Master of Social Work

FOUNDATION COURSES - FIRST 30 HOURS

Students who complete the foundation year are expected to be able to:

• apply the skills of generalist practice to systems of all sizes by incorporating the ecological/systems perspective into their professional relationships in order to operate from a client-centered, strengths-based perspective
• take into consideration information about diversity and the effects of oppression on unique populations, which include but are not limited to issues associated with gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, class, religious or spiritual beliefs, disability, or family structure
• incorporate information into their social work practice that comes from research-based knowledge and translate concepts and theory into skills and practice
• utilize technological advances to improve outcomes for clients

The foundation courses include knowledge content required for all areas of social work practice.  There are two human behavior and the social environment courses.  One course SOWK 712 - Human Behavior and the Social Environment I is a study of institutions, communities, and organizations as social systems, and the other SOWK 716 - Human Behavior and the Social Environment II focuses on family and individual development using a systems approach.  There are two foundation social welfare policy courses: SOWK 741 - Social Welfare Problems and Policies analyzes social problems and policy responses to them. SOWK 742 Social Welfare Policy Analysis focuses on the development, implementation and evaluation of social welfare policies. There is one foundation research course, SOWK 791 - Social Work Research Methodologies, which focuses on social work research contexts, designs and strategies.

The foundation curriculum also includes three practice methods courses: SOWK 722 - Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families; SOWK 732 - Social Work Practice with Organizations and Communities; and SOWK 710 - Foundations of Social Work Practice in Groups.  The first field instruction course SOWK 781 - Generalist Social Work Practice - Field Instruction I provides an agency-based study of the community social welfare system and social agency's place in the delivery of services.  The second field instruction course SOWK 782 - Generalist Social Work Practice- Field Instruction II offers a beginning involvement in agency practice.