MSW Course Descriptions
SCWK 6000 PATHWAY
(non-credit required repeatable course)
This course provides an opportunity for students to engage in individualized scholarly work to pursue a specific, concentrated or expert area of practice, scholarly interest or career path. Each student will be matched with an academic mentor early in the first semester they are registered for 6000. The mentor assists the student to bring forth evidence of scholarly work that reflects the student’s learning and evidences critical thinking, in-depth knowledge and comprehension of their subject, and integration into their practice as future leaders. Students are required to submit an individualized learning contract, which will outline: particular areas of interest, research, or study concentration; proposed goals, objectives, outcomes, and time frame; proposed list of readings; plan of study demonstrating how work in the various courses might be integrated or connected to their area of interest; and expectations for the mentor. Students are required to submit a written progress report each semester in which they are registered in 6000, beginning the first semester in which they are registered in 6000. Students are also required to submit a written final report summarizing their experiences and accomplishments in the semester prior to registering for 6417 or submitting their thesis. This course is the foundation for SCWK 6417- PATHWAY Scholarship for course route students; and for the thesis for thesis route students. The MSW PATHWAY Manual is available on line at the School’s website.
SCWK 6012 Critical Thinking and Reflection
This course will introduce students to conflicting and converging epistemologies that inform practice. It will enable students to critically evaluate the relevance of theories for practice and systemic inquiry, and to select those ideas which promise to be fruitful for further professional development and social change. It explores what makes theory meaningful for individual practitioners in work with particular diverse populations, and provides students with foundation for creative social work practice and leadership for social justice.
SCWK 6013 Leadership for Social Justice
This course will explore leadership for social justice in direct practice and supervision, examining social responsibility as it relates to professional supervision and leadership. It will address frameworks for critical thinking about leadership and supervision in the pursuit of social justice. It will explore the relevance of reflexivity, strategies for promoting social justice and preventing injustice, within the supervisory relationship and within the broader organizational context.
SCWK 6014 Leadership In Social Policy and Programs
This course focuses on frameworks to develop, analyze and evaluate social policies and programs. The course prepares students to demonstrate the knowledge and skills expected within the context of professional judgements, and competent professional action in evaluating social policies and social programs. The conceptual base is interdisciplinary with particular attention to the research skills in the evaluation of policies and programs consistent within the social work traditions in community, private, and governmental and not for profit sectors.
SCWK 6313 Perspectives With Individuals and Families
(Institute Component)
This course focuses on a range of selected theories, concepts, and methods that may be applied in advanced social work practice with individuals and families. The main focus will be on mid- phase clinical practices to enable sustained personal and social change in individuals, families, and their social contexts. Students will enhance their clinical skills with individuals and families to improve personal and social functioning and to promote social justice and reduce oppression, and to learn to apply systemic case study methods in advanced clinical practice. Students also will pursue individualized teaching-learning goals with respect to both field practice and social work method.
SCWK 6314 Perspectives With Diverse Communities
(Institute Component)
This course is designed to provide students with a critical understanding and appreciation for community social work practice. Fundamental to this understanding is community social work practice with Aboriginal and diverse populations and communities in terms of micro and macro community intervention skill application, capacity-building, leadership, participatory action and social action research methodologies, anti-oppressive practice, and ecological and social justice perspectives. The course explores the many dimensions of community social work within a framework of inquiry that encompasses understanding communities and neighbourhoods; relevant ideological foundations, theories, and concepts; practice principles; tensions and dilemmas in practice; integration of individual and community work; contemporary challenges; power; politics and conflict in communities; and community social work as it relates to urban, rural, remote, northern, and Aboriginal communities.
SCWK 6315 Perspectives with Groups
(Institute Component)
This course focuses on a range of selected theories, concepts, and practices that may be applied in advanced social work practice with groups and teams. The main focus will be informed development of group programs and advanced practices in the interest of personal and social change and meeting community needs, including groups in clinical and interprofessional practice. Students will enhance their clinical skills with groups to enable personal and social change and to promote social justice and reduce oppression, as well as to learn to take leadership in interprofessional teamwork, and to apply group methods in applied research. Also students will be encouraged to pursue individualized teaching and learning goals with respect to content expertise that will enable them to assume group-team leadership responsibilities.
SCWK 6413 Research Theory, Design, and Analysis
This course provides an understanding of research, particularly as it applies to social work practice. It addresses the conceptual issues associated with both quantitative and qualitative research. The first half of the course covers issues related to research design, specifically the philosophy of science, modes of observation, ethics of social work research, the process of conceptualizing a research question, issues around measurements, methods of sampling, and consideration of alternative methods and procedures for data collection. The second half of the course focuses on the methods and procedures for data analysis including: a conceptual orientation to methods of statistical analysis and the interpretation of these analyses, and an orientation to the methods used in the analysis and reporting of quantitative data.
SCWK 6417 PATHWAY Scholarship
This is the final course completed by course route students in the MSW Program. Each student is required to complete a minimum of 120 hours of scholarly activities including research, reading, and writing. These scholarly activities build on PATHWAY - SCWK 6000 and require the student to continue to work with their mentor and, in some situations, depending on the topic, with another faculty or community-based advisor. The student produces a scholarly product reflective of the student’s learning while in the MSW Program and provides evidence of critical thinking, creativity, analytical capabilities, contextualization, reflective analysis, in-depth knowledge and comprehension of their subject, and integration into their future practice as leaders. This evidence will be demonstrated through a comprehensive paper, research proposal with preparation for human subjects review, comprehensive literature review, training manual, data collection and/or analysis, research report, scholarly production for professional development, and/or other types of scholarly work. At the end of the course, once all other components of the MSW program have been completed, students will make a formal presentation of their scholarly work to colleagues and peers.
SCWK 6917 Field Internship
Field education is an integral part of the MSW curriculum and constitutes advanced preparation for a wide range of innovative professional social work activities ranging from social action/justice to community development/capacity-building to clinical practice - all working with communities, groups, organizations, families, and/or individuals. MSW course work and field instruction constitute different approaches to the same educational objective of preparing the student for advanced, specialized, and /or leadership social work roles.
Each MSW student is required to complete a Field Internship in a Field Setting with a Field Instructor approved by the School of Social Work. The MSW Field Education Coordinator is responsible for facilitating appropriate matches between the Student, Field Instructor(s), and Field Setting. Although consideration will be given to all factors affecting the location and type of MSW Field Internship, final approval of a Field Internship rests with the Field Education Coordinator. The School cannot guarantee the availability of MSW field internships in all communities and at all times.
The 500 hour MSW Field Internship may take place on a full-time basis over one semester or on a part-time basis over two consecutive semesters. Students must register for 6917 in the semester in which they will complete their field internship. Planning for the MSW Field Internship must begin at least one semester prior to the commencement of the Field Internship.