DOCTORAL COURSE OFFERINGS
The following course listing includes both required and elective offerings. Not all elective courses are offered in each semester. Students are advised to discuss their plans regarding specialization courses, elective courses and independent study with their faculty advisers before finalizing their educational plans.
PREREQUISITES
SWGS 6800 — Basic Research
This is a prerequisite course for students entering the doctoral program. The course is a review of MSW level research. The course focuses on social work problem formulation and a basic introduction to methodology. Topics covered include developing a researchable question, the values, ethical and political issues involved in developing the question, conducting a literature review, issues of design, and data collection and measurement techniques. Students do not receive credit for this course toward the doctoral degree.
Social Science Theories
SWGS 7004 — Philosophy of Science
This course examines theory and theory development and its role in social work. Focus is on distinguishing characteristics of theory and theory building, salient issues in social work theory and underlying concepts and paradigms.
SWGS 7005 — Social Work Practice Theory
This course will focus on a collaborative critical analysis of social work practice theories. The various approaches to practice will be analyzed in terms of context, underlying assumptions, world view, concept of change and practice goals and prescriptions. The course will rely on the works of the major leaders, past and present, who have developed and continue to develop ways to think about and practice social work.
SWGS 7102 — Organizational Theory
This course examines the major theoretical perspectives that describe and explain organizational behavior and organizational processes, including classical, human relations, political economy and organizational culture approaches. Emphasis is placed on the application of organizational theory to human service organizations and the management of them.
Social Welfare Values and Policy
SWGS 7200 — Social Policy Theory and Analysis
This course provides 1) an overview of current United States social policy, with attention to fields and expenditures; 2) a review of the historical evolution of American social policy; 3) an overview of major social policy methods, with emphasis on concepts in policy analysis and planning; and 4) an examination of major themes in the current social policy debate.
SWGS 7201 — Social Welfare Values
This course presents a theoretical framework for examination and analysis of prevailing values and ethical principles underlying current social welfare policies, programs and practice; an examination of the NASW Code of Ethics; application of models of ethical decision-making using social work values and ethical principles; and discussion of future directions for social work ethics.
Research and Statistics
SWGS 7012 — Statistics I
This course introduces the statistical techniques most commonly used in social welfare research. The course will include the following topics: an introduction to descriptive and inferential statistics, level of measurement, frequency distribution, cross-tabulations, measures of central tendency, parametric vs. nonparametric statistics, normal curve, z scores,confidence intervals, introduction to significance testing, t scores, chi square, correlation and one way ANOVA. Computer analysis using statistical software is taught with an emphasis on interpretation of results.
SWGS 7000 — Statistics I Lab
This lab class is taken with SWGS 7012 Statistics I
SWGS 7002 — Statistics II
The course builds upon Statistics I (SWGS 7012). Students review descriptive statistics and basic bivarate statistics using a statistical analysis package (SPSS for Windows). Topics covered include ANCOVA, MANCOVA, linear regression, logistic regression and an introduction to path analysis. The course will develop theoretical knowledge of the relationship between statistics and hypothesis testing and measurement. Prerequisite: SWGS 7012 or successful completion of a waiver examination.
SWGS 7011 — Statistics II Lab
This lab class is taken with SWGS 7002 Statistics II
SWGS 7700 — Observational Research Methods
This course focuses on methods used in descriptive studies including: different types and appropriate uses of descriptive research methods, study designs used in descriptive research, principles of causality, sampling, data collection methods and ethical issues. This is the first course in the doctoral research sequence. Prerequisite:
SWGS 6800 or successful completion of a waiver examination.
SWGS 7710 — Experimental Design
This course examines the principles of causality, experimenter and statistical control, experimental and quasi-experimental designs and strategies for analyzing outcome effectiveness. Includes analysis of threats to the internal and external validity of pre-, true and quasi-experimental designs. Prerequisite: SWGS 7700.
SWGS 7720 — Measurement
This course examines a number of approaches to data collection in social work research: surveys, scales, observational techniques, case studies, content analysis, qualitative methods, and use of existing records. Includes principles of measurement and measurement theory and related data analysis issues. Prerequisite: SWGS 7710.
SWGS 7730 — Data Management and Analysis
This course focuses on principles and techniques of data management and data analysis. Topics include creation and management of data files, calculation of sample size, preparation of a data analysis plan, assessing the characteristics of study variables, variable transformations and scale creation, and maintaining data quality at each phase of the research project. Prerequisite: SWGS 7720
Specialization Courses
SWGS 7400 — Theories Applicable to Children and Families
This course focuses on bio-socio-psychological developmental needs of children within the context of both traditional and changing family forms; includes both exploration of the interaction effects of community and social systems and cultural variables of child and family. Emphasis is on emerging theories and research efforts designed to expand knowledge.
SWGS 7402 — Policy and Practice Issues Related to Children and Families
This course provides opportunity for students to integrate and synthesize knowledge of the major problems and issues in child welfare systems such as foster care, institutional care, residential treatment, adoption and day care. Course themes include policy-setting procedures, laws and regulations, lobbying and advocacy and funding in specialized areas.
SWGS 7403 — Current Research Issues in Services to Children and Families
This course includes a survey of practice and theoretical knowledge developed through research efforts. Work will focus on research classics, their content, their methodology and their contribution to theory, policy and practice in services to children and families. Emphasis is on identification of needed knowledge and the application of research methods.
SWGS 7408 — Independent Study of Children and Families
This course is designed to assist students in further deepening their understanding of problems and issues in services to children and families. The student, with the aid of a mentor, will select one area of special interest for extensive reading, study and investigation.
SWGS 7420 — Research Issues in Mental Health and Children and Families
This course examines current research in policy, service delivery and practice in mental health and with children and families. Emphasis is placed on the identification of necessary knowledge, research gaps and the application of effective research methods. This course may be substituted for SWGS7403 or SWGS 7614 in the curriculum.
SWGS 7502 — Policy Development and Implementation for Older Persons
This course focuses on major policies determining entitlements for older persons in the United States, roles of governmental and private sectors, inequities in American society affecting older persons. A second focus is on comparative analysis of gerontological social policy in other countries, including Third World nations. A third component is the synthesis of strategies for effective social policy for older persons.
SWGS 7503 — Research Issues in Aging
This course includes a survey of practice and theoretical knowledge of aging developed through research efforts. Work will focus on the content and the methodology of research studies and their contributions to theory, policy and practice in the field of aging. Emphasis is on identification of knowledge
in aging and application of research methods.
SWGS 7508 — Theories and Practice with Older Persons
This course will focus on different theories on aging and the range of programs which have developed to meet the differential needs of older people. Practice issues relevant to diverse older populations such as the frail elderly; healthy, active older persons; ethnic and racial minorities; and isolated persons will be discussed. Emphasis will be placed on emerging theories on aging and research efforts designed to expand knowledge of the aging process.
SWGS 7509 — Independent Study in Gerontology
This course is designed to assist students in further deepening their understanding of problems and issues in gerontology. The student, with the aid of a mentor, will select one area of special interest for extensive reading, study and investigation.
SWGS 7612 — Theories and Research in Mental Health and the Psychosocial Environment
This course focuses on the impact of the psychosocial environment on individual and family mental health. Empirical research on the impact of selected psychosocial stressors such as economic hardship, employment, multiple roles, family structure and so forth is examined. Special emphasis is given to the ways gender, class, culture and ethnicity may influence the extent of exposure to stressors. Implications for prevention are discussed.
SWGS 7614 — Research Issues in Mental Health
This course examines current research topics in mental health policy, service delivery and practice. Emphasis is on identifying areas where further research is needed and the design of studies to fill these gaps in knowledge.
SWGS 7616 — Independent Study in Mental Health
This course is designed to assist students in deepening their understanding of problems and issues in mental health. The student, with the aid of a mentor, will select one area of special interest for extensive reading, study and investigation.
SWGS 7617 — Current Issues in Mental Health Policy
This course provides an in-depth examination of national and state policies concerning the mentally ill and the delivery of mental health services. A framework is presented to understand mental health policy and systems in relation to overall health policy and systems and other social welfare domains. The course focuses on deinstitutionalization and its failures and consequences for contemporary mental health policy. Managed care and managed behavioral health is another major focus. A variety of special issues and populations are examined within mental health policy.
SWGS 7620 — Theories and Research in Mental Health and Psychosocial Development
This course focuses on theories of mental health and psychosocial development in children, families and adults. Emphasis is on emerging theories and research that underscorethe ways gender, class, ethnicity and culture influence mental health and psychosocial development. Thiscourse may be substituted for SWGS 7400 or SWGS 7612 in the curriculum.
Elective Courses
SWGS 7003 — Qualitative Research
This course will explore the use of qualitative methods in social work research. The conditions under which qualitative methods are desirable and feasible, the nature of information revealed by qualitative methods and the characteristics of the relationship between the qualitative researcher and the researched will be analyzed. Emphasis will be placed on the use of selected methods and the process of evaluating and using the findings of qualitative studies.
SWGS 7006 — Evaluation of Programs, Performance, and Practice
This course will examine research procedures used to evaluate and monitor the quality, outcomes and processes of programs and practice. Emphasis will be on the development of methods for assessing effective social work practice and service programs. Current and emerging models of evaluation will be discussed.
SWGS 7202 — Principles of Medical Ethics and their Application to Contemporary Health Care Issues
This course will include an overview of the philosophical foundations of the principles of medical ethics and present a methodology for their employment in the attempted resolution of these questions. Of particular importance will be consideration of the issues of patient and professional autonomy, confidentiality, informed consent, distributive justice and the movement toward managed care, euthanasia and physician assisted suicide. The course will be conducted as a seminar centered on the analysis of case studies.
SWGS 7203 — Special Topics in Medical Ethics: Application of Principles to Contemporary Issues
This seminar course will be directed at the practical application of the principles of medical ethics to contemporary issues in health care planning, management and delivery. In the context of increasing regulatory mandates and decreasing availability of human and institutional resources, end of life issues including euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide, the pandemic of AIDS and its implications for health care policy, recent significant amendments to Medicare, Medicaid and third-party-payer insurance reimbursement and the advent and impact of managed care will be considered. SWGS 7202, Principles of Medical Ethics or its equivalent is a prerequisite but may be waived at the discretion of the professor.
SWGS 7300 — Internship
This course or SWGS 7301 provides social work experience for non-M.S.W. doctoral students in a research, policy-making or educational setting. Can be taken during a regular semester or during the summer semester for 140 hours.
SWGS 7301 — Internship
This course provides experience for non-M.S.W. doctoral students in a research, policy-making or educational setting. It can be taken for two semesters, during the academic year or summer session, for 280 hours in lieu ofSWGS 7300.
SWGS 7407 — International Child Welfare
A major goal for the course is to study the problems that have been identified by various experts and governments in meeting the needs of children and to study the development of public and private programs in attempting to meet the needs of these children. The second goal of the course is to provide information on models of services developed in various areas of the world to meet the needs of children.
SWGS 7600 — Women, Work and Social Change
This course focuses on the lives of women, particularly poor and working-class women and women of color, from an interdisciplinary perspective. Theory and empirical research are used to examine women’s lives in the context of their changing roles in the home and in the workplace. The practice implications of social change are considered.
SWGS 7601 — Lifespan Issues in Long-Term Care
This course will examine the impact of serious disability and the help necessary for those who need long-term care on a continuum throughout their lives. Considerations will be from the perspective of maximizing the capacity for individual autonomy and the potential that individuals and their social circumstances have to provide a decent and satisfying life. The course will look at policy, system and practice implications faced by a nation in which need is escalating — but not public resources to cope.
SWGS 7604 — Comparative International Social Development
An in-depth comparative analysis of policies and problems in international social development. Emphasis will be placed on those socio-cultural-economic factors that determine social development in other countries, especially as they relate to American social welfare policies and programs.
SWGS 7606 — Teaching for the Profession — Philosophy, Principles, Processes and Pragmatics
This course examines in depth the philosophy, principles, processes and pragmatics of teaching and learning in classroom and field setting. Emphasizes 1) educational concepts, premises, models, frameworks and 2) planning effective curriculum and teaching strategies.
SWGS 7608 — The Family in Law and Society
This course will analyze American legal concepts defining marriage and the family. Topics covered include legally responsible relatives, health care decisions, child custody and emancipation. The manifestation of legal concepts in social polices underlying Social Security, welfare reform, health care, housing and other programs will be a major focus. Emerging issues will be examined in the context of cultural differences in the United States, among them: the changing role of women as care givers, and the continuing need for dependent care among child, disabled and elderly family members.
SWGS 7610 — Women And Poverty
This course will focus on low-income women in the USA. Attending to the multidisciplinary dimension of race, class and gender, the course will explore ways in which poverty affects quality of life, opportunities, choices and human potential. Contemporary policy issues will be explored and varied social change strategies critically analyzed for their potential in achieving economic justice for women.
SWGS 7611 — Mental Health Services for Diverse Ethnocultural Groups
This course examines the psychological and social experiences of United States ethnocultural and racial minorities across the life span. Mental health practice and programs to meet the needs of these groups are considered with emphasis on developing clinical skills, designing programs and training practitioners. Implications for clinical research and public policy are explored.
SWGS 7615 — Mental Health and Women: An International Perspective on Policy and Practice Issues
This seminar focuses on psychological, social and economic conditions of women throughout the world that lead to their disproportionate mental health at-risk status. Though the nuances of their experiences vary, women are at highest risk regardless of country, risk, culture, ethnicity or class. Students will acquire comprehensive policy development and practice capabilities for domestic prevention and intervention based upon global research. Attention also will be given to appropriate applications to international populations in the U.S. All work will be founded on human rights from a strengths perspective.
SWGS 7618 — Seminar in Culture and Mental Health
This seminar helps students to develop an appreciation for the pervasive role of culture in mental health research, public policy and professional practice. With the instructor’s assistance, students will develop viable research plans for investigating the impact of cultural factors on mental health research, practice and policy.
SWGS 7702 — Critical Issues in Addiction
This course analyzes the different theories and models of addictive behavior and the range of policies and practices that have emerged to address alcohol and drug problems in U.S. society. Particular emphasis is placed on the manner in which ideological biases and empirical evidence interact to shape society’s response to addiction. The course is designed to help students develop their knowledge and understanding of critical issues relevant to the study of addictive behavior. With the instructor’s assistance each student will explore an issue of interest in greater depth, developing implications for research, practice, and knowledge development.
SWGS 7704 — Spirituality in Social Work
This course explores concepts of spirituality as related to the social work profession. The main focus will be critical analysis of spiritual practices and approaches to healing. The manyways spirituality can be used in a variety of social work settings will be discussed. Implications for empirical research will be explored.
Dissertation Courses
SWGS 0766 — Maintenance of Matriculation — No Mentor
Students who have been granted permission, for serious personal reasons, to take a leave of absence from the program register for this course each semester.
SWGS 0799 — Maintenance of Matriculation — Mentored
Intended for students who have completed all course requirements and require faculty mentoring and the use of the library and other university facilities while completing research and writing the dissertation.
