Introduction to Social Work

Course Details

Course Number: 2423 Section Number: Intro

Fall 2012

Location: Martin Hall

Classroom Number: 106

Days & Times:

M W F 10:00-10:50

Course Attachments

Textbooks

MSU Faculty Member

Leigh Anne Hope
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Course Objectives

Core Competencies

Educational Policy 2.1.1.-Identify as a professional social worker and conduct oneself accordingly

Social workers serve as representatives of the profession, its mission and its core values. They know the profession’s history. Social workers commit themselves to the profession’s enhancement and to their own professional conduct and growth.

Social workers serve as representatives of the profession, its mission of its history and its core values. Social workers know the history of the profession. Social Workers commit themselves to the profession’s enhancement and to their own professional conduct and growth.

This subject matter will be extensively covered in chapters 1 and 2 of the text and class discussions.

· advocate for client access to the services of social work

· practice personal reflection and self-correction to assure professional development

· attend to professional roles and boundaries

· demonstrate professional demeanor in behavior, appearance, and communication

· engage in career long learning

· use supervision and consultations

The above mentioned behaviors will be practiced and measured in both the volunteer/research and interview class assignments. The above mentioned desired competencies will also be described in reading assignments and discussed in class.

Educational Policy 2.1.2. Apply social work ethical principles to guide professional practice

Social workers have an obligation to conduct themselves ethically and to engage in ethical decision making. Social workers are knowledgeable about the value base of the profession, its ethical standards, and relevant law.

· Social workers have an obligation to conduct themselves ethically and to engage in ethical decision making. Social workers are knowledgeable about the value base of the profession, it ethical standards and relevant law.

· Recognize and manage personal values in a way that allows professional values to guide practice

· Make ethical decisions by applying standards of the N.A.S.W. Code of Ethics and as applicable of the International Federation of Social Workers/International Association of Schools of Social Work Ethics in Social Work, Statement of Principles

· Tolerate ambiguity in resolving ethical conflicts

· Apply strategies of ethical reasoning to arrive at principled decisions

The above mentioned behaviors will be practiced and measured in the class assignments and exam material.

Educational Objectives:

At the end of the course students should be able to:

· Students will be able to discuss the mission, values, and ethical standards of social work

· Students will be able to list and discuss various practice settings, client populations, and social worker roles

· Students will be able to discuss service delivery through the systems theory framework by identifying various factors that interact to impede upon the agency, actual work and client (culture, values, politics, economy, social welfare policy, agency policies, etc.)

· Students will be able to identify one’s own values, knowledge, ideas, and history that may interact with both a potential agency and client population

· Students will be able to identify violations of social work ethics within various practice settings

Course Expectations

General Rules of Conduct

Students are expected to display respect for others while in class and are considered in training for the professional field. Behaviors that distract from the subject being taught or are considered disruptive may result in the student being asked to leave the class with a possibility of a referral to the Dean of Students. Examples of disruptive behavior include: texting, talking to other students while the instructor is talking, inappropriate humor or language, passing around objects or pictures not related to the course, etc.

Grading Standards

Measure of Educational Objectives/Outcomes: Measuring instruments include three exams, one agency volunteer assignment/ and research report and one diversity interview assignment. Exams will be a combination of essay, short answer and multiple choice. An extra credit opportunity will be provided for students and may be applied toward an exam score.

Exam 1= 100 pts

Exam 2= 100 pts 360-400=A 320-359=B 280-319=C 240-270=D 239 or below=F

Exam 3= 100 pts

Volunteer Hours= 50 pts

Agency Report Paper =40 pts.

Diversity Project= 10 pts.

Final Exam12/12/2012 FINAL exam is scheduled for 10:30-12:30

Submission Format Policy

The diversity interview will be read in class.

The volunteer hours and paper may be turned in to the instructor in person or by email.

The agency paper and hours are due by noon on Monday October 3.

Note: You may not submit a paper for a grade in this class that already has been (or will be) submitted for a grade in another course, unless you obtain the explicit written permission of me and the other instructor involved in advance.

Late Paper Policy

Any assignment turned in after the due date or due date time will automatically receive a minimum of 5 points off the assignment’s final grade per day late. Illness will not be considered an excuse to turn in the report late without deduction of points.

Plagiarism Policy Plagiarism is the use of someone else's thoughts, words, ideas, or lines of argument in your own work without appropriate documentation (a parenthetical citation at the end and a listing in "Works Cited")-whether you use that material in a quote, paraphrase, or summary. It is a theft of intellectual property and will not be tolerated, whether intentional or not.

Student Honor Creed

As an MSU Student, I pledge not to lie, cheat, steal, or help anyone else do so."

As students at MSU, we recognize that any great society must be composed of empowered, responsible citizens. We also recognize universities play an important role in helping mold these responsible citizens. We believe students themselves play an important part in developing responsible citizenship by maintaining a community where integrity and honorable character are the norm, not the exception. Thus, We, the Students of Midwestern State University, resolve to uphold the honor of the University by affirming our commitment to complete academic honesty. We resolve not only to be honest but also to hold our peers accountable for complete honesty in all university matters. We consider it dishonest to ask for, give, or receive help in examinations or quizzes, to use any unauthorized material in examinations, or to present, as one's own, work or ideas which are not entirely one's own. We recognize that any instructor has the right to expect that all student work is honest, original work. We accept and acknowledge that responsibility for lying, cheating, stealing, plagiarism, and other forms of academic dishonesty fundamentally rests within each individual student. We expect of ourselves academic integrity, personal professionalism, and ethical character. We appreciate steps taken by University officials to protect the honor of the University against any who would disgrace the MSU student body by violating the spirit of this creed. Written and adopted by the 2002-2003 MSU Student Senate.

Students with Disabilities The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Disability Support Services in Room 168 of the Clark Student Center, 397-4140.

Safe Zones Statement The professor considers this classroom to be a place where you will be treated with respect as a human being - regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, political beliefs, age, or ability. Additionally, diversity of thought is appreciated and encouraged, provided you can agree to disagree. It is the professor's expectation that ALL students consider the classroom a safe environment.

Contacting your Instructor All instructors in the Department have voicemail in their offices and MWSU e-mail addresses. Make sure you add your instructor's phone number and e-mail address to both email and cell phone lists of contacts.

Attendance Requirements

Attendance Policy: Students who miss 4 or more classes (without a medical release) will forfeit 5 points from their final grade After 5 absences the student will be reported to the dean, and the instructor will request that the student be dropped from the class. Work is not an excused absence.

Other Policies

Tardiness: Entering the class late (defined as more than 3 minutes after the class is supposed to begin) is considered disruptive. Three or more recorded late entries will result in a forfeit of five points off the final grade. More than 3 recorded late entries will result in a referral to the Dean of Students.

General Rules of Conduct

Students with Disabilities: The instructor will follow the policies of M.W.S.U. regarding students with disabilities. Students requiring special accommodations should visit the D.S.S. office at the Clark Student Center and provide the course instructor with the appropriate letters and documentation regarding provisions from the D.D.S. office.

Writing Proficiency Requirement All students seeking a Bachelor's degree from Midwestern State University must satisfy a writing proficiency requirement once they've 1) passed English 1113 and English 1123 and 2) earned 60 hours. You may meet this requirement by passing either the Writing Proficiency Exam or English 2113. Please keep in mind that, once you've earned over 90 hours, you lose the opportunity to take the $25 exam and have no option but to enroll in the three-credit hour course. If you have any questions about the exam, visit the Writing Proficiency Office website at http://academics.mwsu.edu/wpr, or call 397-4131.