Graduate Catalog: 2012-2013 - Alabama A&M University

administration, service delivery systems, resourceallocation, sociological knowledge, and programimplementation in both urban and ruralenvironments. Students will engage in projects thatinvolve assessing the needs of rural communitiesand suggest intervention strategies. Teamworkreflecting professional standards of individualperformance will be stressed as a means ofaccomplishing the objectives. Group and individualassignments will be used to assist students todevelop teamwork, personal practice skills andcompetencies in evaluating practice. Thus, a groupproject involving rural-urban issues and problems,policy formation, planning, implementation,evaluation and issues feedback is used as a mediumfor the application of knowledge and skills. Thiscourse is required of all students. (Prerequisites:SWK 500, 510, 520 or Advanced Standing).SWK 530 Applied Social Work Research - Threesemester hours. This outline covers the generalcontent and assignments included in the syllabus.During the regular academic year, completion ofthis course typically requires about 14 to 16 weeks.Successful completion requires the ability toconsume a great deal of written information, the useof complex thinking skills to understand social workapplications, and advanced conceptualization andorganization skills for preparation of theassignments. For most students this courserepresents and introduction to research but it is,nevertheless, a graduate level course. Therefore, allstudents are expected to perform accordingly. Forthese reasons, all assignments are required, andwork must be submitted in a timely manner. Thisoutline was prepared for students’ ease in movingtoward a successful completion of the course. Thisis the first of two research courses. This course isrequired of all students in the 60 hour degreeprogram.SWK 581 Field Practicum & Seminar I - Foursemester hours. This is the first practicum course inthe three-part practicum sequence. The purpose ofthis sequence is to expose students to theprofessional application of theory practice incommunity- based human service organizations.This course can be taken concurrent with orsubsequent to classroom instruction. The fieldpracticum courses must be taken in sequence and isa requirement for all students. (Prerequisites: SWK500, 510, 520, 522 and 530; co-requisites SWK 501,511, 521 and 523).SWK 587 Social Work Empowerment - Threesemester hours. This is a bridge course, whichstrengthens and assures a common core ofprofessional knowledge for all advanced standingstudents prior to the beginning of coursework inConcentration areas. It explores the foundations,domains, values, ethics, philosophy, and roles ofgeneralist social work. The foundations includehuman behavior in the social environment, socialwork and social welfare policy, practice, research,and fieldwork. Understanding the relationship ofeach of the foundation areas to the others, as well astheir impact and interactive effects on social workpractice will be important in this course. Thehistorical and contemporary use of empowermentand strengths perspectives will be examined alongwith the impact of factors such as race, sex, gender,class, and other diversity issues on practicedecisions made in these contexts. Classroomlearning and assignments will include application ofecological perspectives and problem solvingprocesses; assessment and planning skills;differential utilization of knowledge of the impact ofrace, ethnicity, class, culture, gender, sexualorientation, and varying abilities on social workrelationships. This is a required introductory courseexclusively planned for all advanced standingstudents. Other students may not take this coursewithout permission from the ProgramChair/Coordinator.SWK 600 Social Work Intervention StrategiesWith Vulnerable Clients - Three semester hours.This practice seminar focuses on relationshipbuilding,assessment and interventions withvulnerable individuals and families. Theories needs(e.g., mental illness, delinquency, and physicalhandicaps), foster care, and protected services forabused and neglected children. Social Work valuesand ethics will be infused throughout the course.This course is required of all students in the Familyand Child Welfare concentration. (Prerequisites:SWK 510, 511, 520, 521, or Consent of Instructor)SWK 613 Budgeting and Financial Management- Three semester hours. Basic knowledge andtheoretical underpinnings required to manage thefiscal and budgetary aspects of human serviceorganizations. The course emphasis is thedevelopment and administration of fiscal resourcesto effectively meet the mission and goals of theorganization. Along with the practical aspects ofbudget planning, development and implementation,the course will address major funding sources forhuman service organizations, and the strategies ofinfluencing and accessing these sources. The role ofpolitics and its impact on social services within oursociety will be explored, and students will be taught164