Social Work (SOWK)
SOWK 150 Introduction to Social Work3 Credits
Exploration of professional social work, including its history, purpose, goals, values, ethics, and mission to enhance human well-being and alleviate poverty and oppression. Includes areas of practice, child welfare, mental health, developmental disabilities, health care, criminal justice, the workplace, diversity, aging, housing, and homelessness through a generalist framework. Special focus on diversity, social justice, and impacts/mechanisms of oppression and discrimination.
Terms Typically Offered: Fall, Spring.
SOWK 210 Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) in Social Work3 Credits
Examination of power, privilege, and oppression through an intersectional lens. Incorporation of a social justice lens unique to social work. Special focus on advocacy and activism in social work as key components of anti-racist and anti-oppressive practice. Utilization of critical theories to understand the root causes of local, national, and global inequality and inequity.
Terms Typically Offered: Fall, Spring.
SOWK 296 Topics:1-3 Credits
Course may be taken multiple times up to maximum of 15 credit hours.
SOWK 301 Child Welfare3 Credits
Signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect of children. Family dynamics in abuse and neglect, and programs of prevention and intervention. Explores foster care, adoptions, delinquency problems, poverty and homelessness, and related issues in child welfare. Examines the crime of human trafficking.
Prerequisites: SOWK 150.
SOWK 308 Medical Social Work3 Credits
Explores interface of social work and patients' rights, medical decision-making, case management, process of diagnosis and treatment, palliative and end-of-life care, and the concept of health care consumer. Focus on the current health care system in the United State, the interface of health care and populations-at-risk, and role of the social worker in medical settings.
Prerequisites: SOWK 150.
SOWK 311 Ethical Issues in Social Work3 Credits
Analysis of specific ethical dilemmas from personal, professional, and policy perspectives. Focus on ethical issues common to the social work profession. Practice of ethical decision-making and connections to ethical theories. Utilization of National Association of Social Work (NASW) Code of Ethics as guide to decision making.
Prerequisites: Admission to the BSW program.
Terms Typically Offered: Fall.
SOWK 320 Social Work Practices in Mental Health3 Credits
Study of mental health diagnoses, the diagnostic process, impacts of mental health on social problems, and issues related to mental health diagnoses in wider-scope systems and culture. Exploration of research on mental health diagnoses and discussions on treatment and impacts of mental health issues on culture and systemic capacity.
Prerequisites: Admission to the BSW program.
Terms Typically Offered: Spring.
SOWK 325 Nature-Based Interventions for Individual and Community Health3 Credits
Principles that promote physical and emotional wellbeing, social connectedness, and resilience through access to nature and the outdoors. Assessment of equitable access to community outdoor recreation resources. Synthesis of data on the health benefits of nature. Investigation of cross-sector partnerships, with a focus on identifying funding for community health goals.
Prerequisites: OREC 205 or SOWK 150.
Equivalent Course(s): OREC 350
Terms Typically Offered: Fall.
SOWK 340 Case Management3 Credits
Exploration of the role of case management in the context of mental health and human services delivery systems. Attention paid to the ways in which social workers identify and use social work values, ethics, and practice models within the context of the diverse and competing needs present in case management service systems.
Prerequisites: SOWK 150.
Terms Typically Offered: Fall, Spring.
SOWK 344 School Social Work3 Credits
Overview of social work practice in an educational setting. Cooperative work with school personnel in the identification, prevention and treatment of social, emotional and behavioral problems of children and intervention techniques with parents.
Prerequisites: SOWK 150.
SOWK 350 Legal Aspects of Social Work3 Credits
Exploration of the roles of the social worker in the legal field. Legal terms, procedures, state and federal court systems studied. The legal aspects of protective services for children and adults, the child support laws and the juvenile justice system examined.
Prerequisites: SOWK 150.
SOWK 355 Social Work with Immigrants and Refugees3 Credits
History of immigration to the United States, with special focus on immigrants and refugees from minoritized groups. Application of the social work helping process to immigrant and refugee populations. Examination of social work theories and micro, meso, and macro interventions, with emphasis on immigrant and refugee voices.
Prerequisites: SOWK 150.
Terms Typically Offered: Spring.
SOWK 365 Social Work Intervention Methods I3 Credits
Application of social work theory to practice with individuals and families. Focus on engaging clients in the helping process, interviewing skills, assessment tools, social histories, goal writing, termination, and evaluation. Application of systems and ecological frameworks to practice situations. Examination of strengths-based assessments, phases of helping relationships, and dynamics of change in interpersonal helping relationships through anti-racist and anti-oppressive practice.
Prerequisites: Admission to the BSW program.
Terms Typically Offered: Fall.
SOWK 375 Social Work Intervention Methods II3 Credits
Examination of generalist social work roles and techniques in social work practice with groups. Application of social work helping process to groups. Study of theories about groups and group processes, building skills necessary for effective practice, and exploring leadership, group cohesion, and group dynamics. Special focus on group practice from a social justice lens.
Prerequisites: Admission to the BSW program.
Terms Typically Offered: Spring.
SOWK 377 Spirituality and Social Work3 Credits
Overview of the knowledge, values, and skills to provide spiritually sensitive social work practice. Prepare generalist social work practitioners to work with clients and their families from a holistic framework (bio, psycho, social, cultural, spiritual) and with diversity and respect. Use of interview techniques, spirituality assessments, and strengths-based approaches.
Prerequisites: SOWK 150.
SOWK 381 Gerontology and Social Work3 Credits
Overview of health aspects of aging in the United States. Explores theories of aging, social and health issues, family and caregiving dynamics, and end of life concerns. Prepares generalist social work practitioners to work with older clients and their families and with service delivery systems addressing the needs of this population.
Prerequisites: SOWK 150.
SOWK 385 Social Work Intervention Methods III3 Credits
Utilization of social work theories and models of change on organizations and communities. Introductory overview of strategies, tactics, and techniques of social change. Focus on strengths and empowerment perspectives with organizations and community systems. Exploration of power, power dynamics, building constituencies, mobilizing resources, networking, political participation, leadership development, and grassroots development.
Prerequisites: Admission to the BSW program.
Terms Typically Offered: Fall.
SOWK 387 Social Work Research3 Credits
Evaluation of qualitative and quantitative research methods. Development of critical engagement with research findings to strengthen social work practice. Research design and implementation of projects, programs, and policies that address the needs of populations. Proficiency using reference management software. Production of secondary research relevant to social work using an anti-racist and anti-oppressive framework.
Prerequisites: Admission to the BSW program.
Terms Typically Offered: Spring.
SOWK 394 Social Work Practicum Seminar I1 Credit
Introductory study of core competencies and practice behaviors set by Council of Social Work Education (CSWE), discussion of practicum-related issues, and professional development. Implementation of critically reflexive social work in practice. Utilization of social work theories and application to practicum.
Prerequisites: Admission to the BSW program.
Corequisites: SOWK 397 and SOWK 411.
Terms Typically Offered: Fall.
SOWK 396 Topics:1-3 Credits
Course may be taken multiple times up to maximum of 15 credit hours.
SOWK 397 Social Work Practicum I5 Credits
Completion of initial required hours to achieve core competencies in generalist practice setting, in accordance with signature pedagogy of social work education. Introductory application of theories, techniques, and concepts through observation and participation in supervised activities. Achievement of learning objectives in practicum experiences.
Prerequisites: Admission to the BSW Program.
Corequisites: SOWK 394 and SOWK 411.
Terms Typically Offered: Fall.
SOWK 411 Practicum Supervision I1 Credit
Supervised introductory practicum experience in a group setting. Critical thinking, ethical considerations, and practice implications. Tracking of practicum learning goals through consultation and introductory review of both CSWE core competencies and practice behaviors.
Prerequisites: Admission to the BSW program.
Corequisites: SOWK 394 and SOWK 397.
Terms Typically Offered: Fall.
SOWK 412 Practicum Supervision II1 Credit
Supervised practicum experience in a group setting. Critical thinking, ethical considerations, and practice implications. Tracking of practicum learning goals through consultation and an in-depth review of both CSWE core competencies and practice behaviors.
Prerequisites: Admission to the BSW program.
Corequisites: SOWK 494 and SOWK 497.
Terms Typically Offered: Spring.
SOWK 460 Social Policy3 Credits
Exploration of the nature and development of social welfare policies. Analysis of history of social services, policy in service delivery, and global, federal, state, and local policies on housing, health care, human rights, and the economy. Intersection of social work practice with social policy, legislation, and the processes of influencing public policy.
Prerequisites: Admission to the BSW program.
Terms Typically Offered: Spring.
SOWK 461 Rural Social Work3 Credits
Examination of rural and small community life, its value systems, customs, politics, and economic structures. Implications for the lives of people in rural settings and for generalist social work practice and human service delivery.
Prerequisites: SOWK 150.
Terms Typically Offered: Fall, Spring.
SOWK 491 Directed Readings1-5 Credits
Student and/or faculty initiated special projects/independent study that explores some aspect of social work theory or practice such as: intervention methods, policy, research, populations-at-risk, values and ethics, aging, spirituality, child welfare, addictions, mental health, social and economic justice, and diversity
Prerequisites: SOWK 150, SOWK 210, SOWK 320, SOWK 365, SOWK 375, SOWK 387, senior standing, instructor permission, and a plan for study.
SOWK 494 Social Work Practicum Seminar II1 Credit
Advanced study of core competencies and generalist practice behaviors set by Council of Social Work Education (CSWE), discussion of practicum-related issues, and professional development. Implementation of critically reflexive social work in practice. Utilization of social work theories and application to practicum.
Prerequisites: Admission to the BSW program.
Corequisites: SOWK 412 and SOWK 497.
Terms Typically Offered: Spring.
SOWK 495 Independent Study1-3 Credits
Course may be taken multiple times up to maximum of 6 credit hours.
SOWK 497 Social Work Practicum II5 Credits
Completion of additional required hours to achieve core competencies in generalist practice setting, in accordance with signature pedagogy of social work education. Advanced application of theories, techniques, and concepts through observation and participation in supervised activities. Achievement of learning objectives in practicum experiences.
Prerequisites: Admission to BSW Program.
Corequisites: SOWK 412 and SOWK 494.
Terms Typically Offered: Spring.
SOWK 510 History and Philosophy of Social Work3 Credits
Introduction to the social work profession and its historical development. Explores practice setting and vulnerable populations served by social workers. Provides an overview of the knowledge, values, skills, and practice behaviors required for social workers.
Terms Typically Offered: Fall.
SOWK 511 Human Behavior and Social Environment3 Credits
Social work perspective on human development across the life cycle. Focuses on the biological, psychological, social, cultural and spiritual aspects of human functioning across a lifetime.
Terms Typically Offered: Fall.
SOWK 512 Social Justice in Social Work Practice3 Credits
Focus on power and privilege dynamics to increase students’ awareness, knowledge, and critical skills related to diversity, human rights, social and economic justice, and anti-racist practices.
Terms Typically Offered: Spring.
SOWK 513 Social Work Theory and Practice with Individuals and Families3 Credits
Knowledge, values, and skill development across micro (individual) and mezzo (group) areas of practice. Focuses on developing clinical skills to engage clients and families in the planned change process including engagement, assessment, intervention, termination and evaluation of services.
Terms Typically Offered: Fall.
SOWK 514 Social Work Theory and Practice with Groups, Organizations, and Communities3 Credits
Knowledge, values, and skill development in group work, organizations, and in communities. Focuses on developing skills to identify and engage constituencies, mobilize resources, network, engage in political participation, and develop grassroots organization.
Terms Typically Offered: Spring.
SOWK 515 Social Work Policy and Practice3 Credits
Examination of social welfare policy from historical, political, economic, social, and cultural perspectives. Skill development for political advocacy and the process of policy formulation/development, implementation, and evaluation/analysis at the local, state, and federal levels of government.
Terms Typically Offered: Spring.
SOWK 516 Psychopathology for Social Work Practice3 Credits
Introduction to psychological dysfunction associated with distress or impaired functioning that is not typical, or expected, based on cultural and societal norms. Content is organized in accordance with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).
Terms Typically Offered: Spring.
SOWK 521 Advanced Ethical, Legal, and Professional Issues in Social Work Practice3 Credits
Discussion of values, professional ethics, guidelines for making ethical decisions, ethical dilemmas in professional practice, professional relationships, and laws that impact social work.
Terms Typically Offered: Spring.
SOWK 522 Clinical Supervision and Leadership in Social Work Practice3 Credits
Exploration of various leadership traits, theories, conflict management, laws, and the role of diversity in supervision and leadership. Examines various contexts of practice and the influence of politics, economics, technology, and sociocultural factors on leadership and supervision.
Terms Typically Offered: Spring.
SOWK 523 Advanced Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families3 Credits
Theory and practice of clinical social work, emphasizing social justice frameworks and life course perspectives. Emphasizes specialized, strengths-based approaches to all phases of social work practice.
Terms Typically Offered: Fall.
SOWK 524 Advanced Social Work Practice with Groups, Organizations, and Communities3 Credits
Advanced theories, approaches, and skills in social work practice to address complex social issues with disenfranchised groups. This course will engage in effective change in the macro-level social systems environment (e.g., groups, organizations, institutions, communities, and society at large).
Terms Typically Offered: Fall.
SOWK 525 Social Work Research and Program Evaluation3 Credits
Evaluation of social work research across micro and macro-level perspectives. Students will identify issues related to the design, monitoring, and assessment of social work programs and interventions, using both quantitative and qualitative methods.
Terms Typically Offered: Spring.
SOWK 526 Advanced Psychopathology for Social Work Practice3 Credits
Advanced, comprehensive overview of psychopathology from a historical and current scientific perspective. Focus on conceptualization of issues, systems of classification and diagnosis, research design methods, clinical symptomatology, differential diagnosis, testing, and etiology of psychopathology across a lifetime.
Terms Typically Offered: Fall.
SOWK 551 Trauma Informed Practice3 Credits
Exploration of the nature and meaning of trauma, assessing and identifying trauma, and effective practices for treating trauma. Focus on clinical assessments for trauma, understanding diagnosis and trauma, and relational processes as they apply to assessment, case conceptualization, treatment, and theological understandings of trauma therapy and interventions.
Terms Typically Offered: Summer.
SOWK 552 Restorative Justice and Social Work3 Credits
Examination of conceptual framework, strategies, and benefits of restorative approaches to social worker roles and responsibilities. Develop historical and theoretical understanding of restorative approaches, build restorative-based skills, and apply restorative approaches to a variety of client population systems, settings, and needs.
Terms Typically Offered: Summer.
SOWK 553 Substance Abuse: Assessment, Interventions, and Treatment3 Credits
Development of knowledge, assessment, and intervention skills utilized to work with individuals experiencing problems with the use of psychoactive substances.
Terms Typically Offered: Summer.
SOWK 554 Crisis Intervention and Social Work3 Credits
Advanced clinical practice to increase knowledge and skills for working in crisis situations. Apply crisis interventions and theories to various issues such as suicide, sexual assault, domestic violence, substance abuse, grief and loss, mental health, and violent behaviors. A bio-psycho-social and cultural emphasis will be applied to the various problem covered.
Terms Typically Offered: Summer.
SOWK 555 Global Relations and International Social Work3 Credits
Exploration and critique of how political, economic, cultural, religious, and environmental factors impact social welfare policies, social work practice, and social development globally.
Terms Typically Offered: Summer.
SOWK 594A Field Education: Foundation Seminar I1 Credit
Integration of foundational social work knowledge, values, and skills into competent practice.
Corequisites: SOWK 597A.
Terms Typically Offered: Fall.
SOWK 594B Field Education: Foundation Seminar II1 Credit
Integration of foundational social work knowledge, values, and skills into competent practice. Continuation of SOWK 594A.
Corequisites: SOWK 597B.
Terms Typically Offered: Spring.
SOWK 594C Field Education: Advanced Seminar I1 Credit
Integration of advanced social work knowledge, values, and skills into competent practice.
Corequisites: SOWK 599A.
Terms Typically Offered: Fall.
SOWK 594D Field Education: Advanced Seminar II1 Credit
Integration of advanced social work knowledge, values, and skills into competent practice. Continuation of SOWK 594C.
Corequisites: SOWK 599B.
Terms Typically Offered: Spring.
SOWK 596 Topics:1-3 Credits
Course may be taken multiple times up to maximum of 15 credit hours.
SOWK 597A Field Education: Social Work Practicum I5 Credits
Integrative experience of theory and practice at the foundational level. Provides students with opportunities to apply theories, techniques, and concepts through observation and supervised participation in practice. Field education is the signature pedagogy of social work.
Corequisites: SOWK 594A.
Terms Typically Offered: Fall.
SOWK 597B Field Education: Social Work Practicum II5 Credits
Integrative experience of theory and practice at the foundational level. Provides students with opportunities to apply theories, techniques, and concepts through observation and supervised participation in practice. Field education is the signature pedagogy of social work. Continuation of SOWK 597A.
Corequisites: SOWK 594B.
Terms Typically Offered: Spring.
SOWK 599A Field Education: Social Work Internship I6 Credits
Integrative experience of theory and practice at the advanced level. Provides students with opportunities to apply theories, techniques, and concepts through observation, co-facilitation, and independent practice. Field education is the signature pedagogy of social work.
Corequisites: SOWK 594C.
Terms Typically Offered: Fall.
SOWK 599B Field Education: Social Work Internship II6 Credits
Integrative experience of theory and practice at the advanced level. Provides students with opportunities to apply theories, techniques, and concepts through observation, co-facilitation, and independent practice. Field education is the signature pedagogy of social work. Continuation of SOWK 599A.
Corequisites: SOWK 594D.
Terms Typically Offered: Spring.