ADVANCED COURSES - SECOND 30 HOURS

After completing the foundation courses or their equivalent, students enter the advanced study portion of the curriculum.  Prior to advanced study, students elect to concentrate their studies in either social work practice with individuals, families and groups or social work practice with organizations and communities.  The concentration selected will determine the focus of study within the advanced sequence.

Students who complete the Advanced Practice with Individuals, Families, and Groups concentration are expected to be able to:

• critically evaluate a range of practice theories relevant to diverse and at-risk individuals, families and groups
• differentially apply the most appropriate practice theory(ies) within one system level (e.g., with an individual) as well as across systems levels (e.g., family and/or group intervention; individual and/or family intervention) given the unique, diverse, and at-risk characteristics of client systems and their presenting problems and strengths
• make informal decisions regarding ethical and values dilemmas as they present themselves in practice and assist client systems in ethical decision making
• develop guidelines for practice with diverse and at-risk individuals, families, and groups which are practitioner specific and incorporate the best practice approaches and skills, ethical decision making, cultural competency skills, and use of self.

Students concentrating their studies in social work practice with individuals, families and groups are required to enroll in SOWK 723 - Advanced Social Work Practice with Individuals, SOWK 724 Advanced Social Work Practice with Groups, SOWK 783 - Field Instruction III, SOWK 725 - Advanced Social Work Practice with Families, SOWK 747 - Concepts of Advanced Practice with Organizations and Communities, and SOWK 784 - Field Instruction IV.

Students who complete the Advanced Practice with Organizations and Communities concentration are expected to be able to:

• apply the advanced knowledge and skills relevant to practice with organizations and communities in the areas of social planning, effective communication, and agency administration
• identify, plan, implement and evaluate the most effective intervention strategy to accomplish organization and community change
• function as administrators and/or community practitioners within the structure of organization and large service delivery systems 

Students engaged in advanced social work practice with organizations and communities are required to enroll in SOWK 733 - Advanced Social Work Practice with Organizations and Communities I: Social Planning, SOWK 734 - Advanced Social Work Practice with Organizations and Communities II: Community Social Work, SOWK 785 - Field Instruction III, SOWK 735 - Advanced Social Work Practice with Organizations and Communities III: Administrative Skills, SOWK 748 Concepts of Advanced Practice with Individuals, Families, and Groups, and SOWK 786 - Field Instruction IV.

Regardless of the advanced social work practice sequence elected by students for concentration, all students are required to take two additional courses: SOWK 718 - Systems Analysis of Social Work Practice, and SOWK 793 - Evaluation Research in Social Work.  SOWK 718 is designed to help graduating students integrate and apply social work theories, skills, and values to prepare them for the transition to professional practice.  The advanced research course, SOWK 793, focuses on methods of evaluating social work practice.  

Advanced study also provides opportunities for students to pursue individual areas of interest through enrollment in elective courses.  Offerings cover a variety of knowledge areas including health/ mental health, children and families, and gerontology.  

In addition to the above-mentioned learning outcomes, all students who complete the M.S.W. program should demonstrate:

• an identification with and commitment to the social work profession
• a commitment to social and economic justice and to meeting the needs of vulnerable populations, and the potential to be an effective advocate, activist, and mobilizer for social change
• the ability to think critically
• the ability to communicate well in oral and written forms
• an ability to be self-critical in pursuit of professional development, and a commitment to life-long learning.