Social Work (MSW)

This course provides students with advanced generalist knowledge, values, and skills for evaluation of interventions, programs, and practice with individuals, families, groups, communities, and organizations. Students develop skills in qualitative and quantitative evaluation methods, survey design methodology, and data collection strategies. Students will develop knowledge of how to collaborate with community partners to conduct evaluation through a data justice lens and with a data equity perspective.

Prerequisites: none

This foundational social work course focuses on direct generalist practice with individuals, families, and groups. The historical roots of the social work profession are examined to explicate its abolitionist, racist, classist, and oppressive underpinnings. Emphasis is placed on decolonizing practices whose aim is to dismantle systems of oppression utilizing anti-oppressive and anti-racist lenses. This course explores the knowledge, skills, values, and ethics of the social work profession and the principles that promote social, economic, and environmental justice and planetary well-being.

Prerequisites: none

This course focuses on the critical application and critique of theoretical perspectives, models, and concepts in relationship to diverse people and their environments throughout lifespan development. Students will learn and apply theories related to human behavior and the person in the environment that focuses on individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Students will explore the impact of social structures such as poverty, oppression, and discrimination of people from diverse populations from micro- to macro-level systems.

Prerequisites: none

The course provides students with an overview of the historical and contemporary social welfare system, with an emphasis on understanding the impact and legacy of racism and racial regulation and the structural determinants of poverty and economic inequality. Students develop skills in policy and social welfare program research, policy analysis, and developing policy position statements that are culturally informed, anti-racist and anti-oppressive and advance human rights and social, racial, economic and environmental justice.

Prerequisites: none

This course provides students with generalist social work knowledge, values, and skills for effective interpersonal and interprofessional communication and interviewing, with emphasis on the application of effective oral and written communication with diverse populations. Students will develop greater self-awareness of personal cultural influences and identify their personal and professional values across diverse domains. Further, students will investigate the impact of social constructs, biases, and privilege on communication patterns with client systems at the micro-, mezzo-, and macro-system levels.

Prerequisites: none

This course provides students with generalist knowledge, values and skills in self-reflective, culturally responsive, evidence-informed, and equity-minded task group practice, interprofessional practice within social services organizations, and community practice. The course prepares students to ground their rights-based, anti-racist, anti-oppressive practice at all system levels in the structural-social determinants of health.

Prerequisites: none

Generalist Practicum and Seminar I provides students with the opportunity to integrate social work knowledge, values, skills, and cognitive/affective processes reflected in generalist behaviors through practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

Prerequisites: none

Generalist Practicum and Seminar II is a continuation of SOWK 615 Generalist Practicum and Seminar I. Students integrate social work knowledge, values, skills, and cognitive/affective processes reflected in generalist behaviors through practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

Prerequisites: none

This course enables students to learn the rationale for applying quantitative and qualitative research knowledge and skills used in generalist social work practice. Students critically evaluate how to conduct ethical, culturally responsive, anti-racist, and anti-oppressive approaches in social work research. Students explore and recognize the importance of social and economic justice, diversity, evidence-informed and equity-minded research practices in social work.

Prerequisites: none

This course prepares Advanced Standing students for transitioning from generalist social work to advanced generalist social work content in the specialization year. This course links undergraduate generalist social work to the advanced generalist specialization curriculum content to redefine students¿ professional self-identity, knowledge, skills, and values. In this preparation course, students will explore and analyze culturally responsive, anti-oppressive, anti-racist, ethical social work practice in research, human behavior, cultural humility, structural and social determinates of health, and tasks group.

Prerequisites: none

This course provides students with advanced generalist knowledge, values, and skills related to direct social work practice focusing on diverse individuals across the lifespan. Through experiential learning and a culturally responsive, anti-racist, and anti-oppressive lens, students will investigate the cultural implications of social work assessments, planning, communication, intervention, and evaluation of individuals at various developmental stages of children, adolescents, adults, and older adults.

Prerequisites: none

This task group-based course provides students with the policy advocacy practice skills needed to advance human rights and promote social, racial, economic and environmental justice. Students research and write a policy advocacy brief and develop and implement an advocacy plan on a state-level policy issue, through a human rights, anti-oppressive, and anti-racist lens.

Prerequisites: none

This course provides students with advanced generalist theories, knowledge, values, and skills related to practice with couples and families. Through experiential learning and through a culturally responsive, anti-racist, and anti-oppressive lens, students will analyze, develop, and apply advanced knowledge and skills in the assessment and incorporate culturally responsive methods and interventions with couples and families.

Prerequisites: none

This course provides students with advanced generalist knowledge, values, and skills in critical areas of administrative social work practice. Students develop competence in needs assessment, organizational change, program planning, grant writing, leadership, social work supervision, and other aspects to effectively managing social service agencies. Students are prepared to provide culturally responsive, anti-oppressive, and trauma-informed agency-based leadership to diverse populations in rural and small community settings.

Prerequisites: none

Students are introduced to conceptual underpinnings of group work and its application across diverse population domains. Students learn and apply group conceptualization, theoretical frameworks, and interpersonal skills for effective evidence-informed group facilitation. Students learn methods, theories, and stages of group development. Students explore historical reflections on group work and the impact of racism, poverty, sexism, ableism, in the provision of group work and group dynamics. Engagement with culturally responsive, anti-racist, and anti-oppressive methodologies are integrated. Students explore ethical implications of group work theory and application.

Prerequisites: none

A combination of classroom lecture and interaction with community professionals involved in crisis intervention. Designed to give students practical experience in distinguishing between crisis intervention, theory, and practice.

Prerequisites: none

This course is specific to the counseling profession, focusing on both the cultural and sociopolitical forces influencing people in a multicultural society, as well as the microskills necessary for engaging in cross-cultural counselor-client interactions.

Prerequisites: none

Provides an overview of theory, research, and practice regarding counseling with children and adolescents. Developmentally and culturally appropriate counseling strategies are stressed. Relevant current topics are examined.

Prerequisites: none

Theories of human development and the family cycle are presented as the basis for multi-contextual assessment, case conceptualization, and treatment skills when working with contemporary families.

Prerequisites: none

Major theories of play therapy and play therapy techniques are reviewed and applied to a range of mental health, learning, and developmental needs of children. Readings, lectures, class demonstrations, and role-play experiences are included.

Prerequisites: none

Scholars preparing for and/or working in the helping professions or related careers will address the issues and experiences of culturally different persons. Special attention will be given to preparation for effective cross-cultural interactions.

Prerequisites: none

This course is designed for those students or professionals who prepare for and/or work in the diverse organizations/institutions, corporations, communities in and outside America. Theories, techniques and skills for cross-cultural training/consultation and diversity management are covered.

Prerequisites: none

This course will provide students with an integrated knowledge of theory and practice in gerontology and examine the challenges involved in studying and providing services to the elderly, as well as ethical and advocacy-related issues in an aging society.

Prerequisites: none

The course will cover a range of topics, including the strategic management of human resources, job analysis, hiring, performance appraisal, training and development, compensation, as well as labor relations.

Prerequisites: none

This course will focus on an area of study that attempts to explain, predict, control, and increase understanding of human work behavior in organizations both in the U.S. and internationally. Using a variety of techniques, students will learn about the nature of people as well as how individual and group behavior is influenced by organizational factors. The intent is to use various theories and principles to help diagnose and solve organizational problems. The goal is to more effectively manage in today's environment so employees are engaging in ethical, creative, and productive behaviors on the job. Learning tools include some lecture/discussion active learning groups, original readings, exercises, projects, cases, library research and presentations.

Prerequisites: none

This course is designed to combine the why of leadership thinking with the how of leadership skill development. The class is both philosopical and practical, so you will have to both think and apply what you are learning. The course will provide students with opportunities to use theories to analyze leader behaviors, and with personal awareness and development. You will come out of the class with a Leadership Development Plan of your own to help you apply the class to your own development as a leader and manager.

Prerequisites: none

This course is designed to provide students with the theory and practical applications to diagnose organizational problems and to develop appropriate interventions and solutions to those problems. Students also use theory to guide practice in designing and implementing successful organizational change. These activities require students to use research and data analysis skills to gather data to learn about organizations.

Prerequisites: none

This is a survey course of the nonprofit sector, covering history and philosophy of the sector, ethics, board and staff relations, operations and fundraising, fiscal management, and human resource development.

Prerequisites: none

Change is the constant in today's human resource management in public organizations. The technical framework for productivity improvement and employee development is placed in the context of the legal environment. Emphasis is on managing diversity.

Prerequisites: none

Physical, social, emotional, intellectual, and personality development from conception to preadolescence. Focus on interplay between maturation and experience.

Prerequisites: none

This class covers the development of the individual from the age of 11 to 19 years of age. Discussion will include aspects of both normal and abnormal development.

Prerequisites: none

This course is designed to increase the student's awareness and understanding of abnormal psychology. Students will become familiar with clinical descriptions, course of onset, and treatment regimens specific to various disorders.

Prerequisites: none

Implications of sociological knowledge for the administration of Human Services programs. Theoretical and practical aspects of administration with the social service systems.

Prerequisites: none

This course will address theoretical and practical aspects of the planning and evaluation process within social service systems. Evidence-based methods of developing programs and measuring their effectiveness in the human services will be addressed.

Prerequisites: none

This course provides an overview of social services that support the well-being of children and families in a diverse society. Students, regardless of disciplinary affiliation, identify personal and professional values, develop a working knowledge of the theories that inform practice with children and families, and understand the roles and legal responsibilities of child welfare workers and professionals from multiple disciplines in the delivery of child welfare services.

Prerequisites: none

Co-morbid substance abuse and mental health disorders will be encountered by social workers in all areas of practice. Current research on dual diagnosis indicates integrated treatment of substance misuse and mental illness is the most effective approach to treatment. This course will provide an understanding of the intersection of multiple diagnoses, and enable social worker professionals to effectively treat multiple diagnoses in their area of practice. This course examines the interaction of addictive and other mental health disorders. Particular focus is placed on case-conceptualization, assessment, and intervention with multiply diagnosed clients in specific populations.

Prerequisites: none

Issues, resources, and processes in working with the elderly and their families in the social service system.

Prerequisites: none

This course is designed to provide upper level (junior and senior) undergraduate social work students with a comprehensive introduction to the epidemiology (scientific study of disease), etiology (causes of disease), history, policy, and treatment modalities of substance abuse from a person-in-environment and systems theory social work perspective.

Prerequisites: none

Service delivery issues and skills for working in hospitals, nursing homes, and community programs.

Prerequisites: none

Course provides an overview of intimate partner violence from a theoretical and evidence-based, social work perspective. Students learn about intervention strategies from direct practice to advocacy and policy change. Multiple systems are explored. The intersection of gender, class, sexual orientation, age, and culture with intimate partner violence is covered.

Prerequisites: none

Service delivery issues, knowledge, and skills for providing social services within school services.

Prerequisites: none

Course focuses on service delivery issues and skills, using a strengths-based, family systems, and empowerment approach for working with individuals with developmental and other disabilities and their families across the life span. Students hoping to do a practicum in a disability services setting should complete this course prior to beginning the practicum.

Prerequisites: none

The purpose of this course is to prepare students for advanced social work practice in a public, private, and tribal child welfare settings. This course is required for MSW Child Welfare Scholars. The course is designed to provide the student with a focused, practice-oriented learning environment that will build upon previous experiential and academic learning. The emphasis will be upon increasing the student¿s conceptual and practice skill level to become an effective social worker in a child welfare setting while increasing knowledge of historical and current federal and state child welfare policies, programs, and practices.

Prerequisites: none

The purpose of Clinical Social Work Practice with Infants, Children, and Adolescents is designed for students who plan to work in a clinical setting with infants, children, and/or adolescents. The course prepares students to understand development, attachment, developmental stressors and trauma, developmental resiliency, biopsychosocial factors, and evidence-based social work interventions. Students will consider the intersections of development, attachment, stressors and trauma, and resources from a biopsychosocial framework to increase knowledge on how infants, children, and adolescents become identified at-risk and how these concerns can compromise development and what support and/or interventions contribute to developmental growth and change over time.

Prerequisites: none

Raising resources for public and nonprofit organizations from needs assessment through obtaining funding to managing the grant after it is awarded.

Prerequisites: none

Survey of the history, concepts, values, and ethics of public-sector planning. Emphasis on practical and comprehensive approach to developing and implementing plans.

Prerequisites: none

Advanced Practicum and Seminar I provides students with the opportunity to integrate foundation and concentration social work theory and practice knowledge, values, and skills through direct practice with individual clients, families, groups, agencies, and communities.

Prerequisites: none

Specialization Practicum and Seminar II is a continuation of SOWK 665 Specialization Practicum and Seminar I. Students integrate social work knowledge, values, skills, and cognitive/affective processes reflected in advanced generalist behaviors through practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.

Prerequisites: none