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Course Descriptions
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Generalist Year
MSW 500 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I (3)
HBSE I, the first of two companion courses, focuses on individual and family life span. Examine individual and family development in the context of social, political, historical, and cultural variables. Individual and family behavior is examined for its unique expressions of strength and abilities in the course of achieving psychosocial, cognitive, moral, and spiritual developmental tasks.
MSW 501 Human Behavior and the Social Environment II (3)
HBSE II, the second of the two companion courses, examines the interrelationships among social institutions, social structure and social processes, on the one hand, and the realities of the lives of individuals, families, groups, communities, organizations and societies, on the other.
MSW 510 Social Welfare Policy I (3)
The structure, functions and components of US social welfare policy are identified and critically analyzed to reveal its scope, reach and limitations; current and historically successful approaches and tools to improve policies, increase social justice and reduce inequalities are reviewed.
MSW 511 Social Welfare Policy II (3)
Preparation to engage in policy practices advancing social and economic well-being of individuals, families, organizations and administrative and legal aspects of policy provisions and advancing social justice.
MSW 520 Generalist Social Work Practice I (3)
Focuses on theories, models, and interventions of generalist social work practice when working with individuals and families. Emphasis is placed on effective and equitable multicultural and contextual service delivery and interventions with poor, vulnerable and oppressed populations.
MSW 521 Generalist Social Work Practice II (3)
Focuses on theories, models and principles for generic social work practice with groups, communities and organizations. Emphasis is placed on effective and equitable multicultural and contextual service directory and interventions with poor, vulnerable and oppressed populations.
MSW 523 Social Justice in Social Work Practice (3)
Examines the history and consequences of different definitions of social justice. Social justice within human rights, culture, values, and ethics will be explored including related theory, social policy and movements and development of effective strategies promoting social justice.
MSW 524 Critical Race Studies in Social work Practice (3)
In-depth overview of Critical Race Studies (CRS) in social work practicum. Examination of the causes and symptoms of structural racism and social/racial hierarchies in underserved communities. Analysis of the history and development of CRS’ application to practice issues.
MSW 530 Social Welfare Research (3)
Critical assessment and mastery of research methodologies to systematically evaluate one's own social work practices, focusing on those used to evaluate published research studies, assess service and program delivery, and participate in conducting research as a professional social worker.
MSW 540 Practicum I Seminar (3)
Supervised agency experience designed to develop generalist practice skills in working with individuals, families, groups and communities with emphasis on cross cultural practice. One hour weekly seminar and 16 hours in agency placement.
MSW 541 Practicum II Seminar (3)
Supervised agency experience designed to apply the knowledge, skills and values learned in SW 520 and SW 521 and activities of SW 540. One hour weekly seminar and 16 hours in agency placement.
Specialization Year
MSW 531 Advanced Research (3)
Community-based participatory action (CPAR) research skills and knowledge are acquired and applied to a topic relevant to a social work organization to generate a collaborative research proposal with a client participation component.
MSW 550 Advanced Social Work Practice in Communities (3)
This course provides in depth overview of Social Work from a Community Practice perspective. It highlights contextual models of practice with communities as well as developmental, organizing, and planning approaches that are applicable to diverse populations. It will examine skills used by social workers to conduct culturally competent interventions.
MSW 551 Social Welfare Policy III: Community Capacity Building (3)
Community Capacity Building's growing influence on social policies and achievements improving the well-being of individuals and families in poor urban neighborhoods are described and analyzed to prepare professional social workers to advance social, economic and environmental justice.
MSW 555 Advanced Practice in Administration and Leadership (3)
Introduces the concepts and theories involved in leadership, administration and management of a human services organization. Leadership styles will be examined, paying close attention to those who recognize diverse cultural styles and incorporate contextually competent approaches to administration.
MSW 560 Social Welfare Policy III: Children, Youth and Families (3)
Advanced understanding of key issues, concepts, and skills associated with policy analysis and development of policy alternatives and political action within human service systems focused on children, youth and families.
MSW 561 Social Welfare Policy III: Community Health/Mental Health (3)
Community mental health policies, programs, services and initiatives identified and critically assessed for quality, utilization, social justice considerations, and social work impact, using specialized policy analyses, professional activities and political actions focusing on populations-at-risk within and across affiliated organizations.
MSW 570 Practicum III Seminar (3)
Continued supervised agency experience at an advanced level in both direct and administrative program development areas within the student’s area of concentration with an emphasis on cross-cultural practice. One hour weekly seminar and 20 hours in agency placement.
MSW 571 Practicum IV Seminar (3)
Continued supervised agency experience at an advanced level in both direct and administrative program development areas within the student’s area of concentration with an emphasis on cross-cultural practice. One hour weekly seminar and 20 hours in agency placement.
MSW 574 (Elective) Seminar in Health Care and Gerontology (3)
This elective course has a dual focus: it examines advanced social work practice in health care settings with persons of varying ages advanced social work practice with older adults
MSW 575 (Elective) Grant Research and Proposal Writing (3)
This elective course is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to develop the fundamental components of a grant proposal to include needs assessment, program planning and development, abstract, background and significance, goals and objectives, project design and methods, evaluation, sustainability, outreach/marketing plan, budget and justification. Students will develop skills in researching and locating private and public funding opportunities.
MSW 576 (Elective) Youth Empowerment for Community Change (3)
This elective course examines strategies for engaging and empowering young people, with an emphasis on approaches in urban, racially segregated, and economically disinvested areas. The course will draw upon best practices from grassroots organizing, civic engagement, youth development, and child welfare.
MSW 580 Child Welfare Issues (3)
Identifies and critically analyzes a broad range of welfare issues related to children, youth and families, such as child maltreatment, poverty, race, gender, sexual orientation, and gang violence, focusing on contributing factors, recent research, policies and treatment modalities.
MSW 581 Seminar in Community Capacity Building (3)
This course focuses on the collaboration, assessment, implementation and evaluation of various strategies utilized to build capacity within communities. Students will apply the tenets of Asset and Social development to support/aid in the development of a community/organization and its objectives.
MSW 582 Seminar in Mental Health Issues (3)
Examines mental health from a community perspective. Cast in the context of the recovery model, theoretical perspectives examine assessment, treatment planning and approached to recovery and wellness. Critical Race Theory, cultural implications and outcomes will be examined.
MSW 590 Graduate Seminar in Integrative Learning (3)
Prerequisite: Completion of all generalist-level MSW courses including Generalist-Year practicum. Students integrate mastery across course work and showcases key learning experiences and social work competencies. CR/NC grading.
MSW 592 (Elective) Diagnostic Assessment in Social Work Practice (Required for CMH area of specialization) (3)
Overview of assessment for contextually and culturally-competent social work practice using the DSM-5. A principal goal is to address from a social justice standpoint issues of social hierarchies and power in the use of diagnoses of mental health disorders
MSW 598 Directed Research (3)
Extensive research on a subject related to the student’s area of concentration under the guidance of a faculty member. This course is designed to prepare students for the Directed Project.
MSW 599 Project or Thesis (3)
Thesis option requires the student to design, implement, analyze and write up a formal research paper about an investigation into a topic relevant to the social work profession, which includes flexibility in terms of creativity and methodology.
MSW 595 Special Topic (3)
Advanced course of special interest for Social Work graduate students. Topic and content will vary as announced.
MSW 600 Project Continuation Course (0)
Students who have completed their course work but not their directed project may maintain continuous enrollment by registering for this course with permission of the program coordinator.