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Graduate Course Descriptions

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

SWK 500 Social Work Practice I - Three semester hours. Focuses on the foundation generalist social work practice model with emphasis on the comprehensive functioning of individuals, families, groups, organizations/institutions and communities in the ecological system. This course is required all students in the 60 hour degree program.

SWK 501 Social Work Practice II - Explores the history, foundations, domains, philosophy and roles of social work practice. Basic theory, values, ethics and methods generic to social work practice at various system levels are presented. Classroom teaching will be combined with a skills laboratory. Prerequisites: SWK 500. This course is required all students in the 60 hour degree program.

SWK 510 Social Welfare Policy & Services I - 3 semester hours. Examines the historical evolution of social welfare institutions; political, economic, religious, social and ideological perspectives will be analyzed. This course is required all students in the 60 hour degree program.

SWK 511 Social Welfare Policy & Services II - Two semester hours. Continuation of SWK 510 - Social Welfare Policy & Services I. Emphasizes analytic models of welfare policies and lays framework for decision making. Contemporary issues will be discussed and international policies examined. Prerequisites: SWK 510 or permission of the professor. This course is required all students in the 60 hour degree program.

SWK 520 Human Behavior in the Social Environment I - Three semester hours. This course explores theories, concepts and knowledge about human development and behavior within the context of the social environment through the study of life cycle development in the ecological system. Major social and cultural institutions and their impacts on diverse individuals, families, groups and organizations will be examined. This course is required for all students. Prerequisites: SWK 521. This course is required all students in the 60 hour degree program

SWK 521 Human Behavior in the Social Environment II - Three semester hours. This is the second of a two-course sequence, and it deals with adult development, including old age and death. The societal impact of families, groups, and organizations on the elderly and the elderly's interaction with these systems and their diverse impacts will also be discussed. Prerequisites: SWK 520, 501 and 510. This course is required all students in the 60 hour degree program.

SWK 522 Race, Ethnicity and Gender and Diversity - Three semester hours. This course will introduce and sensitize students to the major concepts of culture, sub-culture, race, ethnicity and gender, cultural diversity, and pluralism and conflicts caused ethnocentrism, discrimination and prejudice. Further, it will emphasize public policies as well as interpersonal responses and the relationship between race, ethnicity, gender, diversity and social work practice. Emphasis is placed on the examination of major ethnic sub-cultures as well as sub-cultural groupings based on such factors as gender, race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, physical and mental abilities and other differences in human populations. The common elements of oppressions are emphasized and prejudicial and discriminatory practices are evaluated from both Micro and Macro theoretical frames of reference. This is a first-year course, required for all students.

SWK 523 Rural-Urban Social Welfare & Social Work - Three semester hours. This course will assist students in developing and applying theoretical knowledge and skills used in Urban and Rural Social Work Practice. Overall, the course assumes general knowledge of basic concepts in issues/problems, policies, community organizations, administration, service delivery systems, resource allocation, sociological knowledge, and program implementation in both urban and rural environments. Students will engage in projects that involve assessing the needs of rural communities and suggest intervention strategies. To fully accomplish the expectations of this project, students will visit agencies and participate in agency projects of their choice. Teamwork reflecting professional standards of individual performance will be stressed as a means of accomplishing the objectives. Group and individual assignments will be used to assist students to develop teamwork, personal practice skills and competencies in evaluating practice. Thus, a group project involving rural-urban issues and problems, policy formation, planning, implementation, evaluation and issues feedback is used as a medium for the application of knowledge and skills. This course is required of all students. Prerequisites: SWK 500,510, 520 or permission of the professor.

SWK 530 Applied Social Work Research - Three semester hours. This outline covers the general content and assignments included in the syllabus. During the regular academic year, completion of this course typically requires about 14 to 16 weeks. Successful completion requires the ability to consume a great deal of written information, the use of complex thinking skills to understand social work applications, and advanced conceptualization and organization skills for preparation of the assignments. For most students this course represents and introduction to research but it is never the less a graduate level course. Therefore, all students are expected to perform accordingly. For these reasons, all assignments are required, and work must be submitted in a timely manner. This outline was prepared for students' ease in moving toward a successful completion of the course. This is the first of two research courses. This course is required all students in the 60 hour degree program.

SWK 581 Field Practicum & Seminar I- Four semester hours. This is the first practicum course in the three-part practicum sequence. The purpose of this sequence is to expose students to the professional application of theory practice in community- based human service organizations. This course can be taken concurrent with or subsequent to classroom instruction. Prerequisites: SWK 500, 501. The field practicum courses must be taken in sequence and is a requirement for all students.

SWK 587 Social Work Empowerment - Three semester hours. This is a bridge course, which strengthens and assures a common core of professional knowledge for all advanced standing students prior to the beginning of their preparation for advance social work practice in the Concentration areas. It explores the foundations, domains, values, ethics, philosophy, and roles of generalist social work. The foundations include human behavior in the social environment, social work and social welfare policy, practice, research, and fieldwork. Understanding the relationship of each of the foundation areas to the others, as well as their impact and interactive effects on social work practice will be important in this course. The historical and contemporary use of empowerment and strengths perspectives will be examined along with the impact of factors such as race, sex, gender, class, and other diversity issues on practice decisions made in these contexts. Classroom learning and assignments will include application of ecological perspectives and problem solving processes; assessment and planning skills for diverse clients and systems; differential utilization of knowledge of the impact of race, ethnicity, class, culture, gender, sexual orientation, and varying abilities on social work relationships. All advanced standing students must successfully complete this course before progressing to the 600 level courses. This is a required introductory course for all advanced standing students, and must be successfully completed before students may advance to 600 level courses.

SWK 600 Social Work Intervention Strategies With Vulnerable Clients-3 semester hours. This is a seminar which focuses on vulnerable individuals, families, and groups. Interaction and empowerment strategies will be addressed. Required of all students in the Family & Child Welfare Specialization.

SWK 601 Therapeutic Intervention with Groups - Three semester hours. This course provides methods and skills for assessing vulnerable families. Various therapeutic models will be discussed and their efficacy analyzed. It requires students to infuse appropriate models into treatment plans and therapeutic approaches.

SWK 602 Issues In Community Mental Health - Three semester hours. This course examines critical issues faced by social workers within the community mental health system and the worker's accountability to individuals, families, groups, organizations/institutions, and communities in various practice settings. Interventions at the micro, mezzo and macro levels will be discussed. Prerequisites: SWK 500, 501, 520, 521 or permission of the professor. This course is a requirement for all students in the Community Mental Health specialization.

SWK 604 Theory and Practice of Social Welfare Administration & Planning - Three semester hours. This course is designed to provide the student with the knowledge base and beginning competency required for the mid-level administration of a social welfare organization within the community. Theoretical perspectives on the evolutionary development of administration and grounded principles of management will be discussed. Social Work ethics, values, methods, knowledge and skills introduced in earlier courses will lay the foundation for additional work in these areas. Contemporary issues impacting on modern organizations, including but not limited to economic and social justice, diversity issues including race, women, gays and lesbians, and people who are physically and mentally challenged will be discussed. The student will gain a comprehensive view of Administration in the macro environment, and will solidify his/her perception on the administrative style of choice. As a concentration course, prerequisites include all the foundation courses, and a broad liberal arts perspective. Prerequisites: SWK 500, 501, 510, 511, 520 & 521, or permission of the professor.

SWK 605 Organizational Behavior and Management - Three semester hours. This course is predicated on the assumption that people are truly the most valuable asset in any organization, therefore, management must demonstrate a realistic appreciation of workers, individually and collectively. This course deals with the management of people, inter-personal interactions, and relationships within organizations including, but not limited to, individual and group behavior, motivation, learning, leadership, supervisory behavior, communication, role, status and conflict resolution. Professional social work values and ethics including and abiding respect for the dignity and worth of the individual will be emphasized. The role of diversity (ethnic, racial, sexual orientation, religious, physical and mental abilities and gender) and the social policy of affirmative action will be discussed. 2nd year standing
NOTE: Students must register for this course in the Psychology Dept. (PSY 627) or the School of Business (MBA 515).


SWK 610 Family & Child Welfare Policy - Three semester hours. The predominant focus of this course is to identify, discuss and integrate family and child welfare issues and policies into the advanced concentration of Family and Children's Services. Although the course discussions will be on child welfare policies affecting children in general, the emphasis will be on children with special needs, e.g. protective services, foster care and adoption. The concept of the "best interest of the child" will be analyzed in depth. This course builds on the professional foundation in SWK 510, 511, 523 and traces the historical development of child welfare services in the U.S. from the beginning of the twentieth century until the present time. Five areas of services, programs and policies will be discussed-adoption, teenage pregnancy and parenthood, children with special needs (e.g., mental illness, delinquency, physical handicaps), foster care, and protected services for abused and neglected children. Social Work values and ethics will be infused throughout the course and, where appropriate, case examples from the state of Alabama will be utilized. The best interest of the child will be a primary focus. Prerequisites: SWK 510, 511, 520, 521, or permission of the professor. This course is required of all students in the Family and Child Welfare concentration.

SWK 613 Budgeting and Financial Management - Three semester hours. The course provides students with basic knowledge and theoretical underpinnings required to manage the fiscal and budgetary aspects of human service organizations. The course emphasis is the development and administration of fiscal resources to effectively meet the mission and goals of the organization. Along with the practical aspects of budget planning, development and implementation, the course will address major funding sources for human service organizations, and the strategies of influencing and accessing these sources. The role of politics and its impact on social services within our society will be explored, and students will be taught to manage with decreasing resources especially in rural areas. Prerequisites: SWK 510, 511, 520, 521 or permission of the professor. Required of all Policy, Planning and Administration concentration students.

SWK 614 Principles of Planning and Program Implementation - Three semester hours. The focus of this course is on the concept of planning within social welfare agencies institutions for the purpose of program implementation. Students acquire knowledge and understanding of planning concepts, strategies, and objectives for program development, implementation and evaluation. An ecological system perspective is applied to promote understanding of the interrelationships among individuals (micro systems), families, groups (mezzo systems), organizations/institutions and communities (macro systems). Likewise, a problem solving approach is used to provide content for understanding the differential strategies for resolving needs of individuals, families, and small groups, and larger organizational or community systems. Theoretical, empirical, and experimental contents are utilized to provide the student with an awareness of both comparative and contrasting aspects of systemic planning with other activities required in program implementation and program evaluation. Prerequisites: SWK 510, 511, 520, 521, 530 or permission of the professor. Required of all Policy, Planning and Administration concentration students.

SWK 615 Grantwriting - Two semester hours. Explores various grant writing theories and skills and demonstrates practical application of the process. Students will assist agencies and organizations to apply for local, state, federal, and international grants for their programs or projects. Prerequisites: SWK 510, 511, 520, 521. Required of all students in the Policy, Planning and Administration concentration, or by permission of the professor.

SWK 616 Issues & Policies in Community - Three semester hours. This course focuses on social work practice in mental health settings and includes local, state and national policies from which services are derived. Also examines the differential impact of race and ethnicity on policy formulation and service delivery. This course is required of all students in the Community Mental Health specialization. Prerequisites SWK 500, 501, 520, 521, or permission of the professor. This course is required of all students in the Community Mental Health concentration.

SWK 621 Family Theories and Processes- Three semester hours. This advanced level practice course explores sociological concepts of marriages and families in contemporary society; vulnerable families; family preservation; and the assessment and treatment of marriages and families. Treatment models, techniques, and strategies are studied. Social work values and ethics, research on marriages and families and the treatment there of, and cultural diversity issues are emphasized. Prerequisites: SWK 500,501,520,521,601,602,610 or permission of the professor. This course is required of all students in Direct Practice.

SWK 630 Needs Assessment and Program Evaluation - Three semester hours. This course builds on the professional foundation courses and their need for scientific problem-solving, decision-making skills and accountability in professional social work practice. Generalist knowledge of the social work research process is the foundation upon which students will develop needs assessment and program evaluation skills. Generalist understanding of the professional knowledge, values, skills, ethics and issues that are associated with social work practice, policy, and human behavior perspectives will be articulated in the student's conceptualization and development of either a need assessment or a program evaluation. Additionally, these skills will be applied to a variety of social systems, conditions and interventions for the purposes of promoting, sustaining, and enhancing individuals, families, social work groups, communities, and societal well-being. Student projects will be responsive to the programmatic and evaluative needs of their current job, field placement or the profession. Prerequisites: SWK 530, or permission of the professor.

SWK 631 & 632 Research Project/Thesis - Two to six semester hours. This course offers students the opportunity to prepare an empirically based research paper or thesis derived from a practice problem and which evidences a significant contribution to a special area of interest within their concentrations. The research problem is identified, and students develop a plan for its investigation. Upon approval by the student's Thesis Committee, or the research project panel, and acceptance by the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies (Graduate Bulletin, 1999-2000), students complete their research under the guidance of a graduate faculty member. Upon completion of the research project, a thesis may be prepared and defended before the student's thesis committee for approval.
Prerequisites: Completion of all first-year courses, or Advanced Placement status, and Registration for SWK 631: Research Project. In the second year, all students are required to register for thesis or thesis substitute, or comprehensive examination. A minimum of one semester must be devoted to the research project, while thesis research and development must span at least two semesters. Prerequisites: SWK 530 and 630, or permission of the professor.

SWK 641 Crisis Intervention and Short Term Psychotherapy - Two semester hours. This course presents an in-depth exploration of the history and theory of time-limited forms of psychotherapy and crisis intervention. Course content includes basic crisis intervention and short term psychotherapy, theoretical models and techniques, assessment and treatment and the application of these models and techniques to diverse and vulnerable populations. It examines the application of social work values and related theoretical dilemmas and explores legal and professional issues as well as related social work research, particularly the evaluation of practice effectiveness. Prerequisites: SWK 500, 510, 520 or permission of the professor.

SWK 642 Sexual Abuse: Assessment & Intervention - Three semester hours. This course focuses on the issues of sexual abuse and rape across cultures. The emphasis is on childhood sexual abuse, incestuous and non-familial, and its effects on the developing child and the adult survivor. Protective service issues as well as psychotherapeutic issues will be addressed. Course content includes: assessment of sexual abuse; treatment philosophies and techniques for children and adult survivors, including individual, family and group therapy; assessment of childhood sexual abuse in custody and visitation cases; false memory syndrome; offender treatment; and social work roles, including protective services worker, therapist, and witness. Building on the knowledge of human behavior and diversity, social work practice, and social welfare policy acquired in the study of the core curriculum, this course emphasizes the application of this knowledge in the area of childhood sexual abuse and rape. It is an elective in the Direct Practice concentration, and builds upon this body of knowledge, especially SWK 600, 602, 610 and 616.
Prerequisites: SWK 500, 501, 521 & 522, or permission of the professor.

SWK 643 Intervention with Children and Adolescents - Three semester hours. Provides an historical and theoretical overview of the literature with emphasis on physical, psychological, and cultural characteristics unique to children and adolescents. The course also explores intervention practice skills with troubled children and adolescents in both family, group, and institutional settings and critically examines theories/models of abnormality, deviancy, and coping styles. (Prerequisites: SWK 500, 510, 520 or consent of instructor)

SWK 652 Social Work and Law - This seminar examines the judicial system and its relevancy to social welfare and social work. The focus is on skills and knowledge needed for effective participation in the legal process as a social work professional. Prerequisites are SWK 500, 501, 510, 511, 520, 521, or permission of the professor.

SWK 658 International Social Welfare and Social Work - Three semester hours. This course aims to sensitize students to the knowledge base required in international social welfare and social work practice and international social work education. Further, it will emphasize the significance of traditional and modern ways of foreign welfare and social work practices in developed and developing countries. Emphasis is placed on the examination of macro, mezzo and micro social systems as well as the relationship between traditional technologies based on such factors as individuals, families, groups, organizations/institutions and communities; diversity and ethnicity; research, policy formulation, and objectives, program design and implementation; evaluation and feedback, and social work practice methods. Further, these concepts will be discussed in class: demography, social issues/problems, community development, community organization, transfer of technology, non-governmental organizations (NGO's), governmental organization (GO) and the like. Prerequisites: SWK 510, 511, 520, 521 or professor's permission.

SWK 661 Personality Theories and Psychopathology - Three semester hours. This course examines several personality theories and presents in-depth discussions of DSM-IV. Information on etiology and treatment will also be presented. Prerequisites: SWK 500, 501, 520, 521, 600, or by permission of the professor. This course is required of all students in the Community Mental Health specialization.

SWK 663 Substance Abuse - Three semester hours. Examines the impact of substance abuse on individuals, families, groups, organizations/institutions and communities. The focus will be on disorders exhibited by the abuser and those in his/her immediate environment. Also, societal responses, contributing factors, social problems, policies, programs, services, intervention strategies, and needed resources will be examined. Prerequisites: SWK 500, 501, 520, 521, or permission of the professor.

SWK 667 Community Mental Health and Aging - Three semester hours. This course focuses on the impact of mental illness on the elderly and the role of the mental health system and social worker. Demographic issues and problems of the aged will be infused into the course content with a special emphasis on Alzheimers disease. Prerequisites: SWK 500, 501, 520, 521, 522 or permission of the professor.

SWK 680 Field Practicum & Seminar II - Four semester hours. This is the second practicum course in the three part sequence.

SWK 681 Field Practicum & Seminar III - Four semester hours. This is the last course in the three part practicum sequence.

SWK 689 Integrative Seminar - Three semester hours. Focuses on social work as a profession and the mixing and interfacing of the five-course sequences of advanced generalist social work practice. Emphasis will be placed on all aspects of professional social work practice including methods, knowledge, values, ethics, sanctions, and legal issues. This course is required of all students and should be taken during the semester that students are graduating from the program.

SWK 698 Independent Study - One to three semester hours. Students may register for one to three hours of independent study with a professor competent in the area of student's interest. An application for Independent Study must be approved by the instructor consenting to supervision, and Coordinator of the Program.

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