Part-Time Curriculum

In this course, students acquire the language of statistics and learn the basics of descriptive and inferential statistics. The emphasis of the course is on a conceptual understanding of basic concepts to aid in interpretation. Specific topics include descriptive statistics, standard errors, type I and type II errors, t-test, chi-spare, and analysis of variance.

This is a 0-credit, pass/fail course taken in the second half of the term

This course provides students with an overview and assessment of current domestic social welfare policies and programs, and the factors that influence their development. Special attention is given to income maintenance, personal social services, and in-kind benefits.

Students are required to complete six credits in the Human Behavior and Social Environment area. This first course adopts a developmental life-course and social systems framework in an examination of environmental and historical influences, current social movements, societal belief systems, social structures, and political processes affect bio-psycho-social aspects of human development. The course focuses on the application of these theories in tandem with a scholarly examination of social forces that shape human agency, opportunity, health, and behavior.

See Human Behavior and the Social Environment – II for the second course.

Students will understand and appreciate a scientific, analytic approach to building knowledge for practice and for evaluating service delivery in all areas of practice.

Different theoretical bases and methodological procedures for social work research are addressed, as are basic statistical procedures and technological advances in quantitative and qualitative designs. Ethical standards of scientific inquiry are emphasized with attention to protecting and promoting the well-being of vulnerable and oppressed populations.

Ultimately, students are expected to be able to access, critically evaluate, and appropriately use empirical research to inform and evaluate their practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

This second semester of Human Behavior and the Social Environment is split into two “mini” courses. Students must select two seven-week courses on a range of topics, all of which have a pronounced focus on issues of power, privilege, oppression, identity, and social justice.

Motivational interviewing (MI) is a collaborative, person-centered form of guiding to elicit and strengthen motivation for change. MI has been implemented in local, state, national, and international social welfare and health care settings.

The methods are specifiable and verifiable, grounded in testable theory, generalizable and transportable across problem areas and diverse groups. They are complementary or adaptable to other methods such as cognitive behavioral therapy and pharmacotherapy, as well as employed as a stand-alone approach in certain kinds of settings. Moreover, there are evidence-based methods of learning MI.

To obtain proficiency in MI, you need opportunities to practice skills and obtain feedback. This course provides hands-on experience to practice and evaluate MI skills. The goal of this course is to give students an understanding of the basic principles of MI and to become fluent in a few key skills of this method.

Students also will learn to contrast MI with other therapeutic methods, and some common myths associated with it. Finally, students will examine some of the research concerning the effectiveness of MI and the hypothesized mechanisms that explain its usefulness.

This is a 0-credit, pass/fail course taken in the second half of the term

In this foundations course, participants will learn generalist and justice-based frameworks and skills for social work intervention. Emphasis is placed on an analysis of power, race, oppression, and privilege; the impact systems of oppression have at the micro-, mezzo-, and macro-levels; and how these systems may influence social work practice. Coursework focuses on anti-Black racism and covers the intersectionality of anti-Black racism and issues concerning LBGTQ+ rights, genderism, Indigenous People/First Nations People and land rights, Latin-x representation, xenophobia, Islamophobia, undocumented immigrants, Japanese internment camps, indigent White communities (Appalachia), and anti-Semitism.

All coursework aims to foster self-awareness and develop mindfulness practices; increase capacity to mitigate oppressive systems in social work agencies and organizations; provide skills for community building within and outside the classroom. Social work skills for anti-oppressive practice are developed through the use of experiential exercises and feedback. Practice is integrated into classroom content and discussion.

(Must be taken concurrently with T6010 Generalist Social Work Practicum.)

Practicum education is a central component in each student’s professional education, and it requires 21 hours a week, three days a week. Placements provide a range of experiences to integrate with theoretical learning from class work and to develop knowledge, values, and skills for social practice.

Prerequisite: T7100
This course builds upon the knowledge and skills acquired in T7100 Foundations of Social Work Practice: Decolonizing Social Work.

Students learn to critically examine, select, apply, and evaluate major theoretical models of direct social work practice with individuals, families, and groups in a culturally competent manner. Particular emphasis is placed on the linkage between assessment and intervention, the critical evaluation of self in one’s own practice, and the use of empirical knowledge to guide practice decisions.

(Must be taken concurrently with T6010 Generalist Social Work Practicum.)

Prerequisites: T7100, T6801

This course builds on the knowledge, values, and skills provided in Decolonizing Social Work. Coursework focuses on better understanding and applying a justice-based framework to mezzo- and macro- social work practice within organizational, community, and political systems. The intersections of white supremacy, institutionalized power, anti-Black racism, oppression, and privilege will be discussed.

Participants will learn to critically analyze and assess organizations, communities, social policies and political systems; develop interventions, advocate for, and work collaboratively to achieve change and build capacity in organizations and communities and to influence social policies and political processes; extend their understanding of distributive justice, human and civil rights and the dynamics of oppression, and the role of advocacy and social change action in pursuing social and economic justice.

(This course may be taken in the subsequent summer term if preferred.)

Practicum education is a central component in each student’s professional education, and it requires 21 hours a week, three days a week. Placements provide a range of experiences to integrate with theoretical learning from class work and to develop knowledge, values, and skills for social practice.

Practicum education is a central component in each student’s professional education, and it requires 21 hours a week, three days a week. Placements provide a range of experiences to integrate with theoretical learning from class work and to develop knowledge, values, and skills for social practice.

This course is split into two mini courses. These build on the general framework of T7113 Specialized Clinical Practice to address problems in a particular field of practice.

Students select two seven-week courses in which they develop their knowledge and skills through in-depth study of service delivery to specific client populations, the application of specific intervention methods, or selected clinical practice issues. Topics are updated annually to reflect new developments in clinical practice.

Past topics have included: grief, trauma-informed psychotherapy treatment, understanding depression, reproductive justice, clinical practice with couples, mindfulness in clinical practice, and the professional use of self.

Prerequisite: T6501

This class introduces students to tools that document the effects of social work intervention and measure the effectiveness of social work practice.

Students will learn to: 1) critically assess procedures to identify and clarify problems for intervention; 2) identify and use methods that have proven value from rigorous research when available; and 3) conduct ongoing practice evaluation. They will also learn basic measurement, how to select and use self-monitoring, standardized, observational, and unobtrusive measures of client change along with single case design options, data plotting, and visual analysis of data.

Practicum education is a central component in each student’s professional education, and it requires 21 hours a week, three days a week. Placements provide a range of experiences to integrate with theoretical learning from class work and to develop knowledge, values, and skills for social practice.

Practicum education is a central component in each student’s professional education, and it requires 21 hours a week, three days a week. Placements provide a range of experiences to integrate with theoretical learning from class work and to develop knowledge, values, and skills for social practice.

Prerequisites: T7102, T7103

Students learn to think and practice as integrated social work practitioners. Emphasis is placed on helping students to develop a conceptual framework with which they can differentially assess the multiple, interrelated interventions needed to respond to clients’ issues. The course focuses on advanced direct practice; assessment of the service needs of individuals, families, client populations, and neighborhoods; case management; and community social work with vulnerable populations.

Practicum education is a central component in each student’s professional education, and it requires 21 hours a week, three days a week. Placements provide a range of experiences to integrate with theoretical learning from class work and to develop knowledge, values, and skills for social practice.

Prerequisite: T6501.

This course provides a comprehensive overview of social services evaluation. Students will learn to design an evaluation of a social service program, analyze evaluation data using descriptive and inferential statistics, conduct a simplified cost-benefit analysis and explain the limitations of this type of analysis when dealing with human subjects. They will also identify political, organizational, regulatory, and other contextual factors that affect program evaluations. Finally, they will develop client outcome measures for social service programs and explain the uses and benefits of qualitative research methods in the evaluation of social service programs.

Prerequisite: T7133

These courses extend the integrated practice conceptual framework to program development and supervision and includes program design and conceptualization; with community and task groups for social action and organizational change; clients care in the context of cause and function; and social work practice with organizational groups.

The course consists of two seven-week segments. The first seven weeks focus on program development, evaluation, and grant writing. In the second seven weeks, students select a topic either in IPP and professional practice issues or in IPP within and across populations. Students must register for one mini-course in the first half of the semester and one in the second half of the semester.

Practicum education is a central component in each student’s professional education, and it requires 21 hours a week, three days a week. Placements provide a range of experiences to integrate with theoretical learning from class work and to develop knowledge, values, and skills for social practice.

Practicum education is a central component in each student’s professional education, and it requires 21 hours a week, three days a week. Placements provide a range of experiences to integrate with theoretical learning from class work and to develop knowledge, values, and skills for social practice.

Prerequisite: T6501

This course is a year-long sequence. Students registered for this course will also be registered for the corresponding lab section (T7813 for fall).

The first term focuses on microeconomics and the second term on macroeconomics. Students will learn both microeconomic and macroeconomic theories and their applications to public policy.

Topics will include demand and supply, equilibrium, price controls, the concept of elasticity, nominal versus real prices, production, technology, scale, cost minimization, monopoly, economic growth, and aggregate demand.

This is the fall-term lab section of T7811 Microeconomics and Policy Analysis.

Prerequisites: T6801, T7103.

This is the first of a two-course sequence in which students will develop knowledge and skills in identifying policy issues, policy analysis, and advocacy. Each student will analyze a policy question over the course of the year, drawing on data and expertise from their practicum placement and other sources. This first course focuses primarily on issue identification and gathering information for analysis.

Practicum education is a central component in each student’s professional education, and it requires 21 hours a week, three days a week. Placements provide a range of experiences to integrate with theoretical learning from class work and to develop knowledge, values, and skills for social practice.

Prerequisite: T7811

This course is a year-long sequence. Students registered for this course will also be registered for the corresponding lab section (T7814 for spring).

The first term focuses on microeconomics and the second term on macroeconomics. Students will learn both microeconomic and macroeconomic theories and their applications to public policy.

Topics will include demand and supply, equilibrium, price controls, the concept of elasticity, nominal versus real prices, production, technology, scale, cost minimization, monopoly, economic growth, and aggregate demand.

This is the spring-term lab section of T7812 Macroeconomics and Policy Analysis.

Prerequisites: T6801, T7103.

This is the first of a two-course sequence in which students will develop knowledge and skills in identifying policy issues, policy analysis, and advocacy. Each student will analyze a policy question over the course of the year, drawing on data and expertise from their practicum placement and other sources. This first course focuses primarily on issue identification and gathering information for analysis.

Practicum education is a central component in each student’s professional education, and it requires 21 hours a week, three days a week. Placements provide a range of experiences to integrate with theoretical learning from class work and to develop knowledge, values, and skills for social practice.

Practicum education is a central component in each student’s professional education, and it requires 21 hours a week, three days a week. Placements provide a range of experiences to integrate with theoretical learning from class work and to develop knowledge, values, and skills for social practice.

Prerequisite: T7103

In this required practice course, students will develop the knowledge base and core competencies necessary to design and acquire resources for social service interventions to meet contemporary needs. Students will utilize case examples and skills presented in class to plan group interventions. They will also have the opportunity to critique a formal program plan and gain skills in grant writing and other forms of fundraising through formal workshops and exercises. Finally, students will learn how to modify programs and program plans to meet various exigencies that an organization might face due to funding reductions or other difficulties.

Note: This course will be taught over the course of seven weeks. The following seven weeks will be dedicated to T7124 Macro Community Practice.

Prerequisite: T6801, T7103

This course will provide students with theoretical, conceptual, and practice models as they relate to community development. The course explores the role of community organizations in community development. It focuses on assessment of a neighborhood: its human, physical and institutional characteristics.

Although the focus of the course is on cities and rural areas in America, attempts will be made to relate these to international settings. Students will learn to apply professional social work practice skills to assessing and developing communities. Case examples of practice models that have demonstrated effectiveness will be discussed.

Practicum education is a central component in each student’s professional education, and it requires 21 hours a week, three days a week. Placements provide a range of experiences to integrate with theoretical learning from class work and to develop knowledge, values, and skills for social practice.

This course is split into two seven-week mini courses. Past topics have included: effective leadership, staff development and coaching, managing NGOs, fundraising, corporate social responsibility, and board development.

This course introduces students to the theory and practice of financial management in nonprofit organizations. Students will develop a beginning working knowledge of the elements, concepts, systems, tools and techniques of financial management. Included are such concepts as accounting, budgeting, resource allocation, problems of fiscal control, fiscal record keeping and reporting, cost analysis, continuation budgeting, and activity-based costing. The course will require use of financial management software, case examples, a required text, lectures, discussions, and journal articles. Students will complete several budget exercises.

Practicum education is a central component in each student’s professional education, and it requires 21 hours a week, three days a week. Placements provide a range of experiences to integrate with theoretical learning from class work and to develop knowledge, values, and skills for social practice.

Prerequisite: T6501

This course provides a comprehensive overview of social services evaluation. Students will learn to design an evaluation of a social service program, analyze evaluation data using descriptive and inferential statistics, conduct a simplified cost-benefit analysis and explain the limitations of this type of analysis when dealing with human subjects. They will also identify political, organizational, regulatory, and other contextual factors that affect program evaluations. Finally, they will develop client outcome measures for social service programs and explain the uses and benefits of qualitative research methods in the evaluation of social service programs.

Practicum education is a central component in each student’s professional education, and it requires 21 hours a week, three days a week. Placements provide a range of experiences to integrate with theoretical learning from class work and to develop knowledge, values, and skills for social practice.