Syllabus

Master of Social Work

SSW 615 – Contemporary Controversies in Social Work

Credits - 3

Description

This seminar provides an opportunity for students to engage in critical examination of controversial issues that impact the profession of social work today. The course focuses on developing student abilities to research, examine and critically evaluate a variety of positions on controversial issues and to develop and defend both verbally and in writing, a personal position that is ethical and consistent with student’s values and beliefs.

Course content will be determined to a large extent by issues of interest to students in the class. Issues to be examined will also include controversial issues of interest to the instructor. Controversial issues in social policy, social welfare policy, multicultural practice, child welfare, social work ethics and professional practice may all be addressed.

Materials

There is no formal text for this course. Students are expected to make use of library, Internet and other resources to prepare for the issue under discussion before each class.

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

School of Social Work Program Outcomes:

Graduates of the UNE SSWO will demonstrate knowledge, skills, and leadership in the following:

Practice social inclusion to enable people, populations, and communities to fully participate in society, enhance human bonds in the context of cultural diversity and ensure improved quality of life and equitable resource distribution. EPAS Competencies 2 & 3
Engage in culturally-informed relationship building, being respectful of the complexity and diversity of contexts and circumstances. EPAS Competencies 3 & 6
Utilize theories of human behavior, social systems and social inclusion when offering interventions with people and their environments. EPAS Competency 8
Promote ethical reflection, critical consciousness and shared decision-making based in social work values and with consideration of the broader contexts of the world in which we live. EPAS Competency 1
Balance the roles of helpers, activists, and advocates through collaboration with communities to build healthy and sustainable resources. EPAS Competencies 2, 5, & 6
Engage as critical consumers and producers of research as it relates to assessment, intervention and evaluation of clinical and community practices. EPAS Competencies 4, 7, 8 & 9
Practice person-centered and collaborative community partnerships across diverse settings. EPAS Competency 6

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

Evaluate a range of controversial issues facing the profession of social work today.
Discuss the philosophical, political and ethical perspectives underlying contemporary controversies in social work.
Weigh multiple points of view regarding contemporary controversies in social work, including those with which one disagrees.
Defend one’s own position on a controversial issue impacting social workers today.

Assignments

Grades in this course will be determined by the following structure:

Assignments: 70%

Over the course of the term students will identify three controversial issues in which they are interested and prepare three short position papers (one issue per paper, 4-5 pages each) reflecting on opposing views of the issue in question.

Papers are due:

Week 2. – 20 points
Week 4. – 20 points
Week 7. – 30 points

Class participation: 30%

Because of the seminar format of the class, participation is essential. Each week’s participation is worth 3.75 points.

Grading Policy

The School of Social Work uses the following grading system for all courses with the exception of field education courses. Students are expected to maintain a “B” (3.0) average over the course of their study. Students with less than a GPA of 3.0 will be placed on academic probation. Students must have an overall GPA of 3.0 in order to receive their Master’s Degree.

Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:

Grade Breakdown

Assignment	Point Value	Percentage of Grade
Position Papers (3 total)	70 (20 points each first two, 30 points for the last)	70%
Weekly participation	20 (3.75 points * 8 Weeks)	30%
Total	100 points	100%

Grade Scale

Grade	Points Grade	Point Average (GPA)
A	94 – 100%	4.00
A-	90 – 93%	3.75
B+	87 – 89%	3.50
B	84 – 86%	3.00
B-	80 – 83%	2.75
C+	77 – 79%	2.50
C	74 – 76%	2.00
C-	70 – 73%	1.75
D	64 – 69%	1.00
F	00 – 63%	0.00

Schedule

Course Dates: 05/03/17 – 06/25/17

All assignments are to be submitted by 11:59 p.m. E.S.T. on the dates listed below. Unless otherwise specified below, all module discussions and assignments are due the last day of the module or unit week.

MODULE 1: Introduction and Taking Sides: Researching, Analyzing and Taking a Position | Dates: 05/03 – 05/09

Readings:

Getting to yes
Do you need to take a position?
Liebling, A. (2001). Whose side are we on? The British Journal of Criminology, 41(3), 472.

Multimedia:

Rebecca Dresser Building consensus
Transracial Adoption in Mormon Utah

Discussions:

Discussion Questions (Initial post due Sunday, peer responses due Tuesday)

MODULE 2: Sex offender treatment | Dates: 05/10 – 05/16

Readings:

Janus, E. S. (2004). Sexually violent predator laws: Psychiatry in service to a morally dubious enterprise. The Lancet, 364(1), 50-51.
Karen Kersting: New hope for sex offender treatment
Fight over treatment for sex offenders. Kris Axtman. Christian Science Monitor
Kokish, Ron, Sex Offender Treatment, Does it work? Is it worth it?

Multimedia:

Rehabilitating Sex Offenders:
Sex Offender Treatment Works

Discussions:

Discussion questions (Initial post due Sunday, peer responses due Tuesday)

Assignments:

Issue paper 1 (Due Tuesday)

MODULE 3: Issues in Multicultural Practice | Dates: 05/17 – 05/23

Readings:

Ishibashi, J. (1997). Foreword. Social Justice, 24(2), 1.
Goldberg, M. E. (2000). Conflicting principles in multicultural social work. Families in Society, 81(1), 12-21.
Spencer, M. S. (2001). Identity and multicultural social work research: A reflection in process. Advances in Social Work, 2(1), 1-11.

Multimedia:

Cultural Humility

Discussions:

Discussion questions (Initial post due Sunday at 11:59 PM, peer responses due Tuesday at 11:59 PM)

MODULE 4: Concurrent planning in adoption and termination of parental rights | Dates: 05/24 – 05/30

Readings:

Visitation and concurrent planning
Concurrent planning: What the evidence shows

Multimedia:

Interview with “Janet” regarding risk of harm in social work practice – (United Kingdom)
Danita Echols, foster care experience

Discussions:

Discussion questions (Initial post due Sunday at 11:59 PM, peer responses due Tuesday at 11:59 PM)

Assignments:

Issue paper 2 (Due Tuesday)

MODULE 5: Faith-based social work practice | Dates: 05/31 – 06/06

Readings:

Diana R. Garland. Religiously Affiliated Organizations and the Opportunities and Challenges of “Faith-based” Social Initiative
Tangenberg, K. M. (2005). Faith-based human services initiatives: Considerations for social work practice and theory. Social Work, 50(3), 197-206.
Sherwood, D. Ethical Integration of Faith and Social Work Practice: Evangelism.

Multimedia:

Wineberg, Bill. Faith Based Initiatives/Social Service and Congregation Research. Parts 1 & 2

Discussions:

Discussion questions (Initial post due Sunday at 11:59 PM, peer responses due Tuesday at 11:59 PM)

MODULE 6: Couples Counseling in Domestic Violence cases | Dates: 06/07 – 06/13

Readings:

Golden, G. K., & Frank, P. B. (1994). When 50—50 isn’t fair: The case against couple counseling in domestic abuse. Social Work, 39(6), 636-637.
Rosen, K. H., Matheson, J. L., Stith, S. M., McCollum, E. E., & Locke, L. D. (2003). Negotiated time‐out: A de‐escalation tool for couples. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 29(3), 291-298.
Good Therapy’s discussion of counseling in domestic violence cases

Multimedia:

Do counselors understand domestic violence?
San Diego: Couples Counseling in domestic violence cases

Discussions:

Discussion questions (Initial post due Sunday at 11:59 PM, peer responses due Tuesday at 11:59 PM)

MODULE 7: Social Work and the Right to Die | Dates: 06/14 – 06/20

Readings:

Wesley, C. A. (1996). Social work and end-of-life decisions: Self-determination and the common good. Health and Social Work, 21(2), 115-121.
“Who Owns My Life?”: Women, Legislation, and the Right to Death. Ho, Rosanna.
Website: NASW’s position on the right to die.

Multimedia:

Dr Oz talk show: Do you have the right to die?
Discussions: Discussion questions (Initial post due Sunday at 11:59 PM, peer responses due Tuesday at 11:59 PM)

Assignments:

Issue paper 3 (Due: Tuesday)

MODULE 8: Duty to Warn | Dates: 06/21 – 06/25

Readings:

(2014). Duty to Warn – National Association of Social Workers.
Kagle, J. D., Kagle, J. D., Kopels, S., & Kopels, S. (1994). Confidentiality after tarasoff. Health & Social Work, 19(3), 217-222. doi:10.1093/hsw/19.3.217
Small, L. Psychotherapists’ Duty to Warn: Ten Years After Tarasoff.

Multimedia:

Tarasoff case – Like Crime TV shows
Duty to Warn – Child Abuse & Terminally Ill
Social Worker scene

Discussions:

Discussion questions (Due Sunday at 11:59 PM)

Student Resources

Online Student Support

Your Student Support Specialist is a resource for you. Please don't hesitate to contact them for assistance, including, but not limited to course planning, current problems or issues in a course, technology concerns, or personal emergencies.

Questions? Visit the Student Support Social Work page

UNE Libraries:

Library Access for all students: Your library login ID and password are the same as the ones you use to log into Blackboard/Brightspace.
Social Work Databases: https://library.une.edu/library-materials/find/research-by-subject/social-work/
Library Tutorial: Find an article
Video Tutorials: https://library.une.edu/research-help/guides-tutorials/video-tutorials/
Library Questions: Ask a librarian or phone library staff at (207) 602-2361 or (207) 221-4330.

Information Technology Services (ITS)

ITS Contact: Toll Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673

Policies

Essential Academic and Technical Standards

Please review the essential academic and technical standards of the University of New England School Social Work (SSW): https://online.une.edu/social-work/academic-and-technical-standards-une-online-ssw/

Technology Requirements

Please review the technical requirements for UNE Online Graduate Programs: Technical Requirements

Confidentiality Statement

Student and faculty participation in this course will be governed by standards in the NASW Code of Ethics relating to confidentiality in sharing information from their placement sites and practice experiences. Students should be aware that personal information they choose to share in class, class assignments or conversations with faculty does not have the status of privileged information.