Coursework M.S.W. Program - Distance Option

SW 520 Social Work and Social Welfare Policy (4 credit hours)  Course defines and describes social welfare policy and the policy-making process. Examine historical and contemporary issues and their impact on the profession of social work and the institution of social welfare. Emphasis is given to policy analysis and the development of policy-practice skills from the perspective of social and economic justice. Highlights the relationships between social problems, social policies, social programs, and social work practice.

SW 540 Human Behavior in the Social Environment: Micro Theory (3)  Presents and critiques basic knowledge of human development from infancy to late adulthood in the context of individuals and families and identifies relationships between theoretical frameworks and biopsychosocial environment. Considers populations at risk and the impacts of racism and other forms of oppression on development. Provides students with knowledge of how developmental frameworks organize information about human dynamics, while still stressing the multicausal nature of behavioral outcomes.

SW 541 Human Behavior in the Social Environment: Macro Theory (3)  Presents and critiques basic knowledge of the development, behavior and change process of groups, communities and organizations. Uses social theory to provide students with conceptual frames for analyzing how the actions of both clients and social work practitioners are conditioned and constrained as well as enabled and empowered by broader social forces. Considers the effect of mezzo and macro level forces on the development and functioning of populations at risk.

SW 550 Foundation of Social Welfare Research (3)  Introduction to research in social work. Stresses the importance of research to social work practice and policy.  Introduction to qualitative and quantitative social work research, group designs, single case studies, and evaluation of programs and of practice. Introduction to critical consumption of research, to ethics of social work research. Considers scientific method, systematic inquiry, relation of theory to research problem formulation, measurement, sampling, design, and data collection.

SW 539 Social Justice in Social Work (3)  Explores diversity and oppression based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, (dis)ability status, and social class; models for intergroup relations; the historical context of group relations; and cultural variables significant to ethnic, racial and cultural minority populations. Examines social, political, and cultural processes as they affect intergroup and intragroup relations. Explores the role of social worker as border crosser, cultural learner, and agent of change. Opportunities for cross-cultural dialogue and content analysis and skills development. Requires examination of the meaning systems in which each of us is immersed, as well as examination of those meaning systems that social workers must strive to understand.

SW 551 Data Analysis in Social Work Research (3)  Focuses on techniques of quantitative data analysis and introduces methods of qualitative data analysis. Considers interpreting and using results to improve social work practice including program evaluation. Covers descriptive statistics, probability theory and hypothesis testing, and inferential methods. Includes discussion of culturally sensitive research and ethical issues in social work research. Prerequisite: SW 550.

SW 500 Field Instruction I-VI (4 credits per term)  Field Instruction provides practice experience in a field setting. Permits application of knowledge from course work and prior experience and the development and refinement of skills. Agency field instructors provide guidance for learning in cooperation with the student’s faculty advisor. Field Instruction is taken concurrently with social work practice courses.

SW 530 Generalist Social Work Practice I (3)  Overview of the major influences on the service delivery system with special emphasis on the multiple roles of the generalist social worker, social work values, and ethics. Development of interviewing skills with focus on engagement, development of rapport, definition of purpose, and advocacy. Introduction to theory and the change process at five levels of social work practice: individual, family, group, organization, and community. Special attention to the issues of cultural diversity and populations at risk.  Based on the strengths and ecological systems perspectives.

SW 531 Generalist Social Work Practice II (4)  Based on the generalist social work practice principles, assessment and goal formulation aspects of the change process emphasized at multiple levels: individual, family, group, organization, and community.  Family-centered approach is focused upon.  Development of interviewing skills related to assessment with cultural considerations.  Collaboration and teamwork examined introduction to evaluation. Application of strengths and ecological systems perspectives to assessment.  Prerequisite: SW530.

SW 532 Generalist Practice III (4)  Based on the generalist social work practice model, intervention and evaluation at multiple levels: individual, family, group, organization, and community. Family-centered approaches with emphasis on strategies of promoting empowerment, equity, and social justice. Development of interviewing skills for intervention and role disengagement. Examination of the entire change process with focus on evaluation strategies and technologies. Prerequisite: SW 531.

SW 533-535 Advanced Direct Human Services Practice (3 credits per term)  This advanced concentration is designed to prepare students for agency-based direct social work practice. The first course in the sequence, SW 533, reviews the problem-solving process and introduces the process of constructing a frame of reference or model of practice. The evaulation of the practice and theories for understanding individuals and how they both seek and resist change are considered. SW 533 emphasizes application of theories to the direct social work practice process and considers the importance of culture, strengths, and empowerment. The second course in the sequence, SW 534, addresses the family of origin perspective on family systems theory. The course provides advanced consideration of amily centered practice and integration of other theories with family systems theory. SW 535, the Advanced Direct Human Services Seminar, integrates the material covered in the prior courses and results in the student's development of a personal model of practice.

Please note: A total of 78 credit hours are required for graduation, which includes courses in Advanced Policy, Advanced HBSE, Advanced Research and Advanced Practice. Along with your foundation coursework, the following list is meant to give you an idea of the offerings that may be available in the distance option. These include: Working with Involuntary Clients, Health Care Policies and Programs, Poverty: Policies and Programs, and Child and Adolescent Development in the Social Environment. We cannot guarantee that any particular class will be offered or when it will be offered. It’s also possible that new courses may be added to the program’s offerings.