SSWO - Social Work Online
SSWO 502 HBSE (3 Credit Hours)
HSBE II explores different theories about how human beings develop, understand, and participate in social relationships that include societal structures and distributions of power and resources necessary for healthy human development; how we formulate and act on basic assumptions about ourselves and others; and how the identity and experience of individuals is affected by class, gender, race or ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, and other factors as these are reflected in different political-economic and cultural contexts. Students explore how these different contexts are embodied in people’s physical, mental, and relational lives.
Equivalent to SSW 502.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment limited to students in the School of Social Work department.
SSWO 503 Social Work Research I (3 Credit Hours)
Social Work Research I provides an orientation to the history of science and the range of methods for informing evidence-guided social work practice. Knowledge generation and its application to social work research will be examined critically from a paradigmatic level. Students will explore the continuous relationship between research, theory development, and practice principles and will develop an understanding of the context of research, ethics and values, use of research resources, problem formulation, measurement, sampling, and research design.
Equivalent to SSW 503.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment limited to students in the School of Social Work department.
SSWO 504 Community Engaged Research (3 Credit Hours)
This course will build upon the knowledge, methods, and skills provided in the foundation research course. Students will continue to learn how to critically assess research from ethical, multicultural, and social inclusion perspectives with an emphasis on community-engagement and how to translate findings into meaningful action steps. Students will explore the role community-engaged research can play in their future roles as social work practitioners. The content of this course heavily integrates other elements of the MSW curriculum.
Equivalent to SSW 504.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment limited to students in the School of Social Work department.
SSWO 505 Social Policy and Advocacy (3 Credit Hours)
Social Policy and Advocacy examines social welfare policy and practice with a primary focus on the role professional social work plays in the development, implementation, and evaluation of social welfare policy as well as the impact social welfare policy has on the social work profession. This course provides a historical overview of social welfare policy and social work as a profession. Course content includes identification of the values and ideologies that have informed the evolution of social work and public social welfare policy—including, but not limited to, how systemic oppression and social justice emerge in social welfare policy and community settings. This course includes a semester-long project in which students have the opportunity to apply their knowledge of policy analysis and advocacy strategies.
Equivalent to SSW 505.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment limited to students in the School of Social Work department.
SSWO 509 Anti-Oppression Social Work (3 Credit Hours)
Developing an anti-oppression social work lens requires an understanding of diversity and difference, power and privilege, and oppression--as well as understanding oneself within these systems. In this course, students will engage in courageous conversation as they unpack Social Works history, both past and present, moving into an inclusive and anti-oppressive future. The themes of deconstructing systems of oppression, cultural wellness, and intersectionality are infused through the course. A wide range of diverse populations will be discussed, reflecting the varied populations impacted by oppression, such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and physical differences. Additionally, students will examine the role, function, and effects of oppression in society as it relates to social and economic justice. Assumptions underlying theory and research methodologies from which basic constructs of human behavior are drawn will be examined to understand how power and other dynamics manage and sustain oppression at the individual and institutional levels. Also, of interest here, is how oppression affects service delivery at micro and macro levels, particularly social policies and strategic planning, which drive the shape of services.
Equivalent to SSW 509.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Master of Social Work.
SSWO 510 Social Work Practice I (3 Credit Hours)
Motivational Interviewing is a way of collaborating with clients emphatically and in a person-centered way that helps clients to find their own motivations for change. In this course students will learn the fundamentals of Motivational Interviewing and will have the opportunity to practice within the context of any helping profession. Students will learn core principles of motivational interviewing including expressing empathy, dancing with discord, developing discrepancy, and supporting self-efficacy. We will explore enhancing strategies for promoting individual change in primary healthcare settings and the use of motivational interviewing in achieving better health outcomes.
Equivalent to SSW 510.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment limited to students in the School of Social Work department.
SSWO 511 Social Work Practice II (3 Credit Hours)
SSWO 511 is the second practice course for MSW students at UNE. This course is designed to be sequenced with SSWO 510 Practice I. In this course sequence students will gain an in-depth exploration of generalist social work practice with an emphasis on the integration of theory and practice skills. Students will delve into foundational and contemporary theories, ethical principles, and practice methodologies. This course sequence utilizes simulated client engagement experiences that support students' learning and mimics real-world scenarios. In SSWO 511 students will cover key topics such as generalist practice with families, groups, and communities.
Equivalent to SSW 511.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment limited to students in the School of Social Work department.
SSWO 521 Integrating Seminar & Practicum I (3 Credit Hours)
Integrating Seminar & Practicum I & II is a two-term sequenced set of courses designed to complement student’s agency supervised generalist social work practice. Students complete their required hours of experiential learning in an approved social service organizational setting in which they learn, practice, and receive feedback on their multi-level generalist social work skills. The seminar provides students with opportunities to practice ethical communication and critical thinking skills as well as discuss and reflect on professional social work practice issues that arise in their practicum experience. Students use seminar class to monitor their own learning experience and progress in attaining educational and professional goals. Through mixed learning methods, students have the opportunity to explore, connect, apply, and discuss classroom learnings into their practicum setting. Students also have the opportunity to develop skills for self-reflection, self-awareness and reflexivity, and to broaden and deepen their understanding of social work’s inherent values such as honoring dignity and worth of each person, clients’ right to self-determination, social justice, equity and inclusion, honor and respect for diversity, and cultural humility. SSWO 521 provides a venue for students to establish, broaden and deepen their generalist social work practice. Students are expected to abide by The Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers
https://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/code/code.asp in their practice with clients and agencies/organizations.
Equivalent to SSWO 520.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment limited to students in the School of Social Work department.
SSWO 523 Integrating Seminar & Practicum II (3 Credit Hours)
Integrating Seminar/Practicum I & II is a two-semester, sequenced course designed to provide students with a supervised generalist social work practice experience in a social service organization. Students complete 400 hours of experiential learning in an approved social service organizational setting in which they learn generalist social work skills for multi-level and multi-sector practice. The integrating Seminar provides students with opportunities to practice ethical communication and critical thinking skills as well as discuss and reflect on professional social work practice issues from their practicum experience. Students use seminar class to monitor their own learning experience and progress in attaining educational and professional goals. Students have opportunity to explore their experiences with applying classroom learning into the practicum setting, develop skills for self-reflection, self-awareness and reflexivity, and to broaden and deepen their understanding of social work’s inherent values such as honoring dignity and worth of each person, clients’ right to self-determination, social justice, equity and inclusion, honor and respect for diversity, and cultural humility. Students are expected to abide by The Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers.
Equivalent to SSWO 522.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment limited to students in the School of Social Work department.
SSWO 552 Advanced Clinical Practice I (3 Credit Hours)
This is the initial Advanced Clinical Practice course for MSW students at UNE. This course is designed to be sequenced with SSWO 553 Advanced Practice II. In this course sequence students engage in intense experiential learning practicing clinical intervention skills and methods with clients. Students will also explore ethical challenges that arise in client work. This course sequence utilizes simulated client engagement experiences that support students’ learning and mimics real-world scenarios.
Equivalent to SSW 552.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment limited to students in the School of Social Work department.
SSWO 553 Advanced Clinical Practice II (3 Credit Hours)
This is the second Advanced Clinical Practice course for MSW students at UNE. This course is designed to be sequenced with SSWO 552 Advanced Practice II. In this course sequence students engage in intense experiential learning practicing clinical intervention skills and methods with clients. Students will also explore ethical challenges that arise in client work. This course sequence utilizes simulated client engagement experiences that support students’ learning and mimics real-world scenarios.
Equivalent to SSW 553.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment limited to students in the School of Social Work department.
SSWO 565 Leadership & Supervision (3 Credit Hours)
This course explores the roles of social workers in various leadership and supervisory capacities. Students will gain an understanding of the importance that leadership, organizational culture, teamwork, collaboration, and interprofessional perspectives have on an organization, its employees, and its clients.
Equivalent to SSW 565.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment limited to students in the School of Social Work department.
SSWO 571 Social Work Practice w/Groups (3 Credit Hours)
"Group leadership involves a new way of seeing interaction and requires a specialty mindset. Social Work Practice with Groups teaches professional values, ethics, theoretical foundations, and practical skills needed for effective group work. Building on skills and theories introduced in SSWO 553, this course emphasizes integration of theoretical concepts and skill and encourages the application of knowledge and research to assessment and intervention in group settings. Foundations of group work, development and application of beginning and advanced group leader skills, and addressing issues and challenges specific to group work are emphasized. This course encourages self-awareness and implementation self-regulation strategies to help the leader lean into the discomfort that may accompany group work. Social justice concerns including structural and personal impacts of inequality and cultural oppression are reflected throughout the course.
"
Equivalent to SSW 571.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment limited to students in the School of Social Work department.
SSWO 574 Social Work in School Settings (3 Credit Hours)
This course will provide the graduate student with a general understanding of the roles and
responsibilities when working in primary educational settings. It will focus upon the roles the
school social worker has when addressing the micro/mezzo and macro social problems and
resources when assisting their pupil population. Areas such as safety, housing insecurity,
diversity, special needs will also be explored. Additionally, the course will inform the student of
the interdisciplinary structure of the school system as well as the external structures (statutes
and regulations) that can influence educational policy and practice. Students will become
knowledgeable of their state educational laws pertaining to school social work certification.
Academic Level: Graduate
SSWO 575 Social Work in HC Settings (3 Credit Hours)
This course will provide the graduate MSW student with a general understanding of social work roles and responsibilities when working in Health Care settings such as hospitals, skilled nursing facilities and clinics. Students will learn and demonstrate gained knowledge and practice skills when assisting others of all ages in these settings.
Areas to be addressed include medical terminology, biopsychosocial assessment for health care settings, treatment planning, professional interdisciplinary team collaboration, leadership and social work ethics.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Master of Social Work or Master of Social Work.
SSWO 581 Integrating Seminar & Practicum III (3 Credit Hours)
Integrating Seminar & Practicum III & IV is a two-term sequenced set of courses designed to complement student’s agency supervised advanced social work practice. Students complete their required hours of experiential learning in an approved social service organization setting in which they learn, practice, and receive feedback on their multi-level integrated clinical social work skills. The integrating seminar provides students with opportunities to practice ethical communication, critical thinking and case formulation as well as to discuss and reflect on professional social work practice issues that arise in their practicum experience. Through mixed learning methods, students have the opportunity to explore, connect, apply and discuss advanced practice theories and concepts learned in the classroom into the practicum setting. Students also have the opportunity to develop skills for self-reflection, self-awareness and reflexivity, and to broaden and deepen their understanding of social work’s inherent values such as honoring dignity and worth of each person, clients’ right to self-determination, social justice, equity and inclusion, honor and respect for diversity, and cultural humility in an integrated clinical social work setting. SSWO 583 provides a venue for students to deepen, broaden and further ground their experience of specialized social work practice and prepare to transition to professional social worker. Students are expected to abide by The Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers https://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/code/code.asp in their practice with clients and agencies/organizations.
Equivalent to SSWO 580.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment limited to students in the School of Social Work department.
SSWO 583 Integrating Seminar & Practicum IV (3 Credit Hours)
Integrating Seminar & Practicum III & IV is a two-term sequenced set of courses designed to complement student’s agency supervised advanced social work practice. Students complete their required hours of experiential learning in an approved social service organization setting in which they learn, practice, and receive feedback on their multi-level integrated clinical social work skills. The integrating seminar provides students with opportunities to practice ethical communication, critical thinking and case formulation as well as to discuss and reflect on professional social work practice issues that arise in their practicum experience. Through mixed learning methods, students have the opportunity to explore, connect, apply and discuss advanced practice theories and concepts learned in the classroom into the practicum setting. Students also have the opportunity to develop skills for self-reflection, self-awareness and reflexivity, and to broaden and deepen their understanding of social work’s inherent values such as honoring dignity and worth of each person, clients’ right to self-determination, social justice, equity and inclusion, honor and respect for diversity, and cultural humility in an integrated clinical social work setting. SSWO 583 provides a venue for students to deepen, broaden and further ground their experience of specialized social work practice and prepare to transition to professional social worker. Students are expected to abide by The Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers https://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/code/code.asp in their practice with clients and agencies/organizations.
Equivalent to SSWO 582.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment limited to students in the School of Social Work department.
SSWO 585 Social Work Practice with Substance Use Disorders (3 Credit Hours)
The focus of this course is to examine the biopsychosocial-spiritual context of substance use through the intersectionality of systems and person-in-environment theories within micro, mezzo, and macro social work practice. Students will explore historical and current societal and political systems that contribute to risk and poor outcomes through the impacts of social dislocation, marginalization, oppression, criminal legal system, and other traumas as a framework of understanding substance use disorders. Students will learn to center people living with substance use disorder within a strengths-based, trauma-responsive, sociocultural context across time and place as they explore the manifestation of dis-ease. Students will be introduced to evidence-based practices and be able to assess local, state, national, and international policy as it relates to best practice; challenge stigma in the prevalent narrative of the war on drugs; and engage in shifting treatment dialogue toward a more equitable and human approach. Students will explore resources in their communities that aid in whole-person prevention and intervention within individuals, families, communities, and policymakers to shift the conversation away from criminal legal interventions and toward a community and structural determinants of health model.
Equivalent to SSW 585.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment limited to students in the School of Social Work department.
SSWO 597 DSM: A Social Work Perspective (3 Credit Hours)
This course is designed to prepare social work students with the Diagnostic Statistical Manual used routinely in the mental health field. It incorporates social work practice skills of assessment while developing diagnostic skills needed in a clinical setting.The use of the DSM and learning material further develops one's practice skills in an ethical, culturally humble manner including race, culture, sexual identity and medical disorders while identifying psychiatric disorders that clients present when seeking assistance.The learning material includes required textbooks, scholarly literature, case studies and videos representing symptoms aligned with the DSM criteria to promote student obtaining working knowledge for use in clinical practice applicable in the mental health field.
Equivalent to SSW 597.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment limited to students in the School of Social Work department.
SSWO 601 Independent Study (3 Credit Hours)
Students may propose independent studies for 1, 2, or 3 credits by consulting with a sponsoring faculty member and submitting a proposal. This proposal must include a course description, learning objectives, and demonstration of outcomes. The proposed course must not duplicate another course offered in the curriculum, and requires the approval of the Director of the School and the Dean of the College. Must be enrolled in: Master of Social Work.
May be repeated for credit. Equivalent to SSW 601.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Master of Social Work.
SSWO 603 Strengths-Based CBT (3 Credit Hours)
This course is open to all MSW students, foundation and specialization year. It is considered a clinical elective for licensing requirements. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based treatment for trauma and various psychological and behavioral health issues. Psychologists for psychology students develop most CBT training programs. This course is unique because its development is by clinical social workers, specifically for clinical social work students. Classic CBT theory and interventions are adapted and re-framed to provide a strengths-based perspective, considering “person-in-environment” and the effects of trauma on human health and wellness. Upon completing this course, MSW students will have the knowledge and skills to integrate a CBT approach in clinical practice that aligns with social work principles and values and trauma-informed care systems.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Master of Social Work.
SSWO 609 Trauma and Substance Use (3 Credit Hours)
This course prepares students for direct clinical practice with individuals and families affected by trauma and substance use, using a harm reduction and co-occurring treatment approach. Students will explore various assessment and screening tools, learn person-centered treatment planning, and be introduced to Internal Family Systems (IFS) interventions. The course emphasizes the integration of core social work perspectives, including person-in-environment, strengths-based, trauma-informed, and systems approaches, with practical clinical applications. Students will develop skills to foster client engagement, motivation, and change—grounded in compassion and empathy.
Academic Level: Graduate
Students in the School of Social Work department may not enroll.
SSWO 611 SWPract&Intimate Part Violence (3 Credit Hours)
This course will examine policy, varying service delivery systems, funding and the role of social workers in the areas of partner abuse, child abuse and elder abuse. This course will help students understand the context in which domestic violence practice occurs. The course will also focus on the role of the social worker in assessing for domestic violence with their clients. Culturally sensitive practice issues will be discussed and their impact on individuals seeking services. The course will also focus on developing student's abilities in assessment and intervention techniques with both survivors and individuals that batter. The course focuses on developing students' abilities to identify and explore ethical issues in domestic violence practice. Must be enrolled in: Master of Social Work.
Equivalent to SSW 611.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment limited to students in the School of Social Work department.
SSWO 613 Adv Trauma-Based Practice (3 Credit Hours)
This course provides a general understanding of trauma and its effect on the brain caused by various types of trauma experiences and the differences of outcomes of trauma upon people especially those of diverse backgrounds. It will provide opportunity for the examination of personal beliefs with regard to trauma and consideration of practice in an anti-racist, diverse, equitable, and inclusive manner. The use of a Trauma Informed approach and various treatment modalities are presented and will assist students to learn social work practice interventions that will be helpful for survivors of trauma experiences.
Equivalent to SSW 613.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment limited to students in the School of Social Work department.
SSWO 618 Homelessness and Social Work (3 Credit Hours)
This course is aimed at increasing student awareness of contemporary social welfare policies, programs, and practice issues relevant to providing social work services to people experiencing homelessness. The homeless experience is examined in the context of societal oppression and political resistance.
Equivalent to SSW 618.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment limited to students in the School of Social Work department.
SSWO 621 Affirming Social Work Practice Across Communities I (3 Credit Hours)
This course provides a foundational understanding of working affirmingly with individuals across the LGBTQIA+ community. Through exploration of key terminology, identity development models, and historical milestones, students will deepen their cultural awareness and clinical sensitivity. Topics include risk and protective factors, health care disparities, the impact of bias and microaggressions in practice, and the importance of affirming language, pronouns, and allyship. Designed to strengthen competence and confidence, this course equips social work students and other allied health professionals with essential tools to provide inclusive and client-centered care to members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Academic Level: Graduate
SSWO 622 Affirming Social Work Practice Across Communities II (3 Credit Hours)
This course builds upon foundational knowledge to deepen students’ clinical competencies and ethical practice skills when working with LGBTQIA+ individuals. Emphasis is placed on affirming assessment and diagnostic processes, providing a historical review of the DSM's treatment of sexual orientation and gender identity, the exploration of common and complex clinical presentations and the behavioral health disparities impacting the LGBTQIA+ community, and the application of evidence-based and evidence-informed interventions with LGBTQIA+ individuals, families, and groups. Students will critically examine practice theories relevant to LGBTQIA+ populations, including trauma-informed, strengths-based, and minority stress frameworks. Ethical considerations including confidentiality, informed consent, dual relationships, documentation, and navigating value conflicts will be explored. Designed to support the development of student clinical judgment and professional confidence, this course prepares social work students and allied health professionals to deliver ethically sound, culturally responsive, and clinically effective care.
Academic Level: Graduate
SSWO 623 Affirming Social Work Practice Across Communities III (3 Credit Hours)
This course focuses on affirming social work practice with LGBTQIA+ individuals across the lifespan, with particular attention to queer and transgender youth and their families, as well as LGBTQIA+ older adults. Students will examine developmental, relational, and systemic factors shaping identity, well-being, and access to care at different life stages. Topics include family acceptance and rejection, school and community contexts, aging-related concerns, caregiving, grief and loss, and the impact of historical trauma and invisibility on older LGBTQIA+ adults. Through case-based learning and applied practice strategies, students will strengthen their ability to support resilience, connection, and dignity across generations. The course equips practitioners with the skills needed to engage LGBTQIA+ individuals and families in affirming, developmentally responsive, and lifespan-informed care.
Academic Level: Graduate
SSWO 627 Psychopharmacology:Drugs/Behav (3 Credit Hours)
This course examines concepts in psycho- pharmacology, neurophysiology, psychoactive drug classification. Physiological, and psycho-logical aspects of psychopharmacological agents used in the treatment of psychiatric disorders are presented. Psychopharmacology with the geriatric population are explored. The parts of the brain affected by alcohol, marijuana, opiates, cocaine, and other street drugs are discussed. Must be enrolled in: Master of Social Work.
Equivalent to SSW 627.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment limited to students in the School of Social Work department.
SSWO 628 Use of Creative Arts in Social Work (3 Credit Hours)
This course relates the application of creative arts, including music, literature, theatre, art, poetry, movement, and dance, to increasing self-awareness, working directly with clients, enhancing social awareness of core social issues, and enhancing civic dialogue. Includes presentations by diverse community artists. Must be enrolled in: Master of Social Work.
Equivalent to SSW 628.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Master of Social Work or Master of Social Work.
Enrollment limited to students in the School of Social Work department.
SSWO 633 Social Work Practice with Children, Adolescents and Caregivers (3 Credit Hours)
This specialization year elective focuses on developing clinical skills specifically for social work practice with children, adolescents, and their caregivers. Methods of building relationships with children, adolescents and caregivers are explored, as are specific child-centered interventions and techniques. Additionally, there is a focus on interdisciplinary models of practice, including wrap-around services and the overall development of networks and partnerships between social workers and other child-centered professionals.
Equivalent to SSW 633.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment limited to students in the School of Social Work department.
SSWO 635 Aging & Health (3 Credit Hours)
This course is a progressive overview of the field of aging beginning with the history and theories of gerontology and transitioning to the methods providers use with older consumers to maintain wellness and high functional levels in the later years. The latest research on exercise, nutrition and alternative and complementary health care for an aging population is emphasized. Must be enrolled in: Master of Social Work.
Equivalent to SSW 635.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment limited to students in the School of Social Work department.
SSWO 642 Narrative Therapy (3 Credit Hours)
This advanced practice course provides students with the opportunity to learn the theory and practice of Narrative Therapy. Students will have the opportunity to explore the historical development of this contemporary theory and to observe and practice Narrative Therapy through interactive role-plays and video-taped sessions with classmates and the instructor.
Equivalent to SSW 642.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment limited to students in the School of Social Work department.
SSWO 643 Acceptance&Commitment Therapy (3 Credit Hours)
This course focuses on one of today’s popular therapeutic approaches, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, commonly referred to as ACT. The course uses a case-based learning approach to provide student-learners with hands-on experiential learning opportunities to practice the specific skills and therapeutic strategies being presented.
“ACT is based on a philosophy of science, functional contextualism, that focuses on the behavior of individuals within their historical and situational contexts. ACT draws on a comprehensive theory of language, relational frame theory (RFT), which accounts for the influence of culturally shaped language processes on learning and human behavior. ACT and RFT are supported by a growing body of research that supports ACT’s efficacy with a wide variety of problems and suggests that ACT works by its theorized mechanism of change. ACT can be delivered in an array of formats and is easily accessible for those seeking training, and ACT offers a non-stigmatizing, universalizing approach to alleviating suffering that positions social workers and clients as subject to the same, normally occurring processes of human behavior” (Boone et al., 2015).
Enjoy the journey through this empowering approach to healing, recovery, and growth!
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Master of Social Work or Master of Social Work.
SSWO 650 Trauma Informed Thry/Practice (3 Credit Hours)
This course will prepare students to become practitioners and leaders versed in Adverse Childhood Experiences, resiliency, historical and intergenerational trauma, and trauma-informed theory. Students will explore these trauma-informed principles and apply them on micro and macro levels through a focus on implementation science for trauma-informed organizational and individual practice change. This course provides a strong foundation that complements clinical electives such as Advanced Trauma Practices.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment limited to students in the School of Social Work department.
SSWO 652 Motivational Interviewing and Social Work (3 Credit Hours)
Motivational Interviewing is a way of collaborating with clients emphatically and in a person-centered way that helps clients to find their own motivations for change. In this course students will learn the fundamentals of Motivational Interviewing and will have the opportunity to practice within the context of any helping profession. Students will learn core principles of motivational interviewing including expressing empathy, dancing with discord, developing discrepancy, and supporting self-efficacy. We will explore enhancing strategies for promoting individual change in primary healthcare settings and the use of motivational interviewing in achieving better health outcomes.
Equivalent to SSW 652.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment limited to students in the School of Social Work department.
SSWO 657 Social Work with Military, Veterans, and Family (3 Credit Hours)
This course examines how social, political, and contextual factors influence mental health, psychosocial, and behavioral outcomes and treatment-seeking behaviors among military personnel, Veterans and their families. Students will examine the military from a variety of perspectives, including its background and organization, social systems, core values, artifacts, language and socially acceptable practices as these practices impact soldiers. This course addresses the needs of active duty, deployed service members, Veterans, and their families at different developmental phases of the military life course. A range of physical, mental, and psychosocial issues including deployment stressors and post-deployment mental health (i.e., physical challenges, posttraumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, anxiety and depressive symptoms, substance use/abuse, suicidal ideation, and interpersonal conflicts) will be addressed in this course.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment limited to students in the School of Social Work department.
SSWO 670 Grief,Loss,Death&Dying in SW (3 Credit Hours)
An interdisciplinary course on death and dying, we will explore the death system, funerals, economic considerations of death, care of the dying and the bereaved of all ages, psychological dynamics dealing with the death, and ultimate questions in relationship to death and bereavement. The course will examine the basic principles of palliative care, bereavement and grief in all age groups, suicide and grief, issues around refugee and immigrant experience with death, various philosophical and religious understandings of death, meaning of life, ethical issues related to the care of the dying and the bereaved. We will explore the nature of grief and loss, the personal characteristics of effective practitioners, communication skills used in practice, the goals and techniques of practice with people who are grieving, approaches to helping those who are dying, and specific interventions that are helpful to bereaved clients in cases of prolonged grief, mourning a child or those whose deaths were stigmatized or unanticipated. Students will explore their own personal, cultural, and spiritual experiences, beliefs and values around death and dying. Must be enrolled in: Master of Social Work.
Equivalent to SSW 670.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment limited to students in the School of Social Work department.
SSWO 673 Social Work & the Law (3 Credit Hours)
This course is designed to introduce students to various components of law and how the exchanges between legal professionals and a social worker coincides when an individual, family, or group is faced with legal issues. It provides an introductory examination of historical frameworks of both law / social work and how the two systems interact with one another within all of the legal and social work domains. This course showcases the systems perspective as well as practice techniques in communicating and collaborating across professional fields. The goal of this course is to understand the context of law, social work, and their continuing relevance to understanding and meeting a client's needs. 3.000 Credit hours.
Equivalent to SSW 673.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
Enrollment limited to students in the School of Social Work department.