Syllabus
Master of Social Work
SSWO 511 – Social Work Practice II (Spring 2023)
Credits - 3
Description
This course builds on students’ understanding of generalist social work practice, beginning with the planned change process within larger systems and moving into integrative multilevel practice. The theoretical framework of this course is based on empowering and organizational change theories for practice, informed by the core social work values of self-determination, diversity, human dignity, and social justice. Students are encouraged to critically examine knowledge and to develop skills for culturally attuned practice. Students are exposed to tenets of evidence-guided practice utilized within larger systems. Students learn and apply skills for change with and within organizations and communities including assessment and planned change strategies.
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:
- Demonstrates ethical and professional behavior.
- Advance human rights and social, racial, economic, and environmental justice.
- Engage in anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion (ADEI) in practice.
- Engage in practice-informed research and research-informed practice.
- Engage in policy practice.
- Engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
- Assess individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
- Intervene with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
- Evaluate practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:
- Demonstrate beginning social work practice skills within the context of the NASW Code of Ethics. [EPAS 1,2,3]
- Reflect on ways to incorporate social and economic justice issues and the core competencies for practice with diverse groups into their social work practice. [EPAS 1,2,3]
- Use specific evidence-based social work theories and techniques with application to assessing, intervening, goal setting, and termination skills that include cultural and diverse client(s) and group(s) presenting issues. [EPAS 7, 8]
- Reflect on the practice of ethical social work utilizing evidence-based theories within a culturally diverse population. [EPAS 6]
- Use social work skills in an anti-racist, anti-oppressive, diverse, and equitable manner. [EPAS 2]
Assignments
Discussions
Discussions are an important part of the learning process in this course. In typical weeks, students are expected to post an initial response to the weekly discussion questions by Saturday, adhering to the requirements outlined in the prompt and Discussion Rubric. Most discussion activities also require you to respond to a minimum of 2 classmates in meaningful and substantive ways.
Week 5 Discussion: Group Session Agenda
One of week 5’s discussion activities is unique in that you will create a group session agenda and critically respond to peers’ agendas. This activity builds on concepts from the group observation and evaluation activity from SSWO 510.
Reflective Journals
Four weeks in the course feature a brief reflective journal activity. Each journal requires you to comment on how a key concept from the week applies to your social work practice.
Practice Videos 1 and 2 (with accompanying progress notes)
The two largest assignments in this course are called “Practice Video Assignments.” Their purpose is for you and a partner to implement a specified set of social work practice skills in a mock therapeutic setting. To do so, you and a partner will meet using Zoom. You will take turns portraying a social worker or a client in response to a case scenario. You will record and submit your work. You will also write a progress note for each mock client session.
Brief Assessment Assignment
In week 6, you will write a brief assessment using information about a fictional client named Rhonda following a format provided.
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 the Final Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Acknowledgement of Academic Engagement | 1 point | 1% |
| Week 1 Introductions Discussion | 1 point | 1% |
| Discussions | 39 points (3 points x 13 discussions) | 39% |
| Reflective Journals | 8 points (2 points x 4 journals) | 8% |
| Weeks 4 and 7 Practice Video Assignments | 36 points (18 points x 2 practice videos) | 36% |
| Week 6 Brief Assessment Assignment | 15 points | 15% |
| Total | 100 points | 100% |
Schedule
Course Dates:
Week 1: Mar 1 – Mar 7
Week 2: Mar 8 – Mar 14
Week 3: Mar 15 – Mar 21
Week 4: Mar 22 – Mar 28
Week 5: Mar 29 – Apr 4
Week 6: Apr 5 – Apr 11
Week 7: Apr 12 – Apr 18
Week 8: Apr 19 – Apr 23 (short week)
All assignments are to be submitted by 11:59 PM ET on the dates listed below, in the Eastern time zone. Unless otherwise specified, all assignments are due the last day of the course week.
Discussions: Initial posts are due by 11:59 PM ET on Saturday, except in Week 8 – the initial post is due by 11:59 PM ET on Friday; responses are due by the end of the course week in every week.
Week 1: Client Assessment. Working with Children, Adults, and Groups.
Assignments and Discussions
- Week 1 Discussion 1: Assessing Children and Teens (EPAS 7,8)
- Week 1 Discussion Question 2: Adults (EPAS 7,8)
- Reflective Journal: Diverse Populations (EPAS 2)
Week 2: Object Relations/Attachment Theory and Cognitive and Cognitive Behavioral Theory and Intervention Techniques
Assignments and Discussions
- Week 2 Discussion 1: Importance of Relational Theory (EPAS 6,7,8)
- Week 2 Discussion 2: Core Beliefs and Cognitive Restructuring in Cognitive/Cognitive Behavior theory. (EPAS 6,7,8)
- Reflective Journal: Social Justice (EPAS 2)
Week 3: Motivational Interviewing. Cultural and diversity elements and clients.
Assignments and Discussions
- Week 3 Discussion 1: Staying with Ambivalence (EPAS 7,8)
- Week 3 Discussion 2: My cultural views (EPAS 2)
Week 4: Person Centered Theory. Acceptance and Commitment Theory.
Assignments and Discussions
- Week 4 Discussion: Comparison of two treatment modalities. (EPAS 7,8)
- Practice Video Assignment #1 (EPAS 1,2,3)
Week 5: Structural and Solution Focused Theories. Group Session Agenda
Assignments and Discussions
- Week 5 Discussion 1: Comparison of two treatment modalities. (EPAS 6,7,8)
- Week 5 Discussion 2: Group session agenda (EPAS 1,2,3)
- Reflective Journal: “It’s Weird to Me, But it Sells” (EPAS 2)
Week 6: Narrative and Crisis Theory
Assignments and Discussions
- Week 6 Discussion: Comparison of two treatment modalities. (EPAS 6,7,8)
- Brief Assessment Assignment (EPAS 6)
Week 7: Relational Cultural and Trauma Informed Theories
Assignments and Discussions
- Week 7 Discussion: Comparison of two treatment modalities. (EPAS 6,7,8)
- Practice Video Assignment #2 (EPAS 7,8)
Week 8: Social work practice in an ethical manner incorporating anti-racism and equality
Assignments and Discussions
- Discussion Question 1: Ethical Practice (EPAS 1,4)
- Discussion Question 2: Ethical Practice (EPAS 1,4)
- Reflective Journal: Facing Racism (EPAS 2)
Student Resources
Accommodations
Any student who would like to request, or ask any questions regarding, academic adjustments or accommodations must contact the Student Access Center at (207) 221-4438 or pcstudentaccess@une.edu. Student Access Center staff will evaluate the student's documentation and determine eligibility of accommodation(s) through the Student Access Center registration procedure.
Online Peer Support
Togetherall is a 24/7 communication and emotional support platform monitored by trained clinicians. It’s a safe place online to get things off your chest, have conversations, express yourself creatively, and learn how to manage your mental health. If sharing isn’t your thing, Togetherall has other tools and courses to help you look after yourself with plenty of resources to explore. Whether you’re struggling to cope, feeling low, or just need a place to talk, Togetherall can help you explore your feelings in a safe supportive environment. You can join Togetherall using your UNE email address.
Information Technology Services (ITS)
Students should notify their Student Support Specialist and instructor in the event of a problem relating to a course. This notification should occur promptly and proactively to support timely resolution.
ITS Contact: Toll-Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673.
Career Ready Program
The College of Professional Studies supports its online students and alumni in their career journey!
The Career Ready Program provides tools and resources to help students explore and hone in on their career goals, search for jobs, create and improve professional documents, build professional network, learn interview skills, grow as a professional, and more. Come back often, at any time, as you move through your journey from career readiness as a student to career growth, satisfaction, and success as alumni.
Policies
Attendance Policy
8 week: Students taking online graduate courses through the College of Professional Studies will be administratively dropped for non-participation if a graded assignment/discussion post is not submitted before Sunday at 11:59 pm ET of the first week of the term. Reinstatement is at the purview of the Dean's Office.
16 week: Students taking online graduate courses through the College of Professional Studies will be administratively dropped for non-participation if a graded assignment/discussion post is not submitted before Friday at 11:59 pm ET of the second week of the term. Reinstatement is at the purview of the Dean's Office.
Student Handbook Online - Policies and Procedures
The policies contained within this document apply to all students in the College of Professional Studies. It is each student's responsibility to know the contents of this handbook.
UNE Course Withdrawal
Please contact your student support specialist if you are considering dropping or withdrawing from a course. The last day to drop for 100% tuition refund is the 2nd day of the course. Financial Aid charges may still apply. Students using Financial Aid should contact the Financial Aid Office prior to withdrawing from a course.
Academic Integrity
The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable. For information about plagiarism and academic misconduct, please visit UNE Plagiarism Policies.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:
- Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
- Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
- Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
- Multiple submissions of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
- Plagiarism, the appropriation of records, research, materials, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own.
Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the Program Director. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations. Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final. Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.