George Warren Brown School of Social Work MSW Course List

Transcription

1 George Warren Brown School of Social Work MSW Course List The Brown School offers the following courses with in the two-year curriculum cycle. The School cannot guarantee enrollment in all courses listed below or that all courses will be offered during a student s enrollment. The School reserves the right to add or delete courses and to institute changes in the curriculum and degree requirements as needed. Course numbers generally fall into the following categories: S15 Foundation courses S20 Theories, problems, and issues courses S30, S50, S60 Practice methods courses S40 Policy courses S70 Practicum Students earn 3 credits for each course successfully completed and 1 or 2 credits for each skill lab. Foundation Courses S Research Methods for Social Work Practice Focuses on evaluation of practice at a variety of levels (individual, group, organization, community). Includes problem assessment, specification and monitoring of interventions, validation of measurement methods, and analysis and presentation of data. S Human Behavior Approaches human behavior in the social environment throughout life. Focuses on psychoanalytical theory and social learning theory. Considers implications of gender, race, and socioeconomic status. S Social, Economic, and Political Environment Focuses on the effects of social, economic, and political factors on disadvantaged and at-risk populations. Explores sociological topics (stratification, race, gender, deviance), economic topics (wealth, employment, income) and political topics (representation, decision-making). S Human Diversity Focuses on knowledge and skills for social work practice with economically disadvantaged and oppressed groups, particularly people of color, women, people with disabilities, gay men and lesbians, and other at-risk populations. S Foundations of Social Work Practice I: Individuals, Families and Groups Uses a problem-solving model to address key intervention approaches at the individual, family and group levels. Analyzes these approaches on the basis of empirical support, range of applicability, and theoretical assumptions. S Foundations of Social Work Practice II: Organizations and Communities Examines the basic knowledge and skills needed for social work practice with organizations and communities. Emphasizes theoretical approaches for the development of assessment and intervention skills for beginning practitioners to work with a variety of populations at different levels of intervention. Practice models focus on assessment, treatment planning, and evaluation of outcomes. 1

2 S Social Welfare Policies and Services Covers the development of social welfare policies in the United States and existing social welfare programs. Addresses social policy analysis and understanding of legislative processes. S Foundation Practicum Designed to develop knowledge and skills fundamental to competent social work practice, including analysis of client needs, organizational dynamics, service delivery issues, policy implications, and professional values. Concentration and Elective Courses S Domestic Violence: Theories, Problems, and Issues Explores the theoretical and service issues related to violence in domestic relations and their impact on the battered, the batterers, and the children who witness abuse. Examines the social and psychological aspects of domestic violence. Discusses service integration approaches designed to work effectively with each of these population groups. S The Changing Family: Theory, Problems, and Issues Examines concepts, theories, and empirical research findings regarding the family as a social system. Topics include definitions and functions of the family as a biological-psychological-social unit in society, family life cycle, family stress and coping, single-parent households and blended families, interaction of the family with other social institutions, impact of social structures and community processes on the functioning of individuals and families, and diversity in family life. S Family Theory and Practice Introduces students to social work practice with families. Provides overview of major theoretical models and intervention approaches with an emphasis on poor and at-risk families. S Gerontology: Theory, Problems, and Issues Examines the theoretical and service issues connected to the study of the elderly from the multidisciplinary approach of gerontology. Considers biological, social, and psychological aspects of aging, as well as the nature and extent of service delivery systems for the aged and their families. S Health Promotion and Behavior: Theories, Problems, and Issues Addresses the intricate relationship between physiological and socioemotional functioning from the standpoint of basic neurophysiological mechanisms, genetic predisposition to illness, and the socioemotional components of illness. Uses clinical illustrations of selected illnesses to demonstrate these interrelationships and the development of effective coping strategies for individuals and families. S Differential Diagnosis Considers the concept of mental illness and mental health from a psychological/psychiatric perspective. Familiarizes students with and critically explores available models of diagnosis. Addresses mental health problems, including considerations of populations at risk, in depth. S Economics of Social Welfare Examines the economic aspects of social welfare policy, problems, and programs. Applies microeconomic and macroeconomic theories to understanding the behavior of individuals and the government in the context of social welfare. 2

3 S Poverty and Inequality in America Focuses on the extent and causes of poverty in the United States, the effects of poverty on individuals and families, and the search for solutions. S Social Justice: Exploring the Reality of America s Promise Explores the civic principles that have shaped America and juxtaposes these principles with the reality of American life. Specifically, how have the values of liberty, equality, and justice for all been understood? And to what extent have they been fulfilled in contemporary American society? Pursues these questions from both philosophical and social science perspectives to provide a broad framework for analyzing what it means to be an American and whether we have created a society consistent with these three core American principles. S Organizational Behavior and Theory Promotes systems thinking to understand organizational behavior. Explores applications of system principles at common levels of organizational life: individual, interpersonal, small group, organizational, interorganizational, and community. Examines key features of contemporary management theory. S International Social Development Comparatively studies international social development, including patterns and issues in cross-national collaboration, selected problems in international social development, and a conceptual framework for analyzing social change. S Health Promotion in Minority and Native Populations Provides an overview of community and individual strategies to reduce the risk of chronic diseases through lifestyle changes in American Indian and other minority communities. Topics include current and future health trends in the United States, particularly among minority populations; community organization principles in health promotion; theories and strategies of health behavior change. Presents case studies using these approaches to promote dietary changes, smoking cessation, and cancer screenings. S Principles of Clinical Intervention in Health and Gerontology Uses a systems perspective to familiarize students with practice methods such as cognitive behavioral, psychosocial, applied group work, and behavioral therapy. Special emphasis given to developing skills in crisis intervention, brief therapy, decisionmaking, negotiating, advocacy, and teamwork. S Applied Behavior Therapy Focuses on the application of behavioral techniques. Includes problem identification, specification and assessment, establishment of change objectives, identification of appropriate intervention techniques, implementation, and evaluation. S Cognitive Behavior Therapy Emphasizes the acquisition of direct practice skills with clients with depression, anxiety, and personality disorders. Uses case examples, video, and role playing. S Applied Group Work Practice Builds on the theoretical foundation and focuses on the basics of group work practice, including how to select members, how to begin and terminate group sessions, and how to evaluate group member outcomes. 3

4 S Working with Groups on Problem-solving Tasks Discusses a variety of task-oriented groups (e.g., community groups, task forces, committees, boards, and commissions). Focuses on skills for working with each type of problem-solving group. S Group Work and Coping Skills Focuses on the development of knowledge and skills for organizing and leading treatment groups, such as those for children and adolescents. Emphasizes coping skills through the use of cognitive procedures, systematic problem solving, and behavioral strategies. Examines intervention strategies in light of their impact on individual and group change goals and on group process. S Applied Psychosocial Practice Discusses psychosocial dynamics, psychopathology, and psychotherapy, based on modern psychosocial theory. Further develops knowledge of dynamics, criteria for diagnosis (assessment), and evaluation. Concentrates on issues pertinent to the process of psychotherapy through clinical illustrations. S Brief Outcome Therapy Studies the time-efficient treatment of individuals, groups, and families through focused psychotherapy and case management. Explores ethical issues, as well as indications and contra-indications for brief treatments. Compares various models of time-limited treatment, with the Efficient Brief Therapy model explored in detail. Centers on assessment, diagnosis, engagement, treatment, and evaluation using the Efficient Brief Therapy model. S Treatment of Mental Disorders Focuses on treatment of persons with mental illness. Includes advanced skills in diagnosis (DSM-IV); treatment interventions for specific diagnoses; medications; commitment; legal and ethical issues; work with women, minorities, the homeless, and other populations at risk. S Introduction to Family Therapy Introduces systems approaches and interventions. Presents an overview of major theoretical approaches and techniques associated with each orientation. Students study their family origins, and participate in family simulations and other systems exercises. S Theories and Practice of Family Therapy Discusses systems change and practice related to the theoretical approaches: strategic, structural, and communication. Applies theories and interventions to a variety of treatment structures: individual, dyad, and family. S Advanced Family Therapy Last in a series of three family therapy courses. Focuses on theory and skill building for practice at an advanced level. Uses an integrated approach. Gives special attention to treatment of families with severe difficulties. S Intervention Approaches for Working with Minority Families Examines treatment modalities and skills that prove most beneficial for minority families. Approaches take into account sensitivity, understanding, and appreciation for diverse cultural backgrounds. S Social Work Practice with Children in Families Focuses on child development, major intervention approaches used with children, beginning practice skills for working with children, and assessment and treatment of major psychosocial problems experienced by children. 4

5 S Social Work Practice with Youth Focuses on assessment, relationship building, and intervention skills with youth. Areas of conceptual emphasis include adolescent development, adolescent peer relations, and relationships with parents. S Intervention Approaches for Treating Couples Focuses on a variety of intervention approaches for working with couples. Explores the ways in which society influences gender roles, identity, and communication. Also explores relationship phases, same-sex couples, and familyof-origin issues. S Social Work Services in Public School Settings Focuses on school social work services, primarily in urban areas. Emphasizes service delivery models that stress collaboration and coordination approaches for working with children, adolescents, and their families at high risk for truancy; violence in the school, at home, or in the community; teenage pregnancy; poverty; racism; and other problems. S Intervention Approaches for Families with Children Who Have Developmental Disabilities Provides the knowledge and skills needed for social work practice with families with children who have developmental disabilities. Focuses on the application of theoretical models and practice concepts for intervening with family systems, siblings, and parents. Provides an understanding of the impact of disability on the family unit, family coping skills, and current practice approaches to family support, empowerment, and self-advocacy. Emphasizes the development of assessment and intervention skills relevant to working with this specialty population. S Social Work, Education, and the Exceptional Child Focuses on understanding the characteristics and the family and social context of the exceptional child, with an emphasis on educational settings. Discusses practice approaches for working with exceptional children and their families. Includes an overview of legislation and policies pertaining to exceptional children. Emphasizes assessing children, working with them and their families to maximize social and educational potential, and supporting individual children in the school setting. S Assessment and Treatment of Elderly Clients Focuses on treatment planning, case management, and intervention. Uses a multidimensional assessment of individuals, groups, and families. Covers depression and dementia. S Social Work Practice and Services in Health Care Builds on the use of individual, group, and family approaches to social work practice in health care settings. Emphasizes practice, health promotion, cross-cultural health practices, and ethical/legal issues. S Death and Dying Covers concepts and clinical skills that help social workers deal effectively with dying and grieving people and other loss situations. Also covers larger ethical and philosophical issues raised by death. S Substance and Alcohol Abuse Focuses on factors that contribute to the abuse of drugs and alcohol. Emphasizes issues and perspectives relating to epidemiology, prevention, and treatment. 5

6 S Social Work and American Indians Addresses appropriate practice approaches, treatment modalities, and skills. Considers the history, culture, and traditions of American Indians, the impact of social policy and legislation on clinical intervention, and the importance of groups and families in clan and tribal systems. S Social Work Practice with Refugees and Immigrants Familiarizes students with the basic knowledge and skills for social work practice with refugees and immigrants. Presents a historical view of international refugee policy and immigration as context for current issues. Also presents recent policies impacting immigrants as a basis for advocacy and for social and economic justice. Discusses systems thinking, with an emphasis on application to multicultural oppressed and disadvantaged populations. Emphasizes the development of ethnographic assessment and intervention skills relevant to empowerment, capacity building, and social change. S Intervention Approaches with Women Focuses on nonsexist ways to counsel women. Explores power and politics in the therapeutic relationship. Examines treatment modalities and skills for working with women. S Human Sexuality Explores theories of human sexuality underlying the practice of sexual therapy. Reviews the etiologies of male and female dysfunction and various approaches to treatment, including the treatment of special groups such as the disabled and the aged. Examines ethical issues in the field of sex therapy. S Spirituality and Social Work Explores the intersection between spirituality/religion and the profession of social work. Presents empirical literature associated with spirituality. Highlights various spiritual/religious traditions, particularly those with the most applicability within North America. Examines implications for clinical and community practice. Uses the profession s code of ethics to frame the course material. S Child Welfare Practice Addresses child maltreatment and the system of care designed to help families and children when child maltreatment occurs. Explores the definitions, presentation, epidemiology, etiology, and social contexts of child neglect, child physical abuse, and child sexual abuse. Covers in-home services designed to improve parenting, the foster care system (including relative placements, family placements, and congregate care), independent living preparation programs, and adoption options. Addresses questions surrounding poverty, racism, and the overrepresentation of minority children and their families in the child welfare system. S Treatment Evaluation Addresses the evaluation of practice with individuals, families, and small groups. Explores specifying and sequencing of goals, monitoring intervention, developing and implementing an evaluative design, and using data. Uses practice situations from fieldwork as the basis for evaluation projects. S Public Policy Development and Social Work Practice Examines and analyzes specific state reform initiatives, including devolution and the emerging concept of regionalism, through case studies. Focuses on developing a conceptual framework for impacting public policy and systems reform on local, regional, and state levels. 6

7 S Health Care: Policy and Services Examines the American health care system from economic, political, and cultural perspectives. Focuses on medical care expenditures and payment, government involvement, national health insurance, and professional roles. S American Indian Social Welfare Policies and Administrative Practices Studies United States policies on American Indian education, health, and mental health from early treaty provisions to the present. Discusses the impact of policy on service delivery and implications for the future. S Policy and Services for Children and Youth Explores social policies and practice affecting the development and delivery of social services to children and youth. Explores limitations in current programs and points to the development of alternative policies and services. S Social Policy and Aging Examines social policies related to the aged as a dialogue between the public and private sectors. Explores the major policy areas of income security, health, employment, social services, taxes, housing, the environment, and the social and economic aspects of public and private retirement policies. Considers the place of social work in the public and private worlds of the aging. S Social Policy and the Family Examines various American family issues and the role that social policy plays. Topics include the nature of social policy, a review of various trends in the family, and an in-depth examination of several policy areas pertinent to the family. S Feminization of Poverty Examines the social and structural factors associated with the increasing poverty of women in the United States and other countries. Includes labor market conditions, changes in government income-support programs, variable enforcement of affirmative action, and demographic factors. Presents both a historic and cross-national perspective. Considers policies and strategies for reform and prevention. S Women s Issues in Social Welfare and Social Work Practice Examines a variety of women s issues in the social services arena and the social work profession. Focuses on women in American society, women as a special social service population group, and women as social work professionals. S Social Policy Analysis and Evaluation Evaluates the effectiveness of various state and federal policies regarding health, mental health, child welfare, aging, and income maintenance. S Social and Economic Development Policy Focuses on selected topics in development policy at local, state, national, and international levels, emphasizing implications of alternative policy approaches. 7

8 S International Health Policy Develops an understanding of health policy at the global, national, and regional levels. Addresses the major causes of mortality and morbidity in the world today. Analyzes the main infectious agents and vectors, as well as the factors responsible for the major diseases worldwide. Emphasizes various approaches to design, financing, organization, and management of preventative and curative goods and services in countries with different economies and resources. Explores the importance of health for a country s economic development and the productivity of its population. Assesses the respective roles of national, regional, international, and intergovernmental development organizations, as well as nongovernmental and private voluntary agencies. S Mental Health Policy Acquaints students with current state and national laws and regulations that affect mental health service delivery. Also examines future trends in mental health policy. S Personnel Management and Supervision Examines methods and procedures critical to the design and operation of a modern personnel management system. Includes job analysis; job descriptions; employee recruitment, selection, and performance appraisal; assessment of employee attitudes, job satisfaction, and motivation; organizational climate. S Working with Boards and Volunteers Examines the roles and effectiveness of board members and volunteers in not-for-profit organizations, particularly social service organizations. Explores the policymaking and governance roles of boards of directors and the program support roles of other volunteers. S Budgeting and Fiscal Management Focuses on planning agency expenditures, keeping track of money, and evaluating expenditures. Topics include budgeting process and procedures, accounting methods and procedures, and money-based evaluation methods, particularly cost-benefit analysis. S Total Quality Schools Exposes students to the principles of Total Quality Management (TQM), provides firsthand experience in applying TQM principles, and instills an appreciation of the need for and the benefits from community service. Combines lectures on the foundations of TQM and its application to public schools with consulting experience in a public school in the St. Louis metropolitan area. Objective is to improve the effectiveness of local public schools by teaching the principles of TQM to school leaders and by assisting in the successful implementation of these principles. Taught jointly by GWB and the Olin School of Business. S Evaluation of Programs and Services Examines issues and methods for evaluation of programs and services in both organizational and community contexts. Discusses strengths and weaknesses of various evaluative models. S Leadership, Planning, and Decision-making Focuses on knowledge and skills related to leadership, planning, and decisionmaking for potential managers of human service or nonprofit organizations. Takes a generic approach to leadership, preparing students for various leadership roles. Incorporates theory and technique. 8

9 S Marketing, Resource Development, and Community Relations Examines how organizations develop and maintain support from the community. Also addresses three interrelated topics: marketing services, financial and other services, and community (public) relations. S Developing Programs for Children and Youth Focuses on knowledge, skills, and tools needed to write grants and develop programs for agencies working with children, youth, and families. Includes applied learning experiences. S Juvenile Delinquency: Program Strategies and Interventions Reviews the nature and scope of juvenile crime, theories of causation, historic and contemporary juvenile justice policy. Examines practice models of prevention, rehabilitation, assessment, and interventions. Discusses juvenile crime s connections with the individual, family, community, and society. S Community Development Practice: Basic Concepts and Methods Reviews various conceptual models of community work and their use for problem analysis, intervention strategies, and program implementation. Studies community development programs in Missouri and selected foreign countries. S Revitalization of Depressed Communities Examines major economic, sociological, and political forces that generate poverty conditions for geographically isolated and/or culturally estranged groups. Explores ways to organize groups around programs that provide opportunities to lift people out of poverty. S Organizing, Coalition Building, and Lobbying Investigates the practical application of such skills. Explores how social workers can use community organizing, coalition building, and lobbying to relate personal problems to public issues, link individual change to social change, and apply some of the problem-solving skills learned for working with individuals to addressing the larger political and community concerns of groups. S Community Development with American Indian and Impoverished Rural Communities Examines the appropriateness of various community intervention models with American Indian communities. Focuses on strategies and tactics that are culturally sensitive and designed for working with American Indian communities. Teaches skills in application of Geographical Information Systems. Emphasizes asset-based approaches to development. S Law for Social Workers Provides a basic knowledge of relevant laws and an understanding of the legal system. Includes an awareness of the legal issues social workers and their clients may face in professional practice. Applies a joint legal/psychosocial perspective to the course material and to the analysis of problem areas. S The Joint Practice of Law and Social Work: An Interdepartmental Seminar An integrative seminar for the joint practice of law and social work. Covers understanding professional jargon, ethics, values, means of engaging and serving clients, and the regulation of attorneys and social workers. Also compares the different ways the two professions build practice knowledge, focusing on the implications for working with client systems. Offers opportunities for students to practice negotiating the strengths, weaknesses, and conflicts inherent in combining legal and social work careers. Emphasizes understanding how such issues impact effective practice with diverse and oppressed populations. 9

10 S Seminar on Social Theory, Social Policy, and Political Action toward Human Liberation Explores the origins and dynamics of social policies. Develops a theoretical basis for a radical analysis of social systems and for the creation of strategies to make fundamental transformations in the existing social order toward human liberation and social equality. S Pharmacology for Social Workers Acquaints students with the major categories of pharmacological agents used in medical practice. Emphasizes the mechanism, action, and common side effects associated with the administration of specific medications. Also covers the parameters used to monitor the clinical progress of disease and drug therapy. S Concentration Practicum Offers students the opportunity to use the knowledge and skills learned in foundation and concentration courses in practice with specific populations and fields of service. Field assignments emphasize specialized advanced social work practice. S Gerontology Leadership Seminar Provides students a culminating educational experience that integrates gerontological theory with community practice. Offered concurrently with a gerontology practicum. Provides an opportunity to explore current issues and assist students in developing competencies along the broad continuum of aging services. Includes interaction with community agencies and diverse, multidisciplinary professionals. Develops students leadership, team building, and problemsolving skills while investigating a gerontological issue selected from proposals submitted by community organizations. S Statistics Reviews the mathematics necessary for basic statistical analysis and presentation of data. Pays particular attention to appropriate formats for clinical data and to the use of computers in analysis and organization of data. S Advanced Statistics Provides an emphasis on both conceptual and procedural aspects of Multivariate Analysis. Conceptually, multivariate analysis is approached as a general model with extensive applications in social work research and knowledge building. S Introduction to Data Management and Analysis Provides the basic skills needed to input, manipulate, analyze, and interpret quantitative research data using the PC- SAS system. Emphasizes the application of analysis tools and techniques to real-world data. S Professional Skill Development Laboratories and MSW Research Seminar A series of skills development labs, including grant writing, effective negotiation, case management, grassroots organizing, professional writing, public speaking, supervision skills, brief therapy, art therapy, and management of federal regulations. Independent Study Courses S Independent Study S Teaching Internship S Research Internship 10

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