This is an introductory course that provides students with the historical development of social welfare and programs. It provides a broad survey of the social work profession, including its fields of practice, an overview of theory, history, values and ethics, diversity of societal population and policies that are fundamental to this profession. Students are introduced to generalist social work practice and the use of critical thinking in the helping professions. The course provides an understanding of key social welfare concepts. Students in the course participate in twenty hours of service learning.

This course focuses on the values of the social work profession and the process of ethical decision making in the practice of professional social work. The intent of the course is to provide a foundation knowledge of professional values and ethics in order to develop sensitivity to ethical issues and dilemmas in social work and social welfare. The course concentrates on knowledge about the codes of ethics of the National Association of Social Workers and the National Association of Black Social Workers. Legal issues related to malpractice and liability and ethical issues related to at-risk populations are covered. The course examines personal values as well as societal values and analyzes the interaction and interrelationship of these values with the social work professional values.

This course focuses on helping students understand the historical foundation of social welfare, the values and beliefs underlying social welfare policy, how it impacts our lives. An overview of the history of social welfare policy in the United States is explored. This theoretical and practically based course provides a special focus social welfare policies and programs designed to promote social and economic justice, to include themes of poverty, racism, sexism, homophobia, and other forms of oppression. Students will conduct a social welfare policy analysis.

This course will enhance students understanding of diverse perspectives regardiung contemporary social issues, globalization, cultural diversity and oppressive dynamics.

HUMAN DIVERSITY & SOCIAL JUSTICE TO THE LIST OF SOCIAL SCIENCE OPTIONS. This course provides a strength-based perspective for intervening with the most vulnerable populations within society. The course focuses on an ecological and person-in-environment assessment for viewing human needs and problems generated by the dynamic interaction between persons and their environment. Included are strategies to promote social, economic, and political jusitce. Special attention is given to those with diverse lifestyles and traditions.

Basic Trauma & Trauma-Informed Care will provide a foundational understanding of the impact of psychological trauma including the neurophysiological alterations associated with trauma and a trauma-informed approach aimed at assisting individuals and systems impacted by trauma. This course will visit the trauma of systemic racism, history of trauma research, and a variety of conceptualizations of trauma with special attention and focus on Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) and self-care practices. The effects of stress and crises will serve as a foundation for understanding the physical and mental health outcomes associated with trauma. This course will not certify any student to practice as a mental health practitioner. However, students will gain the most basic knowledge about trauma, stress, and self-care practices. This course will introduce evidence-based self-care skills and practices as related to mental well-being.

This course outlines the historical development of social work theory. It equips students with a variety of social work theories, while fostering a critical analysis in comparing and contrasting those theories and their applications. It provides opportunities for students to utilize theory to analyze different case scenarios at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels of social work practice. It orients students to the conceptual, ethical, and practical basis for analyzing social problems and issues and translating these theoretical constructs into problem-solving methods in social work practice.

The first course in human behavior and the social environment orients students to theoretical perspectives regarding the person-in-environment focus upon which social work bases its practice. Systems theory and an ecological perspective with a life-span approach and situational context are utilized to explore the periods from conception through later adulthood to understand individuals as they develop and have membership in diverse families, groups, organizations, and communities. Knowledge of the theories about and the relationships among human biological, social, psychological, cultural, spiritual, and economic systems during these periods of life span development is included and assessed for use in problem-solving at micro, mezzo, and macro levels of social work practice.

Prerequisities: SW 250, 301 and PSY 216. This second course in human behavior and the social environment expands students' knowledge of theorectical perspectives regarding the person-in-environment focuse upon which social work bases its practice. Systems theory and an ecosystems perspective utilizing a situational context to understand individuals as members of social systems such as families, groups, organizations, and communities is offered as the organizing framewodk. A strengths perspective, empowerment, and resiliency are underlying themes. Knowledge of the theories about and the relationships among human biological, social, psycholgical, cultural, spiritual, and economic systems are included for use in understanding human behavior and in problem-solving while working with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and commujities in social work practice.

The focus of this course is on social welfare programs and services, legislation and policies in child welfare as they relate to children with special needs and their families.

This elective course explores pivotal life transitions as they are depicted in film. Students will examine diversisty, social justice, biological, psychological, and sociological aspects of major life events and issues such LBGTQ, discrimination/oppression, giving birth, becoming a parent, marrying, aging, dying, and explore the portrayal of these events in film to understand their potential impact and influence on human behavior.

(Restricted to majors only). This course is the first of the required practice courses designed to provide the necessary knowledge, skills, and values and ethics to prepare students to function as generalist social work practitioners. It focuses on the relationship-building and problem-solving skills necessary for social work practice with individuals, families, and groups.

This elective course focuses on knowledge and skills regarding life cycle issues, developmental theory, personality theory, and general systems theory, which will be applied to practice with military service populations. Additionally, this course will address specific issues such as the military as a sub-culture or our society, gender issues, and the role of rank structure and its premises to transitioning to civilian sector, psychological development of basic training, and ethics of counseling in the military.

This elective course provides a study of the various treatment abd rehabilitation methods used in correctional settings. Topics include the roles of correctional personnel, the assessment and treatment of juveniles and adults, casework in correctional settings, crisis intervention, the assessment and treatment of special populations in correctional settings, and the evaluation of treatment and rehabilitation programs.

A broad survey of the administrative and management theories associated with the knowledge base of the social work profession. This course focuses on organizational and agency structure in relation to the delivery of services. It develops leadership skills and a systematic approach to management of work loads. Theories of management and motivation are considered in relationship to operation of organizations and agencies.

This elective course prepares students to apply social work knowledge and skills in school settings through prevention, assessment, intervention and evaluation from an ecological multilevel approach focused on students, families and the school community.

As one of the primary social work methods of practice, community organization is experiencing a revival in urban and rural areas in this country. This course assists social workers and other helping professionals respond to the resurgence of interest in this area. The focus is on ¿the community as the client¿ and it is both didactic and experiential in structure. The history, theories, and models of community organization practice are reviewed. The functions and roles of human service professionals in macro practice are examined. The primary emphasis is on the areas of practice and strategic practice approaches.

This elective course is designed to provide the student with an opportunity to understand the process of dying and bereavement. Theory and research about death and bereavement from a variety of interdisciplinary perspectives will be explored. The course offers the studnet an opportunity to explore personal and professional issues and experiences with death and bereavement. Social, cultural, ethical, and spiritual concepts that have an impact on death and bereavement are considered throughout the course. Attention will be given to lifespan and family perspectives. The values and ethics of multiple disciplines will be incorporated into the course.

Description and analysis of laws and court decisions relating to social, economic and legal problems in American society. The legislative process for addressing these problems is also studied.

This course equips students with a variety of perspectives, investigating the social, educational, and economic factors which influence adolescents toward sexual activity, pregnancy, marriage, pregnancy termination, and other relevant issues. It orients students to the conceptual framework of functional research relative to understanding the adolescent mind, including the unique problems and needs of the adolescent and those social services which attempt to meet the needs of this population.

This course provides information about the theory and process of family therapy. The course offers a presentation of the major theoretical underpinning and clinical practices in the family treatment field today.

In recent years the family has become one of the most violent social institutions in this country. This course increases student knowledge and awareness of domestic violence in all its forms: child and adolescent abuse and neglect, spouse abuse (women and men), and elderly abuse. The social and historical background of family violence is examined. Emphasis is also placed on the extent and seriousness of the problem. Current legislation, programs and services, and intervention strategies are reviewed.

This course focuses specifically on the complex problems of child abuse and neglect. It covers the incidence, causes, symptomatology, and types of child abuse and neglect with critical study of chid sexual abuse. State-of-the-art research and approaches to treatment utilizing a multidisciplinary perspective (legal, medical, educational, and social services) are included.

This course gives students a general overview of social gerontology as a branch of knowledge in the field of gerontology. Social gerontology concerns itself with psychosocial and economic aspects of the aged individual and the social problems encountered from living in both formal and informal societal groupings. The interaction of these aspects and groupings and the services established and considered for the aged through public and social policy are discussed.

This course is designed to help students develop knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to work in health-related fields. Two broad areas of concern in this course are:

(Restricted to majors only). This course focuses on the practical methods of research which entry-level social workers can incorporate into their practice environment. It reviews the fundamental theoretical frameworks, research concepts, and the research process from the point of view of problem-solving. Students obtain the knowledge needed to monitor their practice, evaluate agency programs, and understand the ethical use of social work research.

This institute examines a variety of issues concerning the role of the human service professional in bringing about changes. Each institute has a different focus based on expressed student and community needs.

Permission of instructor. (Restricted to majors only). This course enhances and extends the student's knowledge of the social work process. It includes a review of knowledge acquired in the areas of practice, assessment, human behavior, policy, research, administration, cultural diversity, and social work values and ethics.

(Restricted to majors only). This course introduces essential communication skills and techniques, along with the pitfalls most commonly encountered in building helping relationships as a social work generalist practitioner. Emphasis is directed to the skills needed in interviewing individuals, families, small groups and organizational and community systems. This course builds upon the assessment knowledge acquired through the biopsychosocial study of human behavior and the social environment.

(Restricted to majors only; malpractice insurance required). This course is a continuation of Social Work Practice I in the development of the generalist social worker. It focuses on social work practice skills with organizations and communities, and includes a thirty-hour service learning component.

(Restricted to majors only; malpractice insurance required). Field instruction enables students to integrate and apply to social work practice the knowledge, skills, and values and ethics obtained in the social work foundation courses. Agency-based learning experiences are provided which allow students to develop generalist practitioner skills for social work practice with diverse individuals, families, small groups, organizations, and communities, including populations at risk of injustice, oppression and discrimination. Each student completes a minimum of 500 hours in a community agency.

(Restricted to majors only). This integrative seminar is an extension of the field instructional process and is dependent upon the field instructional learning experiences for considerable teaching content. This seminar serves as the bridge between the educational process and entry-level professional social work practice. Additionally, this course provides information for students who wish to pursue graduate professional education. It provides a forum for the discussion of practice-related issues and the integration of social work knowledge, skills, and values and ethics. The seminar also emphasizes the importance of the evaluation of one¿s own practice and the use of research skills in program evaluation.