Social Work Methods With Individuals and Families

Student Learning Outcomes, Goals, Objectives:

Students successfully completing this course will be able to:

• Compare personal values and ethics with those of the social work profession, and use the NASW Code of Ethics and a model of ethical decision making to guide professional practice.
• Engage with individuals and families of diverse backgrounds using effective interpersonal skills, the empowerment strengths-based model, and the person-in-environment perspective.
• Conduct a multidimensional assessment — including level of functioning, needs, strengths, and safety — and develop mutually agreed-upon goals with individuals and families.
• Select, research, and implement intervention approaches (including case management, motivational interviewing, and crisis intervention) with client systems, providing a research-informed rationale.
• Apply knowledge of social policy to critically assess the impact of policy and policy change on individuals and families.
• Design a plan to evaluate practice outcomes and use reflection and supervision to guide professional judgment and growth.

Course Grading Information:

Activity/Performance Measure	Percentage/Points
Attendance/In-Class Participation	15%
Weekly Open-Book Quizzes	15%
Assessment #1 – Podcast + Transcript: Ethical & Reflective Social Work Practice	20%
Assessment #2 – Psychosocial Assessment/Social History	15%
Assessment #3 – Narrated Slide Deck: Engage, Assess, & Intervention Goals	15%
Assessment #4 – Case Conference Presentation	20%

Grading scale (used in all BSW classes): A = 95% - 100%; A- = 90% - 94%; B+ = 87% - 89%; B = 83% - 86%; B- = 80% - 82%; C+ = 77% - 79%; C = 73% - 76%; C- = 70% - 72%; D+ = 67% - 69%; D = 63% - 66%; D- = 60% - 62%; F = 59% and below.

Grading Scale

Percentage	Letter Grade
95% - 100%	A
90% - 94%	A-
87% - 89%	B+
83% - 86%	B
80% - 82%	B-
77% - 79%	C+
73% - 76%	C
70% - 72%	C-
67% - 69%	D+
63% - 66%	D
60% - 62%	D-
59% and below	F

Attendance/Participation:

Attendance and in-class participation count for 15% of the final grade. This skills-practice course follows the BSW Program Attendance Policy for classes that meet once a week: students are allowed two excused absences for any reason; a third absence results in a 5-point deduction from the final grade and/or administrative withdrawal from the course, and each additional absence results in a 10-point deduction (equivalent to a letter-grade decrease) and/or administrative withdrawal.

Late work is subject to an automatic 10% reduction plus 10% for each additional 24 hours unless an extension is granted in advance.

Course Materials Purchased by the Students:

Miley, K. K., O’Melia, M., & DuBois, B. (2022). Generalist social work practice: An empowering approach (9th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon (Pearson).