Courses
Social Administration
5001. HBSE: Individuals and Families (3 s.h.)
This is a foundation-level course in theories in human behavior designed to undergird social work practice with individuals and families. Diverse developmental theories along with psychoanalytic, social learning, cognitive-behavioral, theories of power, and feminist and Afrocentric perspectives are studied and critically evaluated.
5002. HBSE: Groups, Communities and Organizations (3 s.h.)
Prerequisite: SA 5001.
This is a foundation-level course in theories in human behavior designed to undergird social work practice with groups, organizations, and communities. Diverse structures, functions, dynamics, developmental models, and theories of these system levels, including issues of power and empowerment, are studied and critically evaluated.
5003. Introduction to Social Research I (3 s.h.)
This course is an introduction to the philosophy, concepts, principles, and methods of traditional and postmodern scientific inquiry. Students study quantitative and qualitative approaches and develop a research proposal to be carried out in the second research course.
5004. Social Work Research Methods II (3 s.h.)
This course is the second in a two-course introductory sequence (following SA 5003) and covers research methods designed to provide graduate social work students with a basic understanding of social work research. Students build on their understanding of the research process covered in SA 5003. Basic program evaluation concepts are covered. Students learn quantitative and qualitative data analysis techniques and the importance of using both quantitative and qualitative techniques to evaluate programs and direct practice with individuals, families, and groups. Basic descriptive, inferential, and multivariate techniques are covered, as are qualitative analysis methods. Students continue to use and critically consume and apply interpret professional literature to social work practice situations.
5005. Social Welfare Policies and Services I (3 s.h.)
This is an introduction to American social welfare policies and social service programs in their historical, political, economic, and social context. Methods of social problem analysis and the social work profession as a social institution are covered.
5006. Social Welfare Policies and Services II (3 s.h.)
Prerequisite: SA 5005.
This course builds on SA 5005 and covers methods of social policy analysis and advocacy in the public policy arena, including skills in argumentation and lobbying.
5107. Practice of Social Service Delivery I (3 s.h.)
The focus is on generalist social work practice, including work with individuals, families, small groups, communities, and organizations. Phases of the helping process, theories of practice, communication skills, social work values, and ethics are studied.
5108. Practice of Social Service Delivery II (3 s.h.)
Prerequisite: SA 5107.
This course builds on SA 5107 by focusing on refinement of and competence in generalist social work practice.
5187. Foundation Field Practicum I (3 s.h.)
Corequisite: SA 5107.
For the foundation-year field practicum in the fall, the student works within a generalist social work framework to develop basic competencies in key knowledge, skill, and affect arenas. This generalist framework includes a broad range of knowledge and skills; theories and models; practice at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels; performance in numerous social work roles; and understanding the various fields of practice.
5188. Foundation Field Practicum II (3 s.h.)
Corequisite: SA 5108.
This course continues SA 5187 as the foundation-year field practicum taken in the spring semester.
5301. Foundations for Advanced Social Work Practice (5 s.h.)
Prerequisite: Admission to the Advanced Standing program.
This course contains foundation social work content designed specifically for advanced standing students. It integrates social welfare policy, research, social work practice, human behavior theory, and field.
8101. Clinical Practice with Individuals, Families, and Groups I (3 s.h.)
Prerequisite: SA 5001, SA 5002, SA 5003, SA 5004, SA 5005, SA 5006, SA 5107, SA 5108, SA 5187, and SA 5188.
This advanced practice course for students in the Clinical concentration is the first course in a year-long sequence of two courses that comprise the clinical concentration practice curriculum. Students learn guidelines for evidence-based practice and develop a multicultural perspective of clinical social work practice with individuals, families, and groups. It provides more depth and breadth in the evidence base for selection of effective theoretical frameworks that support collaborative interventions with vulnerable and diverse populations.
8102. Clinical Practice with Individuals, Families, and Groups II (3 s.h.)
Prerequisite: SA 8101.
This course continues to develop advanced practice skills and knowledge with individuals, families, and groups as undertaken in SA 8101. Students further develop self-awareness, use of self, and recognition of feelings evoked in relation to the helping process.
8103. Management and Planning Practice I (3 s.h.)
Prerequisite: SA 5001, SA 5002, SA 5003, SA 5004, SA 5005, SA 5006, SA 5107, SA 5108, SA 5187, and SA 5188.
This advanced practice course for students in the Management and Planning concentration builds on the student’s foundation learning. This first half of a two-semester sequence focuses on the understanding of interrelated disciplines: planning, management, and organizations. Students learn to apply various models and theories in an ever-changing political, economic, and global environment.
8104. Management and Planning Practice II (3 s.h.)
Prerequisite: SA 8103.
This course builds on SA 8103.
8105. Practice in Communities and Policy Arenas I: Assessment and Planning (3 s.h.)
Prerequisite: SA 5001, SA 5002, SA 5003, SA 5004, SA 5005, SA 5006, SA 5107, SA 5108, SA 5187, and SA 5188.
This advanced practice course for students in the Communities and Policy Arenas concentration focuses on practice in the public sector and provides students with the advanced skills necessary to conduct assessments and analyses that they will use for planning, implantation, and evaluation in organizations, communities, and policy arenas.
8106. Practice in Communities and Policy Arenas II: Intervention in Communities/Policy (3 s.h.)
Prerequisite: SA 8105.
This two-semester course provides students with the advanced skills necessary to understand and differentially apply models and methods of community organizing, community development, and change. Students learn to conduct assessments and analyses used for planning, implementation, and evaluation in communities and policy arenas. The explicit focus of this course is practice in the public sector. Students learn concepts and strategic approaches related to practicing in these settings, including the concepts of economic, political, and cultural rights; social justice; social transformation; power; empowerment; participatory democracy; and the strengths approach to practice.
8187. Advanced Field Practicum I (3 s.h.)
This advanced year practicum for service delivery builds competencies in the Clinical concentration; Management and Planning concentration; or Communities and Policy Arenas concentration; and by selected specialization. This is the first semester (fall) of a two-semester internship in which the student gains greater depth in knowledge and skills for her/his choice of concentration, and increased familiarity with a chosen field of practice (specialization).
8188. Advanced Field Practicum II (3 s.h.)
This advanced year practicum for service delivery builds on SA 8187. It is taken in the spring.
8205. Evaluation of Clinical Practice (3 s.h.)
Prerequisite: SA 5001, SA 5002, SA 5003, SA 5004, SA 5005, SA 5006, SA 5107, SA 5108, SA 5187, and SA 5188.
This is a required advanced-level research course for students in the Clinical concentration. It provides students with tools of practice evaluation and learning experiences of formal evaluation of student’s individual work with individuals, families, and groups. It also reviews methods of evaluation of direct practice at both individual and program levels.
8207. Social Work Research: Communities and Policy Arenas and Management/Planning (3 s.h.)
Prerequisite: SA 5001, SA 5002, SA 5003, SA 5004, SA 5005, SA 5006, SA 5107, SA 5108, SA 5187, and SA 5188.
This is a required advanced-level research course for students in the Management and Planning and Communities and Policy Arenas concentrations. It focuses on the history and philosophies, conceptual approaches, techniques and methods, and issues in practice and utilization of research applied to communities, organizations, social programs, and policies. It provides students with the skills to carry out research designed to support human rights through community and/or policy assessment, planning, and intervention.
8303. Dynamics of Health, Health Care, and Health Systems (3 s.h.)
Prerequisite: SA 5001 and SA 5002.
One of three required courses for students pursuing a specialization in Health/Mental Health Policy. It focuses on Human Behavior in the Social Environment (HBSE) content relevant to health and mental health social work practice at all systems levels. Students study the effects of bio-psycho-social, familial, organizational, economic, and cultural variables on the definition, incidence, prevalence, experience, treatment, and prevention of chronic and acute conditions, particularly those prevalent among oppressed populations.
8307. Health/Mental Health Policy (3 s.h.)
Prerequisite: SA 5005 and SA 5006.
This advanced-level policy course is for students in the Health/Mental Health Policy specialization. This course examines historical and current issues in health/mental health policy, including the U.S. health care system (i.e., managed care, Medicare, Medicaid, etc.) as well as international comparisons. Insurance, access to care, and differential health/mental health outcomes are studied.
8309. Social Work Practice in Health and Mental Health (3 s.h.)
Prerequisite: SA 5001, SA 5002, SA 5003, SA 5004, SA 5005, SA 5006, SA 5107, SA 5108, SA 5187, and SA 5188.
One of three required courses for students pursuing a specialization in Health/Mental Health Policy. It focuses on social work practice in communities and institutional settings. Students learn and apply assessment and intervention skills to the challenges of acute and chronic illness experience from the perspective of their concentration. Issues specific to health and mental health are addressed, but the focus is on those common to both.
8403. Children and Families in the Social Environment (3 s.h.)
Prerequisite: SA 5001 and SA 5002.
This is an advanced-level human behavior and social environment course for students in the Children and Families specialization. It is designed to develop students’ understanding of children within the context of families and other socializing institutions. Children and families are viewed from an ecological and systems perspective, i.e., in the context of families, communities, schools, and organizations.
8407. Policy on Families and Children (3 s.h.)
Prerequisite: SA 5005 and SA 5006.
This is an advanced-level policy course for students in the Children and Families specialization. It offers an overview of polices that impact families, children, and youth in the United States. These three policy areas, although distinct, are integrally related. The challenge of creating effective social policies for families, children, and youth is the focus of this course.
8409. Advanced Practice with Children and Families (3 s.h.)
Prerequisite: SA 5001, SA 5002, SA 5003, SA 5004, SA 5005, SA 5006, SA 5107, SA 5108, SA 5187, and SA 5188.
This is an advanced-level practice course for students in the Children and Families specialization. It examines a range of service provision: prevention, remediation, and intervention. Content contains materials to develop critical analytical skills at the clinical, administrative, and community levels that contribute to working with families and children who are vulnerable to or experiencing multi-stressors.
8504. Integrative Seminar (3 s.h.)
Prerequisite: SA 5001, SA 5002, SA 5003, SA 5004, SA 5005, SA 5006, SA 5107, SA 5108, SA 5187, SA 5188, and first semester of advanced practice course and field practicum.
This course provides an opportunity for students from all concentrations and specializations, individually and in teams, to identify and critically examine major ethical/legal as well as practical concerns facing the profession. The course is designed to enhance self-awareness and self-confidence through the integration of knowledge, skills, and values learned throughout the M.S.W. program.
8801. Financial Management (3 s.h.)
In a global society for human service management, financial resources are competitive and limited. Moreover, the funders (government, private corporations, and the public) demand greater accountability on the part of agencies. Administrators of social work organizations need to become knowledgeable and skillful as fiscal and program managers. This course is designed to prepare students to use resource acquisition as well as risk and cost management techniques to become effective administrators. This course is designed to complement and support the administration courses by focusing on the financial management aspects of integrated program planning and budgeting. Topics covered include resource expenditure (budget development, fiscal management, risk management, cost analysis and control, financial and IRS reporting) and resource acquisition (fund raising, capital campaigns, use of grants, performance-based and other services contracting, diversification of income sources, entrepreneurial options). Students develop ethical decision-making practices with regard to resource allocation that enables each student to develop a professional sense of accountability.
8802. Women & Social Policy (3 s.h.)
Prerequisite: SA 5005 and SA 5006.
This course examines policy issues that have a major influence on the agency and well-being of women. It identifies values, attitudes, and belief systems about females that have contributed both to the problems women and girls experience and to the conceptualization and implementation of related policy responses in political, social, and economic areas. Policy areas covered include economic status, labor force participation, family, care giving, reproduction, substance abuse, violence, health, mental health, and international issues affecting women.
8803. Emotional Disorders in Children and Adolescents (3 s.h.)
This course studies emotional, social, behavioral, and developmental disorders that are prevalent during childhood. Risk factors, developmental pathways, co-occurring conditions, and effective treatment approaches are studied.
8804. Social Work with the Homeless (3 s.h.)
This course provides a framework for the analysis of social policies and programs related to the social problems of homelessness in the United States. Although the focus of the course is on contemporary issues of homelessness, the approach includes an historical perspective in order to explore the enduring legacy of early interventions and approaches to the relief and social control of marginalized populations. The implications of differing viewpoints and alternative problem definitions for policy and service delivery are considered. The course explores shifts in housing policies. Additionally, employment programs are discussed in some detail to demonstrate their impact on the increasing numbers of Americans who are homeless.
8807. HIV/AIDS and Social Work (3 s.h.)
This course provides an overview of knowledge, skills, values, and policy issues related to prevention and service delivery with HIV/AIDS infected and affected persons.
8809. Child Welfare Policy (3 s.h.)
Prerequisite: Child welfare certification.
This course provides an overview of social welfare policies affecting children with particular attention to the problems of child abuse and neglect.
8811. Alcohol and Substance Abuse (3 s.h.)
This course provides students with current information about alcohol and other substance abuse. Using ecosystems and family systems frameworks, information is presented regarding the bio-psycho-social impact of alcohol and other substance abuse on individual and family functioning. Particular attention is given to treatment options and resources for change.
8813. Societal Responses to Aging (3 s.h.)
This course explores public and private resources, the need for social and political action, and the network of services required to meet the needs of individuals and their families. It presents policies and practice in income maintenance, health, housing, safety, and social status. Public-private sponsorship, cost, accountability, benefit levels, and administration are discussed. Student social action projects are completed and expanded.
8814. Loss and Grief (3 s.h.)
This course examines the dynamics of loss and mourning, societal attitudes about death, and cultural variations in dealing with loss.
8815. Law and the Practice of Human Services (3 s.h.)
This course considers various legal issues as they pertain to the practice of social work.
8818. Supervision, Staff Development, and Training (3 s.h.)
This course examines sources of power in organizational hierarchies, alternative formats for organizational development, and supervisory and staff development practices.
8821. Afrocentric Social Work (3 s.h.)
This course considers the unique aspects of Afrocentric practice in the social work/social welfare arena.
8822. Interdisciplinary Responses to Child Abuse (3 s.h.)
Prerequisite: Child welfare certification.
This course focuses on child abuse and neglect. Topics include consequences of abuse, legal controls, ethical issues in reporting abuse, ethnic and cultural issues, and interdisciplinary intervention.
8823. Psychodynamics of Race, Class and Culture (3 s.h.)
This course focuses on psychodynamic dimensions unique to particular cultural and socioeconomic groups and their relationship to social work practice.
8824. Assessment and the DSM-IV (3 s.h.)
The focus is on using the DSM-IV as an assessment tool and the implications for social work practice. A bio-psycho-social approach to understanding human behavior is taken.
8831. Social Transformation (3 s.h.)
This course is an exploration of social transformation theories and practices in the humanities, sciences, social sciences, and other uncategorized ventures for a different world. Topics selected by students range from art therapy to nonviolent civil disobedience. The course emphasizes participatory learning and practical application in social work settings.
9182. Individual Study (3 s.h.)
This is an independent course of study in an area of special interest. A faculty facilitator and the student work together to identify the content and design learning opportunities.
9282. Independent Study (3 s.h.)
This is an independent course of study in an area of special interest. A faculty facilitator and the student work together to identify the content and design learning opportunities.
Updated 9.23.09