Page - 1. SPRING 2015 Course Title: Introduction to Social Work Course Prefix: SOWK 2113 Course No.: 2113 Section No.: P01

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1 Page - 1 SPRING 2015 Course Title: Introduction to Social Work Course Prefix: SOWK 2113 Course No.: 2113 Section No.: P01 Department of Social Work College of Arts & Sciences Instructor Name: Dr. M.F. Bright Office Location: 234 W.R. Banks Office Phone: (936) Fax: (936) Address: mfbright@pvamu.edu U.S. Postal Service Address: Prairie View A&M University P.O. 519 Box Mail 2203 Stop Prairie View, TX Office Hours: Virtual Office Hours: MW: 10 am-11am; 12-1pm; 3:30-5pm F: 10 am-11am; 12-1pm; 2 pm-5pm M-F: 8am to 5pm Course Location: WR Banks 208 Class Meeting Days & Times: MWF 1:00 PM to 1:50 PM Catalog Description: Introduction to the profession of social work and social welfare including the history, current services and agencies, values, ethics, licensure and generalist social work model. This course requires 20 clock hours of supervised learning experience in social service settings. This course is required for the Social Work major. Prerequisite: Completion of 30 semester credit hours. Prerequisites Co-requisites: Required Text: Glicken, Morley D. (2011). Social Work in the 21st Century: An Introduction to Social Welfare, Social Issues, and the Profession. (Required Text) Recommended Text/Readings: Publication Manual of American Psychological Association (APA) (2010) (6 th Ed.). Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association. (Recommended Writing Manual)

2 Page - 2 See course units of study for required readings Access to Learning Resources: PVAMU Library: phone: (936) ; web: University Bookstore: phone: (936) ; web: Course Goals or Overview: 1. Introduce you to the social work profession, its values, fields of practice and societal role. 2. Acquaint you with the causes of social problems and societal responses to those issues. 3. Examine philosophies of social welfare provision and the resulting practices. 4. Survey the range of social welfare policies and programs and their impact on populations at risk for oppression and marginalization. 5. Study of the role of social work in promoting social and economic justice. 6. Introduce you to the use of professional resources in research and writing. Course Outcomes/Objectives At the end of this course, the student will: 1. Describe the profession of social work and its fields of practice. 2. Explain the values of social work. 3. Apply the values of social work to societal problems. 4. Explain the history of the social work profession. 5. Recognize the causes of social problems. 6. Identify major social welfare responses to social problems. 7. Differentiate between traditional, conservative and liberal approaches to social problems. 8. Describe the impact of major social welfare policies and programs on disadvantaged populations. 9. Define the role of social work in striving to establish and maintain social and economic justice.

3 Page - 3 Course Requirements & Evaluation Methods This course will utilize the following instruments to determine student grades and proficiency of the learning outcomes for the course. Note: See Program Outcomes in True Outcomes Exams written tests designed to measure knowledge of presented course material Exercises written assignments designed to supplement and reinforce course material Projects web development assignments designed to measure ability to apply presented course material Class Participation daily attendance and participation in class discussions (instruments will vary slightly depending on the course) Grading Matrix (points will vary according to instructor s grading system) Instrument Value (points or percentages) Examination #1 20 Examination #2 20 Examination #3 20 Experiential Learning 25 Writing Assignments 15 Total: 100 Grade Determination: A =100 90pts; B = 89 80pts; C = 79 70pts; D = 69 60pts; F = 59pts or below Course Procedures A. Examinations 1. There will be three major examinations; however, only two exams will be averaged with the final grade (students can drop the lowest exam grade). Examination # 1will include materials covered from textbook, lectures, and readings from unit 1 to unit 4. Examination # 2 will consist of textbook, lectures, and reading materials covered from unit 5 to unit 8. Examination #3 will consist of textbook, lectures, and readings material covered from unit 9 to unit 12. Examinations are multiple choice and true/false questions. 2. Students will be given the opportunity to take a make-up examination only if prior approval has

4 Page - 4 been obtained from the instructor for an absence due to compelling reasons. Students who fail to take the examination on the scheduled date without prior permission will receive a grade of zero for the examination. B. Assignments, Projects, Quizzes 1. Volunteer and Experiential Requirements Volunteer hours A minimum of 20 hours of volunteer experience at an approved human services agency is required for this course. The main objective of this requirement is for you to integrate concepts learned in class with experiences and observations in the field. Students are expected to locate and arrange to complete the volunteer hours during the semester. Each student will select an agency. When choosing your volunteer placement, consider what populations or interests you have, what hours you have available, and how well these fit with the needs of the agency. Please clearly inform the agency that you are doing this for a social work class assignment and that you are only making a commitment for this fall semester. Begin your search for a volunteer placement as soon as possible, since some agencies may require time-consuming background checks, or require training that is only given at certain times of the year. Feel free to speak with me if you have any questions. In addition, each student will a. Complete and submit a time log with a description of your activities for each time you volunteered. b. Return a completed and signed form by your agency supervisor to verify the 20 hours and give her/his evaluation of the work. c. Space volunteer hours throughout the semester rather than be done in the last week or two of the semester. d. Comply with agency volunteer requirements including possible training. 2. Volunteer Paper & Oral Presentation Each student will prepare a professional presentation describing their volunteer experience and its relationship to social work practice. The focus of the presentation is to integrate the student s volunteer experience with the course learning objectives and their personal experiences in a social service agency. A handout will be given to students with an outline of elements to be included in this presentation. (see guidelines) 3. Writing Assignments A. Public Perceptions of Social Workers Paper: Each student will interview another student during class regarding the other student s perception of social workers. The topics to be addressed in the interview will be provided by the instructor. Students will come up with questions. Students will analyze the information gathered in the interview as a reflection of public perception. By the end of class, students will submit an analysis which will include a paragraph(s) on the implications or recommendations for how social workers can improve their public image.

5 Page - 5 B. Write a Personal Interest Statement which is required for Graduate School about your social work career aspirations, etc. See guidelines. (2-3 pages) C. Students will participate in low stakes writing assignments throughout the semester. Writings will be on the topics of readings, class discussions, etc. DUE DATES FOR EXAMS, ASSIGNMENTS, & PROJECTS Assignment A-Public Perception Date: 02/06/2015 Examination #1 Date: 02/20/2015 Examination #2 Date: 03/11/2015 Assignment B- Interest Date: 04/01/2015 Volunteer Paper Date: 04/17/2015 Volunteer Assignment Presentation Date: 04/06/2015 to 04/17/2015 (Subject to change) Examination #3 Date: TBA (Final Exam Schedule)

6 Page - 6 References Arterburn, S. & Burns, J. (1995). Steering them Straight. Colorado Springs: Focus on the Family Publishing. Barna, G. (2001). Real Teens. Ventura, CA: Regal Books. Hine, T. (1999). The Rise and Fall of the American Teenager. New York: Avon Books. Huggins, K. (1999). Parenting Adolescents. Colorado Springs: NavPress. Larson, S. (1999). At Risk: Bringing Hope to Hurting Teenagers. Loveland, CO: Group Publishers. McDowell, J. & Hostetler, B. (2009). Handbook on Counseling Youth. Dallas: Word Publishing. McDowell, J. & Hostetler, B. (1999). Right From Wrong. Dallas: Word Publishing. Mueller, W. (2001). Understanding Today's Youth Culture. Wheaton: Tyndale Publishing House. Olson, K. (2006). Counseling Teenagers. Loveland, CO: Group Books. Parrott, L. (2000). Helping the Struggling Adolescent. Grand Rapids: Zondervan. Penner, M. (2005). Help, My Kids are Hurting. Grand Rapids, Youth Specialties. Taffel, R. (2001). The Second Family. New York: St Martin s Press. VanPelt, R. (2002). The Youthworker s Guide to Helping Teenagers in Crisis. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

7 Page WEEK CALENDAR Week One: An Introduction to Social Problems, Social Welfare Organizations, and the Role of Professional Social Work Chapter 1 Glicken text Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Worker ( Week Two: Topic Week Three: Topic Week Four: Topic A Brief History of Social Work: from the poor laws to the conservative revolution Reading: Chapter 2 Glicken text The Social Work Process Chapter 3 Glicken text Social Work as a Profession Chapter 4 in Glicken Reisch, M. and Gorin, Stephen, H. (2001). Nature of work and future of the social work profession. Social Work, 46, Visit the website of State of Texas Board of Social Work Week Five: Topic Economically and Socially Disadvantage Chapter 5 in Glicken text Week Six: Topic Children in Difficulty Chapter 6 in Glicken text Week Seven: Topic Schools and Social Workers Chapter 7 in Glicken text

8 Page - 8 Week Eight: Topic Week Nine: Topic Week Ten: Topic Troubled Families Chapter 8 in Glicken text Mid-Term Exam Social Workers and Employment Assistance Programs Chapter 9 in Glicken text Youth Crime and Violence Chapter 10 in Glicken text Week Eleven: Topic The Graying of America Chapter 11 in Glicken text Week Twelve: Topic Mental Illness, Health Care, and Substance Abuse Chapter 12, 13, & 14 in Glicken text Week Thirteen: Topic Week Fourteen: Topic International Issues and Social Work Chapters 15, 16, 17, & 18 in Glicken text Immigration, natural disasters and terrorism, & the military Week Fifteen Topic Chapters 15, 16, 17, & 18 in Glicken text To review material for the final exam Week Sixteen Final Exam

9 Page - 9 University Rules and Procedures Disability statement (See Student Handbook): Students with disabilities, including learning disabilities, who wish to request accommodations in class should register with the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) early in the semester so that appropriate arrangements may be made. In accordance with federal laws, a student requesting special accommodations must provide documentation of their disability to the SSD coordinator. Academic misconduct (See Student Handbook): You are expected to practice academic honesty in every aspect of this course and all other courses. Make sure you are familiar with your Student Handbook, especially the section on academic misconduct. Students who engage in academic misconduct are subject to university disciplinary procedures. Forms of academic dishonesty: 1. Cheating: deception in which a student misrepresents that he/she has mastered information on an academic exercise that he/she has not mastered; giving or receiving aid unauthorized by the instructor on assignments or examinations. 2. Academic misconduct: tampering with grades or taking part in obtaining or distributing any part of a scheduled test. 3. Fabrication: use of invented information or falsified research. 4. Plagiarism: unacknowledged quotation and/or paraphrase of someone else s words, ideas, or data as one s own in work submitted for credit. Failure to identify information or essays from the Internet and submitting them as one s own work also constitutes plagiarism. Nonacademic misconduct (See Student Handbook) The university respects the rights of instructors to teach and students to learn. Maintenance of these rights requires campus conditions that do not impede their exercise. Campus behavior that interferes with either (1) the instructor s ability to conduct the class, (2) the inability of other students to profit from the instructional program, or (3) campus behavior that interferes with the rights of others will not be tolerated. An individual engaging in such disruptive behavior may be subject to disciplinary action. Such incidents will be adjudicated by the Dean of Students under nonacademic procedures. Sexual misconduct (See Student Handbook): Sexual harassment of students and employers at Prairie View A&M University is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Any member of the university community violating this policy will be subject to disciplinary action. Attendance Policy: Prairie View A&M University requires regular class attendance. Excessive absences will result in lowered grades. Excessive absenteeism, whether excused or unexcused, may result in a student s course grade being reduced or in assignment of a grade of F. Absences are accumulated beginning with the first day of class. Students will be marked as tardy 15 minutes after the scheduled start time. Students will receive an absence for every third tardy.

10 Page - 10 Late Assignment Policy: Assignments are due on the date specified in the course syllabus, unless otherwise specified by the instructor. No assignments submitted after the due date will be accepted unless prior approval was received. Assignments submitted under the instructor s door will not be accepted, regardless if the assignment was submitted on the due date. Student Academic Appeals Process Authority and responsibility for assigning grades to students rests with the faculty. However, in those instances where students believe that miscommunication, errors, or unfairness of any kind may have adversely affected the instructor's assessment of their academic performance, the student has a right to appeal by the procedure listed in the Undergraduate Catalog and by doing so within thirty days of receiving the grade or experiencing any other problematic academic event that prompted the complaint. Technical Considerations for Online and Web-Assist Courses Minimum Hardware and Software Requirements: -Pentium with Windows XP or PowerMac with OS 9-56K modem or network access -Internet provider with SLIP or PPP -8X or greater CD-ROM -64MB RAM -Hard drive with 40MB available space -15 monitor, 800x600, color or 16 bit -Sound card w/speakers -Microphone and recording software -Keyboard & mouse -Netscape Communicator ver or Microsoft Internet Explorer ver. 5.0 /plug-ins -Participants should have a basic proficiency of the following computer skills: Sending and receiving A working knowledge of the Internet Proficiency in Microsoft Word Proficiency in the Acrobat PDF Reader Basic knowledge of Windows or Mac O.S. Netiquette (online etiquette): students are expected to participate in all discussions and virtual classroom chats when directed to do so. Students are to be respectful and courteous to others in the discussions. Foul or abusive language will not be tolerated. When referring to information from books, websites or articles, please use APA standards to reference sources. Technical Support: Students should call the Prairie View A&M University Helpdesk at for technical issues with accessing your online course. The helpdesk is available 24 hours a day/7 days a week. For other technical questions regarding your online course, call the Office of Distance Learning at or Communication Expectations and Standards: All s or discussion postings will receive a response from the instructor within 48 hours. You can send anytime that is convenient to you, but I check my messages continuously during the day throughout the work-week (Monday through Friday). I will respond to messages during the work-week by the close of business (5:00 pm) on the day following my receipt of them. s that I receive on Friday will be responded to by the close of business on the following Monday.

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