Syllabus

Master of Social Work

SSWO 501 – Human Behavior in the Social Environment (Spring A 2022)

Credits - 3

Description

The HBSE sequence is constructed as theory for practice courses. Theories for practice form a conceptual framework to develop understanding of the impact of social context on health (broadly defined) and well-being and on social work. These theories attempt to explain how and why people live their lives as they do: how we construct ways to understand our lives; how we develop actions to sustain ourselves and develop as a species and as a community (both local and global). Theories for practice permit us to articulate a value-driven, human rights and social justice vision within which we construct and operationalize our mission and our practice. HBSE I begins with an examination of human rights with particular attention paid to health as a human right. Students also consider how their own beliefs and ideas about the core values of human dignity, social justice, individual and cultural diversity, and self-determination have been shaped, how they have contributed to the formation of their identities and they contribute to students’ own developing knowledge and professional practice. The lens for reflection is grounded in the belief that health is a human right.

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:

By the end of this course, students will: 

1. Identify and describe those societal structures and relationships that enhance or obstruct the development of human health, with specific focus on more marginalized populations. (EPAS Competency 3*) 

2. Articulate the internalization of inequity and its impact on people’s health – including individual and cultural identity, and micro and macro social relationships. (EPAS Competency 2) 

3. Demonstrate critical self-reflection, awareness of personally held values, and the ability to identify and transform personal and professional bias. (EPAS Competency 2) 

4. Describe their conception of health as a human right, its connection to social justice, and their ethical responsibility as professional social workers to work toward changing the structures and relationships that foster inequities. (EPAS Competencies 1, 3) 


 

Assignments

A variety of learning activities are designed to support the course objectives, facilitate different learning styles, and build a community of learners. Learning activities for each week include the following:

Readings and Multimedia:

Description: This course will use an array of readings, presentations, and videos to illustrate important concepts. The readings and multimedia provide the foundation and background for student discussion threads and written assignments.

APA Style and RefWorks

Description: The MSWO program uses APA style for writing assignments. In week one there are resources to assist students in becoming familiar with APA including a tutorial and self-check quiz (ungraded). As you start your educational journey, we want to prepare you for ongoing learning, research, and scholarship. RefWorks is a tool available through the UNE Library that allows you to store and organize your research articles in a format that you can build upon during your time in this program. The tool also will help with creating reference lists in APA style. In week one, you will set-up your RefWorks account and submit a screenshot (ungraded).

Discussions:

Description: An important learning method in this course is student participation and interaction in the discussion threads within each week. Students are expected to participate actively and in a respectful manner that upholds core social work values and ethics.  Be sure to read the instructions for each weekly discussion assignment.

Grading and Feedback Method: Grading and feedback will be provided on each discussion question assigned. Please refer to Course Policies below, Discussion Rubric, and the course in Brightspace for full expectations for discussions.

Writing Assignments, Projects, and Assessments

Health as a Human Right

This paper is a critical reflection on students’ evolving understanding of health as a human right. Due in week 3.

How do I Know Who I Am?

In this paper, students will discuss how their understanding of class, gender, race/ethnicity, and sexual orientation evolved and influenced their developing identity and consciousness. Due in Week 7.

Intervention Plan Outline

Students will design an intervention with rationales and discuss your potential options. Due Friday of week 8.

Due Dates: Due dates for all learning activities and assessments are provided in the “Course Schedule.” 

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
Acknowledgement of Academic Engagement	1 point	1%
Weekly Discussions	Weeks 1-7 (3 points each) Week 8 (2 discussions at 2 points each)	25%
Health as a Human Right Paper	25 points	25%
Final Paper: How do I Know Who I Am?	34 points	34%
Intervention Plan	15 points	15%
Total:	100 points	100%