SOW 200Z • Introduction to Social Work 4 Credits

Overview of social work mission, core values, history, and fields of practice. Understanding dimensions of diversity, cultures, and structures that may oppress and marginalize people groups. Significant cross-cultural, community-based service learning in which students communicate and collaborate with diverse individuals. Consideration of social work as career choice.
Prerequisites: Sophomore standing and Major in social work or Minor in social welfare studies or Consent of instructor. Offered: Fall, Spring.

SOW 240 • Socioeconomic & Justice Issues in Market Economies 3 Credits

Equips students with knowledge and skills for understanding and critically evaluating how market economies operate, their broad socioeconomic consequences, and their impact on the lives of socially disadvantaged people.
Offered: Spring.

SOW 250 • Social Welfare History 3 Credits

Examines the historical movements of social welfare responses to the poor and oppressed from the colonial period to the present, emphasizing economic, demographic, cultural, and political forces. Historical documents representing significant turning points in society are presented to gain appreciation of the linkage among past, present, and future reforms.
Prerequisites: Major in social work or Minor in social welfare studies or Consent of instructor. Offered: Spring.

SOW 304 • Social Work Practice I 3 Credits

Generalist social work theory and practice with organizations and communities. Application of human behavior in the social environment. Research-based knowledge emphasized. Assignments in community settings focus on engagement and assessment; dimensions of diversity; interaction of social systems; and strategies to promote human and civil rights.
Prerequisites: SOW 200Z; Major in social work; Candidacy status in the social work program. Corequisites: Concurrent enrollment in SOW 313 and SOW 330. Offered: Fall.

SOW 305 • Social Policy Practice 4 Credits

Interrelationship of social problems, social welfare policies, and service delivery from historical, economic, political, and program perspectives. Social systems content applied to social policy analysis. Students develop, analyze, advocate, and provide leadership for policy and service delivery that promote economic and social justice through community-based projects.
Prerequisites: SOW 200Z and [SOW 304; SOW 313; SOW 330; Major in social work; Admission to the social work program] or [Minor in social welfare studies (those students minoring in social welfare studies must obtain consent of instructor)]. Offered: Spring.

SOW 307Z • Intentional Urban Living I 2 Credits

Intensive urban learning opportunity involving exploration and analysis of urban community, urban neighborhood social and political structures, and theological issues that arise in an urban context. Involves living in an urban neighborhood in Minneapolis or St. Paul and substantial interaction in the neighborhood.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor. Offered: Fall.

SOW 308Z • Intentional Urban Living II 2 Credits

Intensive urban learning opportunity involving exploration and analysis of urban community, urban neighborhood social and political structures, and theological issues that arise in an urban context. Involves living in an urban neighborhood in Minneapolis or St. Paul and substantial interaction in the neighborhood. Involves an individualized research project and/or action project focused on a change initiative.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor. Offered: Spring.

SOW 313 • Social Work Practice II 3 Credits

Generalist social work theory and practice with individuals and families. Beginning professional development, critical thinking, effective communication, Human Behavior and the Social Environment (HBSE), ethical and evidenced-based practice. Simulated case assignments develop knowledge and skills of social work practice: engagement, assessment, planning, intervention, evaluation, and termination.
Prerequisites: SOW 200Z; Major in social work; Candidacy status in the social work program. Corequisites: Concurrent enrollment in SOW 304 and SOW 330. Offered: Fall.

SOW 326 • Restorative Justice 3 Credits

Examines and analyzes the philosophy and principles of restorative justice, including its historical and theological roots by comparing and contrasting retributive and restorative paradigms. Applications of restorative justice examined from the perspective of victim-offender dialogue and the use of restorative justice principles in offender reintegration.
Prerequisites: SOC324. Offered: Spring, odd # years. Special Note: carries cross-credit with sociology.

SOW 327G • Social Perspective, Human Worth, and Social Action 3 Credits

Examines historical and current societal conditions and their impact on individuals and communities. Culture, power, oppression, exclusion, and the impact of diverse realities in the U.S. are explored. Comparative examination by synthesizing contemporary writings, social theory, and diverse voices. Experiential learning and dialogue promote understanding, justice-seeking strategies, and social action.
Prerequisites: [GES 130; GES 160; Contemporary Western Life and Thought (L) course; World Cultures (U) course] or [GES 244; World Cultures (U) course]. Offered: Spring.

SOW 330 • Experience in Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Social Work Practice I 2 Credits

Integration of anti-racism, anti-oppressive, and justice-informed theories and practice in social work experience. Understanding of how one's own cultural identity impacts engagement and assessment with individuals, groups, families, organizations, and communities. Application of interpersonal skills within a multi-service community-based agency setting. Students will participate in 75 hours of community-based learning.
Prerequisites: SOW 200Z; Major in social work; Candidacy status in the social work program; Consent of instructor. Corequisites: Concurrent enrollment in SOW 304 and SOW 313. Offered: Fall.

SOW 331 • Experience in Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Social Work Practice II 2 Credits

Continuation of SOW 330, seeking development of advanced skills and integration of anti-racism, anti-oppressive and justice-informed theories and practice to social work experience. Understanding of how one's own cultural identity impacts engagement and assessment with individuals, groups, families, organizations, and communities. Application of interpersonal skills within a multi-service community-based agency setting. Students will participate in 75 hours of community-based learning.
Prerequisites: SOW 304; SOW 313; SOW 330; Major in social work; Admission to the social work program; Consent of instructor. Offered: Spring.

SOW 405 • Social Work Practice III 4 Credits

Generalist social work theory applied to integrated practice within client systems. Emphasis is on families and groups and on the planned change process. Student development of a group work project and case study review promote application of critical thinking, research-informed practice and culture competence.
Prerequisites: SOW 200Z; SOW 304; SOW 313; SOW 330; SOW 331; Admission to the social work program. Corequisites: Concurrent enrollment in SOW 432. Offered: Fall.

SOW 431 • Conversations about End of Life 1 Credit

Development of advance care planning (ACP) facilitation skills in the context of faith, cultural, healthcare system, and societal perspectives. A First Steps ACP Facilitator Certificate is available for students who successfully complete ACP Facilitator requirements.
Prerequisites: Senior standing in nursing or social work, or Consent of instructor. Offered: Fall or Spring. Special Notes: Carries cross-credit in nursing.

SOW 432 • Social Work Field Instruction I 3 Credits

Field practicum in which students perform the role of a professional social worker under supervision of a qualified field instructor. Weekly on-campus field seminar supports integration of theory with social work practice. Minimum of 135 hours in the field. A structured learning contract applies social work knowledge, values, and skills.
Prerequisites: Admission to the social work program; Admission to the social work Field Program; Consent of instructor. Corequisites: Concurrent enrollment in SOW 405. Offered: Fall.

SOW 433 • Social Work Field Instruction II 3 Credits

A continuation of SOW 432. Time involvement must total a minimum of 135 hours in the field. Satisfactory progress must be made toward competence in professional social work practice.
Prerequisites: SOW 432; Admission to the social work program; Admission to the social work Field Program; Consent of instructor. Corequisites: Concurrent enrollment in SOW 434 and SOW 499. Offered: Spring.

SOW 434 • Social Work Field Instruction III 3 Credits

A continuation of SOW 433. Time involvement must total a minimum of 135 hours in the field. Satisfactory progress in SOW 432/433/434 on field assignments, learning contract, and 400 hours of supervised practice indicate student’s readiness to perform the role of a generalist social work practitioner.
Prerequisites: SOW 432 and Admission to the social work program. Corequisites: Concurrent enrollment in SOW 433 and SOW 499 is required. Offered: Spring.

SOW 451 • Methods of Applied Social Research 4 Credits

Social research methods, including an emphasis on becoming proficient and critical consumers of research-based data, for the purposes of knowledge advancement, informed practice, and program and practice effectiveness evaluation.
Prerequisites: SOW 200Z; Mathematics (M) course (PSY 230M recommended); Major in social work; Candidacy status in social work program or Minor in social welfare studies (those students minoring in social welfare studies must obtain consent of instructor). Offered: Fall.

SOW 499 • Senior Integrative Seminar 3 Credits

Integration of generalist social work knowledge, values, and skills through ethics-based case studies and completion of practice/program evaluation research applied to field practicum setting. Critical thinking, leadership, and scholarship emphasized.
Prerequisites: SOW 405; SOW 432; Admission to the social work program. Corequisites: Concurrent enrollment in SOW 433 and SOW 434 is required. Offered: Spring.