Academic Programs - BASW
Required Courses
SW 1000: Introduction to Social Work
The Introduction to Social Work course provides an overview of professional social work. It examines the historical development of the profession of social work; introduces the profession's values, ethics, and practice principles; examines the major interventive methods of social work practice; identifies the generalist base of social work practice; and explores the social service delivery networks which comprise the social welfare system in urban environments. Social work's historic commitment to social justice and to the elimination of poverty is integrated throughout the course. The course format includes lecture presentations-discussions; guest presentations; reading assignments; examinations; student volunteer service; and visits to social agencies.
SW 1005: Social Welfare I
Since the inception of Elizabethan Poor Laws, societies, governments, and charitable organizations have struggled with the welfare paradox. In 1601, for the first time, a government acknowledged the need for a macro-secular effort for assigning the burgeoning populations of the poor, as charities, often with religious overtones, proved unequal to the task. This course focuses on the underlying assumptions of programs designed to assist and evaluate the poor, reviewing the similarities and distinctions of various programs, always addressing their effectiveness and their ability to ameliorate the conditions of their targeted populations. In particular, focus is on Colonial America, the Civil War era, the dawn and evolution of America into the industrial age, and early programs of the New Deal.
SW 1006: Social Welfare II
This course builds upon Social Work 1005 and engages students in analysis of the nature and impact of economic/political/social ideologies and forces that have shaped the development of American social welfare policies and services from 1935 to present, including discrimination, poverty, social insurance programs, public assistance programs, health care, mental health, substance abuse, criminal justice, child welfare, housing/homeless, and food programs. This course will continue with the curriculum focus on social justice and oppressed populations. In this instance the emphasis is on the impact of social welfare policy on members of oppressed populations and the direct service worker's place in developing and modifying policy to lessen the degree of oppression, and its impact on society as a whole.
SW 1008: Ethnicity and Social Welfare
This course aims to provide students with the knowledge and skills to work with physically, socio-economically, mentally, psychologically, and economically disadvantaged and oppressed people. Such people in the United States include ethnic minorities of color, women, people with disabilities, gay and lesbian people, and the poor. Concepts focused on in this course include ethnicity, culture, race, gender, minority and majority groups, marginality, social class, prejudice, stereotypes, stratification, power, inequality, oppression, discrimination, racism, ethnocentrism, anti-Semitism, sexism, xenophobia, and homophobia. These concepts will be examined in relation to the experiences of economically disadvantaged and oppressed people. Additionally, from an empowerment perspective, this course will examine the adaptive capabilities and strengths of disadvantaged and oppressed people.
Students will explore how their own personal values, beliefs and behaviors may limit their ability to engage in effective social work practice with people of diverse backgrounds, with particular regard to disadvantaged and oppressed people. Increased personal and professional awareness of the impact of various forms of oppression are addressed.
SW 1010: Interventive Methods I - Generalist Practice
This course introduces students to generalist practice, defined as the application of knowledge, values, and skills of the general method of problem solving. This method spans the processes of engagement, data collection, assessment, intervention, evaluation, and termination. As such, students in this course will develop beginning skills in utilizing effective techniques of client worker communication; structuring helping interviews; and establishing, maintaining, and terminating relationships. Focus will be given to the application of these skills to client/consumer groups of various sizes and in various multi-cultural contexts.
SW 1011: Interventive Methods II - Generalist Practice with Individuals and Families
This course is designed to further the development of generalist social work practice knowledge, values, and skills from a strengths-based, empowerment model. It seeks to prepare students for entry-level generalist practice with individuals and families who come from different backgrounds. There is emphasis on the importance of gender, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic variables, cultural lifestyle, and value differences during assessments and during the selection and utilization of various interventions. The course emphasizes professional relationships that are characterized by mutuality, collaboration, and respect for the client system as well as skills to enhance the well-being of people and to help ameliorate the environmental conditions that adversely affect people in their ability to seek economic and social justice. Students are also afforded the opportunity to identify with the social work profession as they continue their professional development.
Four theoretical perspectives/conceptual frameworks are taught: (1) psychosocial life model; (2) problem-solving approaches (e.g. structural family model, strategic and systemic models, and solution-focused model); (3) crises intervention, and the (4) cognitive behavioral model. No preference is intended for any of the four models or any other model in particular. The student is expected to develop a repertoire of practice approaches for entry-level generalist practice with individuals and families. Lastly, the course is linked to other courses in the social work curriculum and builds upon the liberal arts foundation of the baccalaureate social work major.
SW 1012: Interventive Methods III - Generalist Practice with Communities and Organizations
This course is the third in a series of methods courses that deals with the generalist social work practice and focuses on communities and organizations. This course includes discussion of social work generalist practice within the macro context. Knowledge and skills emphasize community/neighborhood and organizational settings and interventions that draw on the historical frameworks of community organization in social work. The social welfare and political context of community practice are also a focus. Students define concepts of community and neighborhood as they develop community and organizational skills that are culturally sensitive and based in social work values.
SW 1013: Interventive Methods IV - Generalist Practice with Groups
The course is designed to introduce the fundamentals of generalist social work practice with groups. It includes a survey of small group constructs, research, and principles of ethical application. Emphasis is placed on learning methods and skills of group facilitation and group observation and analysis.
The course utilizes a simulated laboratory group environment designed to assist students in gaining knowledge about becoming a member of a group. It also affords students the opportunity to facilitate group experiences. It combines didactic and experiential methods of learning. Video and audio equipment may be utilized for the study of group dynamics and practice skill feedback. A Student Learning Contract is also utilized.
SW 1015: Human Behavior and the Social Environment
Human Behavior and the Social Environment is a required social work course that supports generalist practice at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels. The course focuses on human development and behavior over the life course, as well as theories and knowledge of a range of social systems. Recognizing that interacting forces shape human behavior, this course explores the bio-psycho-socio-spiritual context in which human development and functioning occurs, including family, groups, community, and institutions. Emphasis is placed on commonalities of human development and diversity associated with class, culture, gender, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation and minority group membership. The goal of this course is that each student develop an understanding of the complexity of human behavior within an environmental systems framework and be able to apply this knowledge in formulating assessment and intervention strategies with individuals, families, groups, communities, and institutions. Emphasis is given to the ways social systems promote or deter maintaining or achieving health and well-being.
SW 1020: Introduction to Social Work Research
This course introduces undergraduate social work students to basic concepts and procedures of social work research. Students will use these concepts to understand and critically assess research that bears on generalist social work practice and develop beginning skills to evaluate practice.
SW 1024: Practicum Seminar and Lab I
This seminar engages students in analyses and evaluation of their own value-based, culturally- and gender-sensitive professional growth and development with a focus on the knowledge, values, and skills of generalist social work practice. Students are assessed on their development of generalist practice skills as evidenced by their application in the field of theories, methods, and techniques learned in prior and concurrent academic and field instruction. Seminar students explore topics including: (a) field instruction, supervision, and evaluation; (b) understanding of social agencies and the social service delivery systems of which they are a part; (c) current and trend demographic and needs assessment data related to the target population(s) served by the social service delivery systems of which the Practicum agency is a part; and (d) the appropriate application of specific ethical generalist social work practice methods and techniques to the client systems with which the students interact in field placement. The instructor visits each student and his/her field instructor on-site at their Practicum agency.
SW 1026: Practicum Seminar and Lab II
This course continues the engagement of students in analyses and evaluation of their own value-based, culturally sensitive professional growth and development as it relates to knowledge, values, and skills of generalist social work practice. Professional growth and development are evidenced by the continuing application in the field of theories, methods, and techniques learned in prior and concurrent academic and field instruction. The Seminar and Lab II engages students in the continued exploration of topics such as social policy analysis; practice ethics; field practice case/project presentations; practice evaluation; and post-baccalaureate professional growth and development. Therefore, the primary goals of the seminar are to foster the student's professional growth and development and heighten their self-awareness of ethical generalist practice. In addition to the in-class experience, the instructor will again visit with each student and her/his field instructor on-site at their Practicum agency.
Elective Courses
SW 1023: Psychodrama
This is a course for personnel who will eventually work with individuals who have minor problems of behavior that prevent their learning and their functioning in a clinical or in a regular environment and for teachers who wish to incorporate an "action methodology" in teaching. It is a procedure for diagnosing and understanding a person by observing him/her act out, spontaneously; for presenting possible ways that a person or a group may respond or may initiate an act to structured or non-structured social or professional situations; for providing a safe supportive environment for a person to play self, to experience self in various dramatic situations; and for testing new roles of unfamiliar social and professional postures. In the course, students examine their own cultural and social history. They explore how social and political (real or imaged) circumstances impact their lives and ways to change or recapture social constructs of the past that will allow them to move forth for a better future. This course includes the five philosophical concepts, the six essential elements, the procedure and process, and the basic techniques and strategies of psychodrama as developed by J.L. Moreno and as extended or modified by Zerka Moreno, Jonathan Fox, Meg Givinish, Martin R. Haskell, Lewis Yablonsky, and Hannah Weiner. It introduces participants to the concept of seven sequential units developed by this instructor: Initiation, Decision-Making Part I and Part II, Catharsis, Character Developing, Self-Actualizing, Role Testing and Role Clarifying. These units permit the individual to play self and others, to draw upon his/her own system of values and environment. The course makes important use of historical/literary analysis and of psychodrama. It affords an opportunity for both educators and social service personnel concerned about the social and intellectual growth of their charges to assist them in this development. Another aspect of this course is the examination of theories and of current research on the use of psychodrama, of sociodrama, and of socioanalysis as teaching and acting strategies.
SW 1035: Global Perspectives in Social Work
This seminar course is designed to provide undergraduate and graduate students an opportunity to engage in explorations of global social issues related to social welfare policies and professional social work practice and of major global approaches addressing these issues. Linkages between economic, political, and social forces and the impact of these forces upon the world's poor, women, children, and ethnic groups will be highlighted. The roles of governmental organizations, private transnational corporations, international financial institutions, and nongovernmental organizations will be discussed. The social development model as a current approach to resolution of social problems and the impact of global citizen action will be examined. The nations in the "Global South" will be a primary focus. Student interest in particular topics will determine a number of the readings required for the course. In-class discussions of the readings will be a central feature of the seminar.
SW 1058: Economics and Social Workers
This course is for students who want to improve their knowledge of economics and understand how the economy relates to the issues and problems encountered by social work professionals and the people they work with and serve. The class is targeted to students who have a minimal understanding of economic principles but considerable life experiences with economic issues and market behavior.
The course focuses on macroeconomics, which is concerned with the working of the whole economy and the large sectors within it, including but not limited to the job market, government, business, and consumer and investment sectors. As such, macroeconomics emphasizes questions of stability and growth of the whole, rather than the questions of allocation, and methods of production and distribution faced by individuals, families, and communities.
Course sessions will be intensive and stimulating with a large amount of material to be covered in each class. To master the materials, students' attendance and participation at each class for the full class time is essential. The instructor will lecture and lead discussions that relate the workings of the economy to everyday issues faced by social workers and the individuals they serve. Each class session will have a focus topic and a short answer quiz. Each quiz will include at least one question taken from the business section of the previous week's editions of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette or the Sunday "Money and Business" section of the New York Times. Reading at least one of these newspapers is required in order to keep abreast of ongoing economic issues. Other questions will be drawn from the reading assignments, lectures, videos, and discussions. No paper is required but there will be a mid-term exam and a final exam.
SW 1059: Child and Family Advocacy
This course has a dual emphasis on (a) legal issues that affect children and families, and (b) strategies parents and professionals can use to identify, implement, monitor, and evaluate resources to meet the needs of children and families fairly and effectively. The focus is the social worker's role as an effective advocate for children and families. Students will develop knowledge, skills, and values they need to be effective advocates for their clients.
SW 1079: Child Welfare Services
This course engages students in the study of child welfare, its historical roots, the services provided to families and children, the problems and policy issues in the current child welfare system, and culturally competent practice. The study will focus on the ethical rationale for service and the current and future provision of services, with emphasis given to legislative mandates for service.
A generalist perspective will be presented that will examine child welfare services and practice within the micro, mezzo, and macro systems context.