SOWK 735: Advanced Practice With Organizations and Communities III: Administrative Skills

Course Syllabus                                                                                                    

I.            Purpose/Rationale of the Course

This course is designed to provide those students who have selected a practice with communities and organizations concentration for their second year with advanced practice skills in the administration of social agencies.  It builds on the foundation material provided in the first year practice with communities and organizations course and the advanced courses.  It recognizes that most graduates of this program who specialize in practice with communities and organizations will be in positions that require skills in administration.  

II.        Course Content

As an advanced practice course, the focus will be on the development of specific skills necessary to function as a successful administrator in a public or private social welfare organization.  These skills will require the application of basic principles for working with organizations and communities, to which all students are introduced in preceding courses.   They are skills considered essential for social agency administrators, i.e., directors, assistant directors and department or program administrators and include (as examples) personnel administration, grant writing and fund raising.  The emphasis will be on handling specific case situations and solving specific problems that confront administrators. 

III.       Course Objectives

The student who successfully completes this course will be able to:

1.      Develop a personnel administration plan that addresses staffing, supervision, performance appraisal, and reflects respect for diversity, recognition of the needs of populations at risk, and a commitment to social and economic justice.

2.      Read, monitor and critically evaluate agency budgets and financial reports.

3.      Identify and evaluate sources of potential funding for a social program, and develop and justify a fund raising plan.

4.      Describe the responsibilities of a board of directors of a human service organization, and the role and responsibilities of an administrator in relation to a board of directors.

5.      Analyze his/her own leadership style and strengths/weaknesses, and discuss the potential impact such personal & professional characteristics may have in a social service organization.

6.      Identify potential value conflicts and ethical dilemmas that may face a social service administrator, and discuss responses that would reflect social work values and be consistent with the NASW Code of Ethics.

7.      Develop skills in supervision, conducting performance appraisals, agency team building and an appreciation for the manager’s role in a diverse work place. 

IV.              Linkages to Other Courses

This advanced practice course builds upon knowledge of planning, personnel management, financial resource management, organizational development, and evaluation of practice developed during the foundation year (732), as well as the more specialized knowledge of strategic planning, organizational communication, and staff development developed in advanced practice courses taken during the preceding semester. The course builds on knowledge of social and cultural diversity developed during the foundation year course on communities and organizations (712). It also builds on knowledge of social welfare policy and services (741) as it helps students understand the process of building support and funding for social programs. Further, the course requires students to evaluate administrative roles and practices, and to identify and analyze ethical dilemmas related to administrative practice, in their advanced field practica (785 & 786).

V.                 Methods of Instruction

A variety of instructional methods are used in this course and include lecture, discussion, collaborative learning, problem-based learning, field-based case studies, role play, videotapes, videotaping, and class presentations.  Emphasis will be placed on the integration of field placement experiences and course content through such tools as case consultation, learning journals and logs, case studies, role plays and written assignments requiring the critical application of theory to practice with large systems in the students’ field placement settings.

Any student who because of a disability may need special arrangements or accommodations to meet the requirements of this course should consult with the instructor as soon as possible.  The office of Disability Services provides an array of services to meet the needs of students with disabilities, according to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. See information and guidelines provided in The Carolina Community: Student Handbook and Policy Guide.