University of Texas at El Paso



University of Texas at El Paso

Department of Social Work

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SOWK 2310 - INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL WORK AND SOCIAL WELFARE

Instructor: Dr. Griselda Villalobos Office: Health Sciences 717

Term: Spring 2011 E-Mail: gvillalobos1@utep.edu

|10:30 am - 11:50 am |TR |Educ 110 | |

Office Phone: 747-7292 Office Hours: By appointment

MWF 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm

I. COURSE DESCRIPTION

Introduction to the human service delivery system in the United States with an emphasis on the social work profession: its mission, philosophy, ethics, values, diverse fields, and ethno-cultural perspectives. Observations of social service agencies and guest speakers provide a career orientation to the social work profession. Volunteer experience required.

II. COURSE OBJECTIVES & OUTCOMES

Knowledge:

• Identify key historical trends and philosophies that influence the development of social welfare institutions.

• Identify and discuss key historical trends and philosophies that influenced the development of the social work profession.

• Understand basic elements of social welfare policies and laws in the United States.

• Know about the economic and social environment of the US Border Region.

• Understand diversity in the US Mexico Border Region.

• Appreciate the many cause of violence and social discord in the El Paso Juarez metropolis.

• Become familiar with the NASW Code of Ethics.

• Become familiar with all aspects of diversity including: ability, socio-economic status, ethnicity, sexual orientation, culture, religion, political orientation, age, and regional context.

• Gain a preliminary understanding of social welfare in a Global Context.

• Understand the principles of universal human rights and distributive justice.

Values:

• Recognize the NASW Code of Ethics as the basis for ethical conduct in social welfare policy formulation

• Develop a commitment to social and economic justice.

• Recognize the dignity and worth of individuals in need.

• Appreciate the diversity of people with respect to nationality, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, disability, illness and gender.

Skills:

• To demonstrate the ability to analyze current social welfare policies against the backdrop of historical and contemporary social and political forces.

• Develop familiarity with the basic skills of Generalist Social Work Practice and the Problem Solving Method

• Demonstrate an understanding of Biestek’s Principles of Casework in application to practice

• Be able to apply the NASW Code of Ethics to social work practice scenarios

III. REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS:

Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare

Charles Zastrow (9th edition) Thomson Press, 2008

Additional handouts/readings will also be provided and films will be shown.

IV. COURSE TOPICS - JANUARY 17, 2011 TO MAY 5, 2011

1) Social welfare: Its history and future Week 1

2) The social work profession and social work values Week 1

3) Generalist social work practice – Skills and values Week 2

4) Poverty, public welfare, unemployment, and the working poor Week 2

5) Emotional & behavioral problems and casework Week 3

6) Families: diversity, problems, and families on the US Mexico Border Week 4

7) Sexual orientation and services to GLBT individuals Week 5

8) Substance abuse and interventions Week 6

9) Crime, juvenile delinquency, and corrections Week 7

10) Violence, gender and crime on the US Mexico Border Week 8

11) Educational problems and school social work Week 9

12) Work-related problems, globalization and social work in the work place Week 9

13) Racism, ethnocentrism and social & economic justice Week 10

14) Sexism and gender Week 10

15) Aging and gerontology Week 11

16) Health care in the United States and abroad Week 11 & 12

17) Physical, developmental and mental disability Week 12

18) Immigration – Challenges to the Region Week 13

18) Globalization, population, and the environment Week 14

V. COURSE ASSIGNMENTS and GRADING

Quiz One 25 points

Quiz Two 25 points

Quiz Three 25 points

Quiz Four 25 points

Book Report 100 points

Agency Visit Summary 100 points

Total Points 300 points

Book Report:

Each student will select a book (minimum of 100 pages) that discusses issues of social justice and will write a four page book report on it. Report must include a summary of the book, a discussion about what the student agrees with and disagrees with and why (student must show support from other sources), and a discussion on how the book relates to topics discussed in class. Must be in APA format.

Agency Visit Summary

Each student will select a social service agency (must be approved by professor) and conduct a visit to the agency. The student will obtain information about the agency (mission, population served, eligibility criteria) and will interview a social worker at the agency. Outline for assignment will be distributed in class. Student will compose interview questions and will submit to professor prior to interview.

IV. CLASS POLICIES

Confidentiality: Information shared in class about agencies and clients is considered to be covered by the NASW Code of Ethics regarding the sharing of information for supervisory purposes. Agencies are aware that information is shared in class for this purpose. However, discussion outside of class with individuals not in this class or with other class members in settings where you cannot assure that no one else may overhear the conversation is considered a breach of confidentiality.

Use of technology in the classroom

NO LAPTOPS, MP3 PLAYERS, IPADS, ETC. ALLOWED DURING CLASS . CELL PHONES SHOULD BE ON SILENT AND SHOULD ONLY BE USED IN CASE OF EMERGENCY. IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY PHONE CALL, PLEASE LEAVE THE CLASS ROOM TO ANSWER YOUR PHONE.

NO TEXTING IN CLASS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT

The University of Texas at El Paso is committed to both the spirit and letter of federal equal opportunity legislation; reference Public Law 93112- The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. With the passage of new federal legislation entitled Americans with Disabilities Act- (ADA), pursuant to section 504 of The Rehabilitation Act, there is renewed focus on providing this population with the same opportunities enjoyed by all citizens.

“UTEP is dedicated to providing reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities so they have equal access and opportunity to complete their education. University policy states that the student is responsible for informing the Disabled Student Services Office (DSSO) of their disability, and for requesting accommodations within two weeks of the start of each semester. The DSSO determines whether students need accommodation, and assists the instructor in providing accommodation.”

If you have or suspect a disability and need accommodations, you should contact The Disabled Student Services Office (DSSO) at 747-5148. You can also email the office at dss@utep.edu or go by room 106, Union Building East. For additional information, visit the DSSO Website at utep.edu/dsso/.

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

It is the philosophy of the University of Texas at El Paso that academic dishonesty is a completely unacceptable mode of conduct and will not be tolerated in any form. All persons involved in academic dishonesty will be disciplined in accordance with University regulations and procedures.

Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, collusion, submission for credit of any work or materials that are attributable in whole or in part to another person, taking an examination for another person, any act designed to give unfair advantage to a student or the attempt to commit such acts.

SOCIAL WORK DEPARTMENT POLICY ON ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

UTEP’s policies on academic dishonesty are important to the Department of Social Work. Social work, like other professions, is based on ethics and values. A key professional value, identified by the Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), is integrity. Synonyms for integrity are honor, honesty, truthfulness, veracity, reliability and uprightness.

Integrity is important to Social Workers because we encounter people when they are most vulnerable. Also, our input as professionals can change the course of people’s lives. Based on our verbal or written opinions people can be labeled as having emotional issues, convicted of breaking laws, have their children removed from the home, be committed for observation for psychiatric problems, and so forth. It is important that social workers are competent to assess a person, diligent about producing accurate documentation, and respectful of even their most vulnerable or difficult clients.

In addition to requiring students to avoid academic dishonesty themselves, the Social Work Program supports a student Honor Code. The student Honor Code acknowledges that when a student cheats it hurts not only other students, but damages the cheater as well. As a group, social workers are responsible for monitoring the professional conduct of their peers. The Honor Code is the mechanism by which UTEP social work students protect the integrity of the group.

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