Curriculum

The Social Work major is 51 credit hours comprised of courses in the Liberal Arts major including: Soc 110 or Anth 140, Soc 111, 233; and Bio 111. Also, students are required to take Stat 215, PS 110 or 230 and Econ 200. There are 39 credits of core Social work courses, which are in foundation areas as required by the Council on Social Work Education:


Required Courses Description Prerequisites
SW 226Social Welfare Policy Exploration of the historical background of social work and social welfare institutions in the United States and around the world; knowledge, values and practice skills that distinguish social work as a discipline. Field work required. Pre-Social Work majors only. Soc 110 or Anth 140 and Soc 111 or SW 100 and PS 110 or 230
SW 227Human Behavior I Examination of individuals, families, and communities, taking an ecological perspective of the life span; various cultural, economic, and ethnic factors that influence lives; application of social work values and how these related to the developmental tasks in a socio-political environment. Field Work required. Pre-Social Work majors only. Bio 111 or BMS 111, HBSE II, and Soc 233
SW 360Individual and Families Study of the delivery of direct service to individuals and families interacting within groups and communities; tasks and skills necessary for a general social worker to empower clients to modify and change their situations. Field Work required. SW 226, SW 227
SW 361Small Groups Use of the small group as a resource for delivering direct service in the generalist social work practice; tasks and skills necessary for the social worker to use group process to empower clients. Field work required. SW 226, SW 227
SW 362Families and Communities Interventions and strategies for assisting families, organizations, and communities in the context of generalist social work practice; tasks and skills necessary to bring about change in large systems. Recommended SW 450 and SW 451 or SW 452 and SW 453 be take concurrently. Field work required. SW 360 and SW 361
SW 368
Human Behavior and the Social Environment II		 Designed to familiarize students to systems of all sizes - families, groups, organizations and communities using the ecosystems framework. Special attention is given to the impact of human diversity, discrimination, and oppression in the context of these social systems. Critical thinking skills development will be emphasized in this course. SW 227. It is recommended that SW 360 is taken concurrently.
SW 374Social Work Research Research knowledge and skills essential for beginning social work practice. Theory of social research, hypothesis testing, research design, sampling, data collection techniques, and ethical issues germane to social workers. Quantitative and qualitative research and the problem-solving model, associated with a research proposal applicable to social work practice, will be developed. Field work required. Stat 215
SW 426Social Welfare Policy II Uses of policy analysis and planning as intervention strategies in generalist social work practice. Recommended that SW 450 and SW 451 or SW 452 and SW 453 be taken concurrently. Field Work required. SW 360, SW 361, andEcon 200.
SW 450Field Practicum I Placement in a social work agency in the community for a minimum of 200 hours. Students engaged in social work roles and activities which help them to develop generalist practice skills and knowledge. Must be taken concurrently with SW 451. All other requirement for the major except SW 362 and 426, which may be taken concurrently; completed field application and permission of Field Coordinator.
SW 451Field Seminar I Shared learning experience among all students placed in a community social work agency to provide an opportunity for information exchange in depth. Case processes and agency analysis are required. Social work philosophies, values, and ethics in the social service delivery system are reinforced. Relevant reading, assignments and projects to help students integrate theory and practice. Must be taken concurrently with SW 451. All other requirement for the major except SW 362 and 426, which may be taken concurrently; completed field application and permission of Field Coordinator.
SW 452Field Practicum II Continued placement in a social work agency in the community for a minimum of 200 hours. Students are engaged in social work role and activities which further prepare them for professional practice responsibilities. SW 450 and SW 451 and permission of Field Coordinator.
SW 453Field Seminar II Shared learning experience among all students placed in a community social work agency to provide an opportunity for information exchange in depth. Evaluation of practice and organized community outreach in the social service delivery system are reinforced. Relevant readings, assignments and projects help students integrate theory and practice. Must be taken concurrently with SW 452. SW 450 and 451, as well as permission of the Field Coordinator.

In addition, various Social Work electives are offered each semester. Students need to complete two of the following electives: