2024-2025 Academic Catalog

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKS DRAWN FROM THE BIOLOGICAL, SOCIAL, AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES FOR UNDERSTANDING ACROSS THE LIFE SPAN AND THE RANGE OF SOCIAL SYSTEMS IN WHICH PEOPLE LIVE, AND THE WAYS SOCIAL SYSTEMS PROMOTE OR DETER ACHIEVEMENT OF HEALTH AND WELL-BEING. EXPLORED IS THE IMPACT OF FACTORS INCLUDING ETHNICITY, RACE, CLASS, AGE, GENDER, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, DISABILITY, AND CULTURE ON HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND BEHAVIOR.

THIS COURSE FOCUSES ON ISSUES OF HUMAN DIVERSITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE. ELEMENTS OF MULTICULTURALISM, DISCRIMINATION AND OPPRESSION WILL ALSO BE EXPLORED. THIS COURSE IS DESIGNED TO ASSIST SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS TO BE KNOWLEDGEABLE OF SOCIETAL AND PERSONAL BIASES BASED ON RACE, ETHNICITY, CULTURE, RELIGION, AGE, SEX, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC STATUS, POLITICAL IDEOLOGY AND/OR DISABILITY. STUDENTS WILL LEARN AND GAIN UNDERSTANDING ABOUT DIVERSE POPULATIONS, FOCUSING ON THE DISCRIMINATION

PROVIDES STUDENTS WITH AN OVERVIEW OF SOCIAL WORK AS A PROFESSION, ITS HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT, AND KNOWLEDGE, VALUE, AND SKILLS FOR PRACTICE. INFORMED SENSITIVITY TO ALL ASPECTS OF HUMAN DIVERSITY IS EMPHASIZED AND THE ADVOCACY ROLE OF SOCIAL WORKERS WITH OPPRESSED AND DEVALUED POPULATIONS. HISTORY, DEVELOPMENT, AND PHILOSOPHY OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE INSTITUTION IN U.S. SOCIETY AND THE ROLE OF THE PROFESSION IS EXPLORED. Required Previous or Concurrent: SOWK-2521

FIELD EXPERIENCE IN A SOCIAL SERVICES AGENCY OR ORGANIZATION, INCLUDING THOSE SERVING OLDER ADULTS. EMPHASIS IS ON USE OF SELF IN THE HELPING PROCESS AND EXPLORATION OF SOCIAL WORK AS A CAREER.

THE COURSE BUILDS UPON AND REINFORCES THE FOUNDATION OF GENERALIST SOCIAL WORK KNOWLEDGE, VALUES, ETHICS, ATTITUDES, AND SKILLS INTRODUCED IN THE SOWK 2273 INTRODUCTIONS TO SOCIAL WORK COURSE. STUDENTS WILL LEARN ABOUT VARIOUS TYPES OF SOCIAL WORK WRITING INCLUDING APA, CASE NOTES AND PROCESS RECORDINGS, AND COURT AND AGENCY REPORTS. STUDENTS WILL ALSO STUDY THE CODE OF ETHICS OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS AND PRACTICE ETHICAL DECISION-MAKING. THE COURSE REINFORCES THE SKILLS NEC Required Previous or Concurrent: SOWK-2273

ONLY SOCIAL WORK MAJORS MAY BE ENROLLED IN THIS COURSE. THE FIRST COURSE IN THE SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE CURRICULUM SEQUENCE, EMPHASIZES THE PREPARATION OF STUDENTS FOR COMPETENT STRENGTHS-ORIENTED ACTION WITH INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, GROUPS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH USE OF PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VALUES AND SKILLS. A GENERALIST PRACTICE FRAMEWORK USING A PROBLEM SOLVING MODEL APPROACH IS THE CONTEXT FOR THE COURSE. STUDENTS ARE INTRODUCED TO RELEVANT THEORETICAL AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK Required Previous: SOWK-2273

THIS COURSE WILL HELP TO PREPARE INDIVIDUALS IN THE HUMAN SERVICES FIELD TO ASSUME THE ROLE OF LEADER WITHIN THEIR ORGANIZATION. CONTENT WILL PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE, VALUES AND SKILLS NEEDED TO LEAD WITHIN COMPLEX HUMAN SERVICES AGENCIES. STUDENTS WILL LEARN THE CHARACTERISTICS THAT DEFINE POSITIVE EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP AND UTILIZE A COMBINATION OF SELF-REFLECTION AND ASSESSMENT TO IDENTIFY AND REFINE THESE CHARACTERISTICS THAT THE STUDENT POSSESSES. STUDENTS WILL EXPLORE THEORIES, M

THIS COURSE PROVIDES STUDENTS WITH A BROAD OVERVIEW AND HISTORY OF THE CHILD WELFARE FIELD OF PRACTICE, THE PUBLIC CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM, AND THE ROLE OF SOCIAL WORKERS AS THEY WORK WITH VULNERABLE AND AT-RISK CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. FOCUS OF THE COURSE IS ON THE DYNAMICS OF CHILD ABUSE (SEXUAL AND PHYSICAL) AND CHILD NEGLECT, AS WELL AS PREVENTION AND APPROPRIATE INTERVENTIONS TO ADDRESS THEIR ELIMINATION. STUDENTS WILL ALSO GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE LAWS AND SOCIETAL MECHANISMS FOR CHILD PROT

THIS COURSE IS DESIGNED TO HELP THE STUDENT DEVELOP A PERCEPTION OF THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS NEEDED FOR WORKING WITH SPECIAL POPULATIONS GROUPS, SUCH AS ELDERLY, POOR, WOMEN, AND MINORITIES. THE COURSE WILL ADDRESS SUCH ISSUES AS SOCIAL WELFARE, SOCIAL SERVICES, SOCIAL AGENCY BUREAUCRACIES, SEXISM, AGEISM, AND CLASS DISCRIMINATION.

THIS COURSE PREPARES STUDENTS TO UNDERSTAND HOW POLICY AFFECTS SERVICE DELIVERY AND HOW TO ACTIVELY ENGAGE IN POLICY PRACTICE TO ADVANCE AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF SOCIAL SERVICES. CONTENT INCLUDES THE HISTORY AND CURRENT STRUCTURE OF POLICIES AND SERVICES, THE ROLE OF POLICY IN SERVICE DELIVERY, AND THE ROLE OF PRACTICE IN POLICY DEVELOPMENT. STUDENTS ANALYZE, PROPOSE, AND FORMULATE POLICIES THAT ADVANCE SOCIAL WELL-BEING. THE ADVANCEMENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE PROVIDES Required Previous: SOWK-2273

THIS COURSE INTRODUCES STUDENTS TO SYSTEMATIC APPROACHES TO SCIENTIFIC THINKING NECESSARY FOR KNOWLEDGE BUILDING AND EVALUATING ONE'S OWN PRACTICE AND PRACTICE THAT INFORMS RESEARCH. CRITICAL THINKING AND ANALYSIS SKILLS ARE EMPHASIZED WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF ETHICAL SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY AND PRACTICE. STUDENTS APPLY RESEARCH TO EVALUATION OF PRACTICE AND IMPROVEMENT OF PRACTICE, POLICY, AND SOCIAL SERVICES DELIVERY.

THE INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ACT (ICWA) WILL BE INTRODUCED TO STUDENTS WITH FOCUS ON UNDERSTANDING THE ACT, ITS HISTORICAL CONTEXT, AND APPLICATION IN TODAY'S SOCIAL WELFARE SYSTEM. DEVELOPMENT OF KNOWLEDGE AND APPRECIATION FOR NATIVE AMERICAN INDIAN CULTURE IN U.S. SOCIETY AND IN OKLAHOMA WILL ALSO BE A COURSE GOAL. THIS COURSE WILL ENCOURAGE STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN A CULTURALLY DIVERSE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.

THIS IS THE SECOND COURSE IN THE HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT CURRICULUM SEQUENCE THAT BUILDS ON COMPETENCIES FROM HURES 2083 AND KNOWLEDGE FROM LIBERAL ARTS. EMPHASIZED IS THE RANGE OF SOCIAL SYSTEMS IMPACTING ON SOCIAL FUNCTIONS AND WELL-BEING, AS WELL AS THE DIMENSIONS OF HUMAN DIVERSITY WHICH MAY OPPRESS, MARGINALIZE, AND ALIENATE PEOPLE IN THE ENVIRONMENT. CONTENT FOCUSES ON HOW SOCIAL WORKERS RESPOND TO EVOLVING ORGANIZATIONAL, COMMUNITY, AND SOCIETAL CONTEXTS AT ALL LEVELS OF PRA Required Previous: HURES-2083

ONLY SOCIAL WORK MAJORS MAY ENROLL IN THIS COURSE. THE SECOND COURSE IN THE SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE CURRICULUM SEQUENCE, WHICH PREPARES STUDENTS FOR GENERALIST PRACTICE WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE PROBLEM-SOLVING MODEL APPROACH. EMPHASIS IS ON PREPARING STUDENTS FOR COMPETENT STRENGTH-ORIENTED PRACTICE USING RELEVANT KNOWLEDGE, VALUES, SKILLS TO WORK WITH INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, GROUPS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND COMMUNITIES, WHICH ENCOMPASSES WORK WITH DIVERSE PERSONS, INCLUDING OLDER ADULTS. FOCUS IS ON THE

THIS COURSE TAKEN CONCURRENTLY WITH THE SOCIAL WORK INTERNSHIP, PROVIDES STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO REFLECT ON THE APPLICATION OF THE THEORETICAL AND CONCEPTUAL CONTRIBUTION OF THE CLASSROOM AND FIELD AS PREPARATION FOR GENERALIST PRACTICE. THE SEMINAR IS A FORUM FOR EXCHANGE OF IDEAS AND EXPERIENCES RELATIVE TO PRACTICE ISSUES, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, THE HELPING PROCESS, AND SOCIAL WORK VALUES AND ETHICS. THE SEMINAR IS FURTHER DEFINED BY EVALUATION FO STUDENT LEARNING AND COMPETENCY BUILDI Required Previous: SOWK-4941 or SOWK-4942 or SOWK-4943 or SOWK-4944 or SOWK-4945 or SOWK-4946 or SOWK-4947 and Departmental Approval

DIRECTED GROUP STUDY ON SPECIAL SUBJECT OR PROBLEM AREA.

DIRECTED GROUP STUDY ON SPECIAL SUBJECT OR PROBLEM AREA.

DIRECTED GROUP STUDY ON SPECIAL SUBJECT OR PROBLEM AREA.

DIRECTED GROUP STUDY ON SPECIAL SUBJECT OR PROBLEM AREA.

DIRECTED INDIVIDUAL STUDY ON SPECIAL SUBJECT OR PROJECT. OPEN ONLY TO SELECTED UNDERGRADUATES.

DIRECTED INDIVIDUAL STUDY ON SPECIAL SUBJECT OR PROBLEM. OPEN ONLY TO SELECTED UNDERGRADUATES.

DIRECTED INDIVIDUAL STUDY ON SPECIAL SUBJECT OR PROBLEM. OPEN ONLY TO SELECTED UNDERGRADUATES.

DIRECTED INDIVIDUAL STUDY ON SPECIAL SUBJECT OR PROBLEM. OPEN ONLY TO SELECTED UNDERGRADUATES.

THIS COURSE PREPARES STUDENTS TO UNDERSTAND HOW POLICY AFFECTS SERVICE DELIVERY AND HOW TO ACTIVELY ENGAGE IN POLICY PRACTICE TO ADVANCE AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF SOCIAL SERVICES. CONTENT INCLUDES THE HISTORY AND CURRENT STRUCTURE OF POLICIES AND SERVICES; THE ROLE OF POLICY IN SERVICE DELIVERY; AND THE ROLE OF PRACTICE IN POLICY DEVELOPMENT. STUDENTS ANALYZE, PROPOSE, AND FORMULATE POLICIES THAT ADVANCE SOCIAL WELL-BEING. THE ADVANCEMENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE PROVIDES Required Previous: SOWK-2273

THE SOCIAL WORK INTERNSHIP SOCIALIZES STUDENTS TO PERFORM IN THE ROLE OF PRACTITIONER. THE THEORETICAL AND CONCEPTUAL CONTRIBUTION OF THE CLASSROOM IS CONNECTED TOT HE PRACTICE SETTING, WHERE INTERNS DEMONSTRATE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE PROGRAMS' GENERALIST PRACTICE COMPETENCIES AND CORRESPONDING BEHAVIORS. THIS 448 HOUR INTERNSHIP IS SYSTEMATICALLY DESIGNED AND SUPERVISED THROUGH COORDINATION OF THE PROGRAM AND PRACTICE SETTING.

THE SOCIAL WORK INTERNSHIP SOCIALIZES STUDENTS TO PERFORM IN THE ROLE OF PRACTITIONER. THE THEORETICAL AND CONCEPTUAL CONTRIBUTION OF THE CLASSROOM IS CONNECTED TOT HE PRACTICE SETTING, WHERE INTERNS DEMONSTRATE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE PROGRAMS' GENERALIST PRACTICE COMPETENCIES AND CORRESPONDING BEHAVIORS. THIS 448 HOUR INTERNSHIP IS SYSTEMATICALLY DESIGNED AND SUPERVISED THROUGH COORDINATION OF THE PROGRAM AND PRACTICE SETTING.