Social Work

Provides an introduction to the foundation of social work as a profession and outlines the primary knowledge, values, and skills that characterize contemporary practice. This entry level course surveys a variety of professional practice settings allowing students an opportunity for career exploration within the social work profession. In addition, the course reviews the historical and philosophical background of social work. Students demonstrate increased awareness of personal values in exploring both the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics, and the Benedictine values. The course emphasizes the experience of populations at risk and analyzes factors that constitute being at risk Through the use of weekly classroom lectures, discussion, readings, audio visual tools, and service learning assignments, students increase awareness of the value of promoting social and economic justice across all levels of practice.

Selected topics.

This integrative learning laboratory course facilitates students’ foundation understanding and self-preparation for generalist social work practice with diverse people through critical reflection, dialogue, experiential and active learning and small group interactions with faculty and peers. Specific lab curriculum will address topical themes related to content from social work core courses in which students are concurrently enrolled and cover topics related to the beginning coursework in the Social Work Program at The College of St. Scholastica.

This course is the first of two courses designed to help students build a critical understanding of statistical concepts commonly used in the professional literature and for evidence-based practice. Students will learn to choose appropriate statistical analyses, conduct analyses, interpret findings, and communicate results clearly and effectively in the context of the helping professions. The concepts considered in this course include those related to the representation of information (descriptive statistics – mean, standard deviation, graphing) and those concepts related to drawing conclusions based on sample data (inferential statistics – probability, the normal distribution, hypothesis testing).

This course is the second of two courses designed to help students build a critical understanding of statistical concepts commonly used in the professional literature and for evidence-based practice. Students will learn to choose appropriate statistical analyses, conduct analyses, interpret findings, and communicate results clearly and effectively in the context of the helping professions. The concepts considered in this course include those related to the representation of information (descriptive statistics – mean, standard deviation, graphing) and those concepts related to drawing conclusions based on sample data (inferential statistics – probability, the normal distribution, hypothesis testing).

Designed for junior social work students who will be participating in their field placement the following semester. Students have the opportunity to assess their interests and abilities, familiarize themselves with available field placement sites, explore and develop professional interviewing skills, complete necessary placement documentation, and interview prospective field placement sites.

Juniper is a statewide network of community organizations delivering evidence-based health and wellness programs in an effort to promote health and prevent disease among adults with chronic health conditions. This four credit topics course trains students to co-facilitate a Living Well with Chronic Condition/Pain workshop, a program designed to help adults in a group setting proactively manage chronic pain and related conditions. Students will complete an online, combined synchronous and asynchronous leader training during the spring semester during the first four weeks of the semester. After completing leader training, students will virtually co-lead a six-week Chronic Condition/Pain workshop, or provide individual phone support for participants. Students can determine the schedule of their Chronic Condition/Pain workshop based on student availability and target population’s needs.

Provides students an opportunity to analyze and deconstruct systems of privilege and oppression using the vehicles of race, class, sexual orientation, gender, age, ability and racial identity development. Students will contrast the varying experiences with systems of privilege and oppression in the United States. Students will connect these systems to our individual and collective socialization to allow for critique of how we have been impacted by these systems. This course examines intersectionality and the internal and external, individual and systemic supports for inequity and provides a framework and strategies for deconstructing, dismantling and resisting the systems of privilege and oppression, individually and collectively.

Examines the history, current structures and future of social welfare policy, and the role of social policy in social work practice. Course content includes: identification of local, state, federal and international political processes that shape the development of domestic and international social policy; analysis of current limitations and strengths in social policy; application of research relevant to existing and potential social policy; and consideration of controversial policies and social reform strategies. Policy analyses of the following issues are examined: income redistribution, poverty, discrimination, child welfare, mental health, housing, healthcare as well as other relevant economic/political/ organizational systems. The purpose of the course is to challenge students to recognize and understand the relationship between social problems, social values, social institutions, client advocacy, and social change as they prepare for entry-level generalist social work practice.

Provides students with knowledge and understanding of the reciprocal relationships between human behavior and social environments through a social systems approach as affected by biological, cultural, environmental, psychosocial and spiritual factors across the lifespan. Content includes empirically-based theories and knowledge that focus on the interactions between and among individual, family, small group, organizational and community roles in human behavior as related to social work practice. Course focuses on cultural, ethnic and lifestyle diversity and its effects on achieving health and well-being.

The first of the four practice courses. This course provides students with the fundamental concepts, principles and skills necessary to engage in beginning generalist social work practice at the baccalaureate level. It explores the unique aspects and challenges of the social work profession, emphasizes the professional commitment and values necessary to provide service to culturally diverse and vulnerable populations, promotes understanding and use of a strength's practice perspective, examines the NASW Code of Ethics, and introduces the generalist intervention problem- solving method for practice with individuals, families, groups, and communities. Students develop interviewing skills and the professional use of self.

This is one of four practice courses in the undergraduate social work program. Students will demonstrate mastery of interviewing skills and application of the generalist intervention model on a more advanced level working with individuals, couples, and families. This course includes information on and practice with: contemporary social work practice theories, social histories, individual and family assessments.

Qualitative and quantitative approaches to building evidence-based generalist social work practice. Students acquire knowledge and develop skills necessary for assessing the effectiveness and efficiency of practice interventions and social service programs. Course content includes: steps in practice research; ethnic-sensitive research practice; empirical research strategies for assessing micro, mezzo and macro social work interventions; developing and implementing a research project; and effective use of computer technology as an integral part of both research and human service practice.

This course extends and elaborates on the generalist approach to social work practice in the field of healthcare. Students are introduced to social work practice in the health care field. The course is designed to expose students to the environment, terminology, culture, and nature of work in health care organizations. Students will examine the roles and duties of social workers in a variety of health care settings, e.g., clinics, hospitals, long term care facilities, mental health clinics, rehabilitation centers, and community agencies. Through class discussions, readings, site visits, case studies, and presentations from area health care professionals, students will learn about practice modalities for populations with various diseases/conditions. Topics related to relevant health care and institutional policy issues will also be covered. Skill development will focus on psychosocial assessment, case planning, intervention strategies and documentation utilizing an electronic medical record, and working with the health care team. This course emphasizes ethics and human diversity related to age, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and disability.

This integrative laboratory course facilitates students’ understanding of foundation professional social work competencies in applied practice methods with organizational, community focused, or cross-disciplinary learning experiences. Content relates to topical themes and content from other core social work courses. Activities facilitate students’ understanding of their learning experience through critical reflection, lecture, experiential learning, small group interactions with faculty and peers, and/or community-centered experiences.

Focuses on skills critical to providing social work services in a school setting. Content topics include but may not be limited to equity, cultural responsiveness, understanding behavior and developing interventions from a functional perspective, special education services, mental health, and working at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels of social work in a school setting.

Designed to provide students with an entry-level opportunity to work in a social service agency, institution, or organization in the role of a social work intern, approximately 8 hours per week (minimum of 120 hours-4 credits). Performance Plans are individually developed to meet the needs of the student, competency requirements, and opportunities available in the social service agency. Students participate in a group seminar to enhance student learning, personal/professional development and share agency learning with other students. General practice skills will be explored, including values, ethics, professional documentation and engagement strategies. Students will be graded on a P/F basis.

Topics.

Independent Study.

This integrated laboratory course prepares learners for academic, professional, and practical success in emerging areas of academic and professional standards and development. Content relates to topical themes and content from core social work courses. Activities facilitate students’ understanding of their learning experience through critical reflection, lecture, experiential learning, small group interactions with faculty and peers, and/or community-centered experiences.

One of four practice courses required for all Social Work majors. The course incorporates knowledge and skill content developed in SWK 3370 and SWK 3383. Students examine the nature and development of social work group practice within task and treatment groups. Specific attention is given to group dynamics theory, leadership and group facilitation skills, stages of group development, theories and techniques adapted to a variety of treatment and task group settings, ethical standards for group practice, and cultural and ethnic consideration in social work group intervention. Students have the opportunity to demonstrate group facilitation and memberships skills in this course. In addition, students receive instruction in implementing empirically based interventions in evaluating practice effectiveness.

One of four practice courses in the undergraduate social work program. SWK 4441 will enable the student to meet or exceed the requirements for the beginning and at standard level social work competencies of community-based practice. The course is designed to help students understand the general motivations and processes for organizing on local, national, and global levels; and various macro practice methods of community development, social policy/ planning, and social justice advocacy/action. The concept of community is developed within the ecological and structural perspectives which incorporate various social, national and global systems. Specific interventions are based on problem-solving and planning from a strengths-perspective, and draw on content from other general practice skills learned in foundation social work courses and life experience.

Provides an opportunity for students to be immersed in a cross-cultural learning experience, which will focus on social justice within the context of Jamaican culture. Students will explore the social service system delivery in Jamaica, particularly in the area of child welfare. Students will collaborate and visit multiple social service agencies in the Montego Bay area. Learning goals and outcomes are reflective of the social work core competencies: ethical and professional behavior, engaging differences and diversity in practice, advancing human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice, and engaging with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

Designed for senior social work students in preparation for their Field II placement. Students have the opportunity to assess their interests and abilities, familiarize themselves with available field placement sites, complete required field documents and interview with a field agency site.

Senior project integrating coursework and student learning experiences throughout the undergraduate social work program. The project must address generalist practice foundation areas: professional behavior, values and ethics, anti-bias, equity, diversity and inclusion in practice social, economic and environmental justice, micro, mezzo and macro practice using a historical and trauma-informed lens, theories of human behavior in the social environment, social welfare policies and services, social work research, field practicum experience.

This integrative laboratory course facilitates students’ understanding of their learning experience through critical reflection, lecture, experiential learning, small group interactions with faculty and peers, and community-centered experiences. Specific lab curriculum will address topical themes related to content from social work core courses in which students are concurrently enrolled. Activities support students in identifying their emerging personal-professional identity, perspectives, knowledge and competencies as a professional social worker in a changing society.

A 450 hour social work internship in a social service agency, institution or organization during the senior year, either across two semesters, concurrently, or in one 10 credit block. The practicum provides students the opportunity to integrate direct practice with acquired theoretical knowledge and skills. The student participates in a group seminar to facilitate the integration of practice experience, NASW Code of Ethics, CSWE Competencies, and the personal/professional development of the student.

Courses that are not a regular part of the Social Work curriculum but taught because of a special need, interest or opportunity. Topics vary.

Designed as a seminar and is presented in four modules incorporating the Inter-professional Education Collaborative (IPEC) core competencies: The focus of learning is centered on inter-professional engagement.

Students select a particular topic of study with the instructor. Individual student learning goals and methods of evaluation are designed.

Designed to provide students with an understanding of public policy as it affects the social service delivery system in the United States. Issues covered in the course include income poverty, homelessness, discrimination, child welfare, mental health and health care. The purpose of the course is to challenge social work students to recognize and understand the relationship of social problems, social values (including Benedictine values), social institutions and social change to the ongoing practice of social work. The course is required by CSWE, the social work accrediting body.

Designed to help students develop the professional foundation skills, knowledge, and values for social work services to individuals, groups, families, and communities. Prepares students to engage, assess, intervene, and evaluate client systems at multiple levels. Teaching Method: The first of a two course practice sequence, the primary teaching approach in this course will be collaborative learning. Material in the course will be presented through on-campus and online tools, including discussions, readings, case studies, and individual assignments.

Focuses on empirically-based theories and conceptual approaches that serve social work practice and research with individuals and families in social systems. Ecological-systems theory and a lifespan developmental framework serve as a conceptual framework for understanding social work’s person-in-environment, contextual approach to the reciprocal relationship between human behavior and the social environment. Content is drawn from empirically-based theories and knowledge that focus on the interactions between and among individual, family, small group, organizational, and community roles in human behavior as related to social work practice, including traditional and alternative theories.

Helps students understand the dynamics of economic, social, and cultural factors in the lives of clients and client systems. Strategies for advancing human rights and social and economic justice in various contexts are explored. Students will use knowledge of the effects of oppression, discrimination, and historical trauma on client systems to guide treatment planning and intervention.

Designed to provide students an understanding of how clinical social work practice applies to the context of group, organizational, and community systems. Students learn to facilitate groups, identify and address interrelated group dynamics, and apply major theoretical frameworks with culturally sensitive modifications to various types of treatment groups, such as trauma informed, gender sensitive groups.

Examines and uses evidence-based practice theories and frameworks, methods, skills, ethics and values for service delivery in working with individuals, groups, families and communities. Emphasis on multidimensional approaches in engagement, assessment, intervention, and evaluation.

Presents the broad range of research tools that social workers can use to improve the effectiveness of their practice. Emphasizes the process of theory development across a broad spectrum of social work practice situations. The course includes quantitative and qualitative methodological considerations; research design; sampling; instrumentation; methods of data collection and analysis; and report preparation and dissemination.

Students assess their interests and abilities, familiarize themselves with available field placement sites, explore and develop professional interviewing skills, complete necessary documentation, and interview with prospective field placement sites. Assignments will cover placement readiness, personal learning style, how to choose a field placement site, the role of the professional social worker through the NASW Code of Ethics, student application process for field placement, interviewing skills, contracting with an agency, developing a learning plan, and the effective utilization of supervision.

Provides students with the opportunity to integrate direct practice with acquired theoretical knowledge and skills. The seminar facilitates the integration of classroom content and direct practice experience from the field experience. Attention is given to the relationship between the purpose, values, and principles expressed in the NASW Code of Ethics and evidence-informed practice of social work. The practicum socializes students to perform the role of practitioner and contributes to the development and assessment of requisite foundation competencies.

Presents assessment and diagnostic techniques associated with mental health and mental disorders within the context of the lifespan (child; adolescent; adult; and aging perspectives). Categories of psychiatric disorders are considered with respect to their differentiating characteristics, explanatory theories, and relevance for social work practice according to the DSM, ICD, and other diagnostic tools. Students will learn models of assessment to evaluate human functioning throughout the lifespan. Addresses the impact of race, ethnicity, social class, age, gender, and other sociocultural variables on the diagnostic processes.

Develops the knowledge and skills necessary for working with client systems using principles of evidence-based practice for clinical treatment planning. Students will become familiar with evidence-based practices, as well as specific evidence-based interventions to use for client wellbeing. Students will learn to examine the research literature to determine the various levels of scientific support for specific interventions, essential principles for translating research into practice, and how to identify appropriate treatment outcomes that reflect quality practice with diverse groups.

Designed for Advanced Standing students to develop clinical social work skills. This course will enable students to develop the skills of use of self, engagement, rapport building, and assessment. Students will develop and strengthen skills in clinical case documentation with emphasis placed on active learning techniques. The course will enable students to work more effectively with clients in clinical field placement settings.

Prepares students to critically engage community and policy practice within the area of mental health across the life-span. Building on foundational knowledge, the course examines advanced skills in the development, analysis, advocacy, and implementation of policy as it pertains to advanced practice with individual clients, families, groups, interdisciplinary teams, service providers, and community. Focus includes service delivery systems, technological advances, and ways of engaging and changing regulatory strategies. Consideration will be given to the effects of age, class, color, culture, disability and ability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity and expression, immigration status, marital status, political ideology, race, religion/spirituality, sex, sexual orientation, and tribal sovereign status on social welfare policy and community practice.

Focuses on the research process within the context of advanced social work practice. Content covers the theory and practice of evaluation as a method of assessing advanced social work practice. Emphasis is on developing the knowledge and skills required to critically assess empirically based evidence for practice with clients across the lifespan and to design ethical and feasible approaches to practice evaluation.

Provides students an in-depth understanding of how clinical social work practice applies to the context of group, organizational, and community systems. Students learn advanced clinical skills to facilitate treatment groups. Students will identify and address interrelated group dynamics, and apply major theoretical frameworks with culturally sensitive modifications to various types of treatment groups, such as trauma informed, gender sensitive groups.

Students assess their interests and abilities, familiarize themselves with available advanced clinical field placement sites, explore and develop professional interviewing skills, complete necessary documentation, and interview and familiarize themselves with prospective advanced clinical field placement sites. Assignments will cover placement readiness for advanced clinical social work, preferred supervision style, how to choose an advanced clinical field placement site, the role of the professional social worker through the NASW Code of Ethics, student application process for the advanced clinical field placement, interviewing skills, contracting with an agency, developing a learning plan, the effective utilization of clinical supervision and licensure standards.

This practice course helps students develop an understanding of how personal and planetary health intersect at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels. Students will learn and apply nature-based clinical practice skills from somatic literacy and Polyvagal/RCT theoretical frameworks to assist individuals with their therapeutic wellness journeys.

Reviews the history, science, and application of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Students will learn how to work collaboratively with clients to identify how the underlying framework of a person’s experiences, beliefs, thoughts, emotions and behaviors impact their unique perception of the world. Utilizing lecture, practice exercises, self-exploration, and role play, students will be prepared to work with clients on a number of mental health issues and develop a standardized approach to structuring sessions throughout the various stages of the therapeutic relationship. Case conceptualization models will include an emphasis on various mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders.

Focuses on reinforcing, integrating and building advanced social work practice skills, including engagement, assessment, intervention, and evaluation of clients with special attention devoted to complex practice situations encountered by social workers. Students learn practice skills and strategies through evidence-based approaches and theories to promote change in client systems. Topics vary according to practice situation. Course may be repeated when topics vary.

Focuses on practice evaluation methods to assess advanced social work practice effectiveness and guide practice decisions for client and community well-being. This course will focus on the direct application of the analytical skills and knowledge associated with developing and implementing evaluation designs that are appropriate for advanced social work practice.

Covers a complete approach to the treatment of trauma and trauma related disorders. It will cover trauma theory including developmental trauma and complex trauma. Students will apply theories in the skill development of assessment, treatment planning, and intervention. Additional skills in psychoeducation and affect regulation will be practiced. Intervention methods will include cognitive behavioral and emotion-focused techniques. Students will understand a full treatment model for acute and complex trauma.

Covers a clinical social work approach for working with families and couples. It will include theoretical and practical applications. Students will apply theory in the skill development of assessment, treatment planning, and intervention.

Provides students, in collaboration with current Relational-Cultural Therapy scholars and practitioners, the opportunity to integrate and practice RCT in therapeutic relationships with individuals and groups. The course affords a framework for issues clients bring to therapy, including power, privilege, marginalization, stigmatization, belonging, and acceptance. It provides context for clinical social workers to discuss multicultural and gender issues by conceptualizing challenging clinical cases. Students will evaluate how RCT fosters growth-and change in organizational, environmental and social systems by (A) challenging traditional models of development with respect to the definition of growth; (B) addressing ways that people respond to relational and cultural adversity; and (C) illustrating the impact that chronic loss and disconnection can have on people’s lives and relationships.

Integrates acquired knowledge, skills, and values through an advanced social work field practicum experience. The seminar facilitates the integration of classroom content and direct practice experience in the field. Attention is given to the relationship between the purpose, values, and principles expressed in the NASW Code of Ethics and evidence-informed, advanced social work practice. The field practicum socializes students to perform the role of a clinical practitioner and contributes to the development and assessment of advanced clinical competencies.

Topics in Social Work

Designed as a seminar and is presented in four modules incorporating the Inter-professional Education Collaborative (IPEC) core competencies: The focus of learning is centered on inter-professional engagement.

Independent Study.