These descriptions are taken from the undergraduate catalog.
REQUIRED SOCIAL WORK COURSES
SW 172. Social Welfare in Contemporary Society (3)
An introduction to the recurrent needs of citizens and how society is organized to respond to these needs. The course is organized around the major themes of poverty, socioeconomic class differences, and other major differences among people that interact with poverty and classism. Also, the course includes a review of the history and current nature of social welfare services.
SW 211. Introduction to Social Work (3)
An introduction to the profession of social work. This course serves as an orientation to the nature of social work practice, the issues that confront social workers, and the types of client systems served by social workers. Several social workers from varied practice specialties will be guests to describe their careers. Each student will be required to log some volunteer hours in a social service setting.
SW 285. Human Behavior and the Social Environment (4)
An assessment of the dynamic interactions of the social contexts in which human development occurs. This course will review the processes for biological, psychological, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual development. An ecosystems framework will be employed to give special attention to diversity issues such as ethnicity, social class, and discrimination as factors affecting human development.
Co/Prerequisites: SW 211, BI 106, PY 155, SO 155 or SO 203, and PS 103 or EC 105.
SW 296. Field Experience in Social Work (1–4)
An in-agency experience involving observation and participation in the delivery of social services.
Agency assignments will be made by the instructor. This course may be repeated for additional credits. May be repeated for a maximum of four credits.
Prerequisite: SW 172 or SW 211 or the instructor's permission.
SW 297. Urban Field Experience (1)
A several day urban immersion experience and coordinated readings. The foci for this course will be to look at services for the homeless and the programs for the development of housing stock for low income people in one major urban area.
Prerequisites: SW 172 or 211 and the instructor's permission.
SW 325. Substance Abuse, Prevention, & Intervention (3)
An overview of the phenomenon of addictions in general and addictions to substances in particular. This course will focus on the role of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs in American society, the abuse of these substances, and strategies and policies for prevention and intervention of abuse. The skills required for professional social workers and allied treatment professionals to work with substance abusers will be considered. Special attention will be given to the role of macro policies, societal values, and the support systems required for effective intervention and prevention strategies.
Prerequisite: SW 172 or 211 or instructor's permission.
SW 335. Child Welfare Services (3)
An exploration of the nature and range of child (up to age 18) welfare services offered in the United States. This course will include some comparative studies of child welfare approaches for both other developed societies and emerging/developing countries. Material covering social work intervention strategies, governmental child welfare policies, and societal values regarding these strategies and policies will be introduced.
Prerequisite: SW 172 or 211 or instructor's permission. Offered alternate years.
SW 345. Gerontology and Geriatric Social Work (3)
An overview of the need for and the nature of social work practice with the increasing population of elderly Americans. This course includes a review of the multiple dimensions of aging and the implications of these for social work practice with the elderly. Special attention will be given to assessment, intervention, case management, and referrals for social workers employed with this client population.
Prerequisite: SW 172 or 211 or instructor's permission. Offered alternate years.
SW 355a, b. Social Work Methods I, II (2 each)
A presentation of the basic skills, values, and knowledge bases for social work practice. The systemic contexts for the profession, its clients, and the nation's social welfare policies will form the background for instruction. The ecosystems perspective for social work practice will be used to focus on the individual and family client systems.
Prerequisites: SW 211, 285 and acceptance for taking methods courses in the Department of Social Work. Co-requisite: SW 359a.
SW 356a, b. Social Work Methods III, IV (2 each)
An extension of the first two practice methods courses (SW 355a, b). During this semester, attention will be given to the social worker engaging in intervention with groups, organizations, and macro client systems. Both the strengths perspective and the planned change/intervention process will be employed for teaching and analytical purposes. Diversity factors (e.g., racism, ageism, genderism, classism, sexual orientation and "foreignism") will be considered as issues for addressing assessment, case planning, and intervention.
Prerequisite: SW 355a, b. Co-requisite: SW 359b.
SW 359a,b. Skills Practicum (1 each)
An in-agency setting for observation of and engagement in social work practice under the supervision of a skilled practitioner. Students will log 60 hours for each semester enrolled. Attention will be given to identifying the knowledge, skills, and values bases of the profession. During this junior year practicum setting each student shall practice using the problem-solving process (including assessment, goal setting, development of strategies, action plans, termination, and evaluation).
Co-requisites: SW 355a, b or 356a, b.
SW 375. Social Welfare Policy (3)
An investigation of the history, development, and current nature of welfare policies in the United States. Some comparative material with other developed and developing countries will be added for the purposes of teaching and analysis. The dynamic interaction of organizations, rationale, and perspectives behind the policies and programs developed by federal, state, local, and private entities will be reviewed. Strategies for developing, implementing, and/or the influencing the development of policies will be studied.
Prerequisite: SW 172 or 211.
SW 397a, b. Social Work Research and Statistics I, II (2 each)
An introduction to research and statistics as tools for understanding and improving social work practice. This course will include a review of traditional scientific research methodologies and alternative perspectives, such as the feminist approach to research. Attention will be given to how to employ descriptive, exploratory, explanatory, and evaluative research (and supportive statistical tools) to assess one's professional practice and agency programs. The course will include an introductory review and use of SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences).
Prerequisites: SW 211, 285.
SW 494. Topics in Social Work (1)
A workshop format course designed to cover current topics of interest in the field of social work. This course may be repeated for credit.
Prerequisite: SW 285.
SW 496a,b. Advanced Practicum in Social Work (4 each)
A senior-level social work internship in a social service agency. The student is assigned to work under the supervision of a licensed social worker. The placement is chosen to assure that the student attains necessary competencies for entry level social work. Normally the internship experience is spread across two terms, involving 200 hours of on-location time for each semester.
Prerequisites: SW 355, 356, 359a,b. Co-requisites: SW 498a, b.
SW 498a,b. Senior Field Seminar (1 each)
A senior-level seminar that runs concurrently with Advanced Practicum in Social Work. This seminar is designed to help students integrate social work theory and social work practice. A small group format is used so that each student contributes to the learning of the other students. The focus is for each student to be prepared for entry into generalist social work practice upon graduation.
Co-requisite: SW 496a, b.
PY 345. Abnormal Psychology (3)
A study of the etiology and dynamics of psychopathology designed to give the student a working vocabulary of terminology and concepts in the area of abnormal behavior. The course includes discussions about treatments and ethics involved in caring for those suffering from mental disorders.
Prerequisite: PY 125 or PY 155v
