Theory and practice of generalist social work. Knowledge, skills, and ethical principles needed for beginning social work practice. Problem identification, assessment, intervention, and evaluation of practice with individuals from a person-in-environment perspective. Lab emphasizes application of theory to cases involving individuals as clients.
Athena Title
Generalist Practice with Indiv
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in SOWK 5524E
Non-Traditional Format
Learning teams, which promote critical thinking, research, writing and discussion skills, and which require extensive work out of class, will be used.
Prerequisite
(SOWK 2154 or SOWK 2154S) and SOWK 2155 and (SOWK 2156 or SOWK 2156E) and permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered spring and summer
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student learning Outcomes
Students will identify and describe key terms and concepts associated with ecosystems theory and apply ecosystems theory to social work vignettes.
Students will define human diversity, understanding various cultural strengths and protective factors for persons of color and identify the effects of oppression on various diverse populations. Be able to identify the effects of oppression on the diverse population and appreciate the way in which social and economic forces affect human functioning for populations at risk.
Students will identify and describe social work values by understanding a professional helping relationship characterized by empathy, concern for others, acceptance of difference, genuineness, and client self-determination.
Students will understand various social work roles in micro, mezzo, and macro social work practice, including advocate, broker, direct practitioner, community organizer, and planner.
Students will begin to understand the intervention process, including client engagement and the client-worker relationship.
Students will show awareness of personal prejudices, biases, and stereotypes and develop a plan to control for and work toward the elimination of those biases when interacting with clients.
Students will demonstrate an ability to identify one’s personal position on issues, values, and thoughts concerning professional social work.
Students will examine and review National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics and decision-making strategies from the literature.
Topical Outline
The Challenges and Opportunities of Social Work: Orienting Frameworks for Social Work Practice
Overview of the Helping Process
Operationalizing SW Values
Skill Presentation 1
Building Blocks of Communication
Skill Presentation 2
Verbal Following, Exploring, and Focusing Skills
Skill Presentation 3
Eliminating Counterproductive Communication Patterns
Assessment: Exploring and Understanding Problems and Strengths
Skill Presentation 4
Assessing Individual and Environmental Factors
Skill Presentation 5
Assessing Family Functioning in Diverse Family & Cultural Contexts
Understanding Social Work Groups
Skill Presentation 6
Developing Goals and Formulating a Contract
Skill Presentation 7
Choosing and Implementing Interventions to Facilitate Change
Skill Presentation 8
Balancing Micro and Macro Social Work Practice: Roles, Theories and Intervention Strategies
Skill Presentation 9
Additive Empathy, Interpretation, and Confrontation; Managing Barriers to Change
Skill Presentation 10
The Final Phase: Evaluation and Termination
Course evaluation
