Social Welfare Minor
Minor Requirements
18 credit hours
Complete the following:
This course provides an introduction to the values, ethics, theory, roles, and responsibilities of social workers within generalist social work practice with a special focus on working with diverse populations. The course focuses on how students' personal experiences, evolving worldview, and self-awareness can be developed and utilized as a foundation for social work practice focused on service and justice. Special attention is given to the history of the social work profession, its response to current and historical contexts of oppression and racism, and how the social work profession empowers people to advocate and take action towards social, racial, economic, and environmental justice. This course requires volunteer work in a social work agency or with an organization serving individuals, families, or communities who identify with specific vulnerabilities. This course is required for those majoring in Social Work and must be taken prior to entrance into the social work cohort program or within the first semester following student's acceptance into the social work cohort program.
This course provides an introduction to practices that advance human rights and promote social, racial, economic, and environmental justice. Related concepts of oppression, power, privilege, and inequality will also be covered. Prerequisite: Formal admission to the Social Work Program or a declared minor in Social Welfare.
This course provides an introduction to issues of diversity and difference in preparation for social work practice with cultural humility. Students will learn about vulnerable and marginalized groups and the environmental systems which impact them. Special attention is given to issues of intersectionality, bias, discrimination, power and privilege, and oppression. Students will explore their own personal identity and how their views, beliefs, values, and behaviors may support or hinder future social work practice with diverse populations. Prerequisite: SWRK 333 Human Rights and Justice and formal admission into the social work program; or a declared Criminal Justice Minor.
This course provides an in-depth analysis of how human needs and values are translated into social policy on community, state, national and international levels. Special attention is given to the ways in which values and power interests influence the creation of social policy. Emphasis is placed on the history of social welfare and related policies, the process of policy formation and analysis, and impact of policy on vulnerable populations. The course includes a critique of historical and current social policy and the systems related to social policy to provide a foundation for policy practice that is rights-based, anti-oppressive, and anti-racist. Implications for generalist social work practice and services will be explored through a variety of class activities. Prerequisites: SWRK 333 Human Rights and Justice, SWRK 420 Social Work with Diverse Populations; formal admission into the Social Work Program or a declared Social Welfare Minor.
Choose two of the following:
This course provides an overview of the different types of violence that occur within family systems. Attention will be given to the intersection of diverse identities and violence, factors within society that contribute to violence, and societal responses to violence within society. Prerequisites: PSYC 100 Personhood or SWRK 180 Introduction to Social Work, and at least sophomore level status or instructor's permission.
This course provides an introduction to different views of death, loss, and grief in the context of the biopsychosocial-spiritual model. Topics will include the human response to loss throughout the lifespan, societal and cultural/ethnic responses to dying and death, ethical issues related to dying and death, suicide, and advanced planning for death and dying. Prerequisites: PSYC 100 Personhood or SWRK 180 Introduction to Social Work, and at least sophomore level status or instructor's permission.
This course provides an introduction to the impact of trauma on individuals and communities. Types of trauma, including generational and racial trauma, childhood trauma, sexual trauma, and communal trauma will be covered. Topics will include how trauma affects the brain, body, relationships with others, and relationship with self. An introduction to trauma recovery and trauma-informed interventions will be included. Prerequisites: PSYC 100 Personhood or SWRK 180 Introduction to Social Work, at least sophomore level status or instructor鈥檚 permission.
This course provides an introduction to substance abuse and mental health within diverse cultural and racial contexts. Students will learn about the major DSM-V mental health disorders and treatment for mental illness. Substance addiction, treatment, and the social impact drugs have on society will be examined. Prerequisites: PSYC 100 Personhood or SWRK 180 Introduction to Social Work, at least sophomore level status or instructor鈥檚 permission.
This course provides an introduction to basic principles of child welfare, with emphasis upon the services for families and children needing various types of support. Focus is on developing knowledge and understanding of child welfare and supportive services. Prerequisites: PSYC 100 Personhood or SWRK 180 Introduction to Social Work, at least sophomore level status or instructor鈥檚 permission.
This course provides an introduction to the study of aging, older people, and their adaptation to a rapidly-changing world from a social work perspective. It examines a wide variety of physical, cognitive, and psycho-social changes that occur through the ages, how these factors influence interaction with social/physical environments, and how the older person is, in turn, affected by these interactions. Social work perspectives, values, and interventions with this population will be emphasized. Prerequisites: PSYC 100 Personhood or SWRK 180 Introduction to Social Work, at least sophomore level status or instructor鈥檚 permission.