28 courses with the subject SOCW, each shown exactly as we captured it from the college's catalog, with every element we hold. Where the wording looks broken, that is our reading of the catalog, not the college's text.
SOCW 151Introduction to Social Work3
This course provides the opportunity for students to explore the evolution of the profession’s history, professional ethics, and its ongoing mission of social, economic, and environmental justice while exploring the impacts of racism, oppression, and marginalization at micro, mezzo, and macro levels of generalist social work practice. Additionally, students will increase their knowledge of career opportunities in social work through an exploration of contemporary social work practice settings.
Students will examine the history of social policy in the United States and learn the skills to engage in anti-racist and inclusive policy practice, particularly as these skills promote social, economic, and environmental justice and human rights. Students will analyze contemporary social policies and examine the political, economic, social, and environmental conditions that influence these policies (Liberal Studies P1).
The purpose of this course is to provide students fundamental interviewing skills and professional social work ethics. Students will study the NASW Code of Ethics and frameworks to resolve ethical dilemmas. Students explore their own values and engage in activities with the purpose of expanding their self-awareness within a social work perspective. The class is experiential in nature; therefore, students are expected to play an active role in their own learning using discussions and role plays.
This course is designed to assist students in developing generalist social work practice skills within school settings. Emphasis is placed on understanding systemic needs and barriers impacting educational environments, fostering professional collaboration, and advocating for equitable outcomes for diverse youth populations. Students will explore culturally responsive strategies to engage with students, families, and school systems, while promoting inclusive and justice-oriented practices.
SOCW 334Human Behavior and the Social Environment: Life Stages3
This course provides students knowledge about behavior, cognition, affect, and human development across the life span (from conception to death) within the context of the social environment. The course assumes that reciprocal interactions between and among systems of all sizes (individual to global) continually affect and are affected by each other. This course is designed to examine the importance of anti-oppressive and anti-racist practices. Multiple evidence-based theories are employed to examine the life course perspective as influenced by biological, psychological, social, cultural and spiritual development and are presented for application to the process of assessment in social work practice.
Students will learn basic concepts of quantitative and qualitative research methods. Students will increase their ability to critically review research literature and develop evaluative processes to improve social work practice using culturally informed, anti-racist, and anti-oppressive approaches and applying established human research principles and ethics.
SOCW 354Human Behavior and the Social Environment: Person-In-Environment3
The purpose of this course is to teach intermediate social work skills with a focus on client system assessment, goal setting, case planning, and case management. Professional social work writing will be further developed. Students explore their role on inter-professional teams and examine professional social work values by engaging in ethical decision making that expands self-awareness within a social work perspective. The course employs a variety of teaching methods, including lecture, interactive discussion, and experiential exercises. Examination of interrelationships among social, cultural, and environmental factors that combine with biological and psychological components to affect human behavior and development (Liberal Studies P1).
The purpose of this course is to teach intermediate generalist social work skills with a focus on client system assessment, goal setting, case planning, and case management. Professional social work writing will be further developed. Students explore their role on inter-professional teams and examine professional social work values by engaging in ethical decision making that expands self-awareness within a social work perspective. The course employs a variety of teaching methods, including lecture, interactive discussion, and experiential exercises.
The purpose of this course is to provide knowledge of evidenced-based interventions used in generalist social work practice with diverse individuals, groups, and families, while building on anti-oppressive interviewing skills of engagement and assessment. Students will learn to select appropriate evidenced-based interventions and further develop skills to evaluate social work practice.
The purpose of this course is to introduce theory, methods, and evaluation of macro social work practice. Using a generalist practice model, the course provides a conceptual framework to guide engagement and assessment of diverse organizations and communities. The social worker’s role and responsibility for collaborating with diverse organizations and communities is explored as well as how organizations and communities address issues of social, economic, and environmental justice.Application of knowledge, values, and skills to social work practice: organizations and communities; advocacy.
SOCW 396Field Preparation and Professional Development1
The purpose of this course is to prepare BSW students for the Field Practicum. Topics covered will include an overview of the placements available with agencies in Western North Carolina and beyond, the process of applying for and obtaining field placements, conducting oneself as a professional social worker, and developing learning objectives for the field experience. Students will learn about the options available to them for completing their Field Practicum and develop a clear understanding of the objectives and expectations for the field experience.
The purpose of this course is to deepen students’ understanding of how experiences with oppression in the U.S. based on race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, ability, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, immigration status, and other marginalized identities shape the human experience and is critical to the formation of identity. Understanding these varied experiences and identities further the social work mission of social justice. (Liberal Studies P1)
This course examines the psychological and sociological aspects of partner battering and the accompanying intervention skills needed to assist families. Students will learn about client-defined advocacy as a framework. Emphasis is placed on anti-racist and equity-centered approaches to practice, including the impact of systemic oppression, intersectionality, and cultural humility. The course supports students in developing as culturally responsive generalist practitioners capable of assessing, intervening, and preventing intimate partner violence in diverse communities.
This course examines social work practice in mental health through a strengths-based, ecological, and anti-racist, diversity, equity, and inclusion (ADEI) framework. Students develop knowledge of DSM psychopathology, social determinants of mental health, and the impact of cultural and structural factors on wellbeing. Emphasis is placed on biopsychosocial assessment, engagement, interdisciplinary collaboration, and understanding psychotherapeutic, psychopharmacological, and community-based interventions that promote recovery and empowerment across diverse populations.
Overview of complex issues related to addictions, including drug, alcohol, gambling, and eating addictions; examines addiction within the context of developmental life stages and culture.
This course provides an overview of child welfare services from historical, theoretical, and practice perspectives, emphasizing social, racial, and economic justice. Students will examine types of child maltreatment, risk factors, and culturally responsive, strengths-based, and evidence-informed interventions. The child welfare system, including federal and North Carolina policies, court involvement, and foster care and adoption processes will be explored. Students will apply ethical, anti-oppressive, and policy-informed practice to promote the safety, well-being, and rights of children, families, and caregivers
SOCW 427Trauma Informed Social Work with Children3
This course will introduce students to the core concepts (general theory and foundational knowledge), informing evidence-based assessment and intervention for traumatized children and adolescents who are in the child welfare system. Trauma is broadly defined and includes children and adolescents, exposed to traumatic events including, abuse and neglect, and witnessing interpersonal crime (e.g. domestic violence), community violence, and other traumatic events who have come into contact with the child welfare system. The course will highlight the role of development, culture, and empirical evidence in trauma-specific assessment, referral, and interventions with children, adolescents, and their families within a child welfare context. It will address the level of functioning of primary caregiving environments and assess the capacity of the community and the child welfare system to facilitate restorative processes.
This course examines the biopsychosocial context of aging and its effects on individuals, families, and social networks, emphasizing both practical and theoretical perspectives. Students will explore cognitive, physical, and mental health changes, the dynamics of families and caregivers, and the role of support systems and societal structures in promoting older adults’ well-being. The course highlights diversity, equity, inclusion, and human rights across culture, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, and socioeconomic status. Students engage with social policies, government programs, and emerging service models, applying evidence-informed approaches to assessment, intervention, advocacy, and policy practice while addressing social, racial, and economic justice. Challenges faced by social workers in practice with older adults are examined, preparing students to empower clients, promote ethical practice, and enhance quality of life for aging populations.
SOCW 434Social Work Practice with Transgender/Non-binary Persons3
The purpose of this micro-macro course is to prepare students with affirming, generalist social work knowledge, skills and values to engage, intervene with and advocate for transgender and non-binary individuals, families, and communities across the lifespan. The course will include transgender and non-binary historical and political perspectives, identity development and related content such as health, mental health, familial relationships, groups, community, organization, and policy issues.
Building on SOCW 335, this course deepens students’ understanding of research by developing a proposal that applies anti-racist and anti-oppressive frameworks. Students complete human subjects research training for social/behavioral research, learn the institutional review board processes, and engage in basic quantitative and qualitative data analysis techniques to support ethical and inclusive social work research.
SOCW 440Social Work and Criminal Justice: Intersections and Opportunities for Collaboration3
This cross-listed elective course examines the intersections between social work and the criminal justice system, providing historical context as well as considering current and future opportunities for enhanced collaboration between social work and criminal justice professionals. Models of collaboration to be discussed include police social work, CIT (Crisis Intervention Team) training, co-response and alternative responder models, treatment courts, and more. Students will explore how collaboration between social work and criminal justice professionals can promote greater equity, justice, and improved individual and societal outcomes. Particular focus will be given to how these collaborative models can provide enhanced support for individuals from vulnerable and underserved populations.
This course introduces students to international social welfare systems and the complex social issues affecting populations across diverse global contexts. Through a comparative lens, students will examine challenges such as child welfare, gender inequality, poverty, rapid urbanization, overpopulation, housing insecurity, racial and ethnic discrimination, environmental degradation, limited access to health care and social services, and the impacts of migration and displacement. Students will critically assess how different countries respond to social challenges and explore strategies for promoting well-being, equity, and sustainability in international social work practice.
SOCW 253 and SOCW 335 , or permission of department head. Credits: 1-3, R6
SOCW 486Field Practicum & Seminar15
The Field Practicum is the signature pedagogy of social work education and provides students with the opportunity to gain practical experience in preparation for professional social work practice, apply knowledge gained in classes in an experiential setting, and demonstrate proficiency in the range of social work competencies and behaviors . Students work with agency personnel to develop individualized Learning Contracts which outline the tasks, activities, and projects they will complete during their 400 hours of work with the agency. The Field Practicum also includes an integrative seminar that meets weekly. The course integrates classroom-based learning with direct field practice experience through class discussion, processing of field experiences, self-reflection, and peer support.
