Syllabus

Master of Social Work

SSW 675 Social Work Practice in the Rural Environment

Credits - 3

Description

This elective course is designed to provide students with an overview of micro, mezzo, and macro social work practice in rural environments. Students will be introduced to the unique characteristics of rural environments with attention to various populations, geographic factors, local resources and issues specific to diversity, health, and social exclusion, environmental justice and community development. Students will learn empowering practice skills needed to provide services in the rural environment and the critical importance of establishing collaborative partnerships with individuals and private, governmental, and not-for-profit organizations.

Materials

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

School of Social Work Program Outcomes:

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

1. 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
2. Engage in culturally-informed relationship building, being respectful of the complexity and diversity of contexts and circumstances. EPAS Competencies 3 & 6
3. Utilize theories of human behavior, social systems and social inclusion when offering interventions with people and their environments. EPAS Competency 8
4. 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
5. Balance the roles of helpers, activists, and advocates through collaboration with communities to build healthy and sustainable resources. EPAS Competencies 2, 5, & 6
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
7. 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:

1. Determine the geographical, social and economic characteristics of rural areas and analyze their influence on the population to be served.
2. Identify the diverse range of cultural and ethnic groups, research their historical and contemporary challenges and strengths, and provide culturally-specific, asset-based, and ethical social work practice.  
3. Identify and establish linkages with and between the informal helping networks and important primary institutions and their roles in rural service development and in addressing social problems.
4. Analyze the effectiveness of social policies and programs in rural areas and formulate solutions to the challenges of delays, centralization of services, transportation networks, extensive poverty, shortage of health care professionals, and dispersed populations.
   
5. Identify the sources of environmental discrimination that are affecting socially, economically and politically excluded clients in rural areas and mobilize communities to minimize environmental risks.
6.  Assess community strengths and assets, build relationships for collaboration and problem-solving within communities and mobilize a community’s assets for community and economic development and information-sharing purposes.

EPAS Standards

Competency #3: Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice)

3.1. Students will demonstrate the ability to develop, analyze, advocate, and provide leadership for policies and services in order to promote social and economic justice

3.2. Students will use advanced generalist skills to practice autonomously with systems of all sizes in rural settings

Competency #4: Engage in Practice- Informed Research and Research-informed Practice

4.1. Students will demonstrate the identify, analyze and apply social constructions of rurality within and across diverse groups (e.g. gender, ethnicity/race, age, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation) and across multiple system levels.

4.2. Students will apply an integration of awareness, sensitivity and professional response to issues of values, ethics, diversity, social justice and populations at risk.

Competency #5: Engage in Policy Practice

5.1. Students will demonstrate the ability to use cultural competence to promote social and economic justice to systems of all sizes within and outside of rural communities.

5.2. Students will provide leadership in specialized practices at multiple levels advancing social and economic justice in rural environments.

Competency #6: Engage with Individuals, Families,  Groups, Organizations, and Communities

6.1 Students will demonstrate the ability to identify, evaluate, and implement research and practice strategies with rural systems and social networks.

6.2 Students will demonstrate leadership skills to design, development and implement research and technological advances to enhance social work practice in a rural context.

Competency #8: Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

8.1. Students will demonstrate the ability to develop, prepare, implement and evaluate policies that improve the wellbeing of rural populations and communities.

8.2. Students will demonstrate leadership skills in advocacy and policy practice to deliver services to multiple systems in rural areas.

8.3. Students will develop and apply analytical frameworks to change situations for rural people and rural communities.

Competency #9: Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

9.1. Students will disseminate knowledge to act as a change agent in improving service delivery for rural people and rural communities.

9.2. Students will demonstrate leadership in the application of advanced differential assessment, interventions, and evaluations to respond to the changing contexts of rural areas.

Assignments

All written assignments should conform to APA standards and conform to the page length. In addition, the paper should include a title page, abstract and references that are not considered as part of the overall length. Materials obtained from the Internet should be referenced and limited to recognized scholarly, academic, or client/consumer-oriented sources (such as journals, information from advocacy-oriented organizations, etc.). Gender-neutral language should be used throughout.

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 Category	Points	Percentage Grade
Class Participation	30 points x 8 weeksn240 points total	24%
Literature Review Discussions	20 points x 5 weeksn100 points total	10%
Movie Assignment	200 points	20%
Community Needs Assignment	360 points	36%
Final Self-Reflection	100 points	10%

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