SOW-SOCIAL WORK
 

SOW 2948        Service Learning Field Study I           1-3

Placement in community agency or other social organizational setting related to field of study. Supervision by faculty and agency. Students and faculty “customize” courses to fit a full range of services that are available in the setting. Student must be able to draw correlation between the discipline and field study. Journal and reflective experience paper are required. With the agreement of the student’s faculty sponsor, a minimum of 4-6 hours per week must be done at the field site per semester hour of credit. Permission is required.

SOW 3103        Human Behavior in Social Environment            3

Any human biology or anatomy class. Social personality and cognitive development, normal and abnormal, normative and non-normative crisis and gender issues with an emphasis on cultural diversity. Importance of social work intervention and treatment with individual, family, and community.

SOW 3113        Human Behavior in Organizations and Communities      3

Introduces the future practitioner to the concept of change agent within organizations, institutions, and communities. Prepares the student with academic concepts on community organization as a prelude to the practice course. Emphasis is placed on the student’s ethical responsibilities to the client, organizational structure of human service agencies and the elements common to them. Students will understand structural and organizational differences between profit and nonprofit agencies. Students will experience organizational obstacles to planned change. The dynamics of gender, class, race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation are examined in relationship to how they are played out within the organizational context.

SOW 3203        Introduction to the Field of Social Work          3

Survey of the social work profession from its roots to contemporary practice with a descriptive focus on its values, knowledge bases, skills, and fields of practice. Emphasis is on generalist social work and social policy structures which sustain society. Introduces the relationship of social problems to social policy and to social service delivery systems.

SOW 3313        Work With Individuals and Families          3

One of four practice courses designed to prepare the student for generalist social work. Emphasis is on the values, knowledge, and skills necessary for effective assessment and intervention on the micro level, and is reflected in several areas, including the worker/ client relationship, assessment, strategies and implementation techniques, the social worker’s use of self, the phases of the helping process, and evaluation. Using the systems approach, emphasis is placed on social, cultural familial, and environmental influences on the functioning of individuals and families. Permission is required.

SOW 3314        Case Management              3

Designed to help students develop a general overview of case management and how it is defined and practiced in a variety of settings, such as juvenile justice programs, mental health programs, and nonprofit community agencies.

SOW 3322        Work With Groups               3

One of a series of four courses designed to prepare a student for generalist social work practice. The student will acquire the knowledge base, values and skills necessary for working with groups at the beginning professional level. The focus will be on developing the knowledge base, values and practice skills needed to use the problem solving approach to work with diverse populations within various types of groups. Stages of groups and activities that can enhance the group process will be explored. Permission is required.

SOW 3350        Interviewing and Recording           3

Practice in interviewing techniques and in precise, descriptive, and accurate writing techniques for practitioners in social work, psychology, and other helping professions. (Gordon Rule Course: Wrtg)

SOW 3503        Introduction to Generalist Practice              3

Prerequisite: SOW 3103, SOW 3203, SOW 3350.

One of four practice courses designed to prepare the student for generalist social work. Through agency experience, classroom instruction, and introspective discussion, students develop self-awareness, beginning skills and knowledge, and a professional attitude. Students are introduced to a social agency setting, the varying needs and vulnerabilities of clients served, the problem solving process, and the development of basic knowledge and skills necessary in helping relationships with systems of various sizes. Restricted to social work majors. Permission is required.

SOW 3620        Practice with Culturally Diverse Populations             3

Explores the differences of experience, needs and beliefs of culturally diverse population within our society, and provides a theoretical foundation from which to develop differential assessment and implementation skills essential to culturally sensitive practice. Patterns, dynamics and consequences of discrimination, economic deprivation and oppression are discussed with special emphasis on the impact for people of color, women, gay and lesbian, and disabled populations. Meets Multicultural requirement.

SOW 3650        Introduction to Child Welfare              3

Prepares social workers and others to enter the field of child welfare with a better understanding of the history of this movement and the types of services and programs designed to assist children and families. Also introduces and provides information to any interested person regarding the social problems of children and the availability of services to children in need.

SOW 3948        Service Learning Field Study II                  1-3

Placement in community agency or other social organizational setting related to field of study. Supervision by faculty and agency. Students and faculty “customize” courses to fit a full range of services that are available in the setting. Student must be able to draw correlation between the discipline and field study. Journal and reflective experience paper are required. With the agreement of the student’s faculty sponsor, a minimum of 4-6 hours per week must be done at the field site per semester hour of credit. Permission is required.

SOW 4111        Adolescents At Risk            3

Explores environmental and societal factors that contribute to risky behaviors of adolescents such as substance use, delinquency, sexual activity, and violent behavior, and others. Characteristics of high risk and low risk youth are discussed including the relationship of these characteristics to adolescent development. Prevention, intervention, and treatment approaches are discussed.

SOW 4141        Social Aspects of Family Violence             3

Introduces basic concepts, principles, and methods for understanding and identifying family violence. Topics include an historical overview; the impact of domestic violence on the community and on the woman, children, and man involved; the identification of emotional, physical, and sexual aspects of abuse; safety planning and levels of lethality; an introduction to effective intervention.

SOW 4232        Analysis of Social Service Policy           3

Prerequisite: SOW 4403.

Examines social work as a policy-based profession and social welfare policy as a central concern to the profession. Addresses policy practice roles such as planner, administrator, policy analyst, and program evaluator. Includes improvement of human services delivery systems through the application of problem solving, critical thinking, and other necessary skills.

SOW 4233        Seminar in Social Justice, Social Action, and Social Policies             3

Prerequisite: SOW 4232, SOW 4332, and SOW 4403.

Examination of social thought, social values, oppression, and theoretical foundations as influences on the development of social policies. Integrates the key elements of the profession of social work through the filter/lens of social and economic justice, including: history and philosophical foundations of social welfare, community organization and social action, cultural and group differences and oppression, economic systems, social policies, and the impact of these key areas on professional practice. Skills in problem-solving and critical thinking will be applied to the analysis of contemporary issues in debates and through a social action campaign.

SOW 4242        Families and Family Treatment                   3

Designed to define and understand contemporary family forms and family functions, both normative and in crisis, and introduces modalities for assisting troubled families. Addresses such issues as: the impact of the family life cycle, strategies and goals of family treatment, single parent families, gay and lesbian couples and families, and families with chronically and terminally ill members. Offered concurrently with SOW 5243; graduate students will be assigned additional work.

SOW 4332        Strategies for Community Change             3

Prerequisite: SOW 3113 and SOW 4403.

Development of skills and knowledge in working with communities and agencies to bring about social and economic change. Major emphasis placed on developmental change in agencies, community groups, and total society through program/grant proposal and social action. Permission is required.

SOW 4403        Research Design in Social Work              3

Introduction to scientific strategies used to evaluate social work practice and theory. Different strategies covered range from participant and observational techniques to controlled experimentation. Ethical/value dilemmas involved in social science research are also covered. Provides the foundation for research based generalist practice and is a prerequisite for and provides the curriculum linkage for SOW 4332, which requires the development of program plan and grant proposal, SOW 4232, which requires the analysis and evaluation of social service policy/program and SOW 4510/SOW 4522, Field Instruction, which involves in part the evaluation of individual practice.

SOW 4510        Social Work Field Instruction              1-9

Prerequisite: SOW 3103, SOW 3113, SOW 3203, SOW 3313, SOW 3322, SOW 3350, SOW 3503, SOW 3620, SOW 4232, SOW 4332, and SOW 4403.

Corequisite: SOW 4522.

Field education experience in social service agency with a qualified professional supervisor. A minimum of 400 hours is required. Restricted to social work majors. Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis only. Eighteen semester hours of required social work courses, 2.5 GPA in major, and permission is required.

SOW 4522        Senior Seminar               3

Prerequisite: SOW 3103, SOW 3113, SOW 3203, SOW 3313, SOW 3322, SOW 3350, SOW 3503, SOW 3620, SOW 4232, SOW 4332 and SOW 4403.

Corequisite: SOW 4510.

Designed to integrate previously learned beginning generalist practice concepts, values, knowledge, attitudes and skills with practice. Eighteen semester hours of required social work courses, 2.5 GPA in major, and permission is required.

SOW 4643        Aging in Today’s Society                   3

Develops a psychosocial systems perspective for working with the elderly. Examines interventive strategies for working with individuals, groups, institutions or organizations, and examines issues and policies which enhance or impede the welfare of the elderly. Designed to provide a basic foundation of the aging process and the aged population.

SOW 4645        Substance Abuse and the Elderly        3

Designed to provide students with the basic understanding of the myriad issues associated with substance abuse dependency among the elderly. The value, theory, and practice bases will be examined. Various intervention strategies at the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels will be evaluated for appropriateness and effectiveness. Offered concurrently with SOW 5646; graduate students will be assigned additional work.

SOW 4674        Social Issues and Intervention Strategies in Social Work Practice with Older Adults     3

Embraces an interdisciplinary approach to intervention strategies to eliminate or ameliorate problems/crises faced by aging clients. Demographics are addressed. Offered concurrently with SOW 5675; graduate students will be assigned additional work.

SOW 4700        Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment: Special Issues                 3

Historical, legal, ethical, and social issues relating to drug abuse prevention and treatment. The family unit will serve as a basic focus for the area of prevention. Various treatment approaches will be covered from outpatient counseling to therapeutic communities. Offered concurrently with SOW 5710; graduate students will be assigned additional work.

SOW 4740        Dimensions of Death and Dying: Special Issues        3

Assists the student, both personally and as a professional helping others, to approach death and dying with enhanced knowledge, sensitivity, and less dread and denial. Examines historical, social, legal, cultural, and interpersonal aspects of death and bereavement within the context of professional practice. Offered concurrently with SOW 5745; graduate students will be assigned additional work. Credit cannot be received for both SOW 4682 and SOW 4740.

SOW 5243        Families and Family Treatment             3

Designed to define and understand contemporary family forms and family functions, both normative and in crisis, and introduces modalities for assisting troubled families. Addresses such issues as: the impact of the family life cycle, strategies and goals of family treatment, single parent families, gay and lesbian couples and families, and families with chronically and terminally ill members. Offered concurrently with SOW 4242; graduate students will be assigned additional work.

SOW 5646        Substance Abuse and the Elderly        3

Designed to provide students with the basic understanding of the myriad issues associated with substance abuse dependency among the elderly. The value, theory, and practice bases will be examined. Various intervention strategies at the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels will be evaluated for appropriateness and effectiveness. Offered concurrently with SOW 4645; graduate students will be assigned additional work.

SOW 5648        Policy Issues and Older People             3

Introduces the student to basic policy concepts and processes, familiarize the student with major policies affecting the lives of older people, and teach the beginning skills necessary for the policy practitioner. The student will explore key policy issues such as income maintenance, housing, health care, work and retirement, long-term care, and other timely topics. The student will engage in some of the processes necessary to bring about political change, including the empowerment of older adult clients to participate in the policy process.

SOW 5675        Social Issues and Intervention Strategies in Social Work Practice with Older Adults     3

Embraces an interdisciplinary approach to intervention strategies to eliminate or ameliorate problems/crises faced by aging clients. Demographics are addressed. Offered concurrently with SOW 4674; graduate students will be assigned additional work.

SOW 5710        Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment: Special Issues                 3

Historical, legal, ethical, and social issues relating to drug abuse prevention and treatment. The family unit will serve as a basic focus for the area of prevention. Various treatment approaches will be covered from outpatient counseling to therapeutic communities. Offered concurrently with SOW 4700; graduate students will be assigned additional work.

SOW 5745        Dimensions of Death and Dying: Special Topics        3

Assists the student, both personally and professionally helping others, to approach death and dying with enhanced knowledge, sensitivity, and less dread and denial. Examines historical, social, legal, cultural, and interpersonal aspects of death and bereavement within the context of professional practice. Offered concurrently with SOW 4682; graduate students will be assigned additional work. Credit cannot be received for both SOW 5687 and SOW 5745.