Syllabus

Master of Social Work

SSWO 615 – Contemporary Controversies in Social Work – Fall A 2018

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 one’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

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. Evaluate a range of controversial issues facing the profession of social work today.
2. Discuss the philosophical, political and ethical perspectives underlying contemporary controversies in social work.
3. Weigh multiple points of view regarding contemporary controversies in social work, including those with which one disagrees.
4. 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:

Debate Paper Assignment – Week 3 (30 points)

For this paper, you will select a controversial topic about which to write.

In general, a roughly equal, balanced topic with a reasonable ground for both sides makes for a high-quality debate. In your paper, you must include strong arguments put forth by both sides. Summarize these arguments and their premises that lead to logical conclusions clearly and concisely. What makes them persuasive/compelling? Ideally, there will be a solid line of reasoning as well as evidence. It is recommended to structure the paper to contain the following parts: Pro, Con, and Personal Perspective.

• The pro/con sections should be written with an active scholarly voice. The personal perspective can be written in first person.
• The paper should be five pages long. (The title and reference pages do not count towards the page limit requirement).
• APA formatting is required. The paper must be double-spaced, with attention to grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Include at a minimum 5 scholarly and peer-reviewed references that have been published within the last 5 years. Websites may be used but they do not count towards the 5 scholarly sources. Do not include Wikipedia as a reference.
• Review the grading rubric before submission.

Research Paper Assignment – Week 6 (30 points)

For this assignment, you will write an 8-page research paper on a controversial issue within the field of social work. Your topic must be different than the topic chosen for the Debate Paper. This paper is about highlighting the significance of your controversial issue in the social work practice. You are not required to take a position regarding the controversial issue, rather you will argue that your issue is a major challenge in social work practice and articulate the ethical approaches to dealing with this controversy by applying the NASW code of ethics. You are to include a discussion of the philosophical, political, and ethical perspectives underlying the controversy.

You will work with 1 other classmate on this paper. This paper will conform to the following:

• This paper is to include a comprehensive critical evaluation of the controversial topic chosen. Be sure to articulate the ethics of the issue and discuss the underlying philosophical, political, and ethical perspectives of the issue.
• In addition to your critical reflection, you must include the role and significance of the controversial issue you have selected within the social work profession. Remember to include perspectives from the World Health Organization (WHO), National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW).
• Write your controversial issue in an 8-page paper. (The title and reference pages must be included and are not a part of the page requirements). The paper must be double-spaced, with attention to grammar, punctuation, and spelling. You must adhere to the APA formatting style. The paper must be double-spaced, with attention to grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
• Include at a minimum 6-10 scholarly and peer-reviewed references that have been published within the last 5 years. Websites may be used but they do not count towards the 6-10 scholarly sources. Do not use Wikipedia as a source.
• Review the grading rubric before submission.

Class Discussions (40 points)

Robust discussion is important to active learning. In order to encourage quality discussion, your instructor will be looking to see how often you return, each week, to engage in that week’s discussion forums and how you interact with the issues raised in the discussion posts.

Active and respectful participation is essential for this course. In order for your classmates to have ample time to build on your posts and engage in a dialogue, your initial posts should occur no later than Saturday.

Every discussion is worth 4 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