Social Work

Kathryn DePaolis, Chair and Director
Department Web Page

Faculty

Bipasha Biswas, Gerry R. Charvat, Stacey L. Chay, Kathryn DePaolis, Beth Halaas, Christopher Heckert, Timothy Hilton, Andrew Israel, Hannah Klaassen, Rie Kobayashi, Lynn Lewis, Vernon Loke, Kara Lopez, Melisa Majnarich, Garret McQuesten, Cindy Nover, Erica Pence, Amanda Reedy, Kara Rozeboom, Sarah Shears, Danelle Stone, Deborah Svoboda.

Kara Lopez, Graduate (MSW) Program Director
Bipasha Biswas, Undergraduate (BASW) Program Director
Sarah Featherly, Director of Field Education and Training
Gerry R. Charvat, Child Welfare Training and Advancement Program Director
Christine Babcock, Student Services Coordinator
Vacant, Administrative Assistant

Degrees

BA–Social Work

MSW–Social Work, Standard Program
MSW–Social Work, Advanced Standing Program

Required courses in these programs of study may have prerequisites. Reference the course description section for clarification.

Undergraduate Program

The undergraduate Social Work program has been in operation since 1974 and has been consistently accredited by the Council of Social Work Education.

Mission of the Bachelor of Arts in Social Work Program

The BASW program at Eastern Washington University's School of Social Work prepares competent, evidence-informed social workers to be agents of change serving client systems from local to global levels. This is accomplished through experiential learning and critical thinking, guided by the social work profession’s values including social justice and human dignity.

Accreditation

The School of Social Work at Eastern Washington University is accredited at the baccalaureate and master’s levels by the Council on Social Work Education.

BASW Program Options

Eastern Washington University School of Social Work offers a full-time Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW) degree that can be completed in two years. You can choose the path that best fits your life: an on-campus BASW or an online BASW.

On‑Campus BASW: Engage in a collaborative, cohort‑based learning experience with daytime classes held at our Cheney campus. Social work classes are scheduled in 2- to 4-hour blocks and, depending on the quarter, are held 2 to 4 days per week, usually beginning at 8 a.m. Note that the core curriculum is not offered in the evening. Electives are available during the day on the Cheney campus, in the evening, or online.

Online BASW: Earn your degree from anywhere in Washington with online coursework designed for working adults, caregivers, and place‑bound students. The online format is ideal for students living outside the Spokane/Cheney region, community college graduates seeking a seamless transfer pathway, or anyone who requires flexibility. Practicums will be completed in person at the student’s local community. Note that additional fees may apply for the online BASW. Get more details here.

The Field Education (Practicum)

The field practicum experience in the social work program is considered a vital element of the curriculum leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree. It is the major vehicle that permits the student to discover abilities and areas of growth, integrate theory with practice, and explore the world of social welfare services. Students with prior volunteer or work experience will need to seek placements that offer new learning, different tasks, new contacts, and opportunities for personal growth.

To enter the practicum, students must have completed all of the social work courses up to the point of practicum entry with a minimum average GPA ≥2.7. The field practicum is open to majors only. Application for the practicum is completed in spring quarter of the student’s junior year. Based upon their learning objectives, students are carefully matched with public or private agency settings in diverse areas of service. Students with prior volunteer or work experience are urged to seek placements that offer different tasks, new contacts, and opportunities for personal growth.

Field education (practicum) lasts for three quarters and starts in the fall of the second year. Our practicum placement process is highly structured, and students are placed based on the right fit. We work closely with students and partnering agencies to ensure learning goals are met.

Graduates of the School’s BASW Program Learning Outcome:

2022 CSWE Core Competencies

Demonstrate ethical and professional behavior.
Advance human rights and social, racial, economic, and environmental justice.
Engage 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.

School of Social Work Curriculum

The curriculum is designed to meet the goals of the program within a framework that includes a broad liberal arts education and focused professional social work education and socialization.
Credit for life experience cannot be given for any social work course.

Grades

Social work classes and support classes with a grade <C are not acceptable for graduation.

Admissions

Application Procedures

There are two separate application procedures for admission. Students must be admitted to EWU and be admitted to the School of Social Work. Students seeking admission to the social work program must submit application materials prior to beginning the junior year, normally the winter or spring quarters. Pre-major advising is available through The Center for Academic Advising and Retention (CAAR) at advising@ewu.edu. Contact the School of Social Work at 509.359.6485 for any questions on the application requirements or process. Applications are available on the BASW web page. Visit this web page for application deadline information.

Admissions Criteria–students must be admitted to EWU (EWU Admissions) and be admitted to the School of Social Work.

Applicants must have earned a minimum of 80 college credits.
Applicants must have no more than three breath area core requirements (BACRs) to be completed at the time of their application.
Courses that are in progress during the spring quarter in which the student is applying may be counted toward meeting the preceding criterion.
Applicants must have completed ENGL 201 or an equivalent course at another college or university with a minimum grade ≥C at the time of their application.
Applicants must have completed MTHD 104 or MTHD 106 with a minimum grade of ≥C at the time of application.
Students shall be advised at the time of application and admission that all BACR or EWU Graduation Requirements, except Senior Capstone, must be completed before a student may begin their practicum during the second year of the program.
A minimum GPA ≥2.5 is required to apply.
Previous Life or Work Experience cannot be substituted for course credit.
Students must provide two professional or academic references, and one should be from a work experience supervisor.

Admission Requirement for Transfer Students and Students Completing Direct Transfer (DTA) Degrees

Early planning is highly advantageous to the student. Transfer students should make an appointment to talk with their advisor to assist in the transfer. Transfer students can contact the Social Work Student Service Coordinator at 509.359.6485 with any questions about the application process.

Applicants must have either one of the following:

A completed Direct Transfer Agreement (DTA) from a community college in Washington, an Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer (AAOT) from a community college in Oregon or a transfer degree from specific community colleges in Idaho and Montana. List of degrees that meet the DTA requirements.
Those who have not completed a transfer degree and/or who are transferring from another university/college must have their credits evaluated on a course-by-course basis for approval of admission for the following requirements.
- ≥80 quarter credits or ≥60 semester credits, completed
- Intermediate Algebra with a grade ≥C (MTHD 104)
- English College Composition; Analysis, Research and Documentation with a grade ≥C (ENGL 201)
- Two years of high school or one year of college world language (this is an EWU graduation requirement)

Graduate Program

The Master of Social Work (MSW) Program was established in 1974, following authorization by the state government to meet the need for graduate professional education in social work in the Inland Northwest. The first class of graduate students was admitted in 1975, at which time the program was granted accreditation candidacy status by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Full accreditation was conferred in 1976, reaffirmed in 1984, 1993, 2001, 2008, 2016, and 2025.

An MSW degree is required for eventual licensing for social workers in the State of Washington post-graduation. For social work licensing information, visit the WA State Department of Health website.

The Mission of the Master of Social Work Program

The EWU MSW program educates advanced generalist practitioners who lead with an anti-oppressive perspective to empower marginalized communities. The MSW program prepares social work leaders grounded in ethics, social work values, scientific inquiry, an intersectional lens, and local to global perspectives to promote human rights and social, racial, economic, and environmental justice.

Social Work Program Learning Outcomes

The School of Social Work's (SSW) MSW Program is grounded in the CSWE Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (2022) that establish core competencies for social work graduates to:

Demonstrate ethical and professional behavior.
Advance human rights and social, racial, economic, and environmental justice.
Engage 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.

MSW Program Options

The SSW offers the following options to earn the MSW degree in a standard program of 90 credits (full-time and part-time) and in an advanced standing curriculum of 55 credits (full-time and part-time) in different locations. A placement in an agency practicum with supervision by agency staff with a MSW degree is a cornerstone to social work education and professional development. The SSW uses a one practicum placement model with practicum hours in an agency running concurrently with coursework and practicum seminars. For the details on practicum expectations, policies, and placement process, visit the SSW-Practicum Information section below.

Standard MSW Program (90 credits): Full-time study includes in-person and online core courses and part-time study uses a hybrid format (partial in-person and partial online). The SSW uses a cohort model by admitting students to move through the sequenced plan of study together. These programs use the same curriculum and are taught by the same SSW faculty and our community MSW adjuncts. For more on the MSW Program visit the Social Work-MSW catalog page. Visit SSW-MSW Application Information for application opening dates and deadlines, and the start of term dates for each program. A plan of study for each option is available on the Social Work-MSW webpage under Program Options.

Choosing the program option, delivery method, cohort start, and location that best fits a student's lifestyle is an important decision for successful degree completion.

Full-time MSW Program - Cheney: The full-time MSW Program delivers coursework in-person on a weekly basis along with online work on the Cheney campus. A new cohort of students begins every fall quarter. The cohort follows a quarter academic-year calendar (fall, winter, and spring) and completes their degree within 2 years, excluding summer. Because of the demands of the full-time program, full-time employment is not recommended while a student is in the program.

Part-Time MSW Program: The part-time MSW Programs have been designed for people who plan to retain a full-time job or other full-time obligations while earning a graduate education, and may reside in Western, Central, and Eastern Washington, and the Idaho panhandle. The part-time MSW Program uses a hybrid format for course delivery, partial in-person and partial online. The part-time cohorts begin in the summer quarter and the plan of study uses all four quarters (summer, fall, winter, and spring) for a total of 3 years. With the required in-person sessions, students must prepare their schedules to travel to the location of the program, either Everett, WA or Spokane, WA. The part-time MSW Programs includes differential tuition, therefore, there is a higher per-credit fee than the full-time MSW Program to cover off-campus facilities and program coordination. Part-time students pay less in university fees.

Everett: This part-time program delivers coursework during the weeknights in-person every other week and with online modules on alternating weeks. A new cohort of students begins in the summer quarter of even-numbered years with classes held in Everett, WA. This program is designed to serve students primarily from these counties: King (northern), Island, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, and Whatcom.
Spokane: This part-time program delivers coursework in-person on three weekends per quarter with coursework online the remaining weeks. A new cohort of students begins in the summer quarter of odd-numbered years with classes held in Spokane, WA. This program is designed to serve students primarily from central and eastern Washington counties, and the Idaho panhandle.

Advanced Standing MSW Program (55 credits): This program allows graduates of a CSWE accredited BASW or BSW undergraduate program to complete the MSW Program with 55 credits. Visit the SSW MSW Application Information webpage for deadlines and start of term dates.

Full-Time: A cohort of students for the advanced standing curriculum begins each summer with a seminar on generalist social work curriculum. The cohort joins the current cohort of full-time students each fall quarter. The advanced standing curriculum is completed with the summer seminar and 3 quarters (fall, winter, and spring).
Part-Time: A cohort of students for the advanced standing curriculum begins with a summer seminar on the generalist social work curriculum and joins a current cohort. The Everett PT MSW Program accepts students for the advanced standing curriculum on odd numbered years. The Spokane PT MSW Program accepts students for the advanced standing curriculum on even numbered years. For both of these part-time MSW Programs, the advanced standing curriculum is completed with the summer seminar plus 6 quarters (winter, spring, summer, fall, winter, and spring).

Admission Requirements for the MSW Program

Admission to the SSW MSW Programs is dependent on application materials submitted during the regular application cycle for the program. The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) sets the standards for social work education in the U.S. These standards along with the EWU Graduate Programs policies, and the SSW policies set the foundation for the admission criteria.

A GRE examination is not required for admission to the MSW programs (SSW policy). Previous life or work experience cannot be substituted for course credit (EWU policy and CSWE standard). Previous coursework used towards an earned undergraduate degree cannot be used towards the MSW (EWU policy) with the exception of a BASW/BSW degree. When necessary, the EWU Graduate Programs policy allows graduate students to complete their graduate degree over a six year period. Previous MSW Program credits from EWU or another CSWE accredited MSW Program may be reviewed for potential transfer credit in the EWU MSW Program. Contact the Graduate Program Director at MSW@ewu.edu with questions about admission criteria.

Admission Requirements Specific to the Standard MSW Program

Successful completion of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
Have earned a cumulative GPA ≥3.00 in the most recent undergraduate degree. Upon recommendation of the Graduate Program Director, the Dean of Graduate Programs may admit a limited number of students, with a GPA <3.00, based upon considerations which includes performance in relevant graduate courses and faculty evaluations.
Completion of the EWU Graduate Application, payment of the application fee, and submission of Social Work required materials.
International students will need to meet the EWU requirements for an International Graduate Application.

Admission Requirements Specific to the Advanced Standing MSW Program

There are no exceptions to the criteria for advanced standing placement in the MSW Program.

A bachelor’s degree in social work (BASW or BSW) from a CSWE accredited undergraduate social work program.
A cumulative GPA ≥3.00 from the undergraduate degree.
Completion of the EWU Graduate Application, payment of the application fee, and submission of Social Work required materials.
International students will need to meet the EWU requirements for an International Graduate Application.

Contact the Graduate Program Director to discuss the program, admission requirements, transfer questions, or other graduate program questions at MSW@ewu.edu

The Curriculum Delivery Plan

The MSW curriculum comprises sequenced generalist and specialized curriculum. Full-time students complete the curriculum in two years or six quarters. Part-time students complete the program in a sequenced manner over the course of three years or 12 quarters, including summer quarters.

MSW Program Curriculum

Overview of the Curriculum: The MSW Program prepares professional social workers to engage in advanced generalist practice across multiple systems, to provide leadership for organizational practice and community change, and to promote social, racial, economic, and environmental justice. The curriculum consists of generalist and specialized practice curriculum for a comprehensive advanced generalist social work education. The SSW MSW Program curriculum does not require a comprehensive exam. The EWU graduate courses have the 500- and 600-level course numbers with allowance for one 400 level course.

The generalist curriculum focuses on social work practice, social welfare policy, and theories of human behavior in the social environment, knowledge of anti-racisist, anti-oppresive frameworks, and skill development working with diverse communities, individuals, groups, and families in a sequence of core courses. Courses include SOWK 530, SOWK 531, SOWK 532, SOWK 533, and SOWK 540. Students learn to critically evaluate and use research in their practice in the course SOWK 525.

The specialized curriculum prepares students for advanced generalist practice with systems of all sizes (individual, family, groups, communities, and organizations). Students develop leadership skills working with clients and communities to advance social justice, particularly for socially excluded, at-risk, or marginalized populations. Courses such as SOWK 553, SOWK 602 and SOWK 603 present theoretical models and specific skills in engagement, assessment, and intervention with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. SOWK 568 examines the political context for decisions that affect the lives of clients. SOWK 526 covers advanced research and evaluation methodologies. SOWK 605 is an opportunity for students to share their competencies through an impact project.

The practicum experience and its accompanying integrative seminar, run concurrently with the coursework. To complete the course of study beyond the core curriculum, the practicum experience, and practicum seminar, students are expected to take a total of 16 elective credits in the standard MSW Program and 12 elective credits in the advanced standing MSW Program. The course of study associated with the program option designates when electives can be taken during the academic year or over the summer term. The majority of the SSW electives offered are online either asynchronous or synchronous.

MSW Practicum Experience

The MSW Program requires an agency field practicum and accompanying integrative seminars sequenced over the course of study, SOWK 571 and SOWK 671, running concurrently with coursework. Before beginning the generalist practicum, students participate in the course SOWK 580. After completing this course, each student is placed in a social service agency or other public or private organization related to the welfare of people, community, environment, or society. Students will need to meet the essential skills expected in practicum placements in order to accept a placement, be it a background check, travel requirements, or other essential expectations outlined by the field placement.

Direction and instruction are provided by a faculty member of the SSW (referred to as Faculty Field Instructor [FFI] or a Faculty Field Liaison [FFL]) working collaboratively with a designated practicum site supervisor (Agency Field Instructor [AFI]). The faculty member, the agency site supervisor and the student negotiate a contract specifying student learning goals, potential practicum learning experiences, and the means for evaluating the practicum learning. EWU SSW has agreements to work with diverse rural and urban agencies and organizations throughout the area of service in the state of Washington and neighboring states as practicum placement settings. Students who wish to complete practicum requirements within their current or former workplace must indicate this desire to the School at the time of admission. This indication does not automatically ensure a practicum in the workplace. Consideration will be given to each request individually. Practicum placements in the workplace must conform with all of the School’s existing field practicum requirements.

The full outline of social work practicum expectations and policies are outlined in the SSW BASW/MSW Practicum Manual available on the SSW website under Field Education.

Generalist Practicum Hours: 400 hours in a practicum setting and in practicum seminar.
Specialized Practicum Hours: 500 hours in a practicum setting and in practicum seminar.

MSW Innovative Program Combinations

The School of Social Work offers several ways in which students can focus their programs of study to meet their professional educational goals. Interested students should contact the Graduate Program Director for additional information and/or the Directors associated with the programs listed below.

Child Welfare Training & Advancement Program (CWTAP) - Open to part-time students only

The CWTAP is a federally funded, Title IV-E partnership between Washington’s Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) and participating public universities. Eastern is proud to be part of this successful, long-standing partnership. CWTAP is designed for current child welfare professionals pursuing their MSW. In exchange for receiving financial assistance, CWTAP students agree to work for Washington’s DCYF following graduation. CWTAP students complete their practicum in DCYF offices. Contact Autrey Jeske, ajeske2@ewu.edu

Graduate Certificates and Other Certification

A graduate certificate is a coherent academic program approved by the Graduate Affairs Council and listed in the university catalog. Students must apply to receive this certificate by filling out a Graduate Application with the code of the certificate program they are applying for. Graduate certificate programs are normally between 12 and 20 credits in specified courses from a given discipline or set of related disciplines. Students applying for a graduate certificate may use up to 12 credits toward their MSW electives. Exceptions to this are noted below.

Palliative Care: This 12-credit graduate certificate of completion in Palliative Care addresses the physical, emotional, mental, social, and spiritual suffering generated by chronic, life-limiting, life-threatening, and terminal illness. Courses include Grief & Loss, Death & Dying, and Introduction to Palliative Care. Contact Rie Kobayashi, Professor and Interim Director of Aging Studies, rkobayashi@ewu.edu

School Social Worker Certification (Not an EWU certification/only for WA State): For students interested in school social work, this elective is required by the State of Washington, School Social Work and School Law. This elective is generally offered online in the winter quarter. Information is available online at the WA Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, Education Staff Associate (ESA)-School Social Work.

Center for Aging Studies

The Center provides interested MSW students opportunities to focus their course work and practicum experience in practice with older adults. The Center has strong community and organizational linkages to develop programs that better meet the needs of our aging population. Students may receive mentoring to participate in a Gerontology Symposium that is connected to the EWU Research and Creative Works Symposium. Contact Rie Kobayashi, Professor and Interim Director of Aging Studies, rkobayashi@ewu.edu

Dual & Combined Degrees: Those interested in a dual or a combined degree with their MSW will want to consult with the contacts listed for each degree. For further MSW information, contact the Graduate Program Director at MSW@ewu.edu

MSW/JD (Law) Degree: This degree is offered in collaboration with Gonzaga University Law School. Candidates must apply and be admitted to both Gonzaga School of Law and EWU School of Social Work via each school’s established admissions process; before they will be considered for admission to the dual degree program. For information about admission to the dual degree program, candidates should contact the admission offices of both Gonzaga Law School and Eastern Washington University School of Social Work, simultaneously, and go through the admission process for each school. The EWU MSW accepts 9 semester credits from GU Law towards elective credits required in the MSW Program. Likewise, GU Law accepts credits from the EWU MSW Program as electives towards the J.D. Contact MSW@ewu.edu

Social Work Courses

SOWK 196. EXPERIMENTAL COURSE. 1-6 Credits.

Experimental course.

SOWK 273. INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL WORK. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: ENGL 101.
Provides an introduction to the history, structure, and process of the institution of social welfare and its relationship to the profession of social work and to society. Introduces social work values, ethics, roles, theories, perspectives, and practices, as well as the diverse fields of practice within social work. It introduces the experiences and perspectives of those who are clients of the human services delivery system.

SOWK 320. AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILY. 5 Credits.

Cross-listed: AAST 320.
The African American Family as a social system influenced by institutions of the larger American society.

SOWK 324. INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL WORK. 4 Credits.

Notes: may be stacked with SOWK 538.
Satisfies: a university graduation requirement–global studies.
This variable topic course provides a cross cultural experience learning about another culture, social development, and various ideologies of social welfare. Students learn about social development strategies intended to address specific social problems and social justice issues with dedicated focus on issues pertaining to the Global South.

SOWK 370. HUMAN RIGHTS AND WOMEN'S RIGHTS. 4 Credits.

Cross-listed: GWSS 370.
Notes: may be stacked with SOWK 534.
Pre-requisites: ENGL 201.
Satisfies: a university graduation requirement–diversity.
Examines the history of human rights and dignity using the declaration of rights by the United Nations, research and initiatives by the World Health Organization, and other international human rights groups. Covers topics on the human rights of women and children including health, food insecurity, economic status, housing, education, violence, war crimes, and residency/citizenship status. Examines strategies for furthering human rights on the global stage.

SOWK 378. THEORIES OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR IN DIVERSE ENVIRONMENTS. 4 Credits.

Pre-requisites: BASW major.
Introduction to foundational theories of human behavior as they relate to anti-oppressive social work practice. Emphasis is placed on understanding human behavior within dynamic social, cultural, racial, economic, global, and environmental contexts. Course material highlights the critical examination of major theoretical frameworks, assessment of cultural influences on behavior, and the application of theory to practice.

SOWK 381. REFLECTIVE PRACTICES IN SOCIAL WORK. 4 Credits.

Pre-requisites: BASW Major.
Emphasizes the development of a knowledge base and skills for working in a diverse society at both the direct and indirect practice levels. Diverse populations refers mainly to major ethnic/racial groups although other oppressed populations are addressed. While brief descriptive materials are explored for each population, a primary critical task is the examination of one's own attitudes and values. Models of evidence-based practice with diverse populations are presented.

SOWK 396. EXPERIMENTAL COURSE. 1-6 Credits.

Experimental course, title and credits vary.

SOWK 402. ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE. 4 Credits.

Notes: may be stacked with SOWK 502.
Pre-requisites: ENGL 101.
Develops a theoretical basis for environmental justice in all levels of social work practice, focusing on both assessment and intervention for/with client populations regarding their natural environment, as well as how to advocate for both clients and their natural environment. Content includes scholarship and practice learned from the ecological and environmental movements and the movements to address climate crises.

SOWK 415. INTRODUCTION TO PALLIATIVE CARE. 4 Credits.

Cross-listed: AGST 415.
Pre-requisites: junior standing.
Palliative care is an interdisciplinary and holistic approach for those with a life threatening illness. It aims to improve the quality of life of patients and their families through prevention, psychological and spiritual care. This course will focus on identifying gaps in end of life care and emerging models of palliative care, assessing the psychological, medical, and spiritual needs of someone living with illness, while emphasizing the importance of cultural sensitivity in service delivery.

SOWK 418. FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT IN SOCIAL WORK. 4 Credits.

Notes: may be stacked with SOWK 518.
Pre-requisites: junior standing.
Building financial capability for all is one of the grand challenges for social work. This course equips students with financial knowledge and skills to empower themselves and their clients to move along the path of financial stability and economic security.

SOWK 422. SPIRITUALITY AND SOCIAL WORK. 4 Credits.

This overview of spirituality and social work provides a framework of knowledge, values and skills for spiritually sensitive social work practice and prepares students to respond competently and ethically to diverse spiritual perspectives through a comparative, critically reflective approach.

SOWK 425. FAMILY VIOLENCE. 4 Credits.

Cross-listed: GWSS 425.
Pre-requisites: ENGL 201.
Addresses contemporary concerns about family violence and discusses feminist perspectives on violence in the family. Theories about the historical and socio-cultural context of family violence and other explanatory theories provide frameworks for understanding personal and societal responses to family violence. Discussions include dynamics of trauma and recovery and all forms of family violence. Treatment approaches are discussed.

SOWK 429. SOCIAL WORK IN HEALTH CARE. 4 Credits.

Notes: may be stacked with SOWK 529.
Pre-requisites: seniors and graduate students in the School of Social Work and related fields.
Provides knowledge and understanding of direct social work practice in various health care settings. The effect of managed care and other current macro practice issues are explored along with the continuum of health care. Advances in biotechnology and bioethics perspectives are examined. The roles that diversity plays in social work health care practice are emphasized. Self-awareness as a medical social worker is explored.

SOWK 435. FORENSIC SOCIAL WORK. 4 Credits.

Introduction to the overlap between the judicial and social work professions. This overlap has been growing in the past 25 years and offers multiple career opportunities in this field, including, among others, child welfare services, juvenile justice, criminal justice, mental health treatment and evaluation, social justice and community organizing, domestic relations and domestic violence prevention.

SOWK 437. INDIAN CHILD WELFARE. 5 Credits.

Cross-listed: IDST 437.
Notes: The Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 (ICWA, United States Code Title 25, §1901-1963) is central to this course and child welfare practice.
Pre-requisites: ENGL 101.
Satisfies: a university graduation requirement–diversity.
Examines movements that shape or challenge systems of power, privilege, oppression, and colonization. American Indians challenged state removal of their children resulting in federal law affirming tribal rights to protect families and children. Indian Child Welfare (ICW) covers legal, historical, and cultural issues applying to work with American Indian and Alaska Native families. Tribal and state child welfare perspectives are needed to understand ICW.

SOWK 445. BEHAVIORAL AND COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS. 4 Credits.

Pre-requisites: SOWK 476.
Introduces the theory and practice of behavioral and cognitive behavioral assessment and intervention. Key concepts of applied behavior analysis, including behavioral assessment and interventions, and evaluating these interventions are taught and practiced. Students learn and practice the process of cognitive restructuring with thoughts and pervasive beliefs.

SOWK 449. GRIEF, LOSS AND RESILIENCE. 4 Credits.

Cross-listed: AGST 449.
Notes: may be stacked with SOWK 549.
Pre-requisites: junior standing.
Grief and loss are woven throughout the human experience. Helping professionals must be ready to deal with their own grief and loss as well as that of their clients. Losses may accompany forms of addictions, disability, divorce, job loss, moves, placement disruptions, relationship breaks and death. Grief is a spectrum of emotions experienced in response to loss. Students will learn about the varied presentations of grief, theories of grief, what supports can be employed for healthy grief.

SOWK 452. GENDER AND SEXUAL ASSAULT. 4 Credits.

Cross-listed: GWSS 452.
Pre-requisites: ENGL 201.
Addresses contemporary concerns about sexual assault, primarily, but not exclusively, against women. Feminist perspectives on gender socialization and sexual violence provide frameworks for understanding personal and societal responses to sexual violence. Dynamics of trauma and recovery, treatment, prevention, and change strategies are discussed.

SOWK 458. PERSPECTIVES ON DEATH AND DYING. 4 Credits.

Cross-listed: AGST 458.
Notes: may be stacked with SOWK 574 or AGST 574.
This course is designed to assist students in the helping professions who wish to work with the terminally ill. Focus will be on an increased ability to deal with one’s own mortality; the development of beginning skills for working with the terminally ill and their families; an understanding of the complex social system which surrounds death in modern America; as well as the current moral, ethical and philosophical issues in the field.

SOWK 459. THEORIES FOR APPLIED PRACTICE WITH INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND GROUPS. 4 Credits.

Pre-requisites: BASW major.
Prepares students for the use of theories and methods common in practice with individuals, families, and groups. Describes and analyzes theories within the planned change process of engagement, assessment, intervention, and evaluation. Research-informed and anti-oppressive knowledge are used to distinguish, appraise, and integrate theories and practices for effective service delivery.

SOWK 464. SOCIAL WORK CASE MANAGEMENT. 4 Credits.

Pre-requisites: BASW Major.
Provides students with skills and knowledge to practice professional, strengths-based, and social justice-focused case management. The course defines case management and introduces a broad range of case management interventions with corresponding evaluations across diverse populations and the development of culturally-informed strategies and practices. Client-centered communication and collaboration with clients, communities, groups, and interdisciplinary teams is emphasized.

SOWK 467. SURVEY OF SOCIAL WELFARE POLICY. 4 Credits.

Pre-requisites: BASW Major.
A practice-oriented course that seeks to empower social workers to engage in the policy arena. It demonstrates how social workers can impact policy development, implementation, and analysis in partnership with their clients and other human services advocates. The course includes an overview of civics with students learning policy research and analysis skills and strategies to advocate for fair and just policy change within the human services delivery system.

SOWK 468. USE OF RESEARCH IN SOCIAL WORK. 4 Credits.

Pre-requisites: BASW major.
Provides a foundation for understanding why social workers need research from an informed consumer point of view. Prepares students to evaluate research findings and to engage in evidence based social work practice.

SOWK 469. UNDERSTANDING DATA IN SOCIAL WORK. 4 Credits.

Pre-requisites: BASW Major.
Continues to develop an understanding of the research process from conceptualization to dissemination, where questions guide methodology. Covers basics of analyzing both qualitative and quantitative data and includes descriptive and inferential statistics. Students are introduced to software for data analysis. Content is a continuation of SOWK 468.

SOWK 470. SOCIAL ACTION TO CHANGE PROGRAMS AND PRACTICES. 4 Credits.

Pre-requisites: BASW major.
An applied practice-oriented course that builds on policy practice concepts introduced in the first year policy course. In this course, students work in groups to advocate for policy change(s) pertaining to a social welfare issue impacting the communities they serve. Students directly engage policymakers and other policy advocates—locally, statewide, and/or nationally—while offering assistance in promoting policy change efforts.

SOWK 472. SOCIAL WORK WITH VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES. 4 Credits.

Notes: may be stacked with SOWK 564.
Due to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, there is an increased need for social workers to be prepared to work with veterans and military service members. Over a million soldiers have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and nearly half of those soldiers are National Guard or Reserve members. As soldiers continue to deploy and return from service overseas, they and their families’ needs for professional social work services will continue to increase.

SOWK 473. SOCIAL WORK IN ORGANIZATIONS. 4 Credits.

Pre-requisites: BASW Major.
Covers theories, skills, and methods for organizational and community practice. Applies frameworks, theories, and practice models for social work practice within public or private organizations and community settings.

SOWK 476. SOCIAL WORK ENGAGEMENT AND ASSESSMENT WITH INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES. 4 Credits.

Pre-requisites: BASW major.
Relationship building skills are emphasized to begin gathering and interpreting biopsychosocial data on the interactions between individuals, families, and other groups and their environments. Emphasizes culturally competent, strengths-based and systems-oriented assessment. Demonstrates how social work values and the generalist perspective guide engagement. Explores the role of self in helping process.

SOWK 477. SOCIAL WORK WITH COMMUNITIES. 4 Credits.

Pre-requisites: BASW major.
Develops strategies to promote social, economic, and environmental justice for sustainable change in communities. Students engage, assess, and apply Asset-Based Community and Social Development models with communities.

SOWK 479. SOCIAL WORK WITH GROUPS. 4 Credits.

Pre-requisites: BASW major.
Focuses on the social work skills for working with groups. Values, use of self, cultural competence, strengths and resources continue to be important practice skills within this new context. Critical thinking and effective communication are additional foci for knowledge and skill development.

SOWK 480. FIELD PREPARATION. 1 Credit.

Notes: graded Pass/Fail.
Pre-requisites: BASW Major in good standing or permission of instructor.
Serves as an introduction to social work practicum requirements, goals, and available practice settings. Provides entry-level information, skills, and practice relevant to practicum interviews, the agency onboarding process, and the role of a student learner in practice settings.

SOWK 482. BASW PRACTICUM AND SEMINAR. 1-6 Credits.

Notes: Graded Pass/No Credit. Must be repeated three times for a total of 15 credits.
Pre-requisites: BASW major in good standing and SOWK 480 or permission of instructor.
This course is taken during the final year of the BASW program for a minimum of 400 hours in an agency setting and seminar classes under the supervision of qualified social workers. Students create a generalized learning plan to connect social work theory to practice settings, develop generalized social work competencies, and utilize foundational skills in social work practice.

SOWK 485. HOMELESSNESS: SERVICES, POLICIES AND NEW DIRECTIONS. 4 Credits.

Notes: may be stacked with SOWK 585.
Pre-requisites: junior standing.
Examines the issue of homelessness in America while highlighting demographics, causes, and regional variations. Special attention is paid to homelessness and related services within the state of Washington. Various service approaches are examined, including: shelter and other supports designed to assist individuals and families cope with homelessness, transitional and other supportive housing programs, and homelessness prevention.

SOWK 487. LAW AND ETHICS IN SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE. 4 Credits.

Notes: may be stacked with SOWK 587.
Explores the use of an ethical and law-based framework for the analysis of social work dilemmas and problem solving in practice and real world professional settings. In this way it expands and operationalizes the use of these sources of decision making introduced in other social work practice and policy courses. The legal component of the decision making framework constructed in the class supplements student knowledge gained in a preliminary manner in other social work practice.

SOWK 490. SOCIAL WORK SENIOR CAPSTONE. 4 Credits.

Notes: this course should be taken in the student's final quarter in the BASW program.
Pre-requisites: senior and in good standing as a BASW major.
Satisfies: a university graduation requirement–senior capstone.
This course further develops students’ applied knowledge and skill in the domains of critical, integrative, multidimensional and contextual thinking; cultural competence; social work practice with populations at risk; civic mindedness; professional identity; problem solving; the ability to understand the connection between social policy, social problems and social work practice; and evidence based social work practice.

SOWK 492. CHILD WELFARE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. 4 Credits.

The function and purposes of child welfare programs, public and private; child welfare legislation; trends in child welfare services. Elective.

SOWK 496. EXPERIMENTAL COURSE. 1-6 Credits.

Experimental course, title and credits vary.

SOWK 497. WORKSHOP, SHORT COURSE, CONFERENCE, SEMINAR. 1-5 Credits.

Short duration programs of contemporary significance in societal-cultural behavior areas. The range and scope of topics are essentially interdisciplinary, and students from all academic areas are eligible to participate.

SOWK 499. DIRECTED STUDY. 1-5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: permission of the instructor, department chair and college dean.
Independent study in selected areas of social work. Open to seniors and graduate students from any department. Elective.

SOWK 501. TRAUMA INFORMED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORK. 4 Credits.

Pre-requisites: graduate standing in the MSW program.
Designed to give the participant a working knowledge of how to engage in the process of trauma treatment as a clinical social worker. In behavioral health settings clients presenting with trauma may be the norm instead of the exception, and this course is designed to improve the quality of treatment for those who have experienced trauma. There is an emphasis on the common factors that help all trauma treatment become more effective.

SOWK 502. ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE. 4 Credits.

Notes: may be stacked with SOWK 402.
Develops a theoretical basis for environmental justice in all levels of social work practice, focusing on both assessment and intervention for/with client populations regarding their natural environment, as well as how to advocate for both clients and their natural environment. Content includes scholarship and practice learned from the ecological and environmental movements and the movements to address climate crises.

SOWK 510. UNDERSTANDING ADDICTION IN TRIBAL COMMUNITIES. 4 Credits.

Cross-listed: ADST 510.
Pre-requisites: graduate or PB standing.
Examines current Tribal addiction treatment programs and addiction treatment modalities for American Indian tribes. Emphasis is placed on understanding tribal history, tribal culture, Federal Indian Policy and law, and the federal obligation to tribes. Additionally, the history of addiction in tribal communities, traditional and current practices of how addiction is being treated in Indian Country is reviewed.

SOWK 515. INTRODUCTION TO PALLIATIVE CARE. 4 Credits.

Cross-listed: AGST 515.
Pre-requisites: graduate standing.
Palliative care is an interdisciplinary and holistic approach for those who have a life threatening illness. It aims improve the quality of life of patients and their families through prevention, psychological and spiritual care, etc. This course will focus on identifying current gaps in end of life care and emerging models of palliative care, assessment of the psychological, medical, and spiritual needs of someone living with illness, the importance of cultural sensitivity in service delivery.

SOWK 518. FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT IN SOCIAL WORK. 4 Credits.

Notes: may be stacked with SOWK 418.
Pre-requisites: graduate standing.
Building financial capability for all is one of the grand challenges for social work. This course equips students with financial knowledge and skills to empower themselves and their clients to move along the path of financial stability and economic security.

SOWK 525. RESEARCH METHODS FOR PROGRAM AND PRACTICE EVALUATION. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: graduate standing in the MSW program or permission of the instructor.
An overview of methods and procedures for conducting research in social work. Attention is given to research designs for evaluating social work practice with small systems and social welfare programs. Students learn to critically evaluate and utilize research, select research instruments, and design applied research projects.

SOWK 526. RESEARCH METHODS II. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: SOWK 525 or SOWK 561.
Facilitates the integration of foundation year research knowledge into a form that readily applies to professional social work practice. Students learn how to apply and utilize research data through an exploratory best practice model and other models by deconstructing existing research.

SOWK 526W. RESEARCH METHODS II. 4 Credits.

SOWK 529. SOCIAL WORK IN HEALTH CARE. 4 Credits.

Notes: may be stacked with SOWK 429.
Pre-requisites: open to seniors and graduate students in the School of Social Work and related fields.
Designed to provide knowledge and understanding of direct social work practice in various health care settings. Students examine the impact of illness, disease, trauma/disability, and death and dying from ecological and systems perspectives. Roles, functions, and administrative responsibilities of the social worker as case manager, health educator, advocate, and a member of interdisciplinary teams are reviewed.

SOWK 530. ORGANIZATIONAL AND COMMUNITY PRACTICE. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: graduate standing in the MSW program.
Explores the nature of human service organizations and their relationships to other community systems. Attention is given to understanding the dynamics of power, economics, politics, and policies impacting organizations and communities. An introduction to ways of assessing organizations and communities with a particular emphasis on collaborative networks and partnerships that promote access and equity.

SOWK 531. SURVEY OF SOCIAL WELFARE POLICY AND POLICY ANALYSIS. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: graduate standing in the MSW program.
Focus is on the impact of the political economy on the social welfare system and the pursuit of social justice. Social welfare history, social values, social policies, institutions, and basic services and programs are explored, especially those that affect populations-at-risk. Defines and clarifies the ways in which the social welfare system influences and is shaped by political, economic, social, environmental, and cultural forces.

SOWK 532. REFLECTIVE PRACTICE IN SOCIAL WORK. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: graduate standing in the MSW program.
Understanding the purpose of social work practice, the historical roots and ethical foundations for the profession, and anti-racist and anti-oppressive frameworks of practice. Developing a knowledge base and skills for reflective practice and promotion of social, economic, and environmental justice for marginalized individuals and communities.

SOWK 533. INTEGRATED SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE I: INDIVIDUALS. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: SOWK 540; graduate standing in the MSW program.
Examines and applies the planned change model to social work practice with individuals. Acknowledging a multilevel practice, an integrated approach is emphasized. Perspectives of ecology, strengths-based, life course, and anti-oppression guide students through the practice of crisis intervention, solution-focused approaches, motivational interviewing, and trauma-informed care. Ethical dilemmas to practice with individuals are addressed.

SOWK 534. HUMAN RIGHTS AND WOMEN'S RIGHTS. 4 Credits.

Notes: may be stacked with SOWK 370 or GWSS 370.
An interdisciplinary course for students in social work and women’s studies, who are interested in how human rights standards can be understood and applied in social work and civic life. Explores how the promotion of human rights relates to the mission of social work and women’s studies and how this knowledge can affect social change efforts and promote civil society.

SOWK 536. SPIRITUALITY AND SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE. 4 Credits.

Notes: may be stacked with SOWK 422.
Pre-requisites: graduate standing or permission of instructor.
This overview of spirituality and social work provides a framework of knowledge, values and skills for spiritually sensitive social work practice and prepares students to respond competently and ethically to diverse spiritual perspectives through a comparative, critically reflective approach.

SOWK 537. INDIAN CHILD WELFARE. 4 Credits.

Provides an introduction to Indian child welfare with an emphasis on understanding legal, historical, and cultural issues applying to work with American Indian and Alaska Native youth. Emphasizes Indian child welfare issues relevant to the Pacific Northwest (Washington, Idaho, Oregon, and Montana).

SOWK 538. INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL WORK. 4 Credits.

Notes: may be stacked with SOWK 324.
Pre-requisites: permission of the instructor.
Provides students with a cross-cultural experience in which they learn about various cultural norms, social development, and ideologies of social welfare from the unique perspective of the area visited. Students learn about social development strategies intended to address specific social problems and social justice issues relevant to the native population of the region.

SOWK 540. CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR IN CONTEMPORARY ENVIRONMENTS. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: graduate standing in the MSW program.
Critically examines classical to contemporary theories of human behavior within complex and evolving social, cultural, historical, and environmental contexts. Explores how individuals and their behaviors are shaped by their environments, highlighting the influence of structural injustice and poverty. Emphasis is placed on interprofessional and global perspectives that illustrate culturally-responsive practice within anti-oppressive frameworks.

SOWK 541. SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE IN A DIVERSE SOCIETY. 4 Credits.

Pre-requisites: graduate standing in the MSW program or permission of the instructor.
Emphasizes bridging gaps between people through modeling of discourse and idea-sharing. Emphasizes the development of a knowledge base and skills for promoting social justice for vulnerable and oppressed individuals and populations. A primary critical skill is the examination of one’s own attitudes, biases, and values, which students are asked to demonstrate on a weekly basis and in every assignment.

SOWK 542. CWTAP: FOCUS ON PUBLIC CHILD WELFARE. 4 Credits.

Designed to enhance students’ knowledge and practice in public child welfare. Students examine current models of assessment and intervention within public child welfare and explore challenges facing client systems and child welfare professionals. Students learn about different aspects, positions, and interpretations of Dependency law and examine divergent practices within DCYF to engage clients within the judicial system.

SOWK 544. SPECIAL PROBLEMS: FAMILY VIOLENCE. 4 Credits.

Pre-requisites: graduate standing.
Students identify factors related to stress in families, socioeconomic and cultural patterns, historical traditions, and societal values and investigate how these may relate to violent behavior.

SOWK 545. COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY. 4 Credits.

Pre-requisites: graduate standing.
Offers advanced knowledge of cognitive-behavioral principles and interventions. Applies common elements of assessment, psychoeducation, behavioral activation, relaxation, affect regulation, cognitive coping, cognitive restructuring, and exposure to treat depression, anxiety, behavior problems, trauma, and substance use. Highlights cultural adaptations for cognitive behavioral therapies.

SOWK 546. MINDFULNESS AND ACCEPTANCE APPROACHES IN MENTAL HEALTH. 4 Credits.

Pre-requisites: current MSW student or by permission of instructor.
Many mindfulness and acceptance-based approaches have been developed and are now being used in various settings. Applications of these approaches include the management of stress, anxiety, pain, cancer, chronic mental and physical illness, trauma, and the prevention of depressive relapse. This course explores mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).

SOWK 547. MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING. 4 Credits.

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is an effective evidenced-based approach to overcoming the factors that keep people from making desired changes in their lives even after seeking or being referred to professional treatment. This course reviews the conceptual and research background supporting MI and the Transtheoretical Model (Stages of Change-SOC) and provides practice in implementing the skills involved in their approaches.

SOWK 549. GRIEF, LOSS AND RESILIENCE. 4 Credits.

Cross-listed: AGST 549.
Notes: may be stacked with SOWK 449.
Grief and loss are woven throughout the human experience. Helping professionals must be ready to deal with their own grief and loss as well as that of their clients. Losses may accompany forms of addictions, disability, divorce, job loss, moves, placement disruptions, relationship breaks and death. Grief is a spectrum of emotions experienced in response to loss. Students will learn about the varied presentations of grief, theories of grief, what supports can be employed for healthy grief.

SOWK 550. SOCIAL WORK WITH GROUPS. 4 Credits.

Pre-requisites: graduate standing in the MSW program or permission of the instructor.
Develops knowledge and skills for social work practice with groups and natural helping systems. Prepares students to utilize mutual aid groups as a helping resource for clients, facilitate treatment groups, and participate effectively as a member of committees, interagency teams, and other task groups. The practice of work with groups is presented through lecture and discussion, observational assignments, role plays, and participation in small group learning experiences.

SOWK 553. INTEGRATED SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE II: FAMILIES AND GROUPS. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: SOWK 533; graduate standing in the MSW program.
Examines and applies the planned change model and an integrated approach to social work practice with families and groups. Perspectives of ecology, strengths-based, life course, and anti-oppression guide students through the practice of family-based services and group work. Ethical dilemmas to practice with families and groups are reviewed.

SOWK 553W. INTEGRATED SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE II: FAMILIES AND GROUPS. 4 Credits.

SOWK 559. SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK AND SCHOOL LAW. 4 Credits.

Pre-requisites: graduate standing and permission of the instructor.
Reviews Federal and State legislation as well as local policies that affect the role of the social worker in the public school. Reviews how the school system functions as a part of our total society. Describes how social work knowledge, skills, and values provide an ecological approach to preventative, crisis, and remedial care for school children and their families.

SOWK 561. ADVANCED STANDING PREPARATION SEMINAR. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: admission as an advanced standing student in the MSW program or permission of the MSW Director.
Overview of generalist curriculum and social work educational standards from CSWE. Bridge course to prepare for specialized curriculum, practicum expectations, and workload of the advanced standing option of the MSW program.

SOWK 562. SUICIDE ASSESSMENT, TREATMENT AND MANAGEMENT. 4 Credits.

Cross-listed: ADST 562.
Pre-requisites: graduate standing.
This course explores the theoretical foundation in the clinical assessment, treatment and management of suicidal risk over time through case management with suicidal persons. Additionally, we will review instructions in “evidenced-based” and “best practices” for the treatment and case management with the suicidal person within the scope of practice. We also have role play exercises that include therapeutic interventions and initial treatment planning including case notes.

SOWK 564. SOCIAL WORK WITH VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES. 4 Credits.

Includes content on military culture, strengths and needs of military families, and interventions for military service members and their families. Prepares social workers to work with veterans and military service members. As soldiers continue to deploy and return from service, they and their families’ needs for professional social work services will continue to increase. This means that social workers in all areas of practice need to be educated about working with this population.

SOWK 568. SOCIAL ACTION AND LEGISLATION. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: SOWK 525 and SOWK 531; or SOWK 561.
Frames social work as a policy-based profession and social workers as policy practitioners. Examines current policy and program developments in contemporary areas of social welfare that impact populations at risk. Research and theory pertaining to social problems and institutional responses. Three domains of institutional response—legal, professional, and program—are covered.

SOWK 568W. SOCIAL ACTION AND LEGISLATION. 4 Credits.

SOWK 571. GENERALIST PRACTICUM AND SEMINAR. 1-4 Credits.

Notes: graded Pass/No Credit. A total of 4 credits distributed over 2 quarters for the full-time program option and over 3 quarters for the part-time program options.
Pre-requisites: SOWK 580 or permission of the instructor.
This course is taken during the MSW generalized curriculum for a minimum of 350 hours in an agency setting and seminar classes under the supervision of qualified social workers. Students create a generalized learning plan to connect social work theory to practice settings, develop generalized social work competencies, and utilize foundational skills in social work practice.

SOWK 574. PERSPECTIVES ON DEATH AND DYING. 4 Credits.

Cross-listed: AGST 574.
Notes: may be stacked with SOWK 458 or AGST 458.
This course explores issues related to death, dying, grief and loss as well as their relevance and application to social work practice. The content draws from an interdisciplinary knowledge base and emphasizes the acquisition of practice skills. Topics include loss events throughout the life span; psychological and sociological theoretical perspectives in death, dying, grief and loss.

SOWK 576. ADDICTION: A BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL APPROACH. 4 Credits.

Pre-requisites: graduate standing.
Applies a biopsychosocial and human development perspective to understanding addiction across the lifespan. Students explore biological, psychological, and social influences on substance use and related disorders, harm reduction, co-occurring conditions, family and cultural factors, self-help groups, and policy issues. Emphasis is on strengths-based, client-centered, and culturally responsive prevention and treatment approaches.

SOWK 579. GENDER AND SEXUAL ASSAULT. 4 Credits.

Notes: may be stacked with SOWK 452.
Pre-requisites: graduate standing or permission of instructor.
Addresses contemporary concerns about sexual assault primarily, but not exclusively against women. Theories about the sociocultural context of gender socialization and other explanatory theories provide a framework for understanding personal and societal responses to sexual violence. Surveys all forms of sexual violence and discusses dynamics of trauma and recovery. Treatment approaches are discussed.

SOWK 580. INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL WORK PRACTICUM. 1-2 Credits.

Notes: graded Pass/No Credit.
Pre-requisites: graduate standing in the MSW program or permission of instructor.
Serves as an introduction to social work practicum requirements, goals, and available practice settings. Students complete a minimum of 50 practicum hours applying entry-level skills, professional behaviors, and communications relevant to practicum interviews, the agency onboarding process, and the role of a student learner in practice settings.

SOWK 585. HOMELESSNESS: SERVICES, POLICIES AND NEW DIRECTIONS. 4 Credits.

Notes: may be stacked with SOWK 485.
Examines the issue of homelessness in America while highlighting demographics, causes, and regional variations. Special attention is paid to homelessness and related services within the state of Washington. Various service approaches are examined, including: shelter and other supports designed to assist individuals and families cope with homelessness, transitional and other supportive housing programs, and homelessness prevention.

SOWK 587. LAW AND ETHICS IN SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE. 4 Credits.

Notes: may be stacked with SOWK 487.
Pre-requisites: graduate standing or permission of instructor.
Explores the use of an ethical and law-based framework for the analysis of social work dilemmas and problem solving in practice and real world professional settings. In this way it expands and operationalizes the use of these sources of decision making introduced in other social work practice and policy courses. The legal component of the decision making framework constructed in the class supplements student knowledge gained in a preliminary manner in other social work practice.

SOWK 589. FORENSIC SOCIAL WORK. 4 Credits.

Notes: may be stacked with SOWK 435.
Pre-requisites: graduate standing or permission of instructor.
Introduces the overlap between the judicial and social work professions. This overlap has been growing in the past 25 years and offers multiple opportunities to students for career opportunities in this field, including, among others, child welfare services, juvenile justice, criminal justice, mental health treatment and evaluation, social justice and community organizing, domestic relations, and domestic violence prevention.

SOWK 591. SOCIAL WORK IN LIBRARIES. 4 Credits.

Pre-requisites: graduate standing in the MSW program.
Designed for social work students interested in careers and partnerships with community and public libraries. It explores the intersection between the social work and library professions, including the values and ethics inherent in both fields. The course examines how social work and social justice principles can be integrated into library services to enhance advocacy efforts and access to resources and services library customers need to address their personal and community needs.

SOWK 596. EXPERIMENTAL COURSE. 1-5 Credits.

Experimental course.

SOWK 597. WORKSHOP, SHORT COURSE, CONFERENCE, SEMINAR. 1-5 Credits.

Notes: only one workshop course for up to 3 credits may be used to fulfill graduate degree requirements.
Workshop.

SOWK 599. INDEPENDENT STUDY. 1-5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: permission of the instructor, department chair and college dean.
Intensive and independent study of some special area in social work or social welfare.

SOWK 600. THESIS. 1-15 Credits.

Pre-requisites: permission of the instructor, department chair and college dean.
Thesis.

SOWK 601. RESEARCH PROJECT. 1-15 Credits.

Pre-requisites: permission of the instructor, department chair and college dean.
Individually supervised research work.

SOWK 602. CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS AND EVIDENCE INFORMED TREATMENT. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: SOWK 533 or SOWK 561; graduate student in MSW Program.
Demonstrating knowledge of the most current version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, diagnostic skills are developed within an ethical and culturally responsive framework. Critical conversations of evidence-informed treatments guide the application of clinical decision-making skills. Emphasis is on client strengths, ecology, risk and resilience, and diversity.

SOWK 602W. CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS AND EVIDENCE INFORMED TREATMENT. 4 Credits.

SOWK 603. SOCIAL WORK LEADERSHIP AND ADMINISTRATION. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: SOWK 530 or SOWK 561.
Application of organizational, management, and leadership theories in the context of community organizations and affiliated programs. Exploration of strategies needed for ethical leadership in creating an inclusive work environment, managing organizational outcomes, and engaging the community.

SOWK 603W. SOCIAL WORK LEADERSHIP AND ADMINISTRATION. 4 Credits.

SOWK 605. IMPACT PROJECT SEMINAR. 4 Credits.

Pre-requisites: SOWK 526, SOWK 553, SOWK 568, SOWK 602, and SOWK 603, or instructor permission.
Social work educational reflection with cohort members, educational influencers, and faculty instructors towards designing and implementing an impact project with a critical anti-oppressive framework. Assessment of potential areas for impact relevant to educational goals. Apply knowledge of the nine social work educational competencies. Implementation and evaluation of the impact project with peers, instructors, influencers, and/or collaborators.

SOWK 671. SPECIALIZED PRACTICUM AND SEMINAR. 1-6 Credits.

Notes: graded Pass/No Credit. A total of 9 credits distributed over three quarters for the full-time program option and over six quarters for the part-time program options.
Pre-requisites: SOWK 571 or SOWK 561.
Practicum and seminars are taken during the MSW specialized curriculum for a total of 500 hours in an agency practicum setting and seminar classes under the supervision of qualified social workers. Students create a specialized learning plan to connect social work theory to practice settings, develop specialized social work competencies, and utilize advanced skills in social work practice.

SOWK 695. INTERNSHIP. 1-5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: permission of the instructor, department chair and college dean.

SOWK 696. EXPERIMENTAL. 1-5 Credits.

Experimental.

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