content

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
SOCIAL WORK
(SWK)

5013 Human Behavior and Social Environment: Dynamics of Individuals and Families
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor or graduate advisor.
In this foundation course, ecological systems and biopsychosocial developmental frameworks are used to examine the influence that context has in shaping individual and family dynamics across the life span with an emphasis on cultural diversity and social justice issues.

5023 Human Behavior and Social Environment: Dynamics of Organizations and Communities
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor or graduate advisor.
This foundation course applies the social systems/ecological perspective to the study of the dynamics of human behavior in diverse groups, organizations, and communities. The focus on the interconnectedness of variables and on the multiple causation of events prepares students to perceive holistically and contextually small groups, organizations, and communities.

5103 Social Problems and Social Welfare Policy Analysis
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor or graduate advisor.
This foundation policy course examines the historical perspective on the development of social problems and the social welfare institutions, policies, and programs created in response to those programs with emphasis on policy development and analysis within a local-global perspective.

5203 Social Work Research
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor or graduate advisor.
This foundation research course is designed to develop understanding of the process of research and of the use of the scientific method in social work practice. This course focuses on quantitative and qualitative research methods useful in evaluating culturally competent social work interventions with diverse populations.

5233 Global Context of Social Work
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: Graduate standing in social work, or consent of instructor or graduate advisor.
This course, particular to the mission of the UTSA Department of Social Work, examines the historical contexts of contemporary international social issues and the mutually reinforcing relationship between the local and the global. This course will critically explore the economic, political, social, behavioral, environmental, and cultural dimensions of globalization.

5243 Advanced Social Work Research: Theoretically Driven Practice and Program Evaluation
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: Graduate standing in social work, completion of all foundation courses, and concurrent enrollment in SWK 5423.
This advanced research course integrates theory, practice, and research skills. Students demonstrate program competency mastery through completion of an independent capstone course paper. This course examines both program and practice interventions and facilitates students’ integration of research methods in the assessment, planning, intervention, and evaluation of practice and program effectiveness.

5303 Social Work Methods I
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: Graduate standing in social work and concurrent enrollment in SWK 5403.
This foundation course is an introduction to social work methodology from a culturally competent and strengths perspective focus. Students are introduced to social work practice methods with individuals, families, and small groups through a generalist perspective of social work practice.

5313 Social Work Methods II
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: Graduate standing in social work, completion of SWK 5303 and SWK 5403, and concurrent enrollment in SWK 5413.
This foundation course builds on SWK 5303, Social Work Methods I, by deepening student’s knowledge of a generalist practice perspective and introduces macro practice approaches with diverse groups, organizations, and communities.

5403 Field Practicum I and Integrative Seminar
3 hours credit. Prerequisites: Graduate standing in social work and concurrent enrollment in SWK 5303.
This foundation field practicum course is designed to serve as the integration of classroom theory and real world practice. It is a practice course based on supervised assignments designed to facilitate the student’s ability to develop and demonstrate independent learning competencies of a generalist social work perspective which includes skill in working with individuals, families, and small groups. The student will complete a minimum of 225 clock hours at an assigned field practicum site. An integrative seminar that emphasizes integration of theory and practice will be held weekly. The grade report for this course is either “CR” (credit) or “NC” (no credit).

5413 Field Practicum II and Integrative Seminar
3 hours credit. Prerequisites: Graduate standing in social work, completion of SWK 5303 and SWK 5403, and concurrent enrollment in SWK 5313.
This foundation course is a continuation of SWK 5403, Field Practicum I and Integrative Seminar, with a focus on demonstrating independent learning competencies in generalist social work perspective and skill development with groups, organizations, and communities. The student will complete a minimum of 225 clock hours at an assigned practicum site. An integrative seminar that emphasizes integration of theory and practice will be held weekly. The grade report for this course is either “CR” (credit) or “NC” (no credit).

5423 Field Practicum III and Integrative Seminar
3 hours credit. Prerequisites: Graduate standing in social work, completion of all core coursework with the exception of SWK 5243, which is taken concurrently.
Building on foundation or BSW field experiences, this advanced field practicum course provides a supervised practicum within a human service agency. The internship addresses the continued independent learning and application of theory to practice at an advanced level as related to the demonstration of culturally competent practice. The internship requires a minimum of 225 clock hours for 3 semester credit hours. A student may combine this course with SWK 5433, Field Practicum IV and Integrative Seminar, in one semester for a “block” placement, which requires a minimum of 450 clock hours for a total of 6 semester credit hours. An integrative seminar that emphasizes integration of theory and practice will be held weekly. The grade report for this course is either “CR” (credit) or “NC” (no credit).

5433 Field Practicum IV and Integrative Seminar
3 hours credit. Prerequisites: Graduate standing in social work, completion of all core coursework with the exception of SWK 5243, which may be taken concurrently.
Building on foundation or BSW field experiences, this advanced field practicum course provides a supervised practicum within a human service agency. The internship addresses the continued independent learning and application of theory to practice at an advanced level as related to the demonstration of culturally competent practice. The internship requires a minimum of 225 clock hours for 3 semester credit hours. A student may combine this course with SWK 5423, Field Practicum III and Integrative Seminar, in one semester for a “block” placement, which requires a minimum of 450 clock hours for a total of 6 semester credit hours. An integrative seminar that emphasizes integration of theory and practice will be held on a regular basis. The grade report for this course is either “CR” (credit) or “NC” (no credit).

5443 Advanced Social Work Methods: Individual and Family Practice
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: Graduate standing in social work and completion of all foundation courses.
This advanced practice methods course applies evidence and theory-based individual and family intervention skills and techniques with an emphasis on cultural competence within the local/global context. Ecological systems, interpersonal process, and social constuctionism provide an overarching framework for integrating values, knowledge, skills, and techniques from the various practice approaches.

5453 Social Work Administration and Supervision
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: Graduate standing in social work and completion of all foundation courses.
This advanced selective course critiques major theories of management and emphasizes the knowledge and skills needed for effective practice in human service management such as management functions, planning and goal setting, decision making, leadership, personnel management, conflict resolution, budgeting and fiscal management, and the management of a diverse workforce.

5463 Advanced Social Work Methods: Group Practice
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: Graduate standing in social work and completion of all foundation courses.
This advanced methods course focuses on developing group leaders with both theoretical and experiential understandings of group purpose, development, dynamics, group theories, methods and skills, and other group approaches. Emphasis is given to developing an integrative perspective of group theory and in applying skills differentially to diverse populations across the lifespan.

5473 Advanced Social Work Methods: Policy Practice and Advocacy
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: Graduate standing in social work and completion of all foundation courses, or consent of instructor or graduate advisor.
This advanced methods course in community organization and social development is aimed at students who seek to refine their skills in community-building and collective action. It draws and builds on foundation knowledge and skills from introductory level practice, policy, and human behavior and the social environment courses in the curriculum.

5483 Multidimensional Assessment
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: Graduate standing in social work and completion of all foundation courses, or consent of instructor or graduate advisor.
This advanced selective course on the multidimensional assessment of the functioning of children, adolescents, and adults gives emphasis to students learning to critically evaluate and adapt assessment approaches and methods that are congruent with the cultural experiences of clients. The multidimensional framework incorporates biological, genetic, physical, developmental, social, cultural, environmental factors, and social justice issues in the assessment process.

5493 Advanced Social Work Methods: Community Organization and Social Development
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: Graduate standing in social work and completion of all foundation courses.
This advanced methods course focuses on the community and the struggles of its people to build upon its strengths, reduce its distresses, and move toward fulfillment of self-determined goals. It seeks to deepen and expand the student’s knowledge, skills and understanding of community-based organizing and local social and economic development and how they can be combined through community building strategies shaped by participative organizing and advocacy.

5513 Culturally Competent Practice with Diverse Populations
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor or graduate advisor.
This course, particular to the mission of the UTSA Department of Social Work, explores social diversity and social justice and their relationship to social work practice with diverse and oppressed populations. The course examines the history, demographics, and cultures of various disenfranchised groups served by social workers. The course moves beyond a focus on cultural appreciation and self-awareness to focus on knowledge acquisition and culturally competent skill development.

5633 Interprofessional Collaboration
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor or graduate advisor.
This course, particular to the mission of the UTSA Department of Social Work, focuses on the social responsibility of culturally competent social workers to collaborate across disciplines within an interprofessional context in order to better serve families and communities. Central to interprofessional practice principles is the valuing of individual, family, and community expertise. Students will incorporate values, knowledge and skills to participate in the development of holistic service integration approaches and the creation of systems of care service networks.

6953 Independent Study
3 hours credit. Prerequisites: Graduate standing, successful completion of 6 semester credit hours of social work graduate courses, and permission in writing (form available) from the program advisor, graduate advisor, or instructor.
Independent course of study in a special topic of interest in the areas of research, field practicum, or other social work related topic under the direction of a faculty member. For students needing specialized work not usually available as part of the regular social work course offerings. May be repeated for credit, but no more than 6 hours will apply to the Master’s degree.

6973 Special Topics in Culturally Competent Practice
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: Graduate standing, successful completion of 6 semester credit hours of social work graduate courses, and permission in writing from the instructor, program advisor, or graduate advisor.
This is an organized course offering the opportunity for specialized study in culturally competent practice not usually available as part of the regular course offerings. Special Topics courses may be repeated for credit when topics vary, but no more than 6 semester credit hours, regardless of discipline, will apply to the Master’s degree.

 

Table of Contents | Catalog Home | Previous Page

text size– | + | R |