SocW 405 FIELDWORK SEMINAR

Course Description

This seminar for seniors majoring in social welfare provides an opportunity to focus on integrating the knowledge gained from both classroom and field placement experiences. The seminar is the forum in which students explore, compare, and analyze issues arising from the field experience. Its primary purpose is to facilitate the student's integration of social work knowledge with the acquisition of the skills necessary for entry into practice as a beginning generalist practitioner. The first part of the Autumn Quarter will be concerned primarily with issues and concerns related to entry into practice. We will focus on the development of self-understanding and self-assessment skills as well as review ethical decision-making guidelines for practice. This quarter will also contain a review and strengthening of social work interviewing skills. . The fall quarter will include two joint sessions with the 310 classes (Nov. 10 &17, 2003) which will provide an overview of the legislative process through a school-wide simulation.

Course Objectives

By the end of this three-quarter class, students should be able to:

1. demonstrate knowledge and skills in generalist social work practice (at the micro, mezzo & macro level) with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.
2. understand the agency organization within the network of community social services and the larger community.
3. critically apply content from courses in social work research, social welfare policy, and human behavior and the social environment to all three (micro, mezzo & macro) levels of practice.
4. evaluate one's own growth as a social work practitioner and apply techniques of self-evaluation to continually update learning goals for professional development.
5. understand and articulate the values and ethics of social work & social justice.
6. critically analyze and work with & across issues of difference (race,gender,class,sexual orientation,[dis]ability, etc.) as they relate to communication, assessment, social justice and intervention skills with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.
7. make multidimensional assessments of strengths, resources, problems, and needs of client systems.