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Social Work Course Descriptions

Social Work (SOWK) College-Program Codes: 7-53 Check with department for semester when these courses are offered. Read each course description for prerequisites.

2120 INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL WELFARE (3 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.

2130 INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS (3 credits) Designed for sophomore students, with emphasis on those 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.

2140 FIELD EXPERIENCE IN SOCIAL WORK (2 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. This is a beginning level field experience required of all Social Work majors. The field experience must be taken before SOWK 3551. Graded Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only. Prerequisite: SOWK 2120.

2150 HUMAN BEHAVIOR IN THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT (3 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. Prerequisites: SOWK 2130 and SOWK 2140.

2260 SOCIAL WELFARE POLICY (3 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 2150.

2310 THE AMERICAN INDIAN: SOCIAL WELFARE PERSPECTIVE (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.

2330 CHEMICAL USE, ABUSE, AND DEPENDENCY (3 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, individual and social, as well as the 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. Legal issues are also covered as well as current research in the field.

3030/SOC 3030 FAMILY VIOLENCE (3 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.

3110 PARENT-CHILD RELATIONS IN CONTEMPORARY FAMILY FORMS (3 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.)

3201 FAMILY: DYNAMICS AND INTERVENTION (3 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. Prerequisites: PSY 1100 and SOC 1104 for non-majors.

3202 FAMILY: POLICY INITIATIVES AND INTERVENTION (3 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 3201 and SOWK 3551.

3330 CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY: PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION (3 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. Recommended prior or concurrent course work on individual counseling skills. Prerequisite: SOWK 2330.

3551 SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE I (3 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: Admission to the upper division social work program.

3552 SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE II (3 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. Prerequisite: SOWK 3551.

3553 SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE III (3 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. Prerequisite: SOWK 3552.

3760 MENTAL HEALTH SOCIAL WORK (2 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-illness, determination of needs, service systems, scope and variety of interventive methods, role of interdisciplinary team, evaluation, supervision, and impact of discrimination. Prerequisite: SOWK 2120 or consent of instructor. (May not be offered every year)

3770 PUBLIC WELFARE PRACTICE (2 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. Prerequisite: SOWK 2130 or consent of instructor.(May not be offered every year)

3780 FAMILY AND CHILD WELFARE (2 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. Prerequisite: SOWK 2120 or consent of instructor. (May not be offered every year)

3790 SOCIAL WORK IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM (2 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. Prerequisite: SOWK 2120 or consent of instructor.

3800 SOCIAL WORK IN HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS (2 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. Prerequisite: SOWK 2120 or consent of instructor. (May not be offered every year)

3830 SOCIAL WORK WITH THE ELDERLY (3 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. Prerequisite: For Social Work majors, SOWK 2120 or consent of instructor. (May not be offered every year)

4440 PRE-INTERNSHIP RESEARCH SEMINAR (3 credits) This course is a capstone, integrative research seminar in the social work major prior to the internship. The seminar is designed to expand the 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 an extensive review of the literature on their topic. The final paper will be presented to peers and faculty. Prerequisites: SOWK 3201 and SOWK 3552.

4880 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 semester immediately preceding the registration in SOWK 4970. Graded Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only.

4970 INTERNSHIP: SOCIAL WORK (Arr. credits) When taken for Social Work, the following description applies. A one semester full-time (560 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: For social work majors: Completeion of all courses in the major and a 2.5 GPA in the major. For Chemical Dependency minors: Completion of all courses in the minor and a 2.5 GPA in the minor are required.

4970 INTERNSHIP: CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY (Arr. credits) When taken for Chemical Dependency, the following description applies. For Chemical Dependency minors: Completion of all courses in the minor and a 2.5 GPA in the minor are required.