Program Prerequisites
Introduction to Sociology; Introduction to Psychology; Human Biology; and an Associates' degree in Liberal Arts or General Studies with a minimum G.P.A. of 2.5. Social Work major program: 39 credits.
Also see course requirements on the social work program page.
Course Descriptions
ECN 211 Economics I (3)
This course involves the macro-study of the American economic system. Topics include concepts of national income and employment theory, determinants of unemployment rates, inflation rates, GNP, and public policy tools that can be used to promote macro-economic goals.
HIS 105 Early American History (3)
This course examines the main developments (political, economic, social, and religious) in American history from the pre-Columbian Era to the Civil War.
PHI 101 Critical Thinking (3)
What makes one line of argument more convincing than another? What constitutes strong evidence in support of statements? This course emphasizes practice in the exercise of thinking as a skill to be developed and strengthened. Recognizing inconsistencies and contradictions, using deductive and inductive types of reasoning effectively, and avoiding ambiguities are among the topics covered.
PSY 202 Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences (3)
This course is a critical component of the psychology major's research training. To this end, basic descriptive and univariate inferential procedures are covered, including measures of central tendency variability, relative standing, correlation, hypothesis testing, normal distribution, t-tests, ANOVA, and Chi-square. Additionally, basic issues in research design and methodology are covered, and the link is continually made between research design and the relevant statistical procedures.
REL 302 Spirituality of World Religions (3)
Students will study the major religions of the world with emphasis on their unique spirituality, contemporary expression, and role in forming human values. (This course satisfies the core requirement for global awareness and cultural understanding).
SOC 316 Racial and Ethnic Groups (3)
Students will examine the relationships between dominant and subordinate groups in the United States. Concepts of cultural and racial pluralism, immigrant experiences, and adaptation will be included. Selected groups will be studied in depth.
SWK 101 Introduction to Social Work (3)
This course introduces you to the profession of social work. You will learn about the history of social work, how the profession has grown and changed, and current issues and developments. This course presents the values and ethics of the profession and supports you in examining your own values and how they may influence your choice of social work as a profession. You will have the opportunity to participate in field activities that include visits to agencies.
SWK 204 Human Behavior in the Social Environment (3)
In this course, you study human development from conception to death. The life span is examined from a biosocial, cognitive, and psychosocial perspective. Culture and social systems theory are emphasized in understanding individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. This course meets the college core requirement for global awareness and cultural understanding.
SWK 205 Human Behavior in the Social Environment II (3)
This course expands on theory related to human behavior in the macro social environment, which includes communities, organizations and groups. Human behavior is examined within the context of social system theory with a goal of learning how systems affect and are affected by human behavior. Theories and knowledge are presented about the range of social systems in which individuals live with special emphasis on groups, organizations, institutions, and communities. The course examines the effect of social, cultural and economic forces upon human behavior. The course emphasizes empowerment and the promotion of economic and social justice in the macro social environment.
SWK 301 Social Welfare Policies and Services (3)
In this course you will learn about the history and current structure of social welfare services, and the role of government, the legislative process and policy in social service delivery, social work practice, and attainment of individual and social well-being. Course content provides students with knowledge and skills to understand major policies that form the foundation of social welfare, and the relation of the governmental process to policy development. The course introduces the student to policy practice skills in regard to economic, political, and organizational systems.
SWK 302 Social Work Practice With Individuals and Families (3)
This course introduces you to the generalist skills and values of culturally competent social work practice with individuals and families. Through lectures, role-plays, and video recordings, you learn how to interview clients and assess functioning and mental status, and how to engage clients in effective social work practice. This course also teaches specific practice skills with populations at risk, such as survivors of trauma, children, and elderly.
SWK 303 Mental Health and Mental Illness (3)
In this class, you are introduced to the history and study of mental illness. By using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IVR, you learn to understand and make descriptive assessments and diagnosis of mental illness, such as mood and psychotic disorders. You also focus on how race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, and other social variables can impact mental health.
SWK 307 Social Group Work (3)
In this course you are introduced to the theory and practice of contemporary social work practice with groups. During this class you participate in lectures as well as a semester-long experiential group. This class prepares you to provide services to different groups, such as adolescents, elderly, and ethnically diverse racial groups in a variety of settings.
SWK 310 Social Work Research (3)
This course introduces you to research theory and methods that will inform your practice of social work. In addition to learning about the basic research process, you will also develop skills in applying research methods. The course will include both quantitative and qualitative methods and will emphasize ethics in research.
SWK 315 Social Work Practice With Communities (3)
The goal of this course is to give students an understanding and appreciation of the role of the social worker in the community. The course is concerned with understanding and analyzing communities. Important components of the community are discussed, including: the political power structure and representation, population groups, educational and health systems, housing, the economic base, and the social service network. Social work roles in dealing with injustice and oppression are presented. Students learn skills of empowerment, advocacy, citizen participation, and community organization. These include the ability to communicate with community groups through public speaking, writing clearly, and the utilization of technology to make community presentations.
SWK 401 D Field Work Practicum (3)
This course will promote an understanding of the relationship between psychology and the law by showing how psychological research and theory inform the legal system. Topics include psychologists in the court, ethics in practice, criminal profiles, and assessment and rehabilitation approaches for criminal offenders.
SWK 401 E Field Work Practicum (3)
This course continues a supervised practicum experience in a social work setting. The field practicum provides you with an opportunity toput into practice the knowledge, values, skills, and research that you have learned in your social work classes. You are required to be in practicum for 100 hours. You will work with a range of diverse populations, and will make community connections. A major piece of the practicum is the start of a research project that contributes to the practicum setting.
SWK 401F Field Work Practicum (3)
This course continues a supervised practicum experience in a social work setting. The field practicum provides you with an opportunity to put into practice the knowledge, values, skills, and research that you have learned in your social work classes. You are required to be in practicum for 100 hours. You will work with a range of diverse populations, and will make community connections. During the practicum, you will intervene with individuals and families, but will also develop an understanding of sociopolitical issues, oppression, discrimination, injustice, and their impact on clients. A major piece of the practicum is the continuation of a research project that contributes to the practicum setting.
SWK 401G Field Work Practicum (3)
This course continues a supervised practicum experience in a social work setting. The field practicum provides you with an opportunity to put into practice the knowledge, values, skills, and research that you have learned in your social work classes. You are required to be in practicum for 100 hours. You will work with a range of diverse populations, and will make community connections. During the practicum, you will intervene with individuals and families, but will also develop an understanding of sociopolitical issues, oppression, discrimination, injustice, and their impact on clients. A major piece of the practicum is the completion of aresearch project that contributes to the practicum setting.
SWK 402 Advanced Practice (3)
This course is taken during the same semester as the field practicum. Students leave their agencies to attend one three-hour class that is held in seminar fashion. This is an advanced generalist practice course that integrates all of the learning from previous practice classes. You will apply this learning to experiences in your practice settings. The class also functions as a supervision group, where you discuss problematic cases and learn from one another.
SWK 404 Survey of Social Work Issues (3)
This is the capstone course for social work majors. You will examine the CORE competencies required of social workers and develop reflection papers on each area. The students complete the development of the portfolio in this class. This is a seminar course, with students taking major initiative to research and present materials for discussion.
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