Program Overview
By completing a sequence of three social work courses, students learn about the development of welfare and social service programs. They will acquire skills in interviewing, case management, and group dynamics; and gain work experience in a social service agency.
Minor Offered
- Minor in Social Work
Contact
Victor Thompson, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Sociology and Criminology
School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Fine Arts
609-895-5463
vthompson@rider.edu
Program website: Social Work
Associated Department: Sociology and Criminology
Related Programs
Social Work Minor Requirements
(18 credits)
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
SOW 200 | Social Services & Social Work | 3 |
SOW 300 | Methods Social Work Practice | 3 |
SOW 301 | Field Work Experience | 3 |
Select one course from each of the following two groups: | ||
Group I | 3 | |
Families | ||
Social Service Organizations | ||
Social Policy | ||
Group II ` | 3 | |
Child Development 1 | ||
Youth and Adolescent Development | ||
One additional course in an area of concentration relevant to social work 2 | 3 | |
Total Credits | 18 |
- 1
PSY 100 is a prerequisite for all Psychology courses.
- 2
Examples of such areas are: Aging, Human Service Organizations, Psychological Counseling, and Criminal Justice. This course is chosen in consultation with an advisor.
Courses and Descriptions
SOW 200 Social Services & Social Work 3 Credits
An overview of the historical development of social work. Emphasis on current issues in social welfare and social service programs in the United States. Among the programs explored are those in public welfare, mental health, medical services, child abuse/neglect, school social work, and care for the elderly.
SOW 300 Methods Social Work Practice 3 Credits
Interviewing techniques are taught and practiced. Skills in forming and running small groups, working with community organizations, and administering social programs are emphasized. Students study how to gather pertinent psycho-social facts about clients, make an assessment, plan an intervention, and successfully complete service to the client. Students who next will take SOW 301 Field Work Experience will be placed in a social service agency by the end of the semester.
Prerequisite(s): SOW 200.
SOW 301 Field Work Experience 3 Credits
Students observe and work in a social service agency. They study the structure of the agency and the people and roles within it, and develop helping skills with clients. Approximately six to eight hours of field work a week for each three credits are required, plus class sessions during the semester.
Prerequisite(s): SOW 200, SOW 300. May be taken twice in two separate semesters for a maximum of six credits toward the total credits required for graduation.
SOC 205 Families 3 Credits
Examines families in the United States, past and present, emphasizing the variety of family experiences in different social contexts and the relationship between family life and social change. Includes comparative material on families in other countries and considers possible alternatives to current family forms.
Prerequisite(s): SOC 101.
SOC 248 Social Service Organizations 3 Credits
Examines the growth and variety of social service organizations. The training of providers, such as teachers and physicians, and relationships between professionals and clients in settings such as schools and hospitals are studied as well as organizational decision-making, finances, and community relations.
Prerequisite(s): SOC 101.
SOC 350 Social Policy 3 Credits
Investigates the relationship between economic development and social policy in comparative and historical context. The main features of preindustrial, early industrial, and advanced industrial social welfare systems are described. Social, economic and political factors that shape social policy are investigated.
Prerequisite(s): SOC 101.
PSY 230 Child Development 3 Credits
Presents theory and research on the social, emotional and cognitive development of children birth to age 12.