Course Descriptions: Social Work

SWK 115:  INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL WORK.  This course will help students to understand social welfare and social work.  It focuses on the why, the what, the who, the when, the where, and in a beginning way, the how of social work.  The course is for students who want to increase their general understanding about social welfare and social work and those who have a professional interest in social work.  Co-requisite:  SOC 111.  CREDIT:  THREE SEMESTER HOURS.

 

SWK 211: SOCIAL WELFARE POLICY.  This course will introduce the student to the broad concept of social welfare policy.  A critical framework will be developed for analyzing the process of social welfare policy formulation and program implementation.  Attention will also be given to the social welfare policies in the history of American society with focus placed on those policies that are significant in the lives of black people and poor people and the development of their communities in the United States.  Co-requisite: SWK 115, SOC 111.  CREDIT:  THREE SEMESTER HOURS.

SWK 215: HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT I.  The course is designed to examine human growth and development, human behavior, and the social environment.  In addition, this course focuses on social systems in which people live (families, groups, organizations, institutions, and communities), the interaction among systems, and the ways in which systems promote or hinder optimum health and well-being.  Prerequisite: SWK 115 and SWK 211.  CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS.

SWK 220: SOCIAL WORK WITH AT- RISK POPULATIONS.  This foundation course examines the role and interaction of social workers with vulnerable groups. This includes concepts of racism, sexism, homophobia, oppression, affirmative action, and xenophobia. These components will be discussed in relation to the role institutions of the larger society play for these groups. Implications for practice with individuals, families and communities are examined, as are policy and research implications. Prerequisites: SWK 115, 211.CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS

SWK 300: PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR AND ETHICS. The purpose of this course is to assists students in acquiring the knowledge base and skills required to identify ethical issues, to resolve ethical dilemmas, and the capacity to make ethical decisions when confronted with conflicting duties and choices that occur within the context of professional social work practice at all levels. Prerequisite: SWK 115 and SWK 211. CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS

SWK 311: HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT II. This course is the second of two required course in the Human Behavior & Social Environment sequence. In this advanced course, students prepare for clinical social work practice that reflects advanced understanding of life-span development and socio-psychological identity development in individuals, families, groups, and communities. An emphasis will be placed on the understanding and identifying the classifications in The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). Further, students will sharpen their assessment, evaluation, intervention, and advocacy skills for clients who present with a mental disorder diagnosis. Prerequisite: SWK 215.CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS.

SWK 314: SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE I: The course is designed to familiarize students with different practice techniques to use when working with individuals, families, and groups. The student will develop knowledge and skills for direct service to individuals, families, and groups to address issues related to well-being. Students will also learn theories of group formation and group work techniques to use while in group settings. Prerequisites: SWK 115, 211.  CREDIT:  THREE SEMESTER HOURS.

SWK 315: SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE II. This is the second of two required practice courses in the social work practice sequence. This course will continue to build upon client-system engagement and assessment skills, introduced in SWK 314 Social Work Practice I. The course will provide students with an understanding of planning and generalist intervention methods used especially with individuals, families, and groups with an emphasis on the utilization and integration of theory, methods, techniques of practice and interviewing skills. Prerequisite: SWK 314.CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS.

SWK 333: SOCIAL WORK PRACTICUM.  This is an educationally directed practice experience in selected community agencies with a pre-screened and trained site supervisor to apply and integrate skills, cognitive and affective learning, within a formalized service system for a required 80 hours of on-site field experience. In addition, students will begin to develop a research project that will be executed in SWK 444: Senior Seminar. Prerequisite: SWK 314 and SWK 315 CREDIT: SIX SEMESTER HOURS.

SWK 443: SKILLS IN INTERVIEW AND LICENSURE EXAM.  The purpose of this class is to prepare student for the State of Mississippi Social Work examination. The 15-week course will include informative sessions that focus on the four content areas: (1) Human Development, Diversity, and Behavior in the Environment; (2) Assessment; (3) Interventions with Clients/Client Systems; and (4) Professional Relationships, Values, and Ethics. The course will include a series of comprehensive practice examinations to sharpen test-taking skills to increase students’ speed and accuracy and interview skills. Perquisite: Student must have senior standing. CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS

SWK 444: SENIOR SEMINAR. This course is designed as a follow-up to SWK 333: Internship & Practicum. The course objective is to provide senior Social Work Majors an opportunity to execute the research proposal developed in their internship placement site. Students will collect the data, analyze the data using SPSS and complete the paper in fulfillment of the College’s Senior Paper requirement. The exit requirement for the course is an oral presentation (senior paper defense) on and a written copy of the completed paper following the Department’s guideline. The written copy is to be submitted by the date published by the College’s Writing Commission and which will be made known to students at the beginning of the course. Students are also required to take the comprehensive exam for Social Work.  This course is offered during the spring semester. Perquisite: Student must have senior standing.  CREDIT: THREE SEMESTER HOURS