SWG: Social Work Graduate

SWG 501. Social Work Generalist Practice I. 3 Credits.

This is the first of two required generalist year practice courses. It provides an introduction to strengths-based generalist practice using a collaborative approach. The course is designed to allow students the opportunity to demonstrate generalist level competencies. Grounded in a person and environment construct, an appreciation of oppressive systems, and respect for human diversity, the course provides students with generalist knowledge, skills and values necessary for generalist social work practice. This course is taken concurrently with SWG 596 as a way to provide students with the opportunity to integrate their developing competencies across knowledge, values and skills.
Pre / Co requisites: SWG 501 requires a corequisite of SWG 596.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Fall.

SWG 502. Social Work Generalist Practice II. 3 Credits.

Building on SWG 501, this course focuses on theory and practice for work with groups, including therapeutic units, families, groups within organizations, teams, and community groups. In accordance with social work values, special attention is given to diverse populations. This includes individuals, groups, and communities affected by different forms of oppression on the basis of perceived age, ability, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, religion, and gender. Grounded in a person and environment construct, an appreciation of oppressive systems, and respect for human diversity, this course provides students with generalist knowledge, skills, and values necessary for generalist social work practice with families and groups. This course is taken concurrently with SWG 597 as a way to provide students with the opportunity to integrate their developing competencies across knowledge, values, and skills.
Pre / Co requisites: SWG 502 requires a prerequisite of SWG 501 and a corequisite of SWG 597.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Spring.

SWG 503. Integrative Bridge Course. 3 Credits.

This course, required of all advanced-standing students, provides preparation for entry into the second year specialization in direct practice with individuals, families and communities. It integrates generalist values, knowledge, and skills from the content areas of social work practice, the dialectic of oppression and liberation, social welfare policy, and social work research. It also sets the stage for framework of the WCU MSW's specialization grounded in human rights and social and economic justice, as well as the three core values of enhancing resiliency, supporting recovery, and mitigating the effects of trauma to build capacity.
Pre / Co requisites: SWG 503 requires students to be Advanced Standing.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Summer.

SWG 509. Trauma-Informed Social Work Practice. 3 Credits.

This course will introduce students to trauma-informed social work practice through frameworks of resilience and resistance. Through lecture, experiential learning, media, class discussions, and course readings, students will learn about the physiological and psychological effects of trauma on individuals, families, and communities. This course will also invite students to analyze the politics of trauma and how they influence access to comprehensive, culturally humble, and trauma-informed individual and community care.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring & Summer.

SWG 511. The Dialectic of Oppression and Liberation. 3 Credits.

Within the context of a diverse and stratified society, this course examines the impact of discrimination and oppression on members of special groups, i.e., ethnic minorities, women, elderly, disabled, gays, and lesbians while considering the effects of diversity on human behavior and attitudes. It also considers the richness of human diversity.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Fall.

SWG 533. Methods of Social Work Research. 3 Credits.

This course is an introduction to the methods of social work research that provides foundation knowledge to prepare social workers to engage in evidence-based practice with individuals and families. The focus is on building foundation knowledge of the methods of social work research including single subject and group designs; exploratory, descriptive, and explanatory designs; qualitative and quantitative data gathering, analysis and data dissemination.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Spring.

SWG 534. Advanced Research Methods: Program Evaluation. 3 Credits.

This advanced research methods course focuses on skill development for collecting and analyzing quantitative and qualitative data collected from individuals and groups, including survey development, semi-structured interview protocols, individual interviewing techniques and focus group facilitation techniques. Students will utilize common software for data analysis to explore common bivariate statistical analysis and phenomenological analysis. Software for creating web-based surveys will also be explored. Skill development will be conducted in the context of conducting needs assessments, process studies, and outcomes studies in social work research. Critical inquiry into the evidence-based practice movement and positivist approach, with implications for cultural relativism will also be conducted. Students will have opportunities to participate in hands-on individual and/or small-group projects to experience data collection and analysis techniques using simulation and/or role-playing techniques and publicly available datasets.
Pre / Co requisites: SWG 534 requires a prerequisite of SWG 533 (or SWG 503 for Advanced Standing status).
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Spring & Summer.

SWG 537. Sexuality and Social Work Practice. 3 Credits.

This course is intended to provide graduate social workers an overview of therapeutic considerations of human sexuality through sex positive and sexual social justice frameworks. The course will provide students with a variety of concepts related to sexuality with an emphasis on clinical approaches and interventions. The Circles of Sexuality will be utilized as a framework that will provide students with a means to conceptualize and address clinical issues of human sexuality as they may arise in social work practice.
Pre / Co requisites: SWG 537 requires prerequisites of SWG 554 and SWG 511.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Summer.

SWG 541. Social Welfare Policies and Services. 3 Credits.

This course emphasizes the historical, economic, political and philosophical foundations of American social welfare policy. Special attention is given to the values, ethics, and roles of the social work profession in the evolution of selected human service programs designed to achieve social and economic justice. Models for policy analysis, strategies for social change, and the policy challenges presented by social and legal discrimination are examined.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Fall.

SWG 542. Specialized Social Work Practice with Communities. 3 Credits.

This course emphasizes the historical, economic, political, and philosophical foundations of American social welfare policy. Special attention is given to the values, ethics, and roles of the social work profession in the evolution of selected human service programs designed to achieve social and economic justice. Models for policy analysis, strategies for social change, policy challenges by social and legal discrimination, and methods of community practice are examined.
Pre / Co requisites: SWG 542 requires prerequisites of SWG 541 and SWG 502, or SWG 503.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Fall.

SWG 554. Human Development across the Lifespan. 3 Credits.

This course uses a developmental and ecological perspective to explore the interaction of biological, psychological, and sociocultural systems, the influence of human diversity, and economics as determinants of the behaviors of individuals and families. As a generalist course, linkages to practice, research, and policy are also stressed.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Fall.

SWG 555. Organizations & Communities. 3 Credits.

This course provides the core theoretical perspectives of human behavior in organizations and communities and other societal systems. Traditional theories, alternative paradigms, and models of behavior in these various size systems will be explored and related to one another to analyze the functioning of individuals within collectives. The tasks and developmental operations within organizations and community systems will be examined with respect to how they maintain themselves and as the behavior of individual and groups within them influence one another.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Spring.

SWG 560. Mental Health: A Recovery Approach. 3 Credits.

Using a bio-psycho-social-cultural-spiritual and recovery/resiliency/capacity building template for analysis; this course examines major childhood, adolescent and adult mental health disorders. The impact of the medical model, the DSM 5, managed care and the recovery movement is evaluated in light of social work values, ethics and practice, particularly human rights and social and economic justice.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Spring.

SWG 561. Specialized SW Practice with Individuals. 3 Credits.

Building on the strengths-based, collaborative model of social work practice covered in SWG 501 and SWG 502 (or SWG 503 for Advanced Standing students), this course focuses on theory driven and evidence-based practice with individuals. Theories and models of practice to be covered in this course include attachment theory, object relations theory, cognitive-behavioral theory, humanistic/feminist theories, relational theory, social constructivist theory (which underlies the narrative approach) and the crisis intervention model. Each of these theoretical orientations provides a different lens through which to conceptualize clients, ultimately, guiding assessment, intervention, and evaluation of practice in a theoretically congruent manner. The use of each of these theoretical approaches in short term treatment and crisis intervention will also be explored and critiqued. Special attention will be given to the way in which abilities, class, ethnicity/racial identity, gender identity, and sexual orientation shape concern/"problem" identification and affect engagement, assessment, intervention, and evaluation. The integration of social work values and ethics within the context of the therapeutic relationship will be emphasized.
Pre / Co requisites: SWG 561 requires a prerequisite of SWG 503 and Advanced Standing status or prerequisites of SWG 502, SWG 511, SWG 533, SWG 541, SWG 554, SWG 555, SWG 560, and a corequisite of SWG 598.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Fall.

SWG 562. Specialized Social Work Practice with Families. 3 Credits.

This course will explore advanced theories, models, and skills for social work practice with families (including families with children and older adults). The strengths and needs of diverse family cultures and structures will be explored. Regardless of the theoretical perspective utilized in assessing a family's strengths and needs, the students in this class will be required to consider the family a full partner in assessment and intervention, thereby empowering the family for lasting and constructive change--toward recovery and building resiliency, while mitigating the effects of trauma. The role of social workers in permanency planning, family preservation and family support services across the lifespan will be explored. Practical assessment and intervention tools arising from the major theoretical approaches will be learned experientially.
Pre / Co requisites: SWG 562 requires a prerequisite of SWG 503 and Advanced Standing status or a prerequisite of SWG 597.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Fall.

SWG 563. Specialized Practice: Integrative Seminar. 3 Credits.

Building on the strengths-based, collaborative model of social work practice covered in generalist practice courses and the trauma-informed and recovery-oriented theories and models of specialized courses, this seminar prepares students to respond to the impact of trauma, loss, and grief on individuals, families, and communities within a human rights and social justice framework. There are three main foci for the course: Interprofessional Collaborative Practice; crisis theory, response to traumatic loss, and grief; and instilling hope for recovery. The capstone assignment for this course (and for the MSW curriculum) is an interprofessional simulation involving preparedness and response to a community-wide crisis affecting individuals, families, and communities.
Pre / Co requisites: SWG 563 requires a prerequisite of SWG 561 and a corequisite of SWG 599.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Spring.

SWG 565. Abolitionist Approaches to Systems that Control and Punish. 3 Credits.

This course is grounded in anti-carceral feminism and, as such, values the voices of people with lived experience, multiple forms of knowledge, and diverse forms of expertise. Furthermore, this course is approached through a historical and contemporary lens, drawing on the work of activists and social movements such as racial justice and disability justice and the lessons social work can use for their work with people as they encounter the criminal legal system. The course begins with an introduction to the logic of carceral institutions and the criminal legal system as it stands today. Students will then explore the historical roots of carceral feminism and how social work has supported the integration of carceral punishment into social institutions, systems, and services. Students will learn about existing anti-carceral policies, services, and interventions that draw on mutual aid, transformative justice, and community accountability.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Summer.

SWG 566. Storytelling and Social Work. 3 Credits.

This course provides instruction for students seeking to apply narrative approaches to encounters with individuals, families, groups, communities, and systems. The course, which uses creative engagement and didactic strategies, is divided into four modules. In the first module, students will explore definitions of stories/narratives, learn about narrative formation, consider the role of narratives, reflect on the power of narratives, discuss the universality of narratives, explore diverse narrative formats, and reflect on narrative possibilities and barriers. In the second module, students will learn about several specific narrative interventions including narrative therapy, trauma narratives, trauma art narrative therapy (TANT), narrative exposure therapy (NET), stories, and bibliotherapy/poetry therapy. In the third module, students will consider how narrative approaches align with social work values/ethics and reflect on the role of their own stories in narrative work with clients. Students will also identify challenges and opportunities in narrative assessment and review assessment measures. Finally, in the last module, students will identify specific ways to implement and apply narrative practices in their work with individuals, families, communities, and systems.
Pre / Co requisites: SWG 566 requires a prerequisite of SWG 501.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Spring & Summer.

SWG 567. Social Work, Trauma, and the Arts. 3 Credits.

This course provides instruction for social work students seeking to understand and apply the arts to encounters with traumatized individuals, communities, and systems. The course, which uses creative engagement and didactic strategies, is divided into three phases. In the introductory phase, participants will learn basic information about (1) the impact of trauma, (2) the consequences of trauma exposure, (3) the neurobiological implications of traumatization, and (4) best practices and common factors in trauma treatment. In the second phase, students will explore the relationship between social work, creativity, and trauma healing. Students will critically analyze (1) the concepts of creativity and destruction, (2) the role of various artistic media in facilitating trauma healing, and (3) the congruity of these arts based practices with social work values. In the third phase, participants will consider ways to integrate the arts into both clinical and macro contexts. Students will create and share a plan for implementation of a creative, arts-based intervention in a clinical or macro social work setting.
Pre / Co requisites: SWG 567 requires a prerequisite of SWG 501.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Spring & Summer.

SWG 569. Contemporary Perspectives on the Child Welfare System. 3 Credits.

This course will provide essential insight into the structure and function of the child welfare system, relevant for anyone providing services to at-risk or child welfare involved families, including fundamental assumptions, emerging practices, and critical reflection. A social justice framework will be applied to understanding and analyzing the organization of services and major policy issues relevant to social work practice with children, adolescents, and families. Attention is focused on the reproduction of race, gender, class and other inequalities in social policies and social service systems. The organizational context of practice and structure of service delivery for children and families will be critiqued, drawing on current and emerging perspectives.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Winter.

SWG 570. Substance Use Disorders: Assessment and Intervention. 3 Credits.

This course reviews the major theoretical approaches to understanding substance use disorders and to assessment and treatment with individuals, families, groups and communities. The pharmacology of drugs and alcohol and the nature of addiction are included, as are the influence of culture, ethnicity, gender, the peer group, and mental health disorders. The principles of self-help and therapeutic communities are applied.
Pre / Co requisites: SWG 570 requires prerequisites of SWG 501 and SWG 502.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring & Summer.

SWG 571. Social Work With Older Adults. 3 Credits.

This course reviews theoretical and biopsychosocial elements of culturally responsive social work practice with older adults, their caregivers and families. The course examines the status and position of older adults in society, the community, and the interdisciplinary support service delivery system. This class includes information on assessments and interventions with diverse older adult clients regarding health and wellness, chronic illness, social networks, poverty, disability, end of life care and bereavement.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Fall.

SWG 576. Child Welfare: A Resilience and Trauma-informed Approach. 3 Credits.

This course will introduce students to the core concepts (theory, knowledge, and skills) informing evidence-based assessment and intervention for traumatized children and adolescents who are in the child welfare system. Trauma is broadly defined and includes children and adolescents exposed to traumatic events including abuse, neglect and witnessing interpersonal crime (e.g. domestic violence), community violence and other traumatic events who have come into contact with the child welfare system. The course will highlight the role of development, culture and empirical evidence in trauma-specific assessment, referral, and interventions with children, adolescents and their families within a child welfare context. It will address the level of functioning of primary care-giving environments and assess the capacity of the community and the child welfare system to facilitate restorative processes. It examines issues and builds practice skills related to assessing risk to safety in families, child maltreatment, family preservation services, substitute care including kinship care, foster care, and residential treatment facilities, and permanency planning including adoption. The connections between child maltreatment and family violence, substance abuse and mental illness will be studied and discussed. As child welfare practice is inextricably linked to the legislative and judicial systems in this country, this course will also explore the latest state and federal policies as they relate to making decisions about families served.
Pre / Co requisites: SWG 576 requires prerequisite of SWG 501 or SWG 503 or permission of instructor.
Typically offered in Spring.

SWG 577. Social Work in Disasters: From Initial Response to Recovery through Rebuilding. 3 Credits.

The course focuses on the characteristics, strengths, and service needs of individuals, families, and communities that have experienced a disaster (whether natural or manmade) with resultant mass trauma, deaths, and extensive loss of housing and other material possessions. The framework from which this course is taught is one of recovery, resiliency/risk, and capacity building. This course considers individual and family events within their ecological context (including, of course, the global context) and works to build sensitivity to and competence in work with various family forms, community alliances, and cultural patterns. This course will cover all aspects of disaster relief work. Topics covered include introduction to disaster relief work, shelter operations, family services, disaster mental health services including the theoretical bases for these services, psychological first aid, critical incident stress management, community recovery and rebuilding, and policy development for disaster preparedness and community rebuilding. Students will learn both how to offer disaster mental health services to those people directly affected by the disaster and to first responders (police, fire, rescue, and other relief workers). Careful attention will be paid to how to take care of one's self, both during and after providing disaster services.
Pre / Co requisites: SWG 577 requires a prerequisite of SWG 501 or SWG 503 or permission of instructor.
Consent: Permission of the Department required to add.
Typically offered in Summer.

SWG 578. Social Work w/ Veterans & Military Families: A Resilience and Trauma-informed Approach. 3 Credits.

This course will explore the latest innovations in behavioral health and social services to Veterans and military family members including: building resiliency, trauma-informed assessment and intervention with individuals and families, cognitive processing therapy, prolonged exposure therapy, trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, psychological first aid for military families, suicide risk assessment and prevention, assessment and treatment of military sexual trauma, assessment of family violence and child maltreatment in military families and other research informed assessment and intervention tools. Services for military family members including children, during and post-deployment will also be explored. The wide array of services available within the Veterans Administration and in the community will be discussed. The course is a hybrid course; about 15% of the course is web-based training. Each student will be required to complete an online training and certificate in Cognitive Processing Therapy and Prolonged Exposure Therapy.
Pre / Co requisites: SWG 578 requires prerequisite: SWG 501 or SWG 503 or permission of instructor.
Consent: Permission of the Department required to add.
Typically offered in Summer.

SWG 579. Social Work in Health Care. 3 Credits.

This course focuses on the role of social workers and the social work profession in varied health care settings. Particular attention is given to examining social determinants of health, working within an interdisciplinary team, health policy/payer sources, ethical concerns, and ethno-cultural awareness and competency. This course also provides students with a framework to understand and apply appropriate theoretical models to work with individuals, families, and groups within the health care settings. The importance of evidence-based practice, evaluation, and self-care will also be explored.
Pre / Co requisites: SWG 579 requires a prerequisite of SWG 501 or SWG 503.
Typically offered in Summer.

SWG 580. Social Work in End of Life Care. 3 Credits.

This course examines the issues of death, dying, grief and loss. The field of end of life and palliative care will be reviewed. The course will discuss attitudes towards death and dying and additional top-ics such as death with dignity acts within the U.S. The course will also introduce students to dying and grief loss stages, models and theories; coping with dying and loss; self-care: grief and loss during different developmental stages; and cultural responsiveness during end of life and bereavement care.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Spring & Summer.

SWG 581. Grief and Loss Across the Lifespan. 3 Credits.

This course examines grief and loss across the lifespan. The course will explore attitudes about loss and how this impacts care and support services. Classical and contemporary grief theories will be reviewed along with assessment and interventions for grieving individuals, families, and communities, as well as differences between non-death-related losses, disenfranchised losses, and ambiguous losses. Students will learn culturally responsive care, different developmental considerations, and critical social work practice.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Spring & Summer.

SWG 582. Dismantling Ableism: A Critique of Disability Perspectives and Practice. 3 Credits.

This course reviews theoretical and biopsychosocial elements of culturally responsive social work practice across the lifespan with individuals with disabilities and chronic illness, their caregivers, and families. The course examines the status and position of individuals with disabilities of all ages in society, the community, and the interdisciplinary support service delivery system. Students will discuss and consider disability and chronic illness through a social justice and human rights perspective.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Spring.

SWG 583. The Human-Animal Dynamic. 3 Credits.

This course focuses on relationships between humans and non-human animals with a specific focus on the ways in which a strong bond can support vulnerable populations struggling with trauma symptomology, including veterans, older adults, children and adults with disabilities, and persons with mental and behavioral health challenges. Animal-assisted interventions (AAI) are in high demand in medical and therapeutic settings; however, workforce training lags. This course is designed to give practicing social workers and current social work students the foundational skills necessary to be adequately prepared to assess, implement, and evaluate AAI in practice. The course will offer hands-on experiences with animals, current treatment modalities, and client settings. Due to the experiential nature of the course, students must be willing to travel in their own vehicles to off-site visits and must be willing to interact with domestic animals such as dogs and horses.
Typically offered in Summer.

SWG 584. Radical Self-Care. 3 Credits.

Wellness and self-care can be extremely challenging for helping professionals despite the fact that taking care of oneself is critical to survival as professionals and as people. Unfortunately, wellness is often neglected in the modern-day human service professions. This course will challenge behavioral health professionals to consider the ramifications of not taking care of themselves while working with vulnerable individuals and populations who require us to be present and healthy. This course presents the theoretical basis for vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, moral stress, empathetic distress, and burnout from both an ethical and a socio-cultural-political perspective. Also covered is the balance of self-care and community care considering of the privilege of an individualist approach compared to healing in community. Students will be challenged to consider the privileged narrative of doing work that they "love" when they need to pay the bills with ways to enhance satisfaction and support interests in issues of social justice. The Sanctuary Model will be explored as an example of an organizational response to wellness. Most importantly, students will gain hands-on experience from local experts in multiple self-care practices, including self-monitoring, stress management, yoga, meditation, visualization, and journaling. At the end of the course, each student will have a highly detailed and individualized wellness plan that they can implement and adapt as needed. This course is ideal for all helping professionals, especially those who are facing significant life stressors: caregiving for children, aging parents, and other family members; managing financial obligations; and balancing personal, emotional, and mental health.
Typically offered in Fall.

SWG 585. Community-Based Prevention Services. 3 Credits.

This course examines the role of prevention in community socialization regarding individual, family, and community health and mental health. It reviews prevention research and funding, the use of prevention and community based services; and offers a project based learning activity. The ecological perspective framework and systems theory are used to examine current statistics on community areas of need and the provision of services that inform educational performance, health and mental health, family development and aging. Students will operate from a framework of theory, multicultural resources, advocacy, and collaboration to develop community education for capacity building. Working through consultation with our Field Director, groups will select a prevention area and prepare an educational curriculum that may be presented at a local agency.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Fall.

SWG 586. Motivational Interviewing. 3 Credits.

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is an evidence-based counseling/communication method designed for evoking intrinsic motivation for positive behavior change. Originally developed in the drug and alcohol field, MI is now empirically supported to be delivered in a variety of settings, including social services, health care, mental health, public health, and criminal justice. This course will immerse students in theories, principles, and skills of MI and focus primarily on the use of MI by social workers using role and real-plays to learn and demonstrate practice skills. Following the Eight Stages of Learning MI (Moyers Miller, 2006) students will be guided through a sequence of experiential learning activities to develop and refine their skills of MI. Students will also develop beginning proficiency in identifying and coding MI skills using the MITI 3.1.
Typically offered in Fall.

SWG 588. Critical Theory and Social Work Practice. 3 Credits.

This course will explore critical theory and power within the U.S., including critical race theory and Black feminist thought. The educational system and interactions with police will be used as examples for applying these frames, and students will explore additional opportunities for social workers to apply these theories to their practice on the micro, mezzo, and macro levels. Students will complete an actionable final project with an emphasis on enacting social change.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Spring.

SWG 589. Analysis and Application of Humor in Social Work. 3 Credits.

This course will explore the use of humor as a complementary therapy and advocacy tool over the past half-century internationally. The anatomy of humor, types of humor, and humor as both empowering and oppressive will be investigated. Students will learn experientially developing and completing a personalized humor therapy treatment plan in addition to examining the application of humor on the micro, mezzo, and macro levels of social work practice.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring & Summer.

SWG 590. Seminar in Social Work. 3 Credits.

In-depth topics in social work offered to complement the program's concentration and not offered in required courses.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring & Summer.
Repeatable for Credit.

SWG 591. Independent Study in Social Work. 1-3 Credits.

An independent project developed by a student under the guidance of a specific faculty member.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring & Summer.
Repeatable for Credit.

SWG 592. Advanced Clinical Practice in Integrated Health: Behavior, Health, Nutrition, and Recovery. 3 Credits.

This course is an inter-professional, graduate-level elective for students in health and behavioral health sciences on the latest in integrated health or "whole health" approaches to working with individuals, families, and communities around issues of behavior, food security, health, and recovery. The US Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and the National Institute of Medicine, along with many other governmental and non-governmental health organizations and foundations have been calling for a more integrated (primary healthcare and behavioral healthcare) approach to services. Crucial to this approach is to understand the public health ramifications of food security and nutrition and the interconnectedness of these factors on a person's health and recovery. Also addressed will be the interplay of healthcare needs, culture, values, and barriers to access to care. Many integrated health organizations in the tristate area are looking for professionals trained in this whole health approach--able to work as part of an inter-professional team in collaborating with people toward improving health and supporting recovery. Health professionals and administrators from these organizations will be guest lecturers. Students will visit some of these organizations. Developing a hypothetical, integrated health program proposal (a team effort) is a key component of the course.
Consent: Permission of the Department required to add.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Summer and Winter.
Cross listed courses NTD 592, SWG 592.

SWG 593. Green Social Work and Environmental Justice. 3 Credits.

This course emphasizes a framework of environmental justice for exploring the connection between environmental impact and social, political, and economic structures. An environmental psychology perspective is utilized to understand how attitudes and behaviors related to the natural environment and sustainability are shaped, reinforced, and changed. Students will learn about a broad range of topics related to conservation of the natural environment, analyze the impact on communities, and practice skills relevant to behavioral change, community engagement, and advocacy.
Typically offered in Winter.

SWG 594. Family Violence. 3 Credits.

This course examines family violence as a biopsychosocial phenomenon from a social work perspective. Particular attention will be given to the etiology, myths, and dynamics of intimate partner violence (IPV). Elder abuse, child abuse, and sibling violence are discussed, but are secondary topics. Although historical, sociological, and political perspectives are explored, we focus on an integrated theoretical model that supports movement toward evidence-based practice and policy innovation. A review of the issues, policies, programs, and services will be discussed.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Fall & Summer.

SWG 595. Human Rights Exploration. 3 Credits.

This course will provide the theoretical, conceptual, and practical foundation for social workers to engage in a human rights-based approach to social work. Students will gain an understanding of how the international human rights principles can be applied to social work practice in domestic and international settings, particularly in crisis situations. A number of historical and current cases from a variety of countries will be used to examine how social workers can both advocate for and respect human rights in a manner that promotes recovery, resiliency, and capacity building. This course includes a study abroad experience and requires an application through the Global Engagement Office.
Consent: Permission of the Department required to add.
Typically offered in Spring & Summer.
Repeatable for Credit.

SWG 596. Generalist Field Practicum I. 3 Credits.

This course is the first of two required generalist year field practicum courses, each consisting of a structured field experience at an assigned practicum site for an average of 16 hours per week during the academic semester. Included in the 16 hours is a mandatory 60-minute individual supervisory session with an approved Field Instructor, as well as at least 30 minutes of additional supervisory time in group or other settings. Grounded in a person and environment construct, an understanding of oppressive systems, and respect for human diversity, the course provides students with the opportunity to develop competencies for generalist social work practice.
Pre / Co requisites: SWG 596 requires a corequisite of SWG 501.
Typically offered in Fall.

SWG 597. Generalist Field Practicum II. 3 Credits.

This is the second of two required generalist year field practicum courses, each consisting of a structured field experience at an assigned practicum site for an average of 16 hours per week during the academic semester. Included in the 16 hours is a mandatory 60-minute individual supervisory session with an approved Field Instructor, as well as at least 30 minutes of additional supervisory time in group or other settings. This course is taken concurrently with Generalist Practice, SWG 502. Grounded in a person and environment construct, an understanding of oppressive systems, and respect for human diversity, this course provides students with the opportunity to develop competencies for generalist social work practice with individuals and families.
Pre / Co requisites: SWG 597 requires a prerequisite of SWG 596 and a corequisite of SWG 502.
Typically offered in Spring.

SWG 598. Specialized Field Practicum I. 3 Credits.

This course is the first of two required specialization year field practicum courses, each consisting of a structured field experience at an assigned practicum site for 18 hours per week during the academic semester. Included in the 18 hours is a mandatory 60-minute individual supervisory session with an approved Field Instructor, as well as at least 30 minutes of additional supervisory time in group or other settings.
Pre / Co requisites: SWG 598 requires a prerequisite of SWG 503 and Advanced Standing status, or a prerequisite of 597 and a corequisite of SWG 561.
Typically offered in Fall.

SWG 599. Specialized Field Practicum II. 3 Credits.

This course is the second of two specialized field practicum courses, each consisting of a structured field experience at an assigned practicum site for 18 hours per week during the academic semester. Included in the 18 hours is a mandatory 60-minute individual supervisory session with an approved field instructor, as well as at least 30 minutes of additional supervisory time in group or other settings.
Pre / Co requisites: SWG 599 requires a prerequisite of SWG 598 and a corequisite of SWG 563.
Typically offered in Spring.

SWG 600. Assessment, Intervention, and Evaluation for the School Social Worker. 3 Credits.

Geared toward social workers practicing in school settings, this course will explore individual, group, and systemic approaches to assessment, intervention, and evaluation. This course is divided into three modules: (1) individual interventions and assessment tools, (2) group interventions and assessment tools, and (3) school-wide approaches. Throughout the course, students will be exposed to a wide range of tools and strategies that pull from multiple theoretical lenses and practice-based models. Students will consider how to implement these tools and models from the perspective of social work ethics and values. Additionally, students will consider barriers and opportunities to implementation and identify potential connections between theory and practice.
Pre / Co requisites: SWG 600 requires prerequisites of SWG 501 and SWG 502.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, Summer, Winter.

SWG 601. Education Law and Policy for Social Workers. 3 Credits.

This course will introduce students to federal, state, and local laws that impact social workers, staff, and students in the school setting. From the lens of social work ethics and values, students will explore legislation and policy related to confidentiality, youth homelessness, Title IV funding and programs, special education, truancy, diverse student identities, conduct violations, suicide prevention, threat assessment, and discipline. Additional topics include the differences between private, public, and charter schooling, interdisciplinary collaboration in school settings, the multi-tiered model of support, and the role of school boards. In this course, students not only learn about applicable laws and policies, but they consider how these laws and policies impact youth and shape the manner in which school social workers intervene with youth in school settings.
Pre / Co requisites: SWG 601 requires prerequisites of SWG 501 and SWG 502.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, Summer, Winter.

SWG 602. Integrated School Social Work Practice. 3 Credits.

Building on the strengths-based, collaborative model of social work practice covered in generalist practice courses and the trauma-informed and recovery-oriented theories and models of specialized courses, this seminar prepares students to respond to the individual, group, and systemic needs of the youth and families served within the context of school social work practice. Students will consider the unique advantages and barriers of social work practice in a school setting. They will consider potential ways to strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration with community partners. Additionally, they will explore interventions and supports that can assist youth in processing mental health challenges, trauma, grief/loss, and suicidal ideation.
Pre / Co requisites: SWG 602 requires a prerequisite of SWG 561.
Distance education offering may be available.
Typically offered in Spring.