Social Work
7750: Social Work
Consistent with the mission of The University of Akron and the College of Health Professions, the mission of the undergraduate social work program is to prepare students for competent and effective generalist practice. The goals of the undergraduate social work program are to:
- prepare students to integrate the knowledge, values and skills of the social work profession for competent and effective generalist practice with diverse client systems in various practice settings;
- prepare students to identify the strengths and abilities of diverse client systems to foster empowerment toward social justice and systematic well-being; and
- prepare students to utilize theoretically-based social work research, knowledge and critical thinking skills for effective and ethical social work practice.
The social work major is an accredited undergraduate professional program preparing students for entry-level practice positions in social service agencies employing Social Workers.
Elective courses are available in such areas as health, child welfare, mental health, grant writing, family service, corrections, etc. Certificate programs in Pan-American Studies, Addiction Services, Gerontology (Aging) and Victim Studies can be scheduled within the elective framework of the curriculum.
The Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in social work requires completion of 14 credits of a foreign language (Spanish is recommended; sign language as well as other foreign languages are accepted). The Bachelor of Arts in Social Work degree does not require a second language. Both degrees require 120 hours. Students who complete an associate degree program with a social services emphasis can complete either the B.A. or B.A./S.W. curriculum in social work by completing the required courses.
The Social Work Program at The University of Akron is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
Students wishing to major in social work must request an intercollege transfer to the College of Health Professions, School of Social Work from their current college. A 2.75 grade point average and 30 credit hours is required for admission to the School. Once admitted to the School, a separate admissions packet must be completed with the School in order to be admitted as a social work major in good standing.
Social Work (7750)
7750:240 Substance Use and Abuse (3 Credits)
Introduction to pharmacology of drugs of misuse; physiological factors of alcohol/drug-using behavior; effect of psychoactive drugs on the brain; intervention and treatment measures.
7750:260 Introduction to Addiction (3 Credits)
An overview of the continuum of use, abuse and dependency; theories of addiction; the impact of addiction on society; and the implications for professional practice.
7750:265 Women & Addiction (3 Credits)
Exploration of the social, psychological, physical and family aspects of addiction in women.
7750:268 Co-Occurring Disorders (3 Credits)
Key concepts and evidence-based practices in the provision of services to people suffering from substance abuse as well as mental illness and behavioral disorders.
7750:269 Criminal Justice & Addiction (3 Credits)
An introduction to the problems that exist with the treatment of the alcohol/drug offenders and issues relating to their transition back to the community.
7750:270 Diversity and Social Work (3 Credits)
Introductory course explores issues related to poverty and minority issues as they relate to at-risk populations.
Gen Ed: Tier 3 - Domestic Diversity
7750:271 Behavioral Addictions (3 Credits)
Introduction to understanding human behavior and physiological responses to compulsive behaviors other than dependencies on psychoactive chemicals. Several behavioral addictions will be explored.
7750:275 Introduction to Social Work Practice (3 Credits)
Introduces students to concepts, settings, and vulnerable populations related to the field of social work. Emphasis placed on purposes, values, ethics, knowledge, and skills that characterize the professional social worker. Provides an overview of theoretical and practical knowledge about the social work profession needed for entry levels of practice in social work.
7750:276 Introduction to Social Welfare (3 Credits)
Survey of field of social welfare; place of social work profession within human services institutions of United States. Introduction of basic concepts relating social welfare institutions and social work to society.
7750:286 Addiction Services Internship (2 Credits)
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Integrates counselor assistant experience with fundamental concepts and skills from academic studies. Students are required to complete 200 hours of supervised field experience.
7750:401 Social Work Practice I (3 Credits)
Prerequisite: Social Work major. Corequisite: 7750:405. Basic concepts and methods of Generalist social work practice, with an emphasis on understanding and working with individuals.
7750:402 Social Work Practice II (3 Credits)
Prerequisite: 7750:401, 7750:405; or permission of instructor. Concepts and methods of social work practice particularly relating to understanding and working with groups in various settings in our society.
7750:403 Social Work Practice III (3 Credits)
Prerequisite: 7750:401, 7750:405, or permission of instructor. Development of understanding and practice methods for utilization of community organization and social planning as social work process in assessing problems and developing program to meet needs.
7750:404 Social Work Practice IV (3 Credits)
Prerequisite: 7750:401 and 7750:405. Professional social work practice with families in social services; the dynamics of family systems, assessment of family function and dysfunction, professional helping processes.
7750:405 Practice I Skills Lab (3 Credits)
Prerequisites: 7750:270, 7750:276, 7750:427, 3100:103, 3700:100, 3750:100, 3850:100 and 3250:100 or 7750:200 or 2040:247; corequisite: 7750:401. Prepares students for beginning generalist social work practice and proves a context to apply and evaluate generic knowledge base, values, ethics, and skills common to practice with client systems.
7750:411 Women's Issues in Social Work Practice (3 Credits)
Prerequisite: 7750:401 or permission of instructor. Social work practice, knowledge and skill, social welfare institutions and social policy in relation to women's issues and concerns in the United States.
7750:421 Field Experience Seminar I (2 Credits)
Prerequisites: 7750:401 and permission of the instructor. Corequisite: 7750:493. The first of two consecutive courses that assists students in making the transition from classroom learning to experiential learning in the field practicum.
7750:422 Field Experience Seminar II (2 Credits)
Prerequisites: 7750:421 and 7750:493; Corequisite: 7750:494. The second of two consecutive courses, this course assists students in integrating, synthesizing, and applying classroom learning to field experiences and assignments.
7750:425 Social Work Ethics (3 Credits)
Prerequisite: Social Work major, permission of instructor. Social Worker's code of ethics as applied to practices, problems and issues in social work.
7750:427 Human Behavior & Social Environment I (3 Credits)
Social work perspective on human development across the life cycle. Human diversity approach consistent with the needs of social work students preparing for practice.
7750:430 Human Behavior & Social Environment II (3 Credits)
Prerequisites: Social Work major and 7750:427. Examination of larger social systems including families, groups, neighborhoods, and organizations. Focuses on the unique systemic characteristics of each system and its development.
7750:442 Social Work Research (3 Credits)
Prerequisite: Acceptance into the social work major. Overview of scientific inquiries in the research process as it applies to social work. Emphasis is placed on various social worker roles in relation to research. The focus will be on research concepts including contents on the evaluation of practice outcomes and data analyses.
7750:445 Social Policy Analysis for Social Workers (3 Credits)
Prerequisite: Social Work major, permission of instructor. Description, analysis and construction of social policy in social services; to understanding forces and processes which establish or change social policies, to predict consequences of social policies and to establish goals for social policy development; integrated into effective social work methodology.
7750:450 Social Needs & Services: Aging (3 Credits)
Prerequisite: 7750:401 or permission of instructor. Application of knowledge and principles of professional social work practice to understanding, development and provision of social services to meet needs of aging and later mature individuals, families and communities and institutions serving them and their relatives.
7750:451 Social Work in Child Welfare (3 Credits)
Prerequisite: 7750:401. In-depth exploration of structure and functioning of social services designed to help children, and of practice of social work in child-welfare settings. Consideration of supportive, supplementary and substitutive services.
7750:452 Social Work in Mental Health (3 Credits)
Prerequisite: 7750:401 or permission of instructor. Issues, organization, development and methodologies of current professional social work practice in mental-health settings.
7750:454 Social Work in Juvenile Justice (3 Credits)
Prerequisite: 7750:401. The theory and practice of social work in the juvenile justice systems of the United States. Traditional procedures and recent developments, prevention, diversion and community outreach, legal concerns, case management, institutional functioning.
7750:455 Social Work Practice with African American Families (3 Credits)
Prerequisite: 7750:401 or permission of instructor. Contemporary problems facing African American families; male-female relationships, single parent households, African American teens and elderly, public policy, theoretical models, explaining development of the African American family.
7750:456 Social Work in Health Services (3 Credits)
Prerequisite: 7750:401. Policies, programs and practice in health-care settings: short-term, intermediate and long-term hospitals, out-patient services, emergency services, clinics, visiting nurse services, nursing homes, pediatric services, self-help organizations.
7750:459 Social Work with People with Developmental Disabilities (3 Credits)
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Application of social work principles in the provision of social services to meet the needs of the mentally retarded and developmentally disabled and their families.
7750:467 Addiction Screening, Assessment and Treatment Planning (3 Credits)
Prerequisite: 7750:260. Overview of screening, diagnosis and assessment procedures in the addiction field, including review of the most commonly used testing instruments. Implication for treatment planning is explored.
7750:468 Addiction Prevention, Treatment and Recovery (3 Credits)
Evidence-based practices in addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery management. Treatment approaches include, but are not limited to, motivational interviewing, contingency management, cognitive behavioral therapy, and family approaches.
7750:469 Group and Relationship Counseling in Addictions (3 Credits)
Models and dynamics of groups and families struggling with substance use disorders. Emphasis on strategies and techniques to improve functioning and interpersonal relationships in the maintenance of recovery.
7750:470 Law for Social Workers (3 Credits)
Prerequisite: 7750:401. Basic terminology, theories, principles, organization and procedures of law will be explored along with the relationships between social work and law and comparisons of the theoretical bases of the two professions.
7750:471 Crisis Intervention (3 Credits)
This elective course focuses on knowledge/skills required by social workers dealing with people in crisis. Impact of crises on the human personality will be discussed.
7750:472 Child Welfare II (3 Credits)
This course is the second in a series of two child welfare courses. Child Welfare II, addresses the developmental and permanence needs of children in the welfare system.
7750:473 Social Work with Adolescence (3 Credits)
This course provides students with an in-depth knowledge of adolescent development and an understanding of how the biological, psychological, social, cultural, and spiritual aspects of an adolescent impact their overall functioning and quality of life issues.
7750:475 Addiction & Social Work Practice (3 Credits)
Prerequisite: 7750:401. Provides students with the essential knowledge and skill for successful social work practice with people involved in substance abuse.
7750:480 Special Topics: Social Work & Social Welfare (1-3 Credits)
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Analysis of current social work and social welfare theory and policy, settings, innovative interventions, and trends in delivery systems in relation to selected areas of concern. Topics and credits variable.
7750:493 Field Experience: Social Agency I (3 Credits)
Prerequisites: 7750:401, 7750:402, 7750:427, and permission of instructor. Corequisite: 7750:421. First of two consecutive courses of supervised internship in a social service setting. Facilitates acquisition of generalist practice skills. Student must receive permission to take the course with the Field Coordinator during early part of semester preceding enrollment. For senior social work majors.
7750:494 Field Experience: Social Agency II (3 Credits)
Prerequisites: 7750:493, 7750:421 and permission of instructor; corequisite: 7750:422. Second of two consecutive courses of supervised internship in a social service setting. Facilitates the continued acquisition of generalist practice skills. For senior social work majors only.
7750:497 Individual Investigation in Social Work (1-3 Credits)
Prerequisites: Permission and prearrangement with instructor. Individual readings, research or projects in area of interest in social welfare theory or institutional operations or in social work practice under guidance of social work faculty member. Preparation of report paper appropriate to nature of topic. For social work major.
7750:499 Senior Honors Project in Social Work (1-3 Credits)
(May be repeated for a total of six credits) Prerequisites: senior standing in Honors Program and approval of honors preceptor in department. Open only to social work major enrolled in Honors Program. Independent study leading to completion of senior honors thesis or other original work resulting in writing of research paper in proper scholarly form, supervised by student's honors project adviser within the department.