5301. Practice with Individuals, Groups and Families

In-depth exploration of the skills of working with individuals, groups, and families. Social work practice with individuals, emphasizes the interdependence between assessment and intervention, the transactional nature of helping, and monitoring and evaluation of practice. Social work practice with groups, focuses on types of groups, leadership, forming and beginning the group, the role of mutual aid and use of program activities. Practice with families give emphasis to the family as a functional unit and the diversity of life style and structure and its capacity to respond to the needs of its members and changing environmental factors.

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5302. Advanced Practice with Individuals, Groups and Families: Theoretical Approaches

Overview of theoretical approaches to working with individuals, groups and families. Helps students to think critically about the use of theory in practice, evidence based practice, and ways of learning and knowing, including use of supervision. Introduction to psychodynamic, attachment, cognitive, and behavioral, as well as solution-focused approaches and motivational interviewing. The stages of group development, group dynamics and other content related to social work practice with groups. Theoretical frameworks such as systems, multisystemic and attachment on which family practice approaches are based.

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5303. Advanced Practice with Individuals, Groups and Families, Across Settings and Populations

Builds upon content in previous IGFP courses about practice with individuals, groups and families within the context of oppression and privilege, while integrating core concepts related to trauma, strengths, resilience, and empowerment. Primary focus on the differential knowledge and skills needed to work effectively in various fields of practice (e.g., health care, schools,and the criminal justice, child protection, substance abuse and mental health systems). Systems of care, interdisciplinary teams, and policies impacting social work within each field of practice, as well as common clinical approaches and other interventions with the populations served in these settings.

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5311. Group Processes

Helps students develop a conceptual frame of reference for understanding small group processes. Focus on establishing a theoretical and conceptual appreciation of how small groups function. Students will develop an increasingly wide range of conceptual tools to identify and assess group processes. Students will gain a better understanding of small group interaction as it impacts individuals, interpersonal relationships and interactions with others beyond the group. Experiential as well as didactic study methods will be used.

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5340. Skills Lab

Required of all students in the Advanced Standing Program in the Individuals, Groups and Families Concentration. Builds on knowledge gained and intervention skills developed from students' BSW course work and field work. Students will have an opportunity to identify, practice, and analyze a range of assessment intervention skills.

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5342. Clinical Conditions with Groups

Provides a theoretical base and group work practice skills for working with populations who have been diagnosed with a clinical condition(s). Focus on understanding how to use a strength-based, recovery oriented therapeutic group to foster the social and emotional growth that will promote optimal functioning and prevent relapse in persons with clinical conditions. Biological, behavioral, cognitive-behavioral and psychodynamic theories will be used to understand factors that contribute to clinical conditions and to develop the type of therapeutic group that responds to the social and emotional needs of the members of the group. Focus will be on diverse settings (inpatient, outpatient, prison, residential halfway houses) where clients with clinical conditions are served in open-ended and closed groups. DSM V will be used to develop diagnostic skills and understanding.

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5343. Clinical Conditions with Families

This course provides a theoretical and evidence-based perspective on engaging, involving and supporting families to meet the needs of family members with clinical conditions. Content will include assessment of and family-centered interventions for various types of clinical conditions and family interaction issues, using the DSM-5 and family-centered theories to understand family risks and resiliencies that affect clinical conditions in individuals. This course will emphasize strengths-based and family-centered approaches to ethical social work practice with families. Included in the content will be online and in-class discussions to assist students in developing knowledge of and respect for cultural differences and differences in family formations, such as single parent families, families across the life cycle, adoptive families, families affected by immigration/displacement, multi-generational families and LGBTQI+ families. This course will use lectures, online discussion, small group activities and case-based approaches to learning, using a wide range of family types as part of this learning strategy.

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5345. Clinical Conditions with Children and Adolescents

Practice course paying equal attention to the values, skills, and knowledge required for social work practice with children, adolescents, and their families. These youth have a range of bio-psychosocial problems related to mental disorders. Students will learn a range of assessment and intervention skills and will become familiar with current psychiatric classification systems, such as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). Students will demonstrate the ability to access the most recent empirical and practice knowledge, and to develop skills related to work in a variety of mental health settings. Mental disorders will be learned within the context of larger bio-psychosocial systems. Attention is paid to differences based upon such variables as age, gender, ethnicity, race, religion, sexual orientation, and physical ability.

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5346. Clinical Conditions with Adults and Older Adults

Practice course paying equal attention to the values, skills, and knowledge required for social work practice with adults and older adults who have a range of bio-psychosocial problems related to mental disorders. Students will learn a range of assessment and intervention skills and become familiarized with current psychiatric classification systems, such as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). Students will demonstrate the ability to access the most recent empirical and practice knowledge and to develop skills related to work in a variety of mental health settings. Mental disorders will be learned within the context of the larger bio-psychosocial system and attention is paid to differences based upon such variables as age, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, and physical ability.

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5353. Advanced Field Education III

Focuses primarily on the student's method concentration, emphasizing preparation for competent, advanced specialized practice. Students taking this course will be assigned a final grade of S (satisfactory) or U (unsatisfactory).

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5354. Advanced Field Education IV

Focuses primarily on the student's method concentration, emphasizing preparation for competent, advanced specialized practice. Students taking this course will be assigned a final grade of S (satisfactory) or U (unsatisfactory).

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5355. Field Block Placement for Individuals, Groups and Families

Field education in Individuals, Groups and Families for well-prepared students who have completed all course requirements except the second year of field education. Students taking this course will be assigned a final grade of S (satisfactory) or U (unsatisfactory).

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5365. Family Therapy: Theory and Practice

Provides knowledge of significant theories, theorists, practice skills and techniques for family therapy, as well as the growing professional self-awareness of the practitioner. Provides: a) opportunities to study the use of family practice with particular problem situations; b) critical analysis of changes in current theories, emerging theories and integration of theories; c) analysis of research in family practice; and d) an ongoing seminar for discussion of cases.

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