While all courses have some relationship to the practice of social work, it is the practice methods and practice area courses that bear most directly on the fieldwork. Practice Areas Students concentrate in one of five practice areas, along with a practice method. Field instruction is expected to provide further knowledge of practice, programs, and policies in a field of service congruent with the student's career goals. Students are introduced to the overall structure of service programs, fields of service, the history of the profession and other social welfare institutions, in addition to the skills needed to analyze and develop social welfare policies and services in relation to social work goals and purposes. In-depth knowledge of specific service fields is provided in advanced courses.
Students have the option of electing a minor method.
Interpersonal Practice majors may minor in a macro method. Macro concentrators may minor in Interpersonal Practice or in one of the other macro methods. Interpersonal or micro practice focuses on methods of working with individuals, families, or small groups to restore, maintain, or enhance their social functioning. Macro practice includes methods of working with larger systems, such as programs, agencies, communities, and legislatures. Social Policy and Evaluation students learn methods of assessing needs and monitoring programs, determining outcomes of interventions, and translating and presenting evaluation results to decision-makers.