Social Work Course Descriptions

SW 200/400 SPECIAL TOPICS:

SW 200/400A Working with Substance Abusers 2 hours
SW 200/400B Working with Children and Families 2 hours
SW 200/400C Working with Mental and Physical Illness 2 hours
Recommended Prerequisites: SOC 201, PSY 205; Term: 1, 2, 3
Course addresses specific practice areas, populations and/or issues in order to provide an opportunity to delve more deeply into specialized topics that are not fully addressed in other courses. Offered on a rotating basis according to special demands and needs of students.

SW 237/537 Physical Aspects of Aging 2 hours

Prerequisite: None; Term: 2
This course relates the concepts of biology to aging. Topics covered include physical theories of aging, cellular aging and the effects of aging on specific human systems. Discussion of diseases associated with aging will be covered. This course is required for the Gerontology Program.

SW 268 Child Welfare Policies and Services 2 hours

Prerequisite: None; Term: Annually
Examination within their historical context of major social policies and services addressing the needs and problems of America’s children and their well being. Focuses attention on child-care issues, out-of-home placement and adoption policies, kinship placement, continuum of care and permanency issues, family policies, children’s health needs and services, child protection laws, policies and services, juvenile diversion and court services, and culturally specific policies and programs.

SW 299 Pre-professional Practicum 2-6 hours

Must be arranged through the Social Work Certificate Director.
Experience in a social work setting such as gerontology, child welfare, medical and health care. Students are involved in supervised observation and participation in direct practice with individuals, families, small groups, organizations and/or communities, or in indirect practice with macro systems targeted for change; weekly seminar discussion of practicum experiences. May be repeated for a maximum of six credits. Each credit hour equals 40 clock hours of agency work.

SW 306 Ethnic and Racial Diversity 3 hours

Prerequisites: ENG 108; Term:  1,2
This course will define race, ethnicity and culture, gender and enculturation within global perspectives. The student will learn the components of social structures and the bias inherent in socially stratified societies where power and authority is invested in one dominant group. The use of stereotypes to reinforce the inferiority of minority groups will be explained. Race as a scientific concept will be a topic for discussion.

SW 307 Introduction to Ethnic and Cultural Studies

Prerequisites: LS 105; SOC 306 recommended; Term: 1
This course will define race, ethnicity and culture, gender and enculturation. The student will learn the components of our social structure and the bias inherent in a socially stratified society where power and authority is vested in one dominant group. The use of stereotypes to reinforce the inferiority of minority groups will be explained. Race as a scientific concept will be a topic for discussion.

SW 312 Introduction to Social Work 3 hours

Prerequisites: SOC 201, PSY 205, ENG 108; Term: 1, 2
Survey of the social work profession – its past and present role within the social welfare institution and the field of human services. Exploration of the nature of social work – its focus, purpose, various tasks, range of practice settings, levels of practice, as well as the base of knowledge, values, and skills for responding to human needs/problems and diverse client populations. Focuses attention on generalist social work practice – with identification of social casework, group-work, community organization and other specializations. Stresses self-assessment of aptitude for social work and explores career opportunities. Writing intensive course.

SW 312L Introduction to Social Work Laboratory 1 hour

Prerequisite/Corequisite: SW 312; Term: 1, 2, 3
Supervised volunteer experience in a local social service agency or a field setting where social work is practiced. These include child welfare, gerontology, public welfare, family services, medical and health care, mental health and community services, corrections, schools and others. Participation in and observation of the work day of social workers engaged in direct practice with individuals, families, small groups, organizations, and/or communities and/or those involved in indirect social work practice with macro systems targeted for change. May be repeated for a maximum of three credits. Each credit hour equals 40 clock hours of agency work. First experience must be successfully completed before next experience will be allowed. Each credit hour experience explores social work activity with a system of a different size as well as a different field of, or setting for, social work practice.

SW 314 Social Welfare Policy 3 hours

Prerequisites: SOC 201, PSY 205, ENG 108;
Recommended Prerequisites: ECN 200, ECN 202; Term: 1, 2
Examination of social welfare as an institution and the socio-economic and political forces that shape social welfare policy throughout history. Emphasis is on the changing conceptions of social welfare, the organizations of existing social welfare programs, and their impact on oppressed and vulnerable client systems. Also considered are the development and implementation of social welfare policy and the evaluation of social welfare responses to human needs according to principles of social justice. Alternative systems are explored.

SW 325 Professional Communication with Individuals and Groups 3 hours

Prerequisites: SOC 201, PSY 205 or equivalent, PHL 126 or PHL 276; Term: 1, 2
Laboratory and didactic course emphasizing the development of interactional skills. Focus is on communications skills with individuals, families and groups. Confidentiality and accountability are emphasized. Special emphasis is given to working with diverse client populations. Lab experiences will include group membership, role plays, videotaping of interviews, computerized exercises, critiques of techniques and styles of interacting with others.

SW 340 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I 3 hours

Prerequisites: PSY 240, PSY 346, SW 312
Pre/Corequisites: BIO 139 or BIO 257; Term: 2, 3
Integrative study of the biological, psychological and socio-cultural components of human individuality based upon social systems theory. Examination of reciprocal interaction between human behavior and the social environment throughout the life cycle of diverse client populations. Focus on effects of oppression upon groups and individuals. Emphasis upon respect for diversity in systems’ values, needs and goals, especially in relation to social work practice.

SW 345 Sociology of the Family 3 hours

Prerequisite: SOC 201; Term: 1, 2
Analyzes the family including marriage and kinship relationships, as both a social institution and a network of small group interactions. Sociological theories will be investigated as well as empirical research.

SW 350 Social Work Practice I 4 hours

Prerequisites: SW 312, SW 325, PSY 240, PSY 346; SW majors officially accepted into the program only; may only be taken in same year as student begins field practicum; Term: 2,3
A systems frame of reference for generalist social work practice is applied in the problem-solving process with individuals, groups, families, communities and organizations. Emphasis is on the value base of practice and the development of relationships with persons of diverse and oppressed groups. Focus on analytical and interactional skills, interviewing, data collection, problem identification and assessment, especially as related to the beginning and middle phases of the change process. Micro systems practice is emphasized. As a result of assessment, at the end of SW 350, if necessary, you may be required to do a pre-practicum in order to demonstrate your aptitude and skills for Social Work. SW 350 must be re-taken in the same calendar year as the student begins field practicum.

SW 355 Social Research 4 hours

Prerequisites: PSY 205, SOC 201, MTH 100; Term: 1, 2
Provides a beginning understanding and appreciation of social research. Emphasizes the use and production of research for improving one’s effectiveness as a generalist social work practitioner or social science professional. Students become familiar with different social research approaches (using both quantitative and qualitative data), and learn a method for effectively evaluating research studies. Includes a series of experiential exercises that lead students step-by-step through the research process: deciding and developing a research question, specifying sampling strategy, selecting or developing appropriate measures, planning and carrying out a data collection, analyzing data, writing
a research paper, etc. Emphasizes important ethical and human diversity issues raised throughout the research process.

SW 365 Research and Statistics for Social Workers 4 hours

Prerequisites: POL/SOC/SW 355; Term 1, 2
Provides the opportunity to build on the basic knowledge and skills gained in Social Research (SOC/SW 355), combining theoretical and experiential learning. Emphasis is placed on the types of research used most frequently by social workers within an agency setting: needs assessment, program evaluation, and practice evaluation. During the second part of the course, students will create and carry out their own research project. Use of basic descriptive and inferential statistics in the context of the overall research process is taught. Important ethical and human diversity issues are also addressed throughout the course. It is highly recommended that students participate in two hours of optional lab
time each week.

SW 378/578 Policy and Services for Older Persons 2 hours

Term: 1
Examination of major social policies and services addressing the problems and needs of older Americans. Focused attention on retirement policies, senior housing, long-term care issues, health care issues and special social services for the aging.

SW 385 Community and Organizational Change 3 hours

Prerequisites: SOC 201, ECN 200, ECN 202; Term: 1, 2
Analysis of communities and organizations as social systems, including examination of critical problems. Also examines intervention, change strategies, and skills that appear to be effective and how they can be applied. A service learning component may be included.

SW 410/610 Working with Older Adults 2 hours

Recommended Prerequisites: PSY 346 or equivalent; Term: 1
Development of analytical and interactional skills in working with older adults. Understanding of agencies which provide services to older persons. Themes such as generativity and creativity, intergenerational relationships, minorities and human diversity, separation and loss, and long-term care will be the backdrop for discussion of service deliveries. Emphasis is placed on development of students’ awareness of personal attitudes, feelings and values in working with elders.

SW 440 Human Behavior and Social Environment II 2 hours

Prerequisites: Introductory Economics course, SW 314, SW 340; Pre/Corequisite: SOC 385; Term: 1,2
Second of two courses with a person-in-environment focus. A socio-cultural perspective on human functioning and dysfunction within groups, organizations, communities and government. Examines human diversity in macro systems’ values, policies and goals and relates this knowledge to social work practice.

SW 450 Social Work Practice II 4 hours

Prerequisites: SW majors only; SW 350, SOC 306 or SOC 307; Corequisite: SW 455; Term: 1
The problem-solving process is further developed through examining specific systems-individual, family, group, community and organizations. Utilizing a team approach, students assess and evaluate theoretical intervention models. Focus is on the middle and ending phases of the change process, as well as on ethical practice dilemmas. Macro system practice is emphasized. SW 450 must be re-taken if the student has not completed the entire field placement within 2 years of completing the course.

SW 455 Field Practicum 3-12 hours

Prerequisites: SW majors only; SW 350, concurrent with SW 450, Term: 1, 2, 3
Practical application of social work knowledge, values and skills in educationally planned and professionally guided agency service activities (minimum 450 clock hours). Students are directly engaged in the delivery of social services to individuals, families, groups, organizations and/or communities, generally two days per week, per term. Includes weekly seminar with students and field liaisons. Students repeat two terms for a total of 12 hours. Must have successfully completed SW 450 to continue into second term of practicum. Students must be graduating in December in order to qualify for block placement. The Field Director reserves the right to delay the start of, interrupt and/or terminate the field experience.

SW 491 Independent Study 1-6 hours

Prerequisites: SW majors only, senior standing or permission of instructor advanced research and presentation of critically evaluated data.

SW 496 Social Issues and Policies: Senior Seminar 3 hours

Prerequisites: SW 314, SOC 385, social work major or permission of instructor, senior standing; must be taken the winter term prior to graduation; Term: 2
Intense analysis of social welfare policy. Special emphasis on the relationship of welfare policy to social work practice and the effects of policy on oppressed and vulnerable populations.