Sustainability Courses

This course explores feminist and critical race theoretical perspectives for understanding crime and punishment. The course offers comparisons of offender populations, policies and punishments across race, class, and gender. Topics include racial profiling, disparities and discrimination in the criminal justice system, female offenders, and male violence against women. Cross-listed with CRJS 4050.

Read more about SOCL-4410 : Gender, Race and Crime

Historical development of the social welfare practices and institutions. Theoretical bases underlying the structure and function of social welfare systems and services. Philosophy and methods used by professional social workers in meeting human need.

Read more about SOCW-1510 : Introduction to Social Work

This course focuses on social justice issues in the United States, providing a theoretical and empirical knowledge base related to oppression, privilege, social justice, and liberation. The course will help students critically examine their social identities, embedded in race, gender, sexual orientation, age, class, ability status, religion, and national origin, and to understand how social structures and institutions enact oppression upon different social identity groups.

Read more about SOCW-2010 : Social Justice

The theoretical perspectives for studying human behavior. The importance of organizations, communities, society and global influence in understanding human behavior in the social environment.

Read more about SOCW-3010 : Human Behavior in the Social Environment

Psychological, physiological and social approaches to human development across the life span. Examines the effects of culture, social systems and institutions on individual development from an ecological perspective.

Read more about SOCW-3020 : Human Development and Social Work

Overview of the etiology of juvenile violence and delinquency from a developmental, ecological, and risk and protective factors conceptual framework. Discussion of contemporary issues including youth violence and its prevention and control in American society. Examining research leading to the best practices for working with youth. Cross-listed with CRJS 3030.

Read more about SOCW-3030 : Juvenile Justice

This course will assist students to understand contemporary social welfare policies in the United States. The course will focus on the dominant cultural values and the social, economic, and political forces affecting the establishment and maintenance of laws, public policies, and social welfare programs. It will also provide an examination of the histories of social welfare policy and the social work profession.

Read more about SOCW-3040 : U.S. Social Welfare Policy

This course will focus on developing students' skills for pursuing social justice. Students will study principles of allyship, activism, organizing, and policy advocacy, and then assume the role of change agent as they conceptualize and engage in social change and activism. Students will develop the concrete skills for intervening in oppression both at the interpersonal level and at the community levels.

Read more about SOCW-3050 : Activism and Advocacy

Investigation of the social construction of race and ethnicity in comparative perspective, including the political and socio-historical factors affecting individual and group identities. Special attention paid to the economic and social-psychological dimensions of racism and domination. Cross-listed with SOCL 3320.

Read more about SOCW-3170 : Race and Ethnicity

Methods of scientific investigation with application to the social welfare field. Values and ethics for social work research. Stages of the research process including design, data collection, qualitative and quantitative methods. Accepted social work majors only (post candidacy).

Read more about SOCW-4020 : Social Work Research Methods