Social Work Electives
SOW 110 Social Needs and Societal Responses (also WMS 110) 3 cr.
This course explores social welfare institutions that respond to identified human needs. Students will analyze political, cultural, and economic factors shaping social needs and society’s responses, gaining a familiarity with major types of programs, their historical development, and the roles of those who work in these fields.
SOW 201 Community Sampler 3 cr.
This course focuses on community needs and their translation into community services. Through field visits, students learn about human service programs serving target populations in the fields of aging, mental health and mental illness, developmental disabilities, child welfare, housing and homelessness, and substance abuse. Classroom discussion, videos, and individual projects supplement field visits. The distinct roles of professionals, such as social workers, nurses, psychologists, and educators explored through observations and readings.
SOW 226 Working with Families: A Cross Cultural Perspective 3 cr.
This course provides a cross cultural perspective of major ethnic groups in the New York metropolitan area. It assesses the functional and dysfunctional consequences of cultural influences on the formation of personal identity, development of family values, formal and informal roles, interpersonal boundaries, gender-based prescriptions, child-rearing patterns, and the conduct of intergenerational conflicts.
SOW 227 Issues in Child Welfare (also WMS 227) 3 cr.
Explores child welfare issues including child abuse and neglect, domestic violence, and family violence; the impact of child welfare laws and social policy on prevention, assessment, and intervention practices; and the role of interdisciplinary practitioners, the court system, private/public agencies, and other support systems. Explores the role of women as mothers and caretakers.
SOW 228 Issues in Substance Abuse 3 cr.
Provides factual information about drugs and alcohol in an historical and social context. Explores drug use from psychological, pharmacological, spiritual, biological, historical and legal perspectives, and examines effects of substance abuse on health and social functioning.
SOW 225 Dynamics of Family Violence 1 cr.
This course explores issues of violence and abuse as they relate to intimate relationships. Causes, consequences and resources are discussed.
SOW 230 Interdisciplinary Team Building: Preparing for the Workplace of the Future 3 cr.
This interdisciplinary course is designed to prepare students for collaborative partnerships and communal decision making. Using the class as a laboratory and the health care system as a focus, students develop competence in promoting consensus among diverse groups through techniques of conflict resolution, group work community organizing and communication.
SOW 230 Overview of HIV Infection and AIDS 3 cr.
This course presents an introduction to HIV and AIDS. Epidemiology, transmission, prevention, early detection, and medical care are included.
SOW 289 Special Topics: Community Experience in HIV/AIDS 3 cr.
This community experience is at Camp Viva, a unique program for children and families infected or affected by HIV/AIDS. Students in this course will serve as volunteer counselors in a one-week overnight summer camp program under the supervision of trained personnel from Family Services of Westchester. A faculty mentor will meet with students daily to assist in their learning.
SOW 289 Special Topics: Case Studies of Immigrant Families 1 cr.
Using a case study format, this course will focus on recent Latino immigrant families. It will explore issues in the emigration process as well as the challenges family members’ face as they adjust to life in the United States. Resources and self-help programs that facilitate this transition process will be discussed. Roles for social workers, psychologists, educators and other helping professionals will be identified.
SOW 289 Special Topics: Helping Children Learn; The Importance of Support Services in the Schools 1 cr.
Increasingly, children come into school displaying difficulties in the learning situation because of family and/or personal issues. This elective course will focus on some of the strategies that can help ease these difficulties. There will be discussion of evaluative tools than can help clarify the problems children are having in the classroom, as well as discussion of ways to work with parents and students in order to help them function more effectively.
SOW 289 Special Topics: Working with Older Adults 1 cr.
This course will present an overview of characteristics of older adults and of the aging process. Problems that emerge during this life period will be identified, and relevant programs and services will be discussed. The roles of caretakers and service providers will be explored. Videotapes will enhance classroom learning.
SOW 289 Special Topics: Human Services & Family Court System 1 cr.
This course will provide an overview of the Family Court system, including how a case progresses through the system, the role of a human service worker, and appropriate resources and referrals. The content will be both didactic and experiential using case examples, guest speakers, and videos.
SOW 289 Special Topics: The Child Welfare System and Mandated Reporting Practices 1 cr.
This course will provide an overview of the child welfare systems including policies, indicators of child abuse and neglect, characteristics of perpetrators and victims, mandated reporting practices, procedures for reporting child abuse and neglect, the role of child protective service workers, and how a case progresses through the system. This course fulfills the required NYS training on the identification and reporting of child abuse and maltreatment for mandated reporters.