COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
SWK 510-513 Foundation Practicum I through IV (2 each, 8 total)
Field Education is designed, coordinated, supervised, and evaluated on the basis of criteria by which students demonstrate the achievement of the generalist social work program objectives. Students are required to complete 450 hours of field education at an approved practicum setting that meets the criteria for social work field education as stated by the Council of Social Work Education. Field Education is divided into 3 terms total and 1 summer term (Practicum I, Practicum II, Practicum III, and Practicum IV) that will require 112.5 clock hours each for a total of 450.
SWK 520 Human Development (3)
This course presnets a thorough survey of the life cycle from early childhood to death. Topics include life-cycle theories of development, developmental tasks, normal-abnormal behavior, models of moral, intellectual, social and physical development and learning theories. Strategies resulting from theory and treatment models for specific concerns in the life cycle will be emphasized.
SWK 530 Research Methods (3)
The purpose of this course is to provide an overviewing of research design. This overview consists of understanidng the preliminary considerations that go into a qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods research design. These include knowing the definition for these different approaches, considering philosophical worldviews, reviewing the literature, understanding the use of theory, anticipating ethical issues, and developing writing strategies. We will discuss the process of research as it relates to each approach. This process includes writing an introduction, specifying a purpose statement, and developing research questions and/or hypotheses. This course will also discuss the methods and procedures for quantitative, qualitative, and methods studies which will aid the student in formulating and carrying out his/her own individual research project.
SWK 545 Practice Foundation I (3)
This course provides basic skills necessary to perform generalist social work practice with individuals and families from differing social, cultural, racial, religious, spiritual, and class backgrounds. The problem solving process is introduced and practiced using a strengths model as the foundation for intervention. This course explores all system levels but primarily focuses practice on micro and mezzo systems. The process of evaluation and termination is explored in greater detail complementing the concurrently taught research methods course.
SWK 546 Practice Foundation II (3)
This social work foundation course prepares students with knowledge and skills in developing, conducting and evaluating interventions within mezzo and macro systems. Specifically, this course will prepare students to develop, conduct, lead and evaluate various types of groups within social work practice. Students will also explore the macro aspect of social work practice, i.e. neighborhoods, communities and organizations, demonstrating the ability to evaluate and intervene at these levels ethically and competently.
SWK 570 Cultural Competency (3)
This course is designed to assist students in successful management of interpersonal relationships with people from differing cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Emphasis will be placed on social systems, value orientations, and lifestyles of minority groups in the United States, along with the effects of prejudice, discrimination and racism. Students will be expected to explore their own ethnicity and develop a greater understanding of one’s origin.
SWK 575 Policy & Practice (3)
This interactive course will examine current social welfare policy and explore how social workers can become agents of change at the local, state, national, and international level. Historical and current patterns of the social service delivery system will be analyzed to gain insight about the relationship between social policy and social work practice. Social work roles that lead to empowerment will be highlighted. Course format will be interactive utilizing classroom debate and presentation, simulation games, and outside speakers.
SWK 595 Practicum Seminar (2)
The practicum seminar course is designed to provide students with the opportunity to have face to face meetings to share experiences, participate in classroom exercises, , and receive feedback from peers and the Field Education Director. This course will meet on campus concurrent with the first practicum as a supplement to the outside agency experience.
SWK 610-613 Advanced Practicum (8)
The advanced practicum is designed to allow the student an opportunity to integrate social work knowledge, ethics, and skills in a social work practice environment under the supervision of an MSW level social worker.. Students are required to complete 480 hours of field education at an approved practicum setting that meets the criteria for social work field education as stated by the Council of Social Work Education. Field Education is divided into 4 modules (Practicum I, Practicum II, Practicum III, and Practicum IV) that will require 120 clock hours in each module for a total of 480.
SWK 615 World Problems & Advocacy (3)
Students will assess global problems and examine the various dimensions of globalization; including, global concerns within the social welfare arena and how to advocate within. Through a social justice lens, students will critically evaluate the efficacy with which the social work profession lives up to its social justice mandate within the global context. The goal is to prepare students with the tools necessary to identify and address global social issues and embrace their responsibilities as Christian servants as global citizen.
SWK 625 Crisis and Abuse Counseling (3)
This course examines crisis theory including major assumptions, characteristics, and stages of a crisis situation. Counselor training and intervention techniques, with respect to crisis and abuse are assessed.
SWK 626 Advanced Practice with Children & Families (3)
Theories, methods, and techniques of intervention with children and families are the focus of this course. Emphasis is placed on a multidimensional view of intervention with children and family systems, giving attention to the social development of the family along with cognitive, behavioral, organic, educational, and environmental issues. Coordination of services with agencies, treatment and assessment instruments with his population are introduced and utilized within this course.
SWK 630 Global Policies & Social Programming (3)
This course will prepare students to practice international social work, international missions, and enhance student’s local practice with diverse populations. Students will develop advanced social work skills of intervention and outreach in an international and/or domestic environment. Course content includes examining global interdependence, effects of globalization, the basic foundations of social development, cultural competence in living cross-cultures, global social services, elements of practicing and intervening cross-culturally, the elements of social justice and oppression, information about global organizations (including government, non-government and faith based), and networking with those organizations.
SWK 640 Organizational Behavior & Theory (3)
This course integrates theories and concepts from the behavioral and social sciences as a basis for understanding human behavior within organizations. It expands the “person in environment” perspective by considering the environment as a focus for practice. It applies ecological systems theory and generic social work process to communities and organizations. It also examines community and administrative practice roles, and the perspectives of strengths, empowerment, and evidence-based practice, along with the values of social justice, diversity, and participation.
SWK 650 Change Theory (3)
This course is a survey of the major theoretical systems applicable in social work, counseling and psychotherapy. Specific application of theoretical principles will be investigated, analyzed, and described regarding therapeutic intervention. Course content includes an emphasis in systems theory, development of intervention techniques, philosophies, principles, ethics, diversity and skill development through the video-stimulated recall (VSR) method where students critically interact with each other in reflection and integration of theory and practice for individuals, groups, families and social systems.
SWK 655 Practice & Program Research (3)
An advanced course focusing on the application of research principles and techniques that builds upon previous practice and research courses. This course emphasizes an evidence-based approach to social work practice and the delivery of human service programs. Quantitative and qualitative research methods and commonly used statistical procedures and approaches are applied to the evaluation of social work practice interventions and the evaluation of human service programs.
SWK 665 Leadership and Supervision in Social Work (3)
This course provides an overview of practice models and skills used in social work supervision and consultation from international and structural theoretical perspectives. Although the course emphasizes principles and practices of first-line supervision, it also introduces leadership concepts and skills for supervisors and program managers engaged in team building, program or organizational innovation, group decision-making, and mediating intra-staff conflict as well as conflict between staff and administration.
SWK 581 Ethical, Legal, and Professional Issues (3)
This course provides an in-depth study of professional ethics, legalities, and professional issues relating to the professional practice.
SWK 685 Community Development & Grant Writing (3)
This course seeks to deepen and expand the student’s knowledge and understanding of community-based organizing and local economic development and how they can be combined through community-building strategies that are shaped by participative organizing and advocacy. Students will receive grounding in the factors underlying community distress: social, political, and economic, and explore managing financial resources, principles of philanthropy, fund raising planning and management, grant writing, and stewardship/accountability requirements.