This course focuses on the life-span from adolescence through death. It provides a framework for understanding the individual, group, organizational, institutional, and cultural contexts which influence human behavior. Policies and practice issues are explored as they pertain to child welfare in diverse populations. The course is intended for students from a variety of disciplines. This course examines the theoretical base for generalist social work practice, the structure of the social work process, and the skills of assessment and intervention with emphasis on social work with individuals and families.
Content includes women and minorities as well as ethnocultural factors.
This course is designed to familiarize the student with basic terminology of research, basic research design, methods for evaluating practice and social programs through qualitative and quantitative methods. It is also designed for the student to be able to read and analyze research reports, to relate research to issues in professional practice, to gain experience in performing both cognitive and practical tasks in research, and to increase awareness of potential biases in research, particularly in issues involving women and minorities. This course is designed to give students an understanding of group processes and to improve their skills as group members and leaders. The course provides an integration of group theory, research, and applied methods into the generalist practice model. This course introduces substantive issues of social welfare policy in the United States.