Selection Criteria
The Alkek Library will purchase material at the Instructional level (2) and Research Level (3), for the library’s collection in support of the BSW and MSW degree programs. Specific Selection Criteria concentrate on, but are not limited to the following areas:
1350 Introduction to Social Work. Survey course includes the nature, function, and various types of social work practice, acquainting the student with the history, scope, and values of the profession.
2320 Love and Relationships. Explores the nature of attraction, friendship, love, and human sexuality, enabling students to enhance their own personal and professional relationships.
2375 Social Services in the Community. Introduces the organizations and policies involved in social delivery.
3305 Seminar in Human Behavior and Social Environment: Overview of human functioning in the environment by studying eco-systems and developmental frameworks. It builds knowledge and values for practice with task groups, organizations, and communities.
3312 Alcoholism and Chemical Dependence. Focus on commonly used and abused drugs as well as the dynamics and treatment of addiction and alcohol abuse. It emphasizes direct social work intervention aimed at addiction prevention and treatment.
3339 Selected Topics in Social Work. Relevant social work topics in depth. Topics, such as social work in prisons or in mental health facilities, are selected according to students’ needs and professional trends. With different emphases, it may be repeated for credit.
3340 Social Work Research. Builds foundation scientific research skills in critical thinking, knowledge of program and practice evaluation, and a philosophy of generalist social work practice.
3350 Connecting Policy and Practice. Examines social, political and economic factors related to the development and implementation of social policy, focusing on issues such as case management and practice with involuntary clients in agencies.
3420 Social Work Practice. Studies generalist theory and application of social work practice with individuals, families, and groups, including introductory data collection, assessment, intervention planning, and evaluation.
3425 Social Work Practice. Emphasizes generalist social work practice with task groups, organizations, and communities, examining data collection, assessment, intervention, planning, implementation, and evaluation. Students develop and implement a community-based project.
4305 Seminar in Human Behavior and Social Environment. Integrates knowledge from social sciences and SOWK 3305, focusing on individuals, families, and small groups functioning in environments. It uses a bio-psychosocial perspective, expanding on eco-systems, developmental, and values frameworks. Prerequisites:
4310 Social Services to Minorities. Explores social work with minorities focusing on knowledge and skills necessary for effective, ethical practice with women and ethnic minorities.
4315 Child Welfare. Analyzes child welfare services available to abused and neglected children in their own homes, in substitute care, and through the community, emphasizing social work intervention with children and their families.
4318 Social Work and Health Care. Provides a generalist view of social work practice in mental health and public health, considering the social problems that affect health care, and ethical and effective intervention strategies and service delivery systems.
4320 Social Work with Older Adults. Gives a comprehensive introduction to contemporary social problems, values, and issues affecting older adults, and effective and ethical intervention strategies and service delivery systems.
4355 Policy Practice. Overview of social policy and legislation and the processes of influencing public policy. It links policy with a broad range of social work service areas.
4356 Professionalism in Social Work. Builds skills in self-presentation, in taking responsibility for personal and professional growth, in learning professional behaviors in organizations, and in presenting court testimony.
4360 Directed Study in Social Work. Highlights individualized reading, independent study and projects, and guided instruction.
4425 Social Work Practice. Emphasizes interpersonal and communication skills necessary for effective, ethical generalist social work practice. Students translate theory into helping behaviors through practice and feedback to develop competent skills for beginning field placement.
5308 Human Behavior in Individual and Family Social Environments. Explores individual and family dynamics across the life cycle, centering on human development, individual and group strengths, and the effects of cultural diversity. It enhances critical thinking and assessment skills about human behavior in social environments, and incorporates material on professional values, ethics, and social justice.
5309 Human Behavior in Local and Global Social Environments. Presents human functioning in the environment by studying families, groups, communities, organizations, and societies in local and global contexts. Through learning content on diversity, populations at risk, and social and economic justice, students build critical thinking and assessment skills using developmental and ecosystems frameworks.
5310 Social Welfare Policy and Services. Studies the United States’ social welfare system, emphasizing how social welfare policies affect diverse populations. Topics include social welfare history; and policy development, implementation, evaluation, and values.
5311 Human Behavior and Social Environment: Birth Through Adolescence. Focuses on human functioning from birth through adolescence, using eco-systems and development frameworks. It builds knowledge and values for practice with individuals, families, and organizations; develops analytical reasoning and assessment skills; and applies content to diverse populations.
5312 Social Work Intervention in Drug Addiction & Abuse. Focuses on commonly used and abused drugs as well as the dynamics and treatment of addiction. It emphasizes social work intervention aimed at addiction prevention and treatment.
5313 Foundation Social Work Practice. This foundation course explores generalist social work theory and practice methodology in problem-solving with individuals, families, and groups, emphasizing data collection, assessment, intervention planning, and evaluation.
5314 Foundation Social Work Practice. Emphasizes generalist social work practice with task groups, organizations, and communities.
5315 Social Work Intervention in Child Abuse & Neglect. Considers child welfare services available to abused and neglected children in their own homes, in substitute care, and through the community, emphasizing social work intervention with children and their families.
5316 Foundation Social Work Practice. Develops the student’s interpersonal and communication skills with clients and other professionals. Students must demonstrate competence in interviewing, assessment, and planning skills. Students learn to collect data to support assessment, plan intervention, and evaluate practice.
5317 Social Work Research. Builds introductory scientific research skills in critical thinking and knowledge of program and practice evaluation. It prepares students to read, interpret, and critique research with skepticism and rigor and to perform various research and social work practice activities.
5318 Human Behavior and Social Environment: Adulthood to End of Life. Focuses on human functioning from adulthood to end of life, using eco-systems and development frameworks. It builds knowledge and values for practice with individuals, families, and organizations; develops analytical reasoning and assessment skills; and applies content to diverse populations.
5319 Diagnostic Assessment. Examines how individuals, families, and groups interact with the social environment, emphasizing mental health and adaptive capacity, theories of the etiology and development of mental and emotional disorders, and how culture affects mental health.
5320 Advanced Administrative Leadership Practice I: Introduction to Management. Emphasizes social work practice in managing small and large organizations. Students develop knowledge and skills in social work management and supervision in non-profit and public organizations.
5322 Advanced Social Policy and Social Justice. Advanced course, a study of social legislation affecting disadvantaged persons, emphasizes policy analysis, values, and advocacy through studying social policy history; developing, implementing, and evaluating policy; and influencing social and economic justice.
5323 Advanced Social Work Research. Builds knowledge and skills for systematically evaluating programs and practice. It enhances effective and ethical social work practice by teaching skills necessary to design, implement, and empirically assess intervention with client and programs.
5324 Advanced Direct Practice with Families. Focuses on theories, research, and models of practice with families. It emphasizes a systems orientation to assessment and intervention, and integrates issues of self-awareness and human diversity.
5325 Advanced Administrative Leadership Practice: Challenges and Innovations. Expands knowledge and skills by exploring how theories, supervision and management interventions, and social work values are applied to diverse organizational environments.
5326 Advanced Direct Practice with Individuals. Examines intervention theories and builds specialized skills for effective, ethical practice with individuals. It examines how culture influences individuals, and discusses how to assess individuals from multiple perspectives.
5327 Advanced Direct Practice with Groups. Develops effective, ethical group practice skills, including assessment from multiple perspectives, facilitation of group process and intervention, evaluation, and addressing needs of diverse populations.
5328 Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Aging. Provides a graduate-level foundation in knowledge and skills used to address a wide range of needs among the aging population, their families, and support systems. Biophysical, psychosocial, and environmental perspectives will be integrated into development of culturally competent approaches to work with elders in many fields.
5329 Organizational Development. Examines organizational and inter-organizational social service delivery contexts; how funding, mandate, and organizational arrangements influence services; and factors to consider in modifying existing organizations.
5332 Helping Troops Transition Back to their Families and Communities: The Invisible Wounds of War. Examines topics at the individual, family, group, organizational, and community levels related to troops who are returning from current combat operations and their families. It reviews the needs, community resources, and policies in place for helping them and their families make this transition.
5334 Advanced Administrative Leadership Practice II: Resource Development. Emphasizes grant-writing and marketing in non-profit organizations. It builds knowledge, roles, and skills to extend organizational resources for effective, ethical social work practice and programs.
