Online Master of Social Work

 Examines economic, political, social and cultural forces operating at global, national and local levels, which generate and maintain oppression based on race and ethnicity in the United States. Focuses on the oppression of the Black and Latino populations in the United States, highlighting the African-American and Puerto Rican experiences and perspectives. It will provide a framework for analyzing and understanding oppression. A historical perspective will be utilized to explore past and current oppression related to race and color, culture and ethnicity, social class, gender, sexual/emotional orientation and religion. Intercultural, intracultural, psychosocial, social and political responses to oppression will be addressed throughout the course. Required course for students in the M.S.W. program.

Provides a critical analysis of the historical roots of American social welfare policy, the formulation of policy, and the economic and political determinants of contemporary policy development. Examination and analysis of the inter-relationship between social welfare policy, the service delivery systems, and practice implications for private and public agencies and programs. Also includes the examination of international issues in social welfare policy and social service delivery. Students will analyze and apply the results of policy research relevant to social service delivery; understand and demonstrate policy practice skills in regard to economic, political and organizational systems; use them to influence, formulate, and advocate for policy consistent with social work values, and identify financial, organizational, administrative, and planning processes required to deliver social services. Required course for students in the M.S.W. program.

Emphasizes social work's "person in environment" frame of reference from both micro and macro perspectives. Content areas stressed throughout the course include theories and research about the interdependence and impact of social, political, economic, and cultural contexts on societal and individual well-being. Micro content areas include theories related to the biopsychosocial functioning of individuals, small groups and families in transaction with social, economic, political, and cultural contexts and forces. Cultural and ethnic diversity, institutional prejudice, especially racism and sexism, issues of social, economic and political justice and the process of social change as they impact micro and macro systems will be stressed. Values and ethical issues relevant to macro and micro social work will also be considered.

Focus on macro practice foundation knowledge and skills associated with generalist practice in administration, community organizing and policy practice. Explores the history and place of macro methods in the evolution of the social work profession. Students are introduced to the unique language and perspective of macro practice as a capacity building and strength based intervention. Definitions of and ways to analyze communities, organizations and policies. Emphasis is given to strategies and tactics for achieving change in communities, organizations and policies, to improving services for populations at risk, and promoting diversity and distributive justice, including an international context. Particular ethical and value mandates and dilemmas associated with macro practice are identified throughout. Required course for students in the M.S.W. program. One of the two foundation practice courses taken the first semester of the first year of field placement.

Weekly in-person hours at designated agency (4-credit)

Teaches students basic skills in social work practice with systems of all sizes including individuals, groups, organizations, and communities. This field experience course provides the foundation for the development of advanced skills in specific social work methods in advanced field experiences.

This seminar helps students prepare for and make optimum use of their field education experience. Topics include the roles and responsibilities of the student within the agency setting, exploration and development of learning contracts, and the educational assessment of self as a learner in the profession. The seminar is used to identify issues that arise in the field and ways to deal with them.

Weekly in-person hours at designated agency (4-credit)

Continues to develop basic skills in social work practice with systems of all sizes, while adding increased emphasis on the students' development of skills in the students' major method. Required course for students in the M.S.W. program.

This seminar helps students prepare for and make optimum use of their field education experience. Areas of seminar content include such topics as the roles and responsibilities of the student within the agency setting, exploration and development of learning contracts, and the educational assessment of self as a learner in the profession. The seminar identifies issues that arise in the field and ways to deal with them.

Weekly in-person hours at designated agency (4-credit)

Focuses primarily on the student's method concentration, emphasizing preparation for competent, advanced specialized practice.

This seminar helps students prepare for and make optimum use of their field education experience. Topics include the roles and responsibilities of the student within the agency setting, exploration and development of learning contracts, and the educational assessment of self as a learner in the profession. The seminar is used to identify issues that arise in the field and ways to deal with them.

Weekly in-person hours at designated agency (4-credit)

Focuses primarily on the student's method concentration, emphasizing preparation for competent, advanced specialized practice.

In-depth exploration of the skills of working with individuals, groups, and families. Social work practice with individuals, emphasizes the interdependence between assessment and intervention, the transactional nature of helping, and monitoring and evaluation of practice. Social work practice with groups, focuses on types of groups, leadership, forming and beginning the group, the role of mutual aid and use of program activities. Practice with families give emphasis to the family as a functional unit and the diversity of life style and structure and its capacity to respond to the needs of its members and changing environmental factors.

Overview of theoretical approaches to working with individuals, groups and families. Helps students to think critically about the use of theory in practice, evidence based practice, and ways of learning and knowing, including use of supervision. Introduction to psychodynamic, attachment, cognitive, and behavioral, as well as solution-focused approaches and motivational interviewing. The stages of group development, group dynamics and other content related to social work practice with groups. Theoretical frameworks such as systems, multisystemic and attachment on which family practice approaches are based.

Builds upon content in previous IGFP courses about practice with individuals, groups and families within the context of oppression and privilege, while integrating core concepts related to trauma, strengths, resilience, and empowerment. Primary focus on the differential knowledge and skills needed to work effectively in various fields of practice (e.g., health care, schools,and the criminal justice, child protection, substance abuse and mental health systems). Systems of care, interdisciplinary teams, and policies impacting social work within each field of practice, as well as common clinical approaches and other interventions with the populations served in these settings.

 Practice course paying equal attention to the values, skills, and knowledge required for social work practice with children, adolescents, and their families. These youth have a range of bio-psychosocial problems related to mental disorders. Students will learn a range of assessment and intervention skills and will become familiar with current psychiatric classification systems, such as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). Students will demonstrate the ability to access the most recent empirical and practice knowledge, and to develop skills related to work in a variety of mental health settings. Mental disorders will be learned within the context of larger bio-psychosocial systems. Attention is paid to differences based upon such variables as age, gender, ethnicity, race, religion, sexual orientation, and physical ability.

Practice course paying equal attention to the values, skills, and knowledge required for social work practice with adults and older adults who have a range of bio-psychosocial problems related to mental disorders. Students will learn a range of assessment and intervention skills and become familiarized with current psychiatric classification systems, such as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). Students will demonstrate the ability to access the most recent empirical and practice knowledge and to develop skills related to work in a variety of mental health settings. Mental disorders will be learned within the context of the larger bio-psychosocial system and attention is paid to differences based upon such variables as age, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, and physical ability.