This course is designed to give the student an overall orientation to the field of social work. It is a basic survey course that examines the social work profession from its beginnings to the present day. The course addresses problems and injustices experienced by individuals, families, groups, organizations, communities, and societies and the social work profession's response to these challenges. The student will be introduced to the generalist model of social work practice and the theoretical perspectives that inform social work practice, particularly the systems perspective and the empowerment approach. Social work fields of practice and levels of social work involvement will also be examined. Throughout the course, social work values and ethics will be explored. This course has a service-learning (SL) designation and includes a 20-hour community-engaged learning component.

This course is designed for social work and other undergraduate students to explore issues in relationships and sexuality. This course examines human sexuality from a bio-psycho-socio-spiritual perspective within a developmental framework. Students will have opportunities to examine and clarify personal and societal values, consider issues of diversity, and apply ethical perspectives to issues of sexuality with particular emphasis on underrepresented groups including children, LGBTQ persons, older adults and people with disabilities. Students will learn to apply specific approaches to ethical decision-making to ethical dilemmas of interpersonal relationships and sexuality.
This course is offered in a rotating fashion with other Social Work electives. 

There is a saying in Latin America - "Puerto Rico: tan lejos de Dios y tan cerca de los EE.UU." (Puerto Rico: So far from God and so close to the United States). This course will look at "la Isla del Encanto" - the Enchanted Island - and the challenges it has faced throughout its history as well as the strength and resilience of the people in facing those challenges. It will examine Puerto Rico from multiple perspectives: historical; its relationship to the US; and, through the eyes of the local Diaspora.
This course is a community-based learning course. Throughout the semester we will visit with local organizations that are run by or work with Puerto Ricans in the diaspora in Philadelphia. We may even visit with an organization or two in New York City. Students will be expected to work with a local organization to carry out a project designed by the organization.
This course is offered in a rotating fashion with other Social Work electives. 

These special topics courses are designed to address contemporary issues in generalist social work practice. Topics include gerontology, mental health, child welfare, family violence, drug and alcohol intervention, trauma, immigration, global social work, and social and economic justice. Students are advised to check with the Department Chair about current offerings and to provide suggestions for future topics.
These courses are offered in a rotating fashion with other Social Work electives. 

This course explores the lives of individuals as members of families, groups, organizations and communities. In this course, students consider and critically evaluate the assumptions and values of various bio-psycho-social theories of individual and family development. The role of biological, social, psychological, spiritual, and cultural contexts in the lives of individuals and families will be reviewed. The unique impact of these contexts on diverse population groups including racial and ethnic minority groups, women, LGBTQI persons, children, older adults, and people with disabilities will be evaluated. In addition, the course will examine issues of diversity in individual development and family lifestyle and life cycle development. Emphasis will be placed on the social work profession's ethical responsibility for enhancing personal and social functioning and advancing social justice for individuals and families.

This course examines the foundational aspect of social work practice, that is, the development of the "person in environment." The course focuses on people as members of groups, organizations, communities and global society. The impact of these systems on special population groups including racial and ethnic minority groups, immigrants, minority religious groups, women, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons, children, older adults, and people with disabilities will be evaluated. The social work profession's ethical responsibility for enhancing individual and social functioning and advancing social, economic, and environmental justice will be emphasized.

This course will provide an examination of the historical roots of the
United States’ response to human needs through social welfare policy,
including the distribution of power, status, and resources. The experience
of oppression and discrimination of vulnerable groups will be
stressed. Contemporary social welfare policy in the United States is
examined, with emphasis on the reciprocal processes between social
work practice and social policy development. A systematic framework
for policy analysis will be presented and applied to contemporary
social welfare policies, stressing critical thinking in how these policies
can be improved to better serve individuals, especially those who have
historically experienced oppression and discrimination. Approaches
for advancing social and economic justice and human rights will be
employed. Ethical issues associated with the allocation of resources will
be highlighted. Global interconnections of oppression also are explored.
Prerequisite or concurrent with POL 151

This course will examine social issues and injustices as they relate to social work. A central focus will be the struggles of individuals, families, and communities from around the country and around the world. This course will deepen the student's understanding to the concepts of social justice, human rights, social welfare, liberation and oppression, and explore how these concepts are understood at different times and in different places. In addition, they will discuss ways to promote human rights and social, economic and environmental justice in social work.

qThis elective course will examine the issues of professional practice in child welfare that will enable students to bring skills and knowledge to bear in assessing and intervening in situations involving children and families. The student will become familiar with a range of both public and private child welfare services and approaches. The legal, social, and psychological ramifications of protective services, foster care, adoption, and permanency planning on children will be discussed. This course will promote the application of culturally competent practice as well as examine roles with special populations in the field of child welfare practice. We will critically examine current child welfare policies and practices, including child abuse and neglect, while reflecting upon the influence of historical events and persons. This course will explore the history and legal framework for the contemporary child welfare system; identify trends in child maltreatment and the organization of services; and identify current reform efforts and debates in policy, programs and practice. Attention will be given to the legal foundation for child welfare practice including federal and state of Pennsylvania laws that affect child welfare decisions. Innovative and creative intervention strategies designed to preserve families and to promote service integration will be presented. Culturally sensitive adaptation of these models will be addressed, along with the need to build partnerships and community collaboration to successfully deliver services to children and their families.

This course is designed to prepare the student for the professional practicum in social work. The course will familiarize the student with the roles of the student intern and will guide the student in developing skills for the social work relationship, as well as an understanding of profession practice. The course will assist the student in identifying diverse and vulnerable populations that pose the most challenge for students so that they can gain understanding of, and comfort and experience interacting with various social groups. The course will also introduce interviewing and empathic listening skills and provide opportunities for students to practice these skills.

This course is the first of three courses in the social work practice sequence. Each course addresses one or more levels of the generalist social work process with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. This course specifically focuses on 1) initiating the social work relationship, 2) building collaborative relationships, 3) assessing challenges and strengths, and 4) constructing action plans and intervening with individuals. Students utilize ecological/systems and empowerment/strengths perspectives to inform their practice of assessment and planning with individuals. Differential assessment and intervention with diverse populations is examined. Students practice generalist social work skills in the field with individuals and learn to incorporate the values and ethics of the profession into their beginning social work practice. This course is taken with SWK 381 - Introductory Field Practicum.

This course investigates the processes of attachment, loss, and grieving. The course explores loss, in life and in preparation for death, and addresses both acceptable and disenfranchised loss and grief. Theories of bereavement and basic counseling and companioning skills are presented.
This course is offered in a rotating fashion with other Social Work electives. 

This course provides an overview of trauma and explores approaches to healing. We will begin with a basic understanding of individual and collective trauma and trauma-informed practice. The course will introduce a range of approaches to healing, broadening the tools we have for responding to trauma in holistic ways. These innovative approaches may include: clinical therapeutic and self-help, mind-body, body-centered, animal-assisted, collective and community-based, and social justice-oriented. This course may be of particular interest and importance for students of social work, psychology, sociology, nursing, religion, and communication.

Social Work Research is a one-semester course. The purpose of this course is to prepare the BSW practitioner to understand the research process, take part in a research project through the steps of design, develop a survey instrument, and seek approval for the project from the La Salle University Institutional Review Board. The student will also be required to read and critique current research articles. The student will be exposed to a variety of social research processes and methods, including qualitative and quantitative methodologies; program evaluation; and needs assessment research. Emphasis on understanding and applying social work values to research will be included. Students will be asked to examine ethical dilemmas which face researchers and those studying research, especially as this relates to work with vulnerable populations.
The student will be introduced statistical analysis software used in social work research. Efforts will also be made to incorporate into the class research analysis of current ethical, advocacy, or practice issues, as identified by the instructor and/or students.
The underlying values for this course are taken from the NASW Code of Ethics, which will permeate course content and process. Special emphasis will be placed on how research interfaces with successful social work practice.

These special topics courses are designed to address contemporary issues in generalist social work practice. Topics include gerontology, mental health, child welfare, family violence, drug and alcohol intervention, trauma, immigration, global social work, and social and economic justice. Students are advised to check with the Department Chair about current offerings and to provide suggestions for future topics.
These courses are offered in a rotating fashion with other Social Work electives. 

This is the first of three field practicum courses, to be followed by SWK 480 and 481 respectively. This course is an introduction to social work field practice. The purposes of this course is four-fold: 1) to provide students with an introductory opportunity to integrate the bio-psycho-socio-spiritual perspective and social work theory and practice; 2) to provide students with an educationally-directed experience in order to enhance the development of engagement, assessment, intervention, and evaluation skills; 3) to orient students to begin to identify with the social work profession and its values, and 4) to provide opportunities for students to demonstrate learning of practice behaviors.
In this introductory practicum course the student will focus primarily on the processes of generalist social work with individuals in their social environment. Each practicum setting, however, is unique and many students will have opportunities to participate in most or all aspects of the generalist social work process. This course is taken concurrently with SWK 341 - Generalist Practice with Individuals. In the 200-hour field practicum experience, students begin to develop competency in generalist social work in an approved setting under the supervision of a professional social worker.

This course will provide students with an understanding of co-occurring disorders, related concepts and theories, and the inter-relationship between mental health issues and substance use and abuse. Mental health issues and substance abuse will be examined using the DSM 5, with specific attention to key symptomology and increased risk. Screening and assessment tools and intervention strategies for co-occurring disorders will be explored. The use of self in a professional setting, and cultural considerations will also be examined. Students will gain an understanding of the implications of current policy on individuals, families, communities and agencies as it relates to mental health and substance use disorders.

This course will provide an examination of the historical roots of the United States' response to human needs through social policy. The course will examine the effectiveness of various governmental policies -- welfare, health, labor, education -- to improve the well-being of residents of the U.S. The experience of oppression and discrimination of vulnerable groups will be stressed along with the distribution of power, status, and resources. A systematic framework for policy analysis will be presented and applied to contemporary social welfare policies, stressing critical thinking in how these policies can be improved to better serve individuals, especially those who have historically experienced oppression and discrimination. Cause advocacy will be presented for advancing social, environmental and economic justice, and human rights. Ethical issues and the underlying values associated with the allocation of resources will be highlighted.

This course focuses on social work engagement, assessment, intervention,
and evaluation in generalist social work practice with families and
with groups. It provides an investigation of and skill development in
direct engagement, assessment, intervention, evaluation, and advocacy
strategies for effective and ethical generalist social work practice with
families and groups.

This course is the third in a three-part sequence in generalist social
work practice. This course specifically focuses on engagement, assessment,
and interventions/collaborations/evaluation with organizations
and communities. However, as in the other courses in this sequence,
there will be a focus on the integration of micro, mezzo, and macro skills
for effective generalist practice. Social work values and ethics, as in all
other social work courses, provide a foundation for this course.
Students will acquire knowledge and skills for engagement, assessment
and interventions/ collaboration/evaluation with organizations and
communities utilizing a systems framework within the empowerment
tradition in social work. In this course students will be introduced to
a variety of approaches to macro social work practice so that they will
gain the necessary skills and knowledge for engagement, assessment, and
intervention/collaboration/evaluation on a macro level.
Concurrent with this course is SWK 481 – Professional Practicum III,
an educationally-directed field practicum which helps the students integrate
and utilize the skills from SWK 441 with client systems.

This three-credit course is the second in a three-part sequence in generalist social work practice that specifically focuses on assessment and intervention with families and groups. Students acquire knowledge and skills of assessment and intervention with couples, families, and groups utilizing a systems framework within the strengths and empowerment traditions in social work.
In this course, students will learn social work processes with families and groups and practice social work skills used with these client systems. This course is taken concurrently with SWK 480 - Generalist Field Practicum: Part A, an educationally directed field practicum that assists students to develop competency in generalist social work practice. Another central component of this course is consideration of social work values as the foundation of all social work practice. Students will demonstrate the integration of these values in the classroom and in their field practice.

This course is the third in a three-part sequence in generalist social work practice. This course specifically focuses on engagement, assessment, and interventions/collaborations/evaluation with organizations and communities. However, as in the other courses in this sequence, there will be a focus on the integration of micro, mezzo, and macro skills for effective generalist practice. Social work values and ethics, as in all other social work courses, provide a foundation for this course.
Students will acquire knowledge and skills for engagement, assessment and interventions/ collaboration/evaluation with organizations and communities utilizing a systems framework within the empowerment tradition in social work. In this course students will be introduced to a variety of approaches to macro social work practice so that they will gain the necessary skills and knowledge for engagement, assessment, and intervention/collaboration/evaluation on a macro level. This course is taken concurrently with SWK 481 -- Generalist Field Practicum: Part B, an educationally-directed field practicum which helps the students integrate and utilize the skills from SWK 461 with client systems.

These special topics courses are designed to address contemporary issues in generalist social work practice. Topics include gerontology, mental health, child welfare, family violence, drug and alcohol intervention, trauma, immigration, global social work, and social and economic justice. Students are advised to check with the Department Chair about current offerings and to provide suggestions for future topics.
These courses are offered in a rotating fashion with other Social Work electives. 

Generalist Field Practicum: Part A provides the student with an educationally-directed social work practice experience. The student integrates social work theory and skills acquired in the practice sequence thus far (SWK 340, SWK 341, and SWK 381) to develop competencies for generalist social work practice. 
This practicum is taken concurrently with SWK 460: Generalist Practice with Families and Groups. The student continues to develop a professional value base and identification with the social work profession.

Generalist Field Practicum: Part B provides the student with an educationally directed social work practice experience. The student integrates social work theory and skills that have been acquired in the practice sequence thus far (SWK 340, 341, 381, 460 & 480). While the focus of this practicum is assessment and intervention with organizations and communities, the student will continue to develop skills intervening with individuals, families, and/or groups, as well. The student continues to integrate the values and ethics of the profession into his/her generalist social work practice.
This practicum is taken concurrently with SWK 461: Generalist Practice with Organizations and Communities.

This course strengthens the student's emerging identity within the social work profession. Students review and critique theoretical frameworks and practice situations studied throughout the social work curriculum, with an emphasis on social work values and ethics. As the capstone course, students have a final opportunity to demonstrate mastery of the nine (9) competencies identified by the Educational Policy & Accreditation Standards (EPAS) of the Council on Social Work Education.