Program Evaluation and Applied Research

This course will provide content on the logic of inquiry and the necessity for an empirical approach to social work practice. The process of formulating appropriate research questions, research design, sampling, methods of data collection, procedures to assess and improve the validity and reliability of data and measures, and the ethics of scientific inquiry will be addressed. As consumers of research, students will learn to locate, assess and critique research studies so as to draw appropriate inference, particularly as it affects diverse populations. In addition, this course will provide students with an introduction to evaluation practice as a method of assessing social work practice, strengthening clients, communities, and service systems. Students will have an opportunity to plan an evaluation project, collect, analyze, report and interpret results. This course will help students understand social work practice through the critical examination of methods and approaches associated with decision-making, critical thinking, and ethical judgment.