BA in Social Work Curriculum & Syllabi

Overview of social work values, ethics, arenas of practice, and problem areas. Includes forty-hours (40) experiential learning/ volunteer placement/ civic engagement within a social service agency. 

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“Black lives matter. Black thought matters. Black writing matters. Black writing about Black lives matters. Black thought matters. Black scholarship, criticism, and research matter. Black memory matters…” Louis-Chude Sokei, 2020 in “What Was Black Studies?” 

Blackness is not a monolith. Racism does not require the actions nor the intent of individuals. In understanding Anti-Black Racism, we must also understand the nuance within “Black” as a culture, race, and lived experience. In this course, reading, critical thinking, and skills building to confront Anti-Black racism are our main concern. This class will delve into the varied experiences, thoughts, and scholarship of Black and African writers. 

The readings should make you question your beliefs, positionality, actions, and as social justice advocates, inactions. Using Black writers from various disciplines, including social work, we will explore ways to actively and daily disrupt Anti-Black racism. Guided by the authors, and those who came before us, as a class we will choose a social action to take that will aid in the movement to eliminate Anti-Black racism. 
This class will create opportunities for metacognition (thinking about your thinking), introspection, and reflection. These opportunities will be elicited and integrated throughout the semester as you engage in vulnerability and critically reflect in writings and discussion posts with your classmates. Let us get used to the sound of your voice, words, and thought—because it matters and is part of the journey to understanding Anti-Black racism. We will approach reading as a personal transaction between you and the text. What did the book(s) make you think of, feel, remember, wonder about? Are you uncomfortable yet? Good, that means we’re doing this right. 

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The purpose of this course is to help students learn about different experiences that can occur during mid and older adulthood and prepare them for engaging with older members of society in their personal and professional roles. Systems that impact the aging experience during mid and older adulthood will be reviewed and analyzed. Students will be encouraged to reimagine their understanding about older members of society and identify anti-oppressive approaches for supporting this subpopulation.

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This course provides an overview of housing inequality in the United States, and homelessness* as a product of this type of inequity. It uses theory, first-person accounts from people experiencing housing insecurity, and a social justice/equity lens to examine whether homelessness is an intractable social issue or a solvable policy problem. Students will reflect on their own perceptions of homelessness, explore causes and consequences of housing inequity, and learn about programmatic and advocacy efforts to address this issue in the United States. 

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This course focuses on understanding, and analyzing childhood (birth through 18) in the United States context, examine the multiple social systems that children/youth come into contact with and consider how these systems perpetuate inequitable outcomes. These include: the school system, child welfare and juvenile justice system, the health system and the immigration system. The course will use developmental theories and a social justice/equity lens to examine childhood and explore how race, gender and social class may influence inequality within these systems. Theory application in regards to social justice will also be explored. Particular consideration will be given to theories of change, culturally responsive practice, and privilege. 

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“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens could change the world.  Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”  - Margaret Mead 

This course explores global social work, past and present, and the application of social work to vulnerable groups around the globe. Students will learn about different applications of social work and social services delivery systems around the globe. Students will apply social work values, knowledge and skills to address global problems. Student will explore the peer-reviewed literature, grey literature, and databases on international development applied to a selected country and specialized field of practice of the student’s choice. Students will explore their international career goals through the focused exploration of a specific development issue within a country or region of the globe.

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This course provides an overview of the contemporary challenge of interpersonal violence through the lens of social justice, which is a foundation of the field of social work. It describes the causes and consequences of child maltreatment, peer violence, intimate partner violence and sexual assault. Students will discuss research/science informed prevention and response solutions in schools, health care, and community settings from a multidisciplinary perspective.

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This course traces the history of social welfare and within it the evolving role of social work. An analytic approach is used to highlight the social, economic, political, and philosophical forces that effect problem formulation and which lead to, or inhibit, changes in social policies and programs. An overview of current patterns of provision is given with an analytic framework which enables critical evaluation of social welfare provisions. Special attention is given to the values and perspectives of the society, groups-at-risk, the social work profession, and students.

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The policy development process will be examined using an analytic framework that explores the relationship between problem definitions and the goals and objectives of policy alternatives, forms of benefits, eligibility criteria, service delivery, and financing. Legislative processes of public policy making will be reviewed, and methods of influencing the policy making process – particularly with regard to social work advocacy - will be explored. In illustration of these processes we will study the nature and dimensions of poverty in America and the development and implementation of anti-poverty policy.

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To equip and prepare students for social work practice with diverse and vulnerable populations within a variety of social work settings, this course will focus on issues and skills essential in the development of a professional identity including: the professional use of self; the ability to apply social work values and ethics in practice; the differential use of communication skills in practice; the use of supervision appropriate to generalist practice; the professional role within an organizational setting; awareness of organizational dynamics and change; and understanding the need for continued professional growth.

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An analysis of the relationship between institutionalized practices and the risk factors associated with particular groups within our society will be explored. Contemporary groups, currently at risk for negative outcomes, will be discussed. For example: the older adults, retirees, veterans, persons with disabilities, refugees, women, minoritized groups and those participating in alternative lifestyles. Structural and environmental obstacles impeding the functioning of these groups will be explored.

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Theories, themes, and issues concerning the interaction among individuals—as they grow, change, and develop over the life course—and their social context are reviewed. Theories and assumptions about human behavior and diversity are critically applied to social work contexts. Values and ethical issues related to biopsychosocial development are examined.

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Theories and knowledge of action groups, organizations and communities as the context for micro and macro social practice. Ways in which systems promote or deter people in the maintenance or attainment of optimal health and well-being. Evaluation and application of theory to client situations to understand how macro systems affect client benefit.

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Introduction to scientific, analytic, approach to building knowledge and skills, including the role of concepts and theory, hypothesis formulation, operationalization, research design, data collection, data processing, statistical analysis, introductory computer skills, and report writing.

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This diversity and oppression course will introduce a range of diverse populations by race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and physical differences. Additionally, students will examine the role, function, and effects of oppression in society as it relates to social, economic, and environmental justice. Assumptions underlying theory and research methodologies from which basic constructs of human behavior are drawn will be examined to understand how power and other dynamics manage and sustain oppression at the individual and institutional levels. Also of interest here is how oppression affects service delivery at micro and macro levels, particularly social policies and strategic planning which drive the shape of services.

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The primary purpose of the Foundation Practicum is to educate students to apply a generalist problem-solving approach within a person-in-environment perspective. Students use professional social work field instruction to advance learning and apply foundation knowledge, and social work ethics and values to their practice with clients and communities that enhance social well-being.

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This is the first half of two required sequential courses in the Professional Foundation Year. It provides the basic knowledge and skills as a foundation for the advanced practice curriculum. Using a problem-solving model in an ecological perspective, the course prepares students to apply a generalist practice perspective to systems of all sizes and levels. Essential values, concepts, and ethical considerations as they pertain to generalist social work practice are explored.

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The primary purpose of the Foundation Practicum is to educate students to apply a generalist problem-solving approach within a person-in-environment perspective. Students use professional social work field instruction to advance learning and apply foundation knowledge, and social work ethics and values to their practice with clients and communities that enhance social well-being.

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The second of two foundation practice courses based on a generalist social work perspective, this course uses a problem-solving model for work with Macro (organization and community) systems and considers implications for at-risk groups.

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This seminar course integrates all areas of prior and concurrent course learning as it applies to “real-life” field situations. Critical thinking skills and use of the social work profession’s knowledge base are emphasized.

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This seminar is an online course that will focus on child maltreatment, the development and evolution of child protective services in the United States, and emerging practices in the treatment and prevention of child neglect and abuse. Attachment, separation, and the effects of maltreatment on the developing child will be examined. Different models of child maltreatment will be presented and the development of skills in recognition, assessment, use of authority, and provision of continuing services will be emphasized. Identifying risk factors, such as, substance abuse, mental illness, and domestic violence will be addressed. Attention will be given to substitute care and interprofessional issues. This course is required for the concentration in child welfare and will usually be taken in conjunction with a supervised field placement in an agency addressing the needs of children and families. 

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