SOWK 723-Advanced Social Work Practice with Individuals

Course Syllabus

I. Purpose/Rationale of the Course

This course is designed to help the student move toward a fuller understanding of the applications of specialized methods of intervention in social work practice with individuals. The course aims at broadening the repertoire of social work interventions available to the advanced year student as s/he begins more advanced field practice. An expected outcome is a more complete integration of knowledge, values and skills for practice with individual clients.

II. Content of the Course

This course will focus on traditional and emerging social work practice approaches commonly employed by social workers with individual clients. Models (theories) which significantly contribute to social work practice with individuals will be studied.  Focus will be on interventions with populations at risk, including women, people of color, people who are gay and lesbian, and people who live in poverty, in diverse practice settings in an effort to help students learn specialized knowledge and skills for assessment, intervention, and evaluation with client systems in various types of public and private agencies and settings.  Emphasis is placed on empirically based practice approaches.  Values and ethical issues relevant to practice with individuals are considered. 

III. Course Objectives

A student who successfully completes this course will be able to:

1. Describe and critically evaluate major theoretical perspectives for social work intervention with individuals, including the historical context, value assumptions, strengths and weaknesses, relevance to populations at risk, and the worker’s roles and behaviors in using each;
2. differentially select and use advanced interviewing skills in complex situations, particularly those involving diverse client cultures, behaviors, strengths, needs, and values;
3. design and implement a process of intervention with individual clients, based on specific theoretical perspective(s), including assessment, use of the professional literature, intervention planning and implementation, selection of techniques, termination, evaluation, follow-up, and documentation;
4. identify her/his own strengths and deficits as a worker, including specific value positions, and create a detailed professional development plan to enhance strengths and address deficits; and 
5. identify ethical and value dilemmas which may arise in social work practice with individuals and suggest professional responses to each which are consistent with the NASW Code of Ethics.

IV. Linkages to Other Courses

This advanced course builds upon the understanding of individual growth and behavior which is developed in SOWK 716 (HBSE), and upon the generalist practice knowledge and skills which are developed in SOWK 722, both during the foundation year. It also builds upon practice experiences gained during the foundation year generalist field practica, SOWK 781 and 782, and during the concurrent concentration field practicum, SOWK 783. It provides students an opportunity to apply knowledge and skills gained in foundation year research courses, SOWK 791 and 792, in the evaluation of practice.

V. Methods of Instruction

A variety of instructional methods are used in this course and may include lecture, discussion, collaborative learning, problem-based learning, field-based case studies, role play, videotapes, videotaping, and class presentations. Emphasis will be placed on the integration of field placement experiences and course content through such tools as case consultation, learning journals and logs, case studies, role plays, and written assignments requiring the application of theory to practice with individual clients in students’ field placement settings.

Any student who because of a disability may need special arrangements or accommodations to meet the requirements of this course should consult with the instructor as soon as possible. The office of Disability Services provides an array of services to meet the needs of students with disabilities, according to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. See information and guidelines provided in The Carolina Community: Student Handbook and Policy Guide.

VI. Course Requirements

Three graded exercises will be required of students over the course of the semester. A separate handout detailing the nature of the assignments and credit for each will be made available to all students. Individual instructors may require additional graded or ungraded assignments.  Students are expected to attend all class meetings. Absence from class, whether "excused" or "unexcused," may result in a lowered course grade or, in extreme instances, in the awarding of a grade of "F" for the course.

APA format should be used in all written assignments. The use of nonsexist language is expected in class discussions and written assignments.