices critical for work in health care settings, including hospitals, outpatient clinics, nursing homes, and chemical dependency rehabilitation centers. Differential assessment and intervention practices, various consultation services, interdisciplinary practices and evaluations relevant to present-day medical social work.
SW 542. SPIRITUALITY AND SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE
The professional social work literature defines "spirituality" as the human striving for a sense of meaning, purpose, values, and fulfillment. Spirituality is distinguished from religion, which is viewed as the institutional context of spiritual beliefs, a social process having to do with shared rituals, beliefs and practice. As such, spirituality is expressed through diverse forms in clients' lives; it is essential to clients' understanding of suffering and their attempts to resolve it. Therefore, social work practitioners need to be prepared to respond in an effective, spiritually sensitive manner. This course examines major issues pertaining to spiritually sensitive social work practice in regard to clients of diverse religious and non-religious perspectives.
SW 543. SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE IN MENTAL HEALTH
Social work practice involving issues of mental health. Most commonly diagnosed disorders as they are presented in The American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual #4 (Text Revision and critique the manual, from a culturally competent, strength-based perspective.) Dynamics of mental health difficulties in families and common interventions. Mental health service delivery system and technology it utilizes to treat mental health symptoms. Major social movements at the macro level such as de-institutionalization, the advent of HMOs and the shift toward a biologically based view of mental illness.
SW 544. FOSTERING RESILIENCE IN SOCIALWORK PRACTICE
Resilience as a contextual frame of reference to examine a variety of risk factors and adversities and their influence on coping processes. Strategies for reducing risk, increasing protective factors and enhancing coping, with an emphasis on identifying and supporting strengths. Course themes include consideration of awe and respect in the face of survivorship. Implications for rethinking service provision, particularly with regard to historically oppressed groups and communities, and fragmented systems of care. Application of these alternative frames of reference to conceptualize and re-design existing modes of service by individuals and by agencies.
SW 545. SOCIAL WORK WITH ADDICTIONS
Understanding of addictive disorders and how they impact individual, family and societal functioning. Topics include assessment of characteristics of individuals who tend to develop these disorders, family and community adaptations and responses and physiological addictive processes. Treatment interventions with emphasis on alcohol and drug abuse and addiction. Eating disorders, gambling, sexual addictions and/or compulsivity. Policy issues related to societal responses to and treatment of addictions.
SW 546. CHILD WELFARE PRACTICE AND POLICY
Understanding of the broad field of social work practice commonly known as child welfare and the policies that shape it. Focus on children's needs for care and protection by society and on programs and services provided by the social welfare and social services delivery systems to promote their well-being. Issues and the problems of family life and society's response to them. Major policy, practice and research issues that shape and inform child welfare practice and service delivery.
SW 547. SOCIAL WORK AND FAMILY VIOLENCE
Problem of family violence in American society. Theories, current research, and descriptions of practice interventions and policy frameworks related to child abuse, abuse of adult partners, elder abuse, sexual assault. Responses from legal, criminal justice, health and human service systems to these cases.
SW 548. SOCIAL WORK WITH OLDER ADULTS: POLICY AND PRACTICE
History of social policy and social services for older adults and present information related to existing social and health care services for the elderly. Relationship between policy and practice. Advanced practice theories, models and skills as they apply to the practice of social work with older persons and their families. Challenges to the provision of social work services for this population, now and in the future.
SW 549. SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK
Exploration of the field of social work practice in school settings. Topics include: a history of social work practice in schools; the school environment, roles of school social workers, mandated foundations for school social work services, student handicapping conditions, practice modalities in school settings, multidisciplinary collaboration, role of educational policy in shaping school based service and special target problems that arise in school settings.
SW 591, 592, 593, 594. FIELD INSTRUCTION I, II, III, IV
4 credits
Grading: Pass/Fail
Field Instruction assists in preparing graduate students to practice social work both competently and ethically with clients/systems. The practicum provides students with structured supervised opportunities to integrate the values, skills and knowledge learned in the classroom into interactions with actual clients and systems in practice. The field experience focuses on problem solving at multiple levels, such as individual, family, groups and community. Students le
The student develops an awareness of how "who they are" impacts the process of intervention. Professional communication that is consistent with the language of the practice area is mastered by students. Professional supervision is utilized by students to enhance their own learning process. Finally, students will be asked to critique, implement and evaluate their host agency's policies/procedures while practicing within ethical guidelines.
