B.S.W. Course Descriptions

 

Note: SW 150 is a prerequisite for all BSW social work courses.
SW 150: Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare
Common human needs are examined and a number of historical responses to these needs are placed in a societal context. Cultural forces which effect resource allocation patterns and service delivery systems are analyzed. Fulfills one of the Foundations - Social and Behavioral Sciences. Three credits. Offered Fall, Winter, and Spring/Summer semesters.

SW 300: Social Work and Difference, Diversity, and Privilege
Pluralism in American society is explored through analysis of cross cultural practices and values, with an emphasis on the commonalities and differences for individuals, groups, organizations, and communities. The social welfare response in the context of US diversity will be a primary focus. Three credits. Offered Fall and Winter semesters. Prerequisite: Jr. standing, Cognate Course Requirement.  

SW 316: Interviewing in Social Work
Principles and techniques associated with the successful interview. Consideration is given to understanding the interviewee, oneself as the interviewer, and the implications of sociocultural backgrounds for the interview and its participants. Recording and reporting skills specifically related to social work practice are taught and case materials from different fields of practice are employed. Prerequisite: SW 317. Three credits. Offered Winter semester.

SW 317: Generalist Practice I
Provides students with knowledge, values, and skills for multilevel generalist practice. Prepares students for direct and indirect service delivery involving intervention model; micro, mezzo, and macro skills, planning; risk management and crisis intervention; termination, evaluation, and follow-up. Corequisites: SW 319, SW 340, and SW 348. Three credits. Offered Fall semester.

SW 318: Generalist Practice II
This course focuses on micro and mezzo social work practice and assists students to develop engagement, assessment, intervention, and evaluation skills with individuals, families, and small groups. Taught from a strengths-based perspective, the course integrates content on diversity, multiculturalism, and values and ethics. Prerequisites: SW 317, SW 319, SW 340, and SW 348. Corequisites: SW 316 and SW 341. Three Credits.  Offered Winter semester. 

SW 319: Social Welfare Policy and Services
This course reviews local, state, and federal level social welfare policies and services, including historical, social, cultural, economic, organizational, environmental, and global influences. Concepts of human rights and social justice, along with a basic analysis of policies and services, teaches the skills necessary to translate policy into social work practice.  Corequisites: SW 317, SW 340, and SW 348. Three credits. Offered Fall semester.

SW 320: Child Welfare and Policy Practice
Synthesizes, deepens, and integrates generalist social work practice content with a focus on professional foundation knowledge, values, and skills as these apply to services for children. Reviews policies and programs that affect children and families and considers related multicultural issues. Prerequisites: SW 319. Three credits. Offered Fall semester.

SW 322: Responding to Chronic Illness
Investigates the chronic illness through a biological, social and psychological lens. Chronic illness affects individuals, groups and communities resulting in a need for a variety of ways to assess how health professionals can best respond to the challenges of living a good quality of life. Part of the Health Issues.  Prerequisite: Junior standing. Three credits. Offered Fall, and, Winter, and Spring/Summer Semesters. General Education Issues course and SW elective.

SW 333: Community Work with the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community
This course aims to prepare students for community work with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people by providing a deeper understanding of LGBT history identities, families, health and mental health challenges, and issues of political advocacy. The course will examine a variety of issues that affect LGBT people. Part of the Identity Issues. Offered fall and winter semesters. Prerequisite: Junior standing. Three Credits

SW 340: Human Behavior & the Social Environment I
Introduces theories and perspectives of human behavior and the social environment necessary to social work practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities, based on the person-environment construct and biopsychosocial-spiritual assessment models. Special attention will be given to the effects of diversity and difference, along with macro and mezzo practice settings. Offered fall semester. Corequisites: SW 317, SW 319, and SW 348.Three Credits.

SW 341: Human Behavior & the Social Environment II
This course provides knowledge about human development in social environment necessary to social work practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities, based on the person-environment construct and biopsychosocial-spiritual assessment models. Special attention will be given to the effects of diversity and difference, along with micro and mezzo practice settings. Offered winter semester. Prerequisites: SW 317, SW 319, SW 340, and SW 348. Corequisites: SW 316 and SW 318.  Three credits.  Offered Winter semester.

SW 344: Responding to Loss, Death, and Grief
Explores death and loss in US society from diverse theoretical, cultural, and social perspectives. Grief as a human response to death and other significant loss is examined emphasizing the diversity of grief reactions among individuals, groups, and communities and exploring helpful and meaningful interventions. Part of the Health Issue. Offered fall and spring/summer semesters. Prerequisite: Junior standing. Three Credits

SW 348: Professional Development in Social Work
The course provides students with knowledge, values and skills associated with professionalism and identifying with the social work profession. Emphasis is focused on self-awareness, personal reflection, attention to professional roles/boundaries, advocacy and ethics in social work. Three hours per week of volunteer service in an approved social agency required.  Corequisites: SW 317, SW 319, and SW 340. Three credits. Offered Fall semester. 

SW 351: Cross Cultural Service Learning
The focus of this course is on the unique culture(s) within the United States and taught using a service-learning approach. Students explore the themes of social welfare development. Students explore the themes of social services, politics, policies, and the history of the assigned culture. The course includes a two or three-week experiential learning component in a specific location in the United States. The advanced practice social worker will recognize the interconnectedness between social work, social justice, and civic/global responsibility. Offered spring/summer session. Prerequisite: Accepted into the B.S.W. program. Three credits.

SW 354: Global: Cross Cultural Community Based Learning
The focus of this course is on international social work policy and practice. Students interact with various communities using a service-learning approach. The students explore the themes of social services, politics, policies, and the history of the assigned culture. The course includes a two or three-week experiential learning component in an international location. The advanced practice social worker will recognize the interconnectedness between social work, social justice, and civic/global responsibility. Offered spring/summer semester. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Three credits.

SW 355: Addressing Ageism and Health
Analyzes the impact of historical, economic, and societal responses to aging in the United States and on pervasive ageism against older adults, based on the human rights framework. Special attention given to professional ageism in health and human services systems and its impact on minority older adults' health and wellbeing. Fulfills Cultures - U.S. Diversity. Part of the Health Issue. Prerequisite: Junior standing.  Three credits.  Offered Winter semester. 

SW 380: Special Topics in Social Work
The study of issues and concerns important to the social work community not ordinarily covered in other courses. Offered in response to the special interests of faculty and student majors. Topics to be announced.  Offered every semester. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.  Credits: 1 to 4

SW 430: Social Work Research
This foundational course in social work research presents ethical considerations and basic principles and techniques of social science research in relation to generalist practice in social work settings. The organizing principle for the course is the research cycle, including problem identification, research design, research methods, analysis, and implications for practice. Offered fall semester. Prerequisite: STA 215. Four credits.

SW 439: The Family and Social Work Practice
An elective course that deepens, broadens, and integrates professional foundation knowledge, values, and skills as these apply to generalist practice with families. Examines practice processes related to assessment, intervention, and evaluation, including presenting problems of race, gender, and other multicultural variables related to programs and services for families in America. Prerequisite: SW 317. Three credits. Offered winter semester.

SW 461: Multicultural Issues in Social Work Practice
The content of this course has been designed to develop a relevant knowledge base and understanding of the biopsychosocial factors and experiences in the lives of the diverse races, ethnicity, and cultures of population groups in the United States. The emphasis is to be placed examining (personal) individual, societal, and institutional attitudes, as well as social worker approaches in a multicultural society. Offered winter semester. Prerequisite: SW 317.  Three credits.

SW 490: First Senior Level Field Practicum
This course requires 225 hours of involvement in social work activities per semester in a School of Social Work approved field education site. Students have opportunities to apply theories, techniques, and concepts through observation and participation in supervised assignments and show evidence of skill acquisition through supervisor assessment and evaluation. Offered fall semester. Prerequisite: SW 317. Corequisite: SW 492.  Three credits.

SW 491: Second Senior Level Field Practicum
This course requires 225 hours of interacting in social work activities per semester in a School of Social Work approved field education site. Students have opportunities to apply theories, techniques, and concepts through observation and participation in supervised assignments and to show evidence of skill acquisition through supervisor assessment and evaluation. Offered winter semester. Prerequisite: SW 490.  Three credits.

SW 492: Field Practicum in Social Work Seminar I
This course assists students in understanding and achieving competence in the social work skills taught and practiced in their field practicum setting. The course requires students to report and analyze field activities with faculty and peers, including the assessment and evaluation of client populations as well as issues related to agency functioning. Offered fall semester. Corequisite: SW 490. One credit.

SW 493: Field Practicum in Social Work Seminar II
This course assists students in understanding and achieving competence in the social work skills taught and practiced in their field practicum setting. The course requires students to report and analyze field activities with faculty and peers, including the assessment and evaluation of client populations as well as issues related to agency functioning. Offered winter semester. Corequisites: SW 491 and SW 495.  One credit.

SW 495: SWS Senior Seminar in Social Work (Capstone)
Students will evaluate and assess the core competencies gained from the classroom and field experiences. Each session will require critical thinking on how and where the competencies and practice behaviors required of competent social workers were mastered. Students are challenged to apply ethical decision-making processes to their field education experiences. Offered winter semester. Prerequisite: SW 490. Corequisites: SW 491 and SW 493.  Three credits.

SW 499: Independent Study in Social Work
Student and/or faculty initiated special projects that explore some aspect of social work theory or practice. A maximum of four credits in independent study may be taken during undergraduate social work education. Prerequisites: Senior standing and advanced permission of instructor.  Credits: 1 to 4.
 

 

 

 

 

 



Page last modified January 6, 2023