This course will provide knowledge, ethics, values, and skills involved in organizational leadership in human service agencies. The focus is on the theoretical perspectives, organizational functions and structures, leadership styles, techniques and skills, and ethical and value-driven leadership needed by those who seek to specialize in human services agency administration.

This course studies the life cycle of the individual from in utero through old age and death from a Biopsychosocial perspective via multiple theoretical frameworks. Individual growth and development is studied in the context of culture, race, ethnicity, social class, gender, families and other social system. Attention is also given to the impact of trauma, loss, and environmental stressors on the individual and the family.

This course focuses on deepening the student's knowledge of human behavior. Maladaptive patterns of adult
psychological functioning are examined.

This course explores diversity in a global environment characterized by color, ethnicity, culture, national origin, class, gender, age, religion, physical or mental ability, gender identity and sexuality.  Students will effectively analyze and assess the cultural and institutional context of social justice issues.

Theory for social work practice is studied, using an integrated social systems and biopsychosocial model. The student is introduced to the profession through its history, its conceptual development and through an examination of the values, knowledge and skills which characterize it. The course content focuses on the worker/client relationship and development of assessment, intervention and evaluation skills.

An in-depth examination of social work practice goals and processes provides an arena in which the student can integrate foundation knowledge from other courses including information on conditions in the contemporary social environment, human development, social policy, and research methods. Special attention is paid to helping students understand the uses and misuses of concepts about psychopathology in symptom classification systems such as the DSM-V. Providing primarily advanced content, this course provides the student with a basis from which to choose Practice electives and to utilize their content as they proceed through the curriculum.

This course develops advanced methods involved in completion of bio-psycho-social-spiritual assessments, social work practice plans, and therapeutic processes. It includes application of a number of practice methods, including crisis intervention, planned short-term practice, long-term individual psychotherapy and family therapy. These models are utilized in the delivery of concrete and direct services in the context of both public and private settings. The use of the social worker/client relationship is examined with focus on the use of self, self-disclosures and boundaries.

This course presents theoretical approaches to social work with small groups, with particular emphasis on the dynamics of small group process and appropriate worker intervention.

The social work profession depends on knowledge-generating activities using quantitative and qualitative
methodologies. In recognition of these needs, this sequence is designed to enable students to prepare for
three roles: 1) a competent evaluator of one's own practice and programs; 2) a responsible and critical
consumer of social work research; and 3) an active participant in knowledge-generating inquiries.

This course examines social welfare problems, the system of social welfare, and its interrelationships with direct practice and the delivery of services. Particular emphasis is placed on the examination of different political and economic conceptions, as well as the ways in which they shape social programs and social work practice.

This is a community organization theory and practice course for both the macro and micro levels. Basic models of community organization theory and practice are highlighted, including locality development, social planning, and social action as well as major policy issues that relate to communities.  The historical base of community organization in America and the role of social work in the community are explored

Health-care systems are examined in the context of social policy and healthcare needs. The effects of different levels of healthcare interventions, changing roles and responsibilities of government, the voluntary sector and the proprietary sector are assessed in relation to access and utilization of health care

This seminar builds on the student's knowledge of short-term treatment, expanding this knowledge and skill toward understanding, and the practice of brief treatment as a modality of social work intervention. It examines the essential components of brief treatment: selection of clients, goals, focus, treatment approaches and techniques. Differences and common elements of three approaches to brief treatment (task-centered, crisis intervention, brief psychotherapy) are explored and related to social work practices with individual clients. Special consideration is given to the dynamics of the first interview with clients. Emphasis is placed on integrating theory with practice skill through the use of current clinical material from the student's fieldwork course.

Building on the basic course in social work with small groups (SOWK 505), this course focuses on developing deeper understanding and skill in the area of group therapy. It includes examination of process of "live" group therapy, using the class group as well as the student's field experience for learning purposes.

This course builds on foundation content of SOWK 506. The course develops the students' integration of research and practice. The basic thrust of the course is twofold: (1) to provide students with an initial or continuing experience of designing social work practice; and (2) to involve students in implementing their research studies related to their chosen focus and interests in their advanced year.

This course provides students with frameworks for understanding the interrelationships between developments in health policy, mental health policy, delivery systems, and social work practice. Aspects of the health and mental health care delivery systems and financing are identified, including their effects on mental health care access and utilization. Special attention is directed to identifying the needs of underserved and high-risk populations as well as racial and ethnic minorities. Possibilities for reform in health care are considered.

The course also deals with the organizational context of social work practice in health care. Practice issues associated with organizational structure, patient-centered care, team and interdisciplinary relations, as well as collaboration and conflict, are considered. Ethical dilemmas and the significance of values will also be discussed in the course.

The purpose of this course is to familiarize students with the field of family assessment and intervention. It provides a base of selected theoretical concepts and practice techniques which may be utilized to assess family functioning, organize therapeutic systems and facilitate processes of family development and positive change.

This course emphasizes knowledge of critical dimensions of adolescent ego development (normal and pathogenic) and draws primarily from analytic ego psychological theory. The changes in therapeutic relationships with adolescents are explored, focusing on stages in the treatment process, modes of expression, and clinicians' differential judgments regarding technique and communication.

This course focuses on the content and process of psychodynamically-based psychotherapy with adults. Course content includes areas of diagnostic evaluation, the phasic treatment process, the therapeutic alliance, transference and counter-transference, frameworks for understanding communications and therapeutic techniques.

This course focuses on identifying and applying treatment strategies relevant to practice with women. Issues in diagnosis include: high prevalence disorders in women, developmental and role issues, and female identity issues. Relationship issues are identified based on understanding sexism and stereotyping in society and social work as a "female profession."

This course is designed to help students attain a mastery of the central concepts in direct social work treatment of children. The course begins with an overview of the major mental disorders from which children suffer, and then covers interviewing skills and formulating diagnosis and treatment plans with children.

This advanced-level course is associated with counseling clients affected by Substance Use Disorders (SUD).  The core Functions and skills examined include: screening, intake, orientation, assessment, treatment planning, counseling (individual, family and group), case management, crisis intervention, client education, referral, reports and recordkeeping, consultation with other professionals and intervention.

This course offers students the chance to learn about leading-edge social work approaches providing humane care for severely mentally ill clients, especially those clients with concomitant substance abuse, developmental disabilities, and severe socioeconomic disadvantage. Working with the client's environment, collaboration with other systems, advocacy and program development are considered.

The course considers practice with an aging clientele. It focuses on understanding the developmental process of aging, and examining social work practice issues. Students will develop diagnostic and treatment skills for work with the elderly population. Service delivery, individual, family and small group treatment approaches are also examined.

This is a specialized course designed to provide students with an in depth and critical understanding of the ethical principles and practices within the helping professions. A variety of perspectives (historical, political, etc.) and theories/philosophies (moral authority, paternalism, liberalism, etc.) are utilized to assist students in understanding the complexity of ethics, ethical decision-making, ethical action, and ethical advocacy. The class is structured around five components to understanding and applying ethical knowledge

This class examines crises, emergencies and stressful phenomena. The definitions and implications of crisis and emergency are explored. A model of crisis intervention is presented, with a variety of case examples, along with an understanding of the importance of not conducting crisis intervention when a client is not in crisis.

This course prepares students for leadership and development practice in staff management and development in social service organizations. The terms "staff management and development" and "supervision" are used interchangeably. Content focuses on providing knowledge, values, ethics, and skills in guiding the work and development of others within social/human service organizations.

This class builds on ecological systems perspective, viewing program development as an arena for social change. Although rational planning is emphasized, the course considers how values, needs and resources influence program design. A contingency framework is used to teach about the choices, decisions and situations for planning or adapting programs.

Psychodynamic theory and cognitive-behavioral interventions are two theoretical frameworks and methods of intervention that have consistently been found to have therapeutic value, albeit with different symptoms and/or presenting problems. This course focuses on bridging these two frameworks with an ongoing focus on the impact on the client of when and how to change techniques.

This course examines the role that grant-making foundations and individuals have played in supporting activities designed to reform and enhance public policies, and the significance of that work on local communities. Patterns of giving, policy intervention strategies, and structural issues, as well as programmatic opportunities.

This foundation-level course will inform students about the prevalence of Substance Use Disorders (SUD) and how they are implicated in the broad spectrum of social work practice.  Students will review the history, epidemiology and pharmacology of alcohol and other common drugs of abuse.

This course considers the social policy and social welfare concerns associated with contemporary migration. This exploration is grounded in a focus on the economic causes and consequences of migration; public policy regarding migration, the rights of immigrants; and the roles of governmental and nongovernmental local, national and international organizations.

The content of the course will be the identification and application of clinical social work assessment and intervention of the major migrant groups, to prepare students to provide advanced clinical services to individuals and families who are currently living in the U.S. The course will build a knowledge base necessary to effectively work with immigrant and refugee populations, in general, and with immigrants who have suffered violence and trauma in particular.

This course offers an exploration into some of the social justice concerns associated with contemporary migration and addresses distinct theories. The conditions that fuel migration issues and marginalize many migrants once in the U.S., raise a number of social, economic, and cultural challenges, and a myriad of ethical dilemmas.

The course focuses on specialized practice with older adults. It considers the interrelationships of religion, spirituality, faith/belief, and aging. This course includes a critical analysis of how spirituality is addressed and is intended to help students understand how religion and spirituality may be used as a primary coping resource and conversely how some older people have been adversely affected by religious views.

This course is designed to prepare students to take the various state exams associated with jobs in child
welfare. In Illinois all DCFS case carrying workers must be licensed whether working for DCFS or other
agencies. The course content will cover all the material designed by the state as necessary to perform at a
beginning level in child welfare work.