SOCIAL WORK
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS (SOWK)
General Education Course*
Writing Intensive Course**
Speaking Intensive Course***
A special fee is charged for all Field
Instruction Internship courses!
Social Work 200. Introduction to
the Human Services. The course
introduces the broad range of human
service professions designed to
provide a wide variety of services to
individuals, groups, the community,
and the larger society. Further, the
course explores the relationship
between social problems and human
needs, and the development of human
service agencies and institutions in
response. 3 credit hours
Social Work 201. Introduction
to Social Work and Social Welfare.
This course is designed to introduce
students seekingto become generalist
social workers (entry-level
practitioners) to the unique aspects
of the social work profession.
This includes historic development of
social work and social welfare and the
relationship to effective provisionof
intervention services, which are based
on the profession’s knowledge, skills,
and values. 3 credit hours.
Pre-requisite: SOWK 200
Social Work 295.
Special
Topics. Selected topics in Social
Work. The topics will vary from
semester to semester. Descriptions
will be available from academic
advisors. May be repeated for credit
when topics change. 1-3 credits.
Social Work 300. Social
Problems and the Development of Social
Policy. The development of social
policies in response to social
problems is examined with a special
emphasis on the impact of social
injustices. The history of the
relationship between social work
practice and social policy development
is explored. Students are encouraged
to view social policy practice as a
viable and bona fide multi system
social work practice intervention.
Analytic skills, interactional skills,
political skills, and value-clarifying
skills are primary skill areas that
students build on in preparation for
policy analysis and development. 3
credit hours. Prerequisite: SOWK 201.
***
Social Work 301. Human Behavior
and the Social Environment I. Part one
of a two-part foundation course, using
the general systems approach, the
student will develop a multi-level
perspective of human behavior in the
areas of personality development and
self-concept in the context of
community and organizational systems,
group processes, personal change
dynamics, family systems, and life
cycles. Concurrent focus is placed on
the relevancy of the theory base. .
Integrated into this course as well is
content on human diversity and
populations at risk, a strengths
perspective, and the values and ethics
of social work practice.
Prerequisites: SOCL 101. 3 credits:
Social Work 302. Human Behavior
and the Social Environment II. The
second of a two part course, which
continues the application of a
multidimensional perspective in an
examination of human behavior across
the life span and in terms of
biological, social and psychological
processes. This course primarily
emphasizes models and theories of
human behavior in families, groups,
organizations, institutions and
communities, all from an ecological
and systems perspective. Integrated
into this course as well is content on
human diversity and populations at
risk, a strengths perspective, and the
values and ethics of social work
practice. 3 credit hours.
Prerequisite: SOCL 101 **
Social Work 305.
Social Work
with Older Americans. This course will
explore the diverse mandates for
social welfare services and for the
providers of these services,
especially professional social
workers. In addition, the course will
provide an overview of the aging
process and how it impacts the
individual, family, and ultimately
society. Further, the course will
examine the interface between older
Americans and social problems, social
policies and the rights of older
Americans. 3 credits. Prerequisite:
Sociology 101.
Social Work 309.
Human Sexual
Adjustment. Socio-cultural influences
on gender identity and sexual behavior
will be analyzed and issues regarding
sexual expression and sexual dysfunctioning will be explored.
Methods of dealing with sexual
adjustment difficulties at both the
individual and community levels are
presented including human service
Social Work 311-312. Studies
Abroad. Primarily intended for
transfer of credit earned abroad in
courses in social work. 1-18 credits.
Social Work 320.
Introduction to Social Work Research.
Students will learn and apply the
fundamental principles and practices
of social science research in the
context of the social work profession,
social work policy and social work
practice. Students will address issues
and practices related to the
development, production, consumption,
and dissemination of research in terms
empirically based knowledge and
evidence-based interventions, social
work ethics and values, and in
consideration of human diversity and
populations at risk. Prerequisite:
MATH 171. 3 credits. WR
Social Work 325.
Human
Diversity: Populations-at-Risk.
Conceptual frameworks for
understanding human diversity with a
special emphasis on understanding self
will under gird the identification and
study of populations-at-risk in
society. The dynamics of social
injustices and the impact on diverse
groups in society are explored.
Students will develop competent skills
to provide services to diverse
clientele at multilevel systems. 3
credit hours. Prerequisite: SOCL 101
***
Social Work 330.
Methods: Practice I
Individuals and Families. A generalist
model of practice is presented which
emphasizes a problem-solving approach
toward assisting clients/ consumers of
social work services. The primary
framework discussed in this course
will be theories employing a
generalist social work model. Content
area required by CSWE is included and
focuses on issues of diversity,
populations-at-risk, social and
economic justice, and social work
values and ethics. Along with SOWK 425
and SOWK 430, this course builds
theoretical and practice knowledge,
skills, and values, which are used to
assist individuals, families, groups,
communities, and organizations in a
wide range of social welfare/ human
services settings. (4 credit course)
Prerequisites: SOWK 301, 302 (4 credit
course) Prerequisites: SOWK 301, 302
Social Work 337. Family and
Children’s Services. Major concepts of
family and child welfare are presented
and trends in relevant policy,
services and practice skills related
to supportive, supplemental and
substitutive programs are analyzed.
Prerequisite: SOWK 300 or permission
of instructor. 3 credits.
Social Work 390.
Directed or
Independent Study. Must be approved by
the head of the department. May be
repeated as 391. 1-18 credits.
Social Work 392. Junior Field
Instruction Internship. This is the
first of two sequential courses. This
course is open only to majors with
junior status. Students will spend 14
hours per week in a local community
agency under the supervision of an
agency based field instructor. The
purpose of this course is intended to
begin the application of beginning
level practice skills in working with
individuals, families, groups,
organizations, and communities from a
generalist perspective. Reinforces
students’ identification with the
purposes, values, and ethics of the
Social Work profession. Field
education is systematically designed,
supervised, coordinated, and evaluated
based on criteria by which students
demonstrate the achievement of program
objectives. Semester Course: 6
credits. Prerequisite SOWK 330. !
Social Work 425. Methods:
Practice II Social Work Practice with
Groups. Students will develop
theoretical and practice knowledge and
skills regarding group practice in
various human service settings and
contexts. Students will integrate an
eco-systems perspective, knowledge,
and skills regarding social work
ethics and values, principles of human
diversity, social justice, populations
at risk, and a strengths perspective.
This course will review and apply
different theoretical approaches and
practice methods to social work with
various kinds of small groups,
including therapy or counseling
groups, socialization and education
groups, support and self-help groups,
various task groups and social action
groups. Emphasis is placed on the role
of social work practice with groups in
the promotion of well-being and
optimal functioning. 4 credits.
Pre-requisites: SOWK301 and SOWK302.
Social Work 430. Methods:
Practice III Communities and
Organizations. This course introduces
theories and concepts for socially and
culturally competent social work
practice in communities and
organizations. Students examine the
roles of communities and organizations
within and beyond the context of
traditional social work practice with
individuals, families, small groups,
organizations and large systems.
Students will integrate social work’s
historical and contemporary emphasis
on empowerment, a strengths
perspective, human and cultural
diversity, populations at risk, and
the values and ethics of social work
practice. Political action, advocacy,
and related collaborative approaches
for building and strengthening
communities, neighborhoods, and
organizations will be stressed. 4
credit hours. Prerequisite: SW 392.
Social Work 461. Topical
Seminar in Social Work. A series of
topical lectures, presentations and
discussions concerning areas of
current concern to practitioners in a
variety of welfare settings. Emphasis
is placed on practice related material
and the involvement of practitioners
from local agencies is encouraged. 1-3
credits.
Social Work 462.
Delivering
Hospice Care. A skills approach to the
provision of hospice care to the
terminally ill. Physical,
psychological, social, and spiritual
needs unique to this client population
will be presented. 1 credit.
Social Work 490. Directed or
Independent Study. Must be approved by
the head of the department. May be
repeated. 1-18 credits.
Social Work 492.
Senior Field
Instruction Internship. This course is
open only to majors with senior
status. Forty hours per week in a
local community agency under the
supervision of an agency based field
instructor will be a major component
to the course. The total hours of
senior field instruction (SOWK 492) is
600 hours upon placement. SOWK 492 is
intended to extrapolate and build from
Junior Field Instruction beginning
level practice skills with
individuals, families, groups,
organizations, and communities. The
purpose of this course is to reinforce
students’ identification with the
purpose, values, and ethics of the
social work profession. Field
education is systematically designed,
supervised, coordinated, and evaluated
on the basis of criteria by which
students demonstrate the achievement
of program objectives. SOWK 492 is a
semester course of 15 credits.
Prerequisite classes include: SOWK
330, 425, and 430 with a 2.25 G.P.A
average overall. * Fulfills General
Education Goal 15.!
Social Work 495.
Special
Topics. Selected topics in Social
Work. The topics will vary from
semester to semester. Descriptions
will be available from academic
advisors. May be repeated for credit
when topics change. 1-3 credits.***
Social Work 498. Honors
Research in Social Work. Students
conduct research in social work under
the direction of a faculty member and
the Senior Honors Research Committee.
May be repeated as 499. 3 credits.
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