BSW Program - Curriculum

Description of Required Social Work Courses

• SOWK 150 Introduction to Social Work
• Introduction to the profession of social work; the historical events that led to the creation of a social welfare institution in the United States; and an overview of the knowledge, values, intervention skills, practice settings, and population groups served by social workers. Virtually every concept examined in this course will be developed more fully and applied to life situations in other courses, practica, or internships by the time one completes the social work major. Thus, one goal of SW 150 is to present an overview of these topics. A second goal is to provide students with sufficient information to help them gain an accurate picture of the work and career opportunities for social workers. The concept of practice roles and a beginning definition of all foundation roles are included in this course.
• SOWK 233 – Human Behavior in the Social Environment
• This course is intended to assist the student in understanding human behavior theory relevant to social work practice and the systems perspective as a way of organizing theory and professional knowledge. It is expected that students beginning this course will possess fundamental knowledge about human development and behavior in different social systems. Historical and contemporary theory pertaining to social psychological functioning in different human environments is introduced and applied to the professional practice of social work.
• SOWK 286A B Practicum
• This two semester introductory practice skills course is an educationally-guided, experiential learning opportunity for understanding and practicing interpersonal helping skills. Communication, relationship-building, and entry-level professional writing skills are the primary focus of this course and are taught through lectures, as well as through an advocate-mentor relationship taking place in a social service setting. There is also an exploration of the meaning of the professional self and of each student's potential fit with the social work profession.
• SOWK 330 – Human Diversity Practice Issues
• This course focuses on knowledge about human differences, the way these differences influence interactions among people and issues of human diversity related to social work practice. This introductory course is designed to: 1) define and identify various types of human differences as illustrated by sex/gender differences, ethnic and racial differences and differences in sexual orientation; 2) identify patterns and issues related to human interactions in which diversity is salient; 3) examine the interface between human differences and socio-economic status, including oppression; 4) explore the nature of prejudice and discrimination; 5) explore students own values and attitudes concerning various types of human differences; 6) develop individual student strategies for dealing with human differences in professional practice.
• SOWK 340 Generalist Practice Individuals and Families
  SW 341 – Generalist Practice – Small Groups
  SW 342 – Generalist Practice – Organizations/Communities
• These three social work practice courses focus on development of students’ knowledge and skills in applying the problem-solving approach to multi-level (individual, family, group, organization, community) system assessments and interventions. Within a generalist framework, these three courses focus specifically upon the knowledge, skills, and competencies needed for operationalizing the planned change process at designated system levels and the roles appropriate to each level of intervention. Issues of professional values and ethics are also infused in each course. Knowledge-guided practice, specifically evidence-based practice, is an important premise for each of these courses.
• SOWK 340 – Generalist Practice: Individuals and Families
• The goals of this course are to: (1) examine how the problem-solving approach can be applied when the target of the planned change process is determined to be at the individual or family level; (2) examine how an assessment of intervention at one level may lead to a need for problem-solving at multiple levels; (3) to examine specific skills and knowledge (practice frameworks) used by social workers in initiating planned change at the individual and family levels; and (4) examine ways in which the planned change process can be used with a focus upon client system strengths as well as problems.
• SOWK 341 – Generalist Practice: Small Groups
• The goals of this course are to: (1) examine how the problem solving approach can be applied when the target of the planned change process is determined to be at the group level; (2) examine how an assessment or intervention at one level may lead to a need for problem-solving at multi-levels, and vice versa; (3) examine specific skills and knowledge (practice frameworks) used by social workers in initiating planned change at the group levels, and (4) examine ways in which the planned change process can be used with a focus on strengths within the system, as well as problems.
• SOWK 342 – General Practice: Organizations/Communities
• The goals of this course are to: (1) examine how the problem-solving approach can be applied when the target of planned change process is an organization, neighborhood or community; (2) examine how an assessment or intervention at one level may lead to a need for problem-solving at multiple, other levels; (3) examine specific skills and knowledge used by social workers in initiating planned change at the organizational and community levels; and (4) explore the concept of global interdependence as it applies to organizational, neighborhood, and community change.
• SOWK 410 Social Welfare Policy
• This course is designed to introduce students to understand social problems and social policy analysis. In particular, students will gain an understanding of social justice, ethical reasoning, research, analysis, and the impact of social policy on diverse and underrepresented groups. This course will provide the tools for students to analyze social policy and advocate for responsible solutions or changes needed within the present system.
• SOWK 488V Field Placement
• This course culminates a social work student's undergraduate educational experience. Placement in a CSU-approved social service agency provides students with the setting to put their social work knowledge, values, methods, and skills to use in service of others.
• Through completion of this course, students are prepared for entry-level social work practice positions. Throughout social work education, the class-field model of social work remains the accepted form of education. The Council on Social Work Education mandates a field experience that integrates the classroom learning of undergraduate students in their preparation for generalist practice.
• SOWK 492 – Seminar
• This course serves as an integrating and developmental experience for the social work student currently in field placement and nearing graduation. The course has two goals:
  1. to provide opportunity for in-depth study of the complexities of social work interventions
  2. to assist students in arriving at a comprehensive professional framework of how to relate knowledge, values, and skills to their social work practice
• HSCC 300 – Research in Applied Professions
• This course, along with the statistics requirement, is designed to help social work students become knowledgeable about the research process both as consumers of research as well as beginning initiators of research projects. Both quantitative and qualitative approaches are examined.

Social Work Elective Courses

• SOWKCC 110 Contemporary Social Welfare (fulfills AUCC Categories 3C, 3F)
• Principles, values, and institutions of U.S. social welfare in context of human need within family, groups, and society.
• SOWK 350 Legal Issues in Human Services
• Legal principles, procedures, and issues relevant to social work including policy research and courtroom testimony.
• SOWK/ET 352 – Indigenous Women, Children and Tribes
• Historical and contemporary lives of women, children, and tribal communities.
• SOWK 371A Social Work with Selected Populations: Children and Families
• Application of practice processes with children and families.
• SOWK 371B Social Work with Selected Populations: Juvenile Offender
• Application of practice processes with juvenile offenders.
• SOWK 371C Social Work with Selected Populations: Adult Offenders
• Application of practice processes with adult offenders.
• SOWK 371E Social Work with Selected Populations: Substance Abusers
• Application of practice processes with substance abusers.
• SOWK 371F Social Work with Selected Populations: Social Gerontology
• Application of practice processes with social gerontology.
• SOWK/IE 450 – International Social Welfare and Development
• Framework of social welfare and development in international area; social need with focus on cultures/countries in transition.

Field Practicum