Social Work - SOCW

The information below lists courses approved in this subject area effective Fall 2015. Not all courses will necessarily be offered these terms. Please consult the Schedule of Classes for a listing of courses offered for a specific term.

500-level courses require graduate standing.

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399 Research Experience in Social Work
1 TO 3 hours. Research experience under the guidance of a faculty member who will act as research supervisor. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. May be repeated. Application of credit toward the degree is contingent upon the approval of the student's college and/or department. Prerequisite(s): Approval of the College and consent of the instructor supervising the research experience.

410 Human Behavior and the Social Environment
3 hours. Human development through the life span including urban family, group, community, and organizational interactions with social, cultural, psychological factors. Credit is not given for SOCW 410 if the student has credit for SOCW 535. Some sections may be fully or partially online. Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing and consent of the instructor or admission to the MSW program.

411 Social Work in a Multicultural Society
3 hours. Examines complex interaction between majority and minority racial/ethnic groups; diversity, ethnic sensitivity, oppression; focus on racial and ethnic minority groups, particularly African Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, and Native Americans. Credit is not given for SOCW 411 if the student has credit for SOCW 537. Prerequisite(s): Admission to MSW program.

420 Policy I: Social Welfare Policy and Services
3 hours. Social work and social welfare policy; history, structure and development of current policies; policy analysis and policy advocacy skills for social and economic justice. Credit is not given for SOCW 420 if the student has credit for SOCW 550. Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing and Admission to the MSW program.

430 Practice I: Generalist Practice with Individuals and Organizations
3 hours. Overview of generalist social work as method and process emphasizing fundamental competencies, values, principles, and practice behaviors. Special attention to practice with individuals and practice with and within organizations. Credit is not given for SOCW 430 if the student has credit for SOCW 501. Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing and Admission to the MSW program.

431 Practice II: Generalist Practice with Families, Groups, and Communities
3 hours. Generalist social work practice. Special attention to practice with families, groups, and communities. Credit is not given for SOCW 431 if the student has credit for SOCW 502. Prerequisite(s): SOCW 430 and graduate standing.

460 Research I: Social Work Research
3 hours. Prepares students to demonstrate basic competencies in the knowledge, values, and skills of research methodology in social work, including problem formulation, design of research, measurement, sampling, data analysis. Credit is not given for SOCW 460 if the student has credit for SOCW 560. Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing and Admission to the MSW program.

480 Special Studies in School Social Work Practice
3 hours. Ecological and strengths-based interventions in urban school systems. Extensive computer use required. This course is fully online. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the post-MSW Type 73 program and graduate standing.

503 Family Practice in Urban Communities
3 hours. Empowering at-risk urban families using strengths-based intervention; brief treatment models; attention to diversity, community, poor, and other urban at-risk populations. Prerequisite(s): SOCW 430.

504 Group Theory and Practice
3 hours. Theory and practice of social work with empower groups in both clinical and large system settings; diversity and equity issues. Prerequisite(s): SOCW 430.

508 Models of Social Work Scholarship and Knowledge Development I
3 hours. Functions of scholarship in social work, contributions of scholarship to social and economic justice, research methodologies and knowledge building precesses for practice and policy analysis. Extensive computer use required. Previously listed as SOCW 592. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Ph.D. in Social Work program or consent of the instructor.

509 Models of Social Work Scholarship & Knowledge Development II
3 hours. Functions and processes of research in social work, knowledge-building methodologies and the contributions of multiple research models to the growth of knowledge for the profession. Extensive computer use required. Prerequisite(s): SOCW 508.

511 Practice With Children
3 hours. Direct treatment with urban at-risk children including situations involving homelessness, substance-abuse, violence; treatment modalities emphasizing family, community, culture. Prerequisite(s): SOCW 430.

517 Practice with Family Violence, Neglect, and Abuse
3 hours. Ecological approach to family violence: physical, psychological and sexual abuse of children, women and elders at practice and policy levels; urban vulnerable population. Prerequisite(s): SOCW 430; or consent of the instructor.

519 Practice III: Community Health and Urban Development
3 hours. Advanced integrated practice with urban communities at levels of individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities. Emphasis in diversity, strengths, capacity-building and small systems. Prerequisite(s): Grade of C or better in SOCW 431.

520 Practice IV: Community Health and Urban Development
3 hours. Advanced, integrated practice with urban communities with emphasis on diversity, strengths, capacity-building and large systems. Prerequisite(s): Grade of C or better in SOCW 519.

521 Aging Populations: Social Work Response
3 hours. Psychological, social, biological aging factors of individuals and families; emphasis on practice skills for community, long-term care and hospital-based services with urban emphases. Prerequisite(s): SOCW 410; or consent of the instructor.

522 Crisis Intervention
3 hours. Nature of crises including suicide and large-scale disaster; strengths-based interventions in urban settings: medical and mental health facilities, schools, community centers, and neighborhoods. Prerequisite(s): SOCW 430.

523 Drug and Alcohol Abuse and Social Work
3 hours. History and pharmacology of alcohol and other drugs; etiology of abuse and dependence; assessment and treatment models; practice in multi-disciplinary settings; emphasis on urban systems. Prerequisite(s): SOCW 430.

525 Social Work with Women
3 hours. Research, policy, and practice approaches to working with women in diverse urban settings; empowerment and diversity perspectives. Same as GWS 525. Prerequisite(s): SOCW 410; or consent of the instructor.

527 Topics in Social Services
3 hours. Critical review of selected areas of social work, social services, and social welfare. May be repeated. Students may register in more than one section per term. Depending on the section of this course, field trips may be part of the course. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MSW program or consent of the instructor.

529 Kinship Care: A Comprehensive Overview
3 hours. Provides a comprehensive overview focusing on the growing number of children who are raised by relatives other than their parents. Extensive computer use required. This course may be offered fully online or in a blended-online format. Please check the Schedule of Classes for information on the format of the course offering. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor. Recommended background: Interest in children, families and family caregiving.

530 Leadership and Professional Development
3 hours. Social work leadership and professional development including writing for publication, communication skills, personal leadership plan development, theory and practice of leadership at individual agency and community levels. Prerequisite(s): SOCW 410.

531 Policy II: Community Health and Urban Development
3 hours. Advanced policy content for urban communities including health disparities, discrimination, urban poverty and social dislocation. Analytical and policy practice skills addressed. Prerequisite(s): Grade of C or better in SOCW 420.

532 Social Work in Corrections
3 hours. Policy and practice roles of social workers in correctional settings with emphasis on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and poverty factors. Prerequisite(s): SOCW 410; or consent of the instructor.

533 Sexual Minority Communities
3 hours. Community and social justice framework applied to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered populations; historical development of sexual minority communities; overview of social work response. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MSW program or consent of the instructor.

534 Independent Study in Practice
1 TO 3 hours. Independent study in practice area not covered by existing course offerings. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 hours. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor and approval of the college.

538 Social Work and Human Rights
3 hours. Assists students to understand the historical development of human rights principles related to vulnerable populations to prepare for advocacy for this population. Prerequisite(s): SOCW 410 and consent of the instructor.

539 Mental Health Issues with Children and Adolescents
3 hours. Critical, strengths-based understanding of current classification and diagnostic systems for assessment and treatment planning with children and adolescents. Prerequisite(s): SOCW 410 or consent of the instructor.

540 Mental Health Issues with Adults
3 hours. Critical, strengths-based understanding of current classification and diagnostic systems for assessment and treatment planning with adults. Prerequisite(s): SOCW 410 or consent of the instructor.

544 Community Violence
3 hours. Urban community violence; impact on individuals and society; policies and theories critically studied from race, class, and gender perspectives, including LBGTQ; social work implications. Prerequisite(s): SOCW 410 or consent of the instructor.

545 HIV/AIDS: Social Work Challenges
3 hours. HIV prevention and intervention in urban settings; system and ecological understanding of impact of HIV on society and role of social work practice and policy. Prerequisite(s): SOCW 410 or consent of the instructor.

546 Public Health Aspects of Adolescence and Youth
3 hours. Overview of critical health and developmental issues impacting adolescents, including youth participation in health initiatives. Crosscutting perspectives of social identity, gender, culture and social class are emphasized. Same as CHSC 544. Prerequisite(s): CHSC 446; and graduate or professional standing; or approval of the department. Recommended background: Research, policy and/or practice and interest in adolescence and in community development and intervention studies; ethnic/minority studies; education; health and social/human service professions.

547 Advanced Child Welfare Practice
3 hours. Focuses on practice in child welfare with children and families who have experienced abuse or neglect and addresses theoretical and programmatic aspects of child welfare practice, with particular attention to practice in Illinois. Prerequisite(s): SOCW 430 and SOCW 431 and SOCW 410 and SOCW 460 and SOCW 411 and SOCW 420.

548 Social Entrepreneurship
3 hours. Introduction to global spectrum of socially responsible ventures providing innovative solutions to poverty and other social issues through entrepreneurship. Prerequisite(s): SOCW 431.

549 Independent Study in Human Behavior and the Social Environment
1 TO 3 hours. Independent study in human behavior and social environment areas not covered by existing course offerings. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 hours. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor and approval of the college.

551 Policy II: School Social Work Policy
3 hours. Critical analysis of federal, state, and local policies relevant to social work practice in urban school systems. Prerequisite(s): SOCW 420.

552 Policy II: Child and Family Policy
3 hours. Critical analysis of policies affecting welfare of families and children; focus on child welfare, juvenile justice, adult criminal justice, mental health, and special education systems. Prerequisite(s): SOCW 420.

554 Policy II: Mental Health Policy
3 hours. Critical analysis of policies and structures in mental health delivery system with a focus on persons with chronic mental illness. Prerequisite(s): SOCW 420.

557 Social Work with Military Service Members
3 hours. Social work with military services members, veterans and families in a variety of settings. Prerequisite(s): SOCW 410 and SOCW 430; or consent of the instructor.

558 Social Work and the Law
3 hours. Social work input in legal system: family law, family violence, crime, delinquency, civil rights, education, health, mental health, social advocacy, social work practice regulation. Prerequisite(s): SOCW 420 or consent of the instructor.

559 Independent Study in Social Welfare Policy and Services
1 TO 3 hours. Independent study in social welfare policy and services areas not covered by existing course offerings. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 hours. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor and approval of the college.

563 Program Evaluation
3 hours. Prepares students to demonstrate advanced competencies in designing needs assessments and program evaluations. Emphasis on evaluation of programs serving urban at-risk populations. Prerequisite(s): SOCW 460 or consent of the instructor.

565 Research Seminars: Social Service Issues
3 hours. Methodologies and results of research in selected fields of social services; special issues and problems in practice; relationship of research, theory, and practice; priorities for future research. Prerequisite(s): SOCW 460 or consent of the instructor.

567 Research Project
0 TO 9 hours. Application of research methods to social work problems in an individual or group project or library research project. Preparation of a formal report based on field study processes and findings. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. May be repeated. If taken for a minimum of 3 credits this course will be accepted as meeting MSW degree requirements for advanced research in all concentrations except the School Social Work concentration. Prerequisite(s): Grade of A in SOCW 460 or an equivalent course or consent of the instructor; and approval of the college.

569 Independent Study in Research
1 TO 3 hours. Independent study in research methodology or areas not covered by existing course offerings. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 hours. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor and approval of the college.

570 Field Instruction I
5 hours. Students are assigned to social agencies where, under the supervision of an agency field instructor, selected micro and macro system cases are carried for social work services. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor.

571 Field Instruction II
5 hours. Students are assigned to social agencies where, under the supervision of an agency field instructor, they carry selected cases or groups for social work services. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. Prerequisite(s): SOCW 570 and consent of the instructor.

572 Field Instruction III
8 hours. Students are assigned to social agencies where, under the supervision of an agency field instructor, selected micro and macro system cases are carried for social work services. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. Prerequisite(s): SOCW 571 and consent of the instructor.

573 Field Instruction IV
8 hours. Students are assigned to social agencies where, under the supervision of an agency field instructor, selected micro and macro system cases are carried for social work services. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. Prerequisite(s): SOCW 572 and consent of the instructor.

574 Special Studies in Field Instruction I
2 TO 4 hours. Practicum experiences in approved social agencies/organizations where students carry selected cases applying knowledge to skill applications under the supervision of an agency field instructor. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor.

575 Special Studies in Field Instruction II
2 TO 4 hours. Practicum experiences in approved social agencies/organizations where students carry selected cases applying knowledge to skill applications under the supervision of an agency field instructor. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor.

577 Social Welfare History
3 hours. Social work history in context of political, economic, and social developments; focus on gender, class, and race; critical application of theoretical models. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Ph.D. in Social Work program or consent of the instructor.

582 Practice III: Practice with Children and Families
3 hours. Ecological and strengths-based practice with urban children and families using systems of care, family-centered, trauma-informed framework; special focus on child welfare. Prerequisite(s): SOCW 431.

583 Practice IV: Practice with Children and Families
3 hours. Advanced critical analysis and application of ecological, evidence-based practice approches and strengths-based practice frameworks to issues facing urban at-risk children and families involved with courts, schools, and child welfare systems. Prerequisite(s): SOCW 582.

586 Practice III: Mental Health
3 hours. Strengths-based assessment and treatment planning in urban settings; diversity issues; managed care settings; critical use of current mental health diagnostic and classification systems. Prerequisite(s): SOCW 431.

587 Practice IV: Mental Health
3 hours. Advanced urban mental health practice; diversity issues; focus on children and adolescents and their families; critical application of current mental health diagnosis and classification. Prerequisite(s): SOCW 586.

588 Practice III: School Social Work
3 hours. Response to intervention, tier-based model, ecological and strengths-based perspectives for the development of basic competencies for urban school social work; diversity issues. Students take a (free) online course as part of the course requirement. Prerequisite(s): SOCW 431 and consent of the instructor.

589 Practice IV: School Social Work
3 hours. Response to intervention, tier-based model, ecological systems, strengths perspective for practice in urban school systems; use of groups, consultation, classroom interventions, family empowerment, community interventions; diversity issues. Students take a (free) online course as part of the course requirement. Prerequisite(s): SOCW 588.

590 Analysis of Social Work Practice Approaches
3 hours. Historical and current developments in the conceptualization of social work practice. Implications of practice approaches for contributing to social justice. Values and ethics addressed. Extensive computer use required. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Ph.D. in Social Work program or consent of the instructor.

591 Social Welfare Policy Analysis and Development
3 hours. Analysis of social welfare policies with particular attention to issues of social and economic justice; conceptual models for analysis; application of models to selected problems. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the PhD in Social Work program or consent of the instructor.

593 Quantitative Methods in Social Work Research
3 hours. Selected statistical and analytical methods as applied to social issues. Use of computerized tools, sampling, hypothesis testing, descriptive and inferential procedure, introduction to multivariate analysis. Extensive computer use required. Prerequisite(s): Admission to Ph.D. in Social Work program or consent of the instructor.

594 Dissertation Proseminar in Social Work
3 hours. Preparation in development of dissertation focus and planning of dissertation research. Readings are assigned and discussed in class. Emphasis on ideas for dissertation topic, its formulation, operationalization, and research design. Prerequisite(s): SOCW 592 and SOCW 593.

595 Seminar in Social Work Education
3 hours. Preparation for roles as social work educators. Historical development of social work education with special emphasis on relation between curriculum design and the accreditation process. Pedagogical issues such as selecting educational objectives, teaching methods, and evaluation of student performance. Students must participate in a teaching laboratory. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Ph.D. in Social Work program.

596 Proseminar on Selected Topics and Issues in Social Work
3 hours. Review and critique of selected areas of social work content, theory, or practice. State of current knowledge and needed research stressed. May be repeated. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Ph.D. in Social Work program or consent of the instructor.

599 Ph.D. Thesis Research
0 TO 16 hours. Individual research, under faculty direction, on social work doctoral dissertation. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. May be repeated. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor.

Information provided by the Office of Programs and Academic Assessment.

This listing is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a contract. Every attempt is made to provide the most current and correct information. Courses listed here are subject to change without advance notice. Courses are not necessarily offered every term or year. Individual departments or units should be consulted for information regarding frequency of course offerings.