Centre for International Relations Social Work BA Study Abroad Course List - 2017/2018 Faculty of Humanities, Institute of Social Work Department of Community and Social Studies Tuition-fee/credit: 100 USD/credit Full list of Study Abroad courses in Bachelor in Social Work Course title Semester Credits (ECTS) Reflective Communication Skills Development Fall 4 Welfare and Social Economy Fall 4 Social Policy as System Fall 3 Sociological Studies in Social Work Fall 3 Introduction into Empiric Social Work Research Fall 3 Individual and Social Dimensions of Health I. (Social Fall Insurance Systems) 4 Specialized Psychological Areas for Social Workers I. Fall Crisis theories and the practice of crisis intervention 2 Drugs and Societies Fall 4 Intensive field training (subject to previous negotiations Fall between the parties concerning the given field) 30 Social Work with Communities Spring 5 Social Work with Families Spring 5 Individual and Social Dimensions of Health II. (Mental Spring Health) 3 Detailed information about the courses on the following pages:
Course title: Social Work with Communities, student presentations, group discussions Assessment: case study & presentation (40%) written examination (60%) Credits (ECTS): 5 Semester: Spring Course description: The course is designed to introduce students in theories and methods of social work with communities. By completing the course, students understand the role communities have in promoting social welfare, social inclusion and citizen participation; and in enhancing personal wellbeing through enablement and empowerment. Students interpret groups and communities from a holistic and systemic approach, relying on the principles of social network theories. Students reflect on the symbolic structure (values, traditions etc.) of communities; and understand the importance of community work in challenging barriers, inequalities and injustices that exist in societies. By adopting a strength-based perspective, they understand the relevance of mutual aid orientation and volunteering. Upon completion of the course, students should be able to - integrate and apply relevant theories to their own professional practice - develop cultural competence, understand as sensitivity to, and increasing knowledge about, cultural and ethnic diversity - connect clients with the existing community services; assess environmental resources and contribute to the development of these resources and services - empower and enable communities, identify problems and facilitate the development of their strengths - work in multidisciplinary and inter-professional teams - work to become a critically self-reflective, responsible, resilient and autonomous practitioner through practical training sessions and prepare for lifelong learning
Course title: Reflective communication skills development Form/method of teaching: seminar Assessment: term mark (home assignments and involvement in group discussions) Credits (ECTS): 4 Course description: The course provides an overview of the major theories concerning clienthelper interaction, with a special focus on empowering communication and strength-based perspective. The aim of the course is the development of students mentalization skills via specific training elements. Students gain experiences in reflective-dialogic communication and mentalization; and on its significance in effective problem-solving. The course contributes to the development of knowledge of self and self-reflection skills in order to avoid the traps of compulsive help in their own future professional career. Course title: Welfare and Social Economy Assessment: exam (70%) home assignments and involvement in group discussions Credits (ECTS): 4 Course description: The course introduces students into main concepts, processes and activities related to local economy and social economy. Social workers possible roles are analyzed from a developmental perspective, utilizing the perspectives of public policies, sociology, social policy and other relevant areas. Students are expected to interpret social and economical processes from an integrated perspective; to explore interrelations of the field and adopt a practice-oriented, research-focussed perspective in addition to knowledge on theoretical aspects.
Main themes include: - sustainability and development - economic growth versus economic development - welfare economy, local economy and social economy - NGO-based community collaboration and local partnership development concepts - community-based self-organized community enterprise - community processes of economic development - theoretical issues and participants in community economic development - forms and methods in community economic organization with special regard to social economy - national and international good practices Assessment: exam Credits (ECTS): 5 Semester: Spring Course description: Course title: Social Work with Families This course focuses on theories and skills for generalist social work practice with families. Utilizing a systemic perspective, emphasis is placed on social, cultural and environmental influences on the functioning of families. A strengths-based problem-solving model is used to prepare students to learn to effectively assess family systems and provide intervention within the context of family environments commonly encountered by social work practitioners. An emphasis is placed on implementing case-management based social work with vulnerable families which confront issues related to social injustice, poverty, discrimination, and physical and emotional challenges. Main themes include identifying phases of the helping process, assessment of family dynamics, working out a treatment plan, early intervention, termination, evaluation, and follow up; resilience and capacity building in the lives of families.
Upon completion of the course, students using a social work case-management framework will be able to - Assess client strengths and limitations, including personal strengths and family support systems - Initiate actions to achieve goals. - Demonstrate interviewing and assessment skills including empathic responding, paraphrasing, summarizing, focusing, use of open-ended and circular questions, recognizing and responding to nonverbal communication - Critically analyze models of assessment, prevention, intervention, and evaluation in the context of practice with families. - Distinguish, appraise, and integrate multiple sources of related theories - Apply appropriate evidence-based social work intervention strategies without discrimination related to clients age, class, color, culture, disability, ethnicity, family structure, gender, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, and sexual orientation - Empower families at risk and promote social and economic justice and the alleviation of poverty. Course title: Social Policy as System Assessment: team discussions based on home assignments (40%) written examination (60%) Credits (ECTS): 3 Course description: The course interprets social policy as a complex system in a specific local and temporal context a system responding on the social needs and problems of service users. The course introduces models of social responsibility of the state and reflects on issues of welfare pluralism; and elaborates on the levels and elements of social policy systems.
Students get acquainted with public policies, institutions and methods, and are expected to familiarize themselves with policy goals; and with the range of provisions of some European countries. Upon completion of the course, student competencies develop in knowing and interpreting fields of societal policy, main models of welfare states, (re)distributive mechanisms, and the different principles and methods applied knowing and interpreting social inequalities, recognizing methods of social policy which are effective in reducing inequalities and social exclusion knowing and interpreting the welfare system (including public and private, especially the civil, church-related, and market-oriented actors), understanding the functioning of social service organizations, and of roles of social professionals in these systems. understanding the interconnectedness of the essential factors of the social policy field on the one hand, and of social problems, models, and methods characterizing the practice on the other hand ability to articulate societal and social problems, to indentify endangering factors and analyze processes of problem solving in a critical-reflective manner responsiveness and openness to social problems, commitment to social solidarity; commitment to social equality, democratic values, rule of law, and the community of values in the European Union. Course title: Sociological Studies in Social Work Assessment: home assignments (40%) written examination (60%) Credits (ECTS): 3
Course description: The course focuses on sociological aspects of deviance. In addition to relevant theories of the field, students are familiarized with mechanisms, processes and prevalence of deviant behavior. Societal components of alcohol and substance use problems, mental health problems, crime and suicide are discussed. Upon completion of the course, students should be able to understand - sociological differences between normality and deviance; - the social and political construction of deviant behavior; - relevant sociological theories that explain the creation and emergence of deviant phenomena. - the societal context of social work - Students should be competent in analyzing problems of deviance from a systemic-holistic perspective. Form/method of teaching: seminar Course title: Introduction into Empiric Social Research Assessment: home assignments (20%), individual and group tasks (20%) exam (60%) Credits (ECTS): 3 Semester: Spring Course description: The course is an introduction to the methodology of empirical social research. It familiarizes the students with different types of research design, data collection and analysis. Key issues of the course are the following: - Scientific thinking vs. commonsense argumentation - The complexity of the research process; - Research questions/hypotheses; - Collecting data; sampling issues - Conceptualization and operationalization
- Survey research in Social Work - Qualitative research methods in Social Work - Interpreting social research. Upon completion of the course, students should be able to - think critically about important issues in social research methodology; - determine the theoretical or logical rationale of the research problem; - understand how to conduct social research; - evaluate the appropriateness of the research methodology for the planned study; - identify solutions to methodological problems. Course title: Individual and Social Dimensions of Health I. (Social Insurance Systems) Assessment: exam Credits (ECTS): 4 Course description: The course is designed to introduce students into the health insurance system with an overview of major European models reflecting on the societal dimensions of health and health industry. The course provides students with an eligible framework for the critical analysis of health related social dilemmas, e.g., the question of social/community and individual responsibility for improving one s health. Problems of financing and organizing health services are discussed.
Upon completion of the course students should be able to - identify and analyze social aspects of health-related needs, problems and risks by adopting a multidisciplinary approach - contribute to shaping special policies by critically evaluating existing practice; and by comparing international models and best practices to help spread evidence-based and ethical innovations to decrease inequalities Course title: Individual and Social Dimensions of Health II. (Mental Health) /seminar Assessment: exam Credits (ECTS): 3 Semester: Spring Course description: Mental health is interpreted as a progressive area connecting personal and societal issues. Key professional concepts as resilience, sense of coherence and health learning are addressed; and major mental health contexts as school, workplace and social service settings are analyzed. Upon completion of the course, students are enabled to - critically reflect on present-day solutions to improve one s mental health - help build resilient institutional contexts and empower clients to control their own lifecourse health development - working as a multidisciplinary team member, plan and implement general, targeted and indicated mental health prevention programs - facilitate communication and collaboration among the different service providers (state, NGO, for-profit) as key actors in health development.
Course title: Specialized Psychological Areas for Social Workers I. Crisis theories and the practice of crisis intervention /seminar Assessment: exam Credits (ECTS): 2 Course description: The course provides an introduction to the major theories of the psychology of crisis states and gives a basic guide to the practice of crisis intervention. The aim of this course to prepare social worker students to identify crisis states and intervene according to their own level of competence. Upon completion of the course, students should be able to demonstrate knowledge on major theories of developmental and accidental psychosocial crises; and understand the societal determinants of these theories recognize crises states and understand these from a systemic perspective connect crises states to the life course of the individual define stages of crisis understand and practice crisis intervention within their own professional boundaries recognize the boundaries of own professional competence in her own practice and be capable of multi-professional collaboration. determine endangering factors and analyze processes of problems solving in a criticalreflective manner be committed to the ethical principles of the profession be prepared for and skilled in professional self-reflection reframe potentially destructive situations and apply principles of strength-based approaches in social work
Course title: Specialization: Drugs and Societies Assessment: exam Credits (ECTS): 4 Addictions studies are interpreted as a multidisciplinary field. The course gives a theoretical overview on the onset and processes of substance use disorder and the related treatment approaches. Various types of addiction and methods of addiction social work are discussed, considering the multidisciplinary nature of addictology with its medical, psychological, philosophical, criminological, legal, political, sociological and artistic aspects. The course familiarizes the students with the problems of different types of substance use and addiction and special policies of the field. Themes include: interrelations between substance use and social disadvantages assessment and risks and the protection of children fundamental concepts of addiction social work; addictions and modernity; the history of addiction studies systemic approach of alcohol and drug use; types of addictive behavior, their aetiology and risk factors. drug and alcohol policy Intensive field training: in a number of fields (where some English-speaking clients seek assistance) we might be able to provide supervised field training for international students; but specific needs, requirements and the differences in organizational cultures should be negotiated first between the sender and receiving parties.