MSW Course Descriptions

SW 511 - Distributed Learning Community:
Foundation (1.5). This course is a weekly seminar where students, together with the Distributed Learning Coordinator, process experiences in the foundation year of the online graduate Social Work program. This seminar is designed to integrate theory with practice, to gain information about community resources, to monitor student progress in the program, and to process the experiences in coursework and community practice on practical, conceptual, and ethical levels through the practice of writing for social change. Emphasis is on building a learning community while engaging students to support one another’s personalprofessional growth in understanding the use of self.


SW 530 - Social Policy & Services:
Examines economic, historical, political, sociocultural aspects of social policy; values and ideologies that shape social welfare programs and services; policy formation, advocacy, and analysis.


SW 540 - Generalist Social Work Practice:
Applies knowledge and skills for generalist practice guided by the values of social justice and empowerment. Includes skill building lab.

SW 541 - GSWP: Native American & Rural:
Within the historical context of colonization, the spirit and culture of Native American and rural communities are explored. Knowledge, values, and skills to work with and within these contexts are
examined.


SW 543 - GSWP II: Macro Practice
Social work theory and methods relevant for macro-level practice are considered. Skills for engagement, assessment, planning, and evaluation with client systems including rural and Native American communities are explored.

SW 550 - Human Development, Diversity & Relations
Theories in human relations/development, indigenous and other cultural ways of knowing are examined in the context of shifting paradigms and meaning for daily life experiences.

SW 555 - Foundation Internship
Foundation community internship, demonstrating students’ knowledge, values, and skills in developing partnerships to benefit people and environmental conditions. Concurrent model. 480 total internship hours. [


SW 559 - Child Welfare Training Seminar
A required component of the Title IV-E stipend program. Focus is on foundational competencies for practice in child welfare. [Prereq: MSW program admission and stipend recipient.


SW 570. Dynamics of Groups, Agencies, Organizations
Theories of development, and dynamics of larger social systems are examined.  Emphasizes diversity, indigenous cultures, social justice and the role of the social worker.


SW 580 - Special Topics


SW 581. SW Research for Advanced Standing
This course is a summer bridge research course designed to help advance standing MSW students understand and appreciate research as an analytic and interpretive approach to developinga knowledge base for social work practice. Students are expected to carry out an IRB, previously pre-approved research project. Students develop
skills to conduct research, gather data, analyze data, present findings, and write research reports. Students will continue to develop research evaluation skills.


SW 582 - Research I: Philosophy & Methods
The first course in the MSW research sequence explores philosophical, ethical, theoretical, and political aspects of research methodologies, including conceptualizing research proposals in rural and Native American communities.


SW 583 - Research II: Qualitative & Indigenous Research Methods
Helps students understand and appreciate research as an interpretive approach to developing a knowledge base for social work practice. Students explore qualitative and Indigenous research theories and methods.

SW 599 - Independent Study
Directed study of problems/issues or special theoretical/analytical concerns.


SW 611. Distributed Learning Community — Advanced
This course is a weekly seminar where students, together with the Distributed Learning Coordinator, process experiences in the advanced year of the online graduate Social Work program. This seminar is designed to integrate theory with practice, to gain information about community resources, to monitor student progress in the program, and to process the experiences in coursework and community practice on practical, conceptual, and ethical levels through the practice of writing for social change. Emphasis is on building a learning community while engaging students to support one another’s personalprofessional growth in understanding the use of
self.


SW 640. AGP: Child & Family Welfare
Examines child, family, and Indian Child welfare policies/practices from historical, political, cultural, economic contexts. Emphasizes advanced practice skills for serving indigenous and ruralfamilies and children.


SW 641 - AGP: Integrated Clinical Practice
Theories, skills, and policies in mental health and problematic substance use are considered. Emphasis on partnering for change in intervention/ prevention from a multi-level, multi-system perspective related to diverse communities. [

SW 643 - AGP: Community & Organization
Prepares students for advanced level practice with and within communities and organizations.  Consideration is given to grant writing, program development, and empowering communities to engage in meaningful change with organizations.

SW 648 - AGP: Advanced Clinical Practice
Advanced clinical skills needed to work with individuals, families, and groups in the context of advanced general practice are considered.  Evidence-based interventions are examined from an ecological, multicultural perspective.


SW 649 - AGP: Wellness & Sustainability
Wellness, prevention, and health promotion in terms of sustainability as a global construct will be considered and its application in culturally appropriate and relevant practice and service.
 

SW 651 - AGP: Indigenous Peoples
This course examines Indigenous Peoples’ social work in a global context. Theoretical, methodological, ethical, and service issues are reviewed within the frameworks of cultural rights, international law, sovereignty, and globalization. [Prereq: complete
first year foundation coursework.


SW 655 - Advanced Internship
Advanced community internship demonstrating students’ knowledge, values, and skills in developing partnerships to benefit people and environmental conditions.  Concurrent model. 480 total internship hours.


SW 658 - Mental Health Training Seminar
A required component of the mental health stipend program. Focuses on advanced competencies for practice in mental health settings. [

SW 659 - Advanced Child Welfare Training Seminar
A required component of the Title IV-E stipend program. Course addresses advanced competencies in child welfare practice.


SW 670 - Social Work in School Settings A
Thesis course focuses on a macro level framework for social work within California’s K-12 Public School System.


SW 671. Social Work in School Settings B
The course utilizes an ecological systems framework to explore social work within California’s K-12 Public School System.


SW 680 - Seminar in Social Work Topics
Department course schedule has topics.


SW 682 - Masters Project Development
The first course in a two-course sequence to aid students in the development of their master’s project. Focus is on developing the proposal, IRB, key informants, and agency agreements.


SW 683 - Masters Project Implementation
The second course in a two-course sequence to aid students in the development of their master’s project. Focus is on implementing the proposal, evaluating data, and disseminating the results.

SW 699 - Independent Study
Directed study of problems/issues or special theoretical/ analytical concerns.