BSU Catalog Home | Social Work Program | All-University Courses and Descriptions

Social Work Course Descriptions

(SOWK) College-Program: 17-53. Check with the Department for quarter when courses are offered. Read each course description for prerequisites.

214 INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL WELFARE (4 credits). Introduces students to American social welfare institutions, the social problems with which these institutions deal, and the profession of social work. Considerable attention is paid to the historical and philosophical bases of various types of social welfare services. Other topics emphasized include the intervention methods used by social workers and the special needs of oppressed groups in the society. The final section of the course deals with the career paths in social work.

215 INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS (4 credits). Designed for sophomore students, who intend to become social work majors, to develop and assess their basic interpersonal relationship skills necessary for the effective use of self as a social worker. It is designed to promote an understanding and application of the core dimensions of a helping relationship. Graded Satisfactory/ Unsatisfactory only.

216 FIELD EXPERIENCE IN SOCIAL WORK (3 credits). Provides the student with her or his first practical experience in the field of social work and introduces open systems theory and the generalist model of social work practice. The field experience is not to be confused with SOWK 497, in which the student has 440 clock hours of closely supervised practice experience in a social welfare agency. The field experience must be taken before SOWK 350. Graded Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only. Prerequisite: SOWK 214.

217 HUMAN BEHAVIOR IN THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT (4 credits). Designed to enable the student to explain and assess human behavior in the social environment across the following dimensions: life span development, a systems perspective, diversity/oppression, biological, psychological, sociological, cultural, spiritual and aesthetic. Prerequisite: SOC 215 and 216.

219 THE AMERICAN INDIAN: SOCIAL WELFARE PERSPECTIVES (3 credits). Course surveys the various socio-economic and political problems faced by the American Indian, as well as the cultural conflicts and legal aspects of efforts to deal with those problems in a social welfare and social policy context. (May not be offered every year.)

220 CHEMICAL USE, ABUSE, AND DEPENDENCY (4 credits). This course addresses the use and abuse of all mood altering chemicals. This includes the historical aspects of chemical use and the various dimensions of contemporary use. The physical, social, intellectual, emotional and spiritual dimensions form the framework for understanding the dependency process, differential patterns of use and abuse among families, cultures, races, gender, age, professions and areas of the country are among the special issues addressed. Public transportation issues and other legal issues are also covered. Students will be expected to be familiar with pertinent literature of the chemical dependency field.

262 SOCIAL WELFARE POLICY (4 credits). This course is design to introduce students to social welfare policies and issues in the United States. Study in social welfare policy will prepare students to function as informed and competent practitioners in providing services; to be committed participants to achieve change in social welfare policies and programs; to develop skills in analysis of social welfare policy within the social-political-economic concepts of society; to practice application of knowledge in the development of social welfare policy and services. Emphasis is placed on how policy affects service delivery, particularly to populations with vulnerability to discrimination in social welfare policy. Professional values and the NASW Code of Ethics provide the foundation for the study of social welfare policy. Prerequisite: SOWK 217.

301 PARENT-CHILD RELATIONS IN CONTEMPORARY FAMILY FORMS (4 credits). Designed to enable the student to understand, organize, and apply knowledge of parent-child relations in contemporary family forms including emphasis on a) a systems and cultural perspective, b) changing family configurations, c) dynamics of parent-child relations, d) special parent-child problems such as the abused child, etc., and e) work with professionals and other concerned individuals. (This is a service course for education majors.)

303 FAMILY VIOLENCE (4 credits). A study of current theory and research related to the problem of family violence and responses to this problem including: premarital violence, spousal violence, and violence in parent-child relationships including sexual abuse and violence against the vulnerable adult. This course should be of particular value to those preparing for a career in human services. (This course is also listed as SOC 303.)

304 FAMILY: DYNAMICS AND INTERVENTION (4 credits). This course is a micro practice course on family. This course is designed to strengthen the student's knowledge of family dynamics, modes of intervention, and the family systems perspective. Intervention theories and practice skills are studied and applied. Emphasis is placed on appreciation of diversity in family life and the beginning of competency in problem solving with families. Self awareness about a student's own family will be required in course work. Prerequisite: For Social Work majors, SOWK 262; for other majors, PSY 201 and SOC 110.

305 FAMILY: POLICY INITIATIVES AND INTERVENTIONS (4 credits). This course is designed to expand the student's knowledge of social welfare policy through closer examination of family and child welfare policies, including more recent policy initiatives centered on communities, families, and children of color in the United States. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the historical and contemporary relationship of the welfare state and political economy to the functioning and well-being of families, particularly families of color. Prerequisites: SOWK 304 and 350.

320 CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY: PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION (4 credits). Addresses the continuum of care: prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery as it relates to all chemical dependencies. Special populations such as women, racial groups, age groupings are covered, in- patient and out-patient programs are examined, legal issues such as involuntary commitment, patients rights, licensing regulations are addressed. Emphasizes skill development, i.e. interviewing, assessment, referral and record keeping skills. The importance of counselor attitude is also addressed. Prerequisite: SOWK 220.

350 SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE I (4 credits). Designed to emphasize the theory and skills of information gathering, organization, assessment, intervention strategies, evaluation, and closure within the context of the generalist model of social work practice with individuals. Emphasis will be given to diversity/oppression as related to the above. Prerequisite: SOWK 262.

351 SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE II (4 credits). Designed to enable the student to understand and apply knowledge and skills related to the generalist model of social work practice with particular emphasis on interventions with groups, including the impact of diversity/oppression. Prerequisites: SOWK 350.

352 SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE III (4 credits). Designed to develop an understanding of generalist social work practice with large social systems. Theories and skills related to needs assessment, leadership and organizational development, community and power analysis, budget formulation and grant writing are presented in this course, particularly in relationship to the issue of empowering those who are disenfranchised and oppressed in society. Prerequisites: SOWK 351.

376 MENTAL HEALTH SOCIAL WORK (3 credits). Designed to enable the student to develop a knowledge base for beginning social work practice in the field of mental health. Students are introduced to theories of mental health and concepts of: mental health-illnesses, determination of need, service systems, scope and variety of interventive methods, role of interdisciplinary team, evaluation, impact of discrimination. (May not be offered every year.) Prerequisite: SOWK 214 or consent of instructor.

377 PUBLIC WELFARE PRACTICE (3 credits). The study of the structure and function of public welfare within the context of the larger social welfare system. An examination of significant trends in public welfare and the role of the social worker in a public welfare setting. (May not be offered every year.) Prerequisite: SOWK 215 or consent of instructor.

378 FAMILY AND CHILD WELFARE (3 credits). Designed to introduce students to the field of child welfare including supportive, supplemental, and substitute services. Special emphasis is placed on public agency service, value concerns such as discrimination and the function and contribution of social work. (May not be offered every year.) Prerequisite: SOWK 214 or consent of instructor.

379 SOCIAL WORK IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM (3 credits). Designed to enable the student to understand and apply social work practice in the public school setting including a systems view of public education, the impact of diversity/oppression, and various services to pupils, families, school personnel and community. This course is required in order to be licensed as a school social worker in Minnesota. (May not be offered every year.) Prerequisite: SOWK 214 or consent of instructor.

380 SOCIAL WORK IN HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS (3 credits). Focuses on the application of social work in a variety of health care settings. Designed to develop beginning knowledge of: medical terminology, physiology, health care systems and insurance issues, the effect of illness and disease on the patient and family members, the importance of considering patients' rights and the intersection of cultural, gender, age, sexual orientation, socio-economic class on the interactions between the patient and the health care system and professionals. (May not be offered every year.) Prerequisite: SOWK 214 or consent of instructor.

383 SOCIAL WORK WITH THE ELDERLY (4 credits). This course is designed to enable the student to understand and apply knowledge of social work with the elderly in society. Emphasizes the historical background of aging, use of the systems/generalist framework for practice with the elderly, assessment and intervention strategies, and the role of policy including the impact of prejudice and discrimination on the elderly. (May not be offered every year.) Prerequisites: For Social Work majors, SOWK 214 or consent of instructor.

400 PRE-INTERNSHIP RESEARCH SEMINAR (4 credits). This course is a capstone, integrative research seminar in the social work major prior to the internship. The seminar is designed to expand student's knowledge of historical and contemporary social welfare, particularly in relationship to their professional social work practice interests. Students will apply their research knowledge and skills as they develop a research proposal that includes and extensive review of the literature on their topic. The final paper will be presented to peers and faculty. Prerequisites: SOWK 304, 351, and SOC 339, 340.

484 INTERNSHIP ORIENTATION (1 credit). Prepares social work students for the internship experience. Provides students with the information needed for appropriate internship placement. This course should be taken during the quarter immediately preceding the registration in SOWK 497. Graded Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only.

497 INTERNSHIP IN SOCIAL WORK (16 credits). A one quarter full-time (440 clock hours) placement in a public or private social service organization. The student is expected to demonstrate her/his social work knowledge and skills through hands on experience. Students will also participate in a seminar to discuss their internship experiences and to present an agency analysis and case study to their peers. Prerequisites: Completion of all required courses for the Social Work Major and a 2.50 GPA in the major. Graded satisfactory/unsatisfactory.