Social Work

Courses

SOWK1720: Social Justice and Modern Society

Credits 3
This course is an introduction to the recurrent needs of citizens and how society is organized to respond to these needs with an emphasis on small towns and rural communities. 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. The course includes a review of the history and current nature of social welfare services.

SOWK2110: Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare

Credits 3
This course is an introduction to the profession of social work and the role of social work in the social welfare system. 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 with an emphasis on small towns and rural communities. The course is organized around the major themes of poverty, socioeconomic class differences, and includes a review of the history and current nature of social welfare services. This course will include a service learning component.

SOWK2850: Human Behavior in the Social Environment I: Theoretical Approaches Throughout the Lifespan

Credits 3
This is the first of two courses in human behavior in the social environment which will focus on a cell to society approach, paying special attention to small towns and rural communities. This course will review the processes for biological, psychological, intellectual, emotional, and life-course 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.
Prerequisites
POLS1030, BIOL1060, PSYC1550, CLTA1550, Program admission required.

SOWK2851: Human Behavior in the Social Environment II: Issues of Diversity

Credits 3
The second of two courses in human behavior in the social environment, this course will continue the examination of human behavior as it relates to the life-course 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. This course will include a service learning component. Fulfills a General Education Cultural Competency (CC) requirement.
Prerequisites
POLS1030, CLTA1550 or CLTA3200, or instructor's approval, Program admission required.

SOWK2970: Urban Field Experience

Credits 1

This course is a several-day urban immersion experience, including coordinated readings. The foci for this course will be to look at services for the homeless and programs for the development of housing stock for low income people in one major urban area. May be repeated for a maximum of two credits. Fulfills a General Education Cultural Competency (CC) requirement.  

Prerequisites

SOWK2110 or instructor's approval, Program admission required.

SOWK3250: Substance Abuse, Prevention, and Intervention

Credits 3
This course is 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 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.
Prerequisites
SOWK2110 or instructor's approval, Program admission required.

SOWK3350: Child Welfare Services

Credits 3
This course is an exploration of the nature and range of child (up to age 18) welfare services offered in the United States with some comparative studies from international social work. Material covering social work intervention strategies, governmental child welfare policies, and societal values regarding these strategies and policies will be introduced.
Prerequisites
SOWK2110 or instructor's approval, Program admission required.

SOWK3450: Social Work in Health Care

Credits 3
An overview of the need for and the nature of social work practice as it pertains to the increasing need of social work services in health care settings. This course includes a review of the multiple dimensions of aging and the implications of these for social work practices across the lifespan. Material covering social work intervention strategies, governmental policies and programs, and societal values regarding services will be considered.
Prerequisites
SOWK2110 or instructor's approval, Program admission required.

SOWK3550: Social Work Methods I

Credits 3

This course is a presentation of the basic skills, values, and knowledge bases for social work practice. Emphasis will be placed on the systemic contexts for the profession, its clients, and the nation's social welfare policies while introducing the student to an array of beginning social work practices. The ecosystems perspective for social work practice with an emphasis on rural communities and small towns will be used to focus on the individual and family client systems.

Prerequisite Courses
SOWK2110
SOWK2850
SOWK2851
Prerequisites

Program admission required. Acceptance into Methods Sequence or instructor's approval.

Corequisite Courses
SOWK3960

SOWK3551: Social Work Methods II

Credits 3

Continuation of SOWK3550. Students will develop an understanding of social work intervention with a strengths-based model. The ecosystems perspective for social work practice with an emphasis on rural communities and small towns will be used to focus on the individual and family client systems as well as relational systems in organizations and communities.

Prerequisite Courses
SOWK2110
SOWK2850
SOWK2851
Prerequisites

Program admission required. Acceptance into Methods Sequence or instructor's approval.

Corequisite Courses
SOWK3961

SOWK3750: Social Welfare Policy

Credits 3

This course offers an investigation of the history, development, and current nature of welfare policies in the United States. Some comparative material with other developed 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 influencing the development of policies will be studied. 

Prerequisite Courses
SOWK2110
Prerequisites

Program admission required.

SOWK3960: Field Practice I

Credits 1

This course is 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. Attention will be given to identifying the knowledge, skills, and values bases of the social work profession. During this junior year practicum setting, each student shall practice using the change process approach (including assessment, goal setting, development of strategies, action plans, termination, and evaluation). 

Corequisite Courses
SOWK3550

SOWK3961: Field Practice II

Credits 1

This course is 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. Attention will be given to identifying the knowledge, skills, and values bases of the social work profession. During this junior year practicum setting, each student shall practice using the change process approach (including assessment, goal setting, development of strategies, action plans, termination, and evaluation). 

Corequisite Courses
SOWK3551

SOWK3962: Field Practice III

Credits 1

This course is an in-agency setting for observation of and engagement in social work practice under the supervision of a skilled practitioner. Students will log 40 hours. Attention will be given to identifying the knowledge, skills, and values bases of the social work profession. During this junior year practicum setting, each student shall practice using the change process approach (including assessment, goal setting, development of strategies, action plans, termination, and evaluation). This course is optional.

Prerequisites

Program admission required. Instructor's approval.

SOWK3970: Social Work Research and Statistics

Credits 3

This course is 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 evaluating descriptive, exploratory, explanatory, and evaluative research (and supportive statistical tools) to improve one's professional practice and agency programs, specifically in rural and small-town communities.

Prerequisite Courses
SOWK2110
SOWK2850
SOWK2851
SOWK3550
SOWK3551
Prerequisites

Program admission required.

SOWK4960: Social Work Practicum I

Credits 3

This course is 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 and involves 200 hours of on-location time for each semester. 

SOWK4961: Social Work Practicum II

Credits 3

This course is 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 and involves 200 hours of on-location time for each semester.  Fee: Additional fee required.

SOWK4962: Social Work Practicum III

Credits 3

This course is 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 and involves 200 hours of on-location time for each semester. This course is optional.

Prerequisites

Instructor's approval

SOWK4980: Seminar in Social Work I

Credits 1
This course is a senior-level seminar that runs concurrently with Social Work Practicum. 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 other students. The focus is for each student to be prepared for entry into generalist social work practice upon graduation.
Corequisite Courses
SOWK4960

SOWK4981: Seminar in Social Work II/Capstone

Credits 1
This course is a senior-level seminar that runs concurrently with Social Work Practicum. 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 other students. The focus is for each student to be prepared for entry into generalist social work practice upon graduation.
Corequisite Courses
SOWK4961

SOWK4982: Seminar in Social Work III

Credits 1
This course is a senior-level seminar that runs concurrently with Social Work Practicum. 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 other students. The focus is for each student to be prepared for entry into generalist social work practice upon graduation. This course is optional.
Prerequisites
Instructor's approval