Social Work (SWK)

SWK 510 Human Behavior and Soc Envir (3 credits)

This course implements a generalist framework to prepare students for practice with individuals across the lifespan. Culturally-responsive theories explaining the influence of societal interactions and the impact of broader social systems will be discussed in relation to social work practice.

Restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

SWK 540 Foundations of SW Practice (3 credits)

This course is designed to provide foundational knowledge and practice skills for generalist level social work practitioners. Legal and ethical issues will be discussed as guiding factors for practice with individuals, families, groups, communities, and organizations. Students will engage in self-reflective processes and gain insight about the importance of supervision and consultation to guide professional decision-making in on-site and virtual settings.

Restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

SWK 541 Individual & Group SW Practice (3 credits)

This course will prepare students with culturally-responsive social work practice skills to support the well-being of individuals, families, and small groups. Students will learn cultural humility skills to manage biases such as critical reflection. Culturally- responsive engagement skills and acknowledging clients as experts in their own lived experiences will be emphasized.

Restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

SWK 550 Foundation Clinical Assessment (3 credits)

This course is designed to introduce students to the purpose and development of clinical assessment and diagnostic tools in social service settings. The role of human behavior and person-in-environment theories, and strengths-based approaches will be discussed in relation to assessment tools. The concepts of bias, personal values and beliefs will be explored in relation to diagnostic processes.

Restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

SWK 560 Human Rights in SW Practice (3 credits)

This course introduces students to social work practice and the intersections of diversity and forms of injustice in a global context. Intersections of diversity are discussed in relation to human rights, social justice, historical and contemporary forms of oppression. Theoretical perspectives and practice strategies for addressing factors including social, financial, and environmental justice and promoting human rights will be emphasized.

Restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

SWK 561 Practice with Orgs & Community (3 credits)

This course highlights the processes and functions of communities and capacity building, organizational development, interprofessional conceptual frameworks, and culturally-responsive practice with organizations and communities. Concepts of bias, power, privilege, and professional self-reflection will be discussed.

Restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

SWK 565 Culturally-Responsive Research (3 credits)

This course explores the role of social workers as consumers of research to inform practice decisions. Introductory research concepts pertaining to knowledge development and scientific methods will be discussed. Descriptive and inferential statistics concepts will be practiced and interpreted. Students will learn to critically examine research reports from an ethics-based and culturally-inclusive lens.

Restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

SWK 570 Special Topics in Social Work (3 credits)

Topics will vary according to the semester in which the class is offered.

Restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

SWK 580 Generalist Field Education I (3 credits)

Field education is defined as the signature pedagogy or primary method of teaching social work knowledge, skills, and abilities in social work education. The generalist field education integrates your theoretical and conceptual knowledge from courses and provides the opportunity for you to apply it within a community setting. The integration of theory, knowledge, and practice within a community setting exemplifies the competency-based framework designed for social work education. Graduate-level social work students are required to complete 400 structured field education hours across two semesters while successfully demonstrating generalist-level practice competencies. The field education experience includes 200 hours of experience in a community setting per semester (SWK 580 and SWK 581) and monthly 2-hour Field Advisement processing sessions. Field Advisement sessions are used to process field experiences, promote reflection and growth, apply ethical standards, and engage in consultation with your Field Advisor and MSW program peers in a group setting. The field education experience must take place in a community setting that meets the social work education standards and is coordinated by the MSW Program Field Coordinator.

Restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

SWK 581 Generalist Field Education II (3 credits)

Field education is defined as the signature pedagogy or primary method of teaching social work knowledge, skills, and abilities in social work education. The generalist field education integrates your theoretical and conceptual knowledge from courses and provides the opportunity for you to apply it within a community setting. The integration of theory, knowledge, and practice within a community setting exemplifies the competency-based framework designed for social work education. Graduate-level social work students are required to complete 400 structured field education hours across two semesters while successfully demonstrating generalist-level practice competencies. The field education experience includes 200 hours of experience in a community setting per semester (SWK 580 and SWK 581) and monthly 2-hour Field Advisement processing sessions. Field Advisement sessions are used to process field experiences, promote reflection and growth, apply ethical standards, and engage in consultation with your Field Advisor and MSW program peers in a group setting. The field education experience must take place in a community setting that meets the social work education standards and is coordinated by the MSW Program Field Coordinator.

Prerequisites: SWK 580

Restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

SWK 591 Social Welfare Policy & Change (3 credits)

This course provides an overview of the history, structure, functions, and impact of social programs and policies from a contemporary perspective. Students will examine the intricacies and influences of comparable policies across the global environment from a cultural lens. Issues of social justice are discussed in relation to social work practice, policy development and analysis, and social change.

Restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

SWK 600 Advanced Integrative Seminar (3 credits)

This integrative seminar course is designed to prepare newly admitted Advanced Standing students for the advanced generalist year of study. This course synthesizes the generalist curriculum and presents it through the lens of evidence-based practice with culturally diverse populations. Students will critically examine research reports from an ethics-based and culturally-inclusive lens, connect them with biopsychosocial-spiritual assessments, and situate them within the client and practitioner’s cultural, community, organizational, and policy context. Content including ethical standards, anti-racist and anti-oppressive frameworks in social work, and field education preparation for advanced generalist practice will be addressed.

Restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

SWK 620 Advanced SW Interventions (3 credits)

This clinical course builds upon generalist human behavior and social environment theories and introductory group practice skills through the use of assessment and diagnostic screening procedures for therapy groups. Clinical intervention theories and strategies in group practice will be discussed and applied in relation to group stages, termination, and post-group maintenance. Diversity considerations will be emphasized in group screening, facilitation, and evaluation processes. Group evaluation procedures will be applied to improve group practice effectiveness in clinical settings.

Restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

SWK 641 Leadership & Entrepreneurship (3 credits)

This course is designed to examine leadership strategies, clinical supervision theories, and entrepreneurship skills in the development of for-profit and nonprofit organizations. Key management functions and staff development strategies will be discussed. Core leadership skills for promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the work setting will be emphasized.

Restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

SWK 642 Advanced Clinical Assessment (3 credits)

This clinical course builds upon the generalist curriculum through the integration of theory, assessment, diagnosis, and advanced practice skills. In-depth analysis of symptoms and etiology of mental health diagnoses through case analyses will take place. Students will learn the harmful impact of upcoding and downcoding in relation to diagnoses, the role of third party providers, and the various uses of clinical assessment beyond diagnostic procedures. Evidence-based and evidence-informed treatment procedures will be emphasized. Culturally-inclusive assessment methods, the role of spirituality in relation to human behavior, mental health and well-being will be discussed. Concepts including self-care, compassion fatigue, and vicarious trauma in relation to social worker well-being will be addressed.

Restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

SWK 660 Advanced Practice: Well-Being (3 credits)

This clinical course builds upon and extends the generalist framework through the development of advanced knowledge and skills for intervening with individuals and families. Evidence-based and evidence-informed practice models are implemented from a culturally-responsive perspective. The fundamentals of trauma-informed practice, brief intervention approaches, and advanced clinical skills are emphasized.

Restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

SWK 661 Advanced Practice: Community (3 credits)

This course is designed for skill development including grant writing, building community and organizational program sustainability strategies. Culturally responsive, evidence-informed interventions to achieve community and organizational goals will be addressed. Interprofessional strategies for advocacy on behalf of constituencies will be emphasized.

Restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

SWK 680 Advanced Field Education I (4 credits)

The advanced generalist field education is designed to build upon and extend the knowledge and skills learned during the generalist curriculum. Advanced year social work students are required to complete 500 structured field education hours across two semesters while successfully demonstrating advanced generalist-level practice behaviors. The field education experience includes 250 hours of experience in a community setting per semester (SWK 680 and SWK 681) and monthly 2-hour Field Advisement processing sessions. Field Advisement sessions are used to process field experiences, promote reflection and growth, apply ethical standards, and engage in consultation with your Field Advisor and MSW program peers in a group setting. The advanced field education experience must take place in a community setting that meets the social work education standards for advanced generalist practice and is coordinated by the MSW Program Field Coordinator.

Restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

SWK 681 Advanced Field Education II (4 credits)

The advanced generalist field education is designed to build upon and extend the knowledge and skills learned during the generalist curriculum. Advanced year social work students are required to complete 500 structured field education hours across two semesters while successfully demonstrating advanced generalist-level practice behaviors. The field education experience includes 250 hours of experience in a community setting per semester (SWK 680 and SWK 681) and monthly 2-hour Field Advisement processing sessions. Field Advisement sessions are used to process field experiences, promote reflection and growth, apply ethical standards, and engage in consultation with your Field Advisor and MSW program peers in a group setting. The advanced field education experience must take place in a community setting that meets the social work education standards for advanced generalist practice and is coordinated by the MSW Program Field Coordinator.

Restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.

SWK 695 Program Evaluation in Practice (3 credits)

This course is designed to engage students in the application of research skills to inform and improve social work practice and programs. Program evaluation methods will be used to analyze practice and program outcomes to advance social work approaches and enhance organizational policies. Anti-racist and anti-oppressive practices in research procedures will be emphasized.

Prerequisites: SWK 680

Restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.