Online MSW Courses

Explores and identifies the social, political, legal economic, historical, and philosophical foundation of social welfare policy and services in the United States. Reviews major historical themes such as systematic oppression and discrimination of groups such as African Americans, women, and Native Americans. Structures, such as managed care, which restrict the level of services intervention, are also examined. Introduces models of policy analysis and reviews the development of the social work profession

The course introduces various influences on human behavior within a social context and identifies cognitive, psychological, and developmental theories pertaining to human growth and development. The course examines the interplay of psychosocial, biological, and institutional factors from conception through adolescence so that students have a basis for understanding and assessing behavior. The course considers the relevance of such factors as ethnicity, gender, race, sexual preference, and mental and physical challenges on human functioning in society.

This course is the second in a two-course foundation Human Behavior and Social Environment sequence. HBSE I and II study the various components of human behavior and social environment and provide a framework for studying the person-in-environment from an ecological approach. The courses, designed for the generalist practitioner, explore multiple factors that shape the development of individual growth and social interaction, and they explore a range of theories, both intra-personal and interpersonal. In addition, these two courses provide a conceptual model for viewing human behavior from a holistic perspective with particular emphasis on a Black perspective, a strength, and empowerment. An ecological approach stresses: 1) the significant biological, psychological, social, and spiritual developmental milestones, 2) life span stages and their associated life events, 3) socio-structural (e.g., health, economic) factors, and 4) human diversity (e.g., race, ethnicity, gender, age), and its effect on human and societal behavior.

This course is the first of two that comprise the foundation practice sequence. The course presents the generalist foundation for micro and mezzo social work practice centering on the interactive and dynamic processes of assessment, intervention, and evaluation with individuals, families and groups. The course presents knowledge and skills for generalist practice according to eco-systems and person and social environment perspectives for understanding people and responding their needs and problems. Students are introduced to a Black perspective for social work practice, empowerment, the strengths perspective, the rural perspective and the global perspective as core concepts for not only assessing clients’ problems but, most importantly, assessing their strengths, gifts and talents for resolving and overcoming obstacles to their well-being. By the end of the course, students learn to view clients as central resources in the problem-solving process. The course emphasizes that social work values and ethics, promotion of social and economic justice, and service to diverse groups, exemplified by cultural competence, overlie all social work practice in all settings with all clients. The grade “B” must be earned in this course. Students enrolled in this course must also be enrolled in the appropriate first year field instruction course

This is the second of two courses that comprise the foundation practice sequence. The course builds on the knowledge, values and skills for generalist practice that were imparted in Generalist Practice I by teaching students how to apply dynamic and interactive processes of assessment, intervention, and evaluation at the macro level in communities and organizations. The course teaches communities and organizations as settings where the social worker and the client work together in an attempt to reduce or ameliorate problems that adversely impact client well-being. Guided by a Black perspective for social work practice, empowerment, the strengths perspective, the rural perspective, and the global perspective, students learn to focus on clients’ strengths as a potential solution to the problem(s) for which the client is receiving assistance. The course directs students to look to evidence based practices and related research when considering effective ways to assist clients. Consequently, the course familiarizes students with resources for evidence based interventions and promotes evaluation of practice using reliable research methods. Guided by a prevention orientation to generalist practice at the macro level, students learn to examine risk and protective factors that should be taken into account when developing interventions to prevent problems before they emerge. The course emphasizes that social work values and ethics, promotion of social and economic justice, and service to diverse groups, exemplified by cultural competence, overlie all social work practice in all settings with all clients. The grade “B” must be earned in this course. Students enrolled in this course must also be enrolled in the appropriate first year field instruction course.

Methods of Research in Social Work Practice is the first of a three (3) course sequential offering in the research foundation curriculum. It is designed to introduce students to the scientific method of inquiry within the context of advanced generalist practice and research problems germane to social work. Issues relating to research, theory, goals and methodological procedures are examined. Students are introduced to the various ways in which these underpinnings are designed to aid in the development of the appropriate language, knowledge and skills for the application of research methods associated with advanced generalist social work practice. Substantive topics include: framing hypotheses and delineating the components of the hypotheses; stages involved in conducting social scientific research projects; the logic of such procedures; values and ethics; conceptualization and operationalization; research design; and sampling. Ethnology and ecological fallacies provide the conceptual frame of reference for issues relating to cultural diversity, working with at-risk populations, and achieving social justice.

This is the second course in a three course research sequence that introduces students to concepts in data analyses. Content includes analyses and interpretation of univariate, bivariate, and multivariate statistics appropriate for various kinds of data and levels of measurement used in social work practice. Students will learn data collection, data entry, data processing, and data analysis using the SPSS software package and will use the knowledge to complete their own research projects. Thus, at this level, students become active participants in conducting self-directed social work research. Additionally, students continue to deepen and extend their knowledge and skills as they relate to social work research and evaluation at the generalist practice level. Substantive topics include: frequency distributions, measures of central tendency and variability, hypothesis testing, inferential statistics, including correlation and regression. Focus will also be on the application of research methods to the evaluation of interventions at various levels. In follow up to Research and Evaluation Methods I, this course continues to explore social research as a means for pr omoting a Black perspective, strengths perspective, empowerment, rural, and global perspective, and for attending to cultural diversity and social and economic justice for all, especially populations-at-risk.

To be taken by first year students in the field. This course provides students with opportunities to employ the knowledge, values, skills and conceptual frameworks that are related to the generalist perspective in agency settings while under the supervision of an approved field instructor. Students are enabled to develop and refine the skills necessary for effective advanced practice and to integrate the concepts and philosophy of empowerment. The generalist perspective to social work practice and a Black Perspective in the helping process are applied with all client systems.

To be taken by first year students in the field. This course provides students with opportunities to employ the knowledge, values, skills and conceptual frameworks that are related to the generalist perspective in agency settings while under the supervision of an approved field instructor. Students are enabled to develop and refine the skills necessary for effective advanced practice and to integrate the concepts and philosophy of empowerment. The generalist perspective to social work practice and a Black Perspective in the helping process are applied with all client systems.

This course will explore the role of spirituality and meaning-making in the helping process as well as issues of spiritual diversity, assessment and competence in social work practice. Students will learn about various theoretical and methodological approaches, skills and techniques that reflect their understanding of the role of spirituality in the helping process. The course pays particular attention to issues of cultural oppression and religion as a tool of discrimination. The aim, among others, is to recognize issues salient to cultural humility and traditional tools of cultural oppression against individuals and groups who believe differently. It further explores issues of meaning making and distinguishes between religion and spirituality. This approach allows students to explore the spirituality of suffering, work, poverty, existence and leisure. Through such approach, the need arises for self-reflection. The course will also present students with the historical and philosophical attempts at meaning- making through introduction to such concepts as existentialism, Theism, Deism, Nihilism, postmodernism, Naturalism, Emic and Etic Perspectives.

To be taken by second year students in the field. This course provides Advanced Generalist Practice students with opportunities to employ the knowledge, values, skills and conceptual frameworks that are related to the generalist perspective in agency settings while under the supervision of an approved field instructor. Students are enabled to develop and refine the skills necessary for effective advanced practice and to integrate the concepts and philosophy of empowerment, the generalist perspective to social work practice and a Black Perspective in the helping process with all client systems.

This course provides students with opportunities to employ the knowledge, values, skills and conceptual frameworks that are r elated to the advanced generalist perspective in agency settings while under the supervision of an approved field instructor. Students are enabled to develop and refine the skills necessary for effective advanced practice and to integrate the concepts and philosophy of empowerment, the generalist perspective to social work practice and a Black Perspective in the helping process with all client systems.

This is the third course in a three course research sequence that introduces students to concepts in program evaluation. It focuses on the knowledge skills and procedures used for practice and program evaluation. Practice evaluation emphasizes the integration of research and practice by utilizing single subject/case design methodology and group designs. The course focuses on analysis of evaluation studies concerned with special populations. Values and ethics of the social work profession, in relation to research methods used in evaluation, are addressed. Content includes needs assessment, formative evaluation, program monitoring, outcome evaluation, and cost-benefit analysis. Students will also learn about qualitative research, focus group interviews, action research and participatory research. Additionally, students continue to deepen and extend their knowledge and skills as they relate to social work research and evaluation at the generalist practice level. This course continues to explore social research as a means for promoting strengths perspective, empowerment, and rural perspectives, and for attending to cultural diversity and social and economic justice for all, especially populations-at-risk.

This course offers an advanced exploration of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI), and Decolonization within social work practice, with a particular focus on empowering Black communities, rural populations, and communities impacted by historical trauma. Students will examine systemic oppression and the enduring effects of colonialism on marginalized communities, with a focus on developing culturally relevant, anti-oppressive, and trauma-informed approaches to social work. Utilizing diverse cultural frameworks, the course explores resilience and strength-based interventions that honor the rich histories, cultures, and collective healing practices of diverse populations. Students will engage in critical self-reflection to identify and challenge internalized biases, analyze the impact of historical and systemic inequalities, and learn strategies for empowering individuals and communities to achieve social and economic justice. Emphasis will be placed on decolonial, person-in-environment approaches that support clients in rural and global contexts, as well as in Black and other Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. Upon completion, students will be equipped to advocate for equity and inclusion in social work, apply culturally responsive and decolonizing interventions, and promote healing and resilience across diverse populations. 

This is the final course of the four- part advanced generalist practice sequence. It is a required second year course that builds on the vertical integration of Generalist Practice I & and II and others across the curriculum foundation content areas that include human behavior and social environment, policy, research, and field. It focuses on the intervention and evaluation of Group Leadership and Facilitation Skills providing a road map and a practical toolkit for students to learn to lead all types of groups effectively. This class will draw on extensive teaching and clinical experiences incorporating the application of field work with various groups. This class will cover the group process from beginning to end, which will include but is not limited to setting up a group, running the group, working through conflict and group stress, creating a group work proposal, and choosing innovative icebreakers for group work. Throughout the course, special attention is given to factors affecting diverse population groups, including, but not limited to, groups distinguished by race, ethnicity, culture, class, gender, sexual orientation, religion, physical or mental ability, age, and national origin.

The course presents content to expand student’s knowledge base and skill in diagnosing and treating client systems experiencing problems that are psychological and psychiatric in nature. The course explores the historical background and the development of the field of psychopathology. The course stresses the use of the DSM and case materials as tools for developing skills for clinical diagnosis in multi-faceted problems laden systems. The course examines and focuses on observable behavior in childhood, adolescence (including developmental disorders, learning disorders, developmental delays, and mental retardation), as well as stage appropriate and symptomatic behavior in adults. The course examines the cultural, social, and biological differences and commonalties in human systems with a particular emphasis on issues affecting women, physically disabled, and minorities of color.

This course serves as an introduction to understanding the key concepts of trauma informed systems of care while keeping in mind the programs underpinnings of strengths-based, empowerment, rural and global perspective with a Black perspective. Students will learn to identify and understand the various signs of trauma along with the behaviors and responses seen in survivors of trauma. The course will cover diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and other trauma reactions along with the basic physiological effects of trauma. Relationships between trauma and other mental health disorders are also considered the class has three modules: Violence and Trauma; Mental Health and Recovery; and Health and Wellbeing. This provides a multilevel social work perspective based on best practices and theory that promote healthy individual development as well as environments that support human development. Module I introduces the sequential model of trauma treatment and recovery, specifically focusing on the first phase regaining a sense of safety, non-toxic self-regulation and self-smoothing and transitioning into the second phase, starting active work upon the trauma. The student is taught to becomes an interpreter of the behavior is trying to tell us, and how to use a humanistic use of biological psychological-social-cultural/spiritual interventions is synchronous with social work ethics and values.

This course serves as an introduction to understanding the key concepts of working with families while keeping in mind the programs underpinnings of strengths-based, empowerment, rural and global perspective with a Black perspective. Students will learn to a variety of theoretical orientations including Structural, Bowiean, Systems and Psychodynamic approaches. Relationships between family members and the engagement, assessment, intervention and evaluation process will be explored. Students will use simulated practice experiences in the classroom to learn to identify and address the dynamics between and amongst family members in the nuclear and extended families.

This is the first of two courses that focuses on macro practice with organizations and communities. It focuses on the intervention, evaluation and termination phases of the planned change process. The course considers models for problem solving inside organizations and for understanding communities, intervening with them and evaluating the effectiveness of practice with communities. Strategies for initiating and pursuing change in communities and organization are identified, including different points of intervention. Throughout the course, special attention is given to factors affecting diverse population groups, including, but not limited to, groups distinguished by race, ethnicity, culture, class, gender, sexual orientation, religion, physical or mental ability, age, and national origin.