Class Descriptions

Women in Leadership

SW763

Credits:	1
Prerequisites:	None

Pathway Associations

Community Change
Global
Interpersonal Practice	Elective
Mgmt & Leadership	Elective (Host)
Policy & Political
Program Evaluation
Older Adults
Children & Families

Course Description

Evidence suggests that women face unique leadership challenges. Marginalization based on gender, family and work priorities, and societal expectations create a system that hinders the maximization of leadership potential. In addition, women bring diverse capabilities and hold unique characteristics in the work world today. Community benefit organizations must leverage this diversity of leadership to improve decision making, tap into diverse points of view, and inspire social change. This course will examine the social, structural and personal dynamics that differentially impact women and men as leaders. It will prepare all students to identify and harness the specific needs and capabilities of women. It will provide the knowledge and skills to succeed and contribute added value in their roles as leaders at any level.

Objectives

Upon completion of this course, students will:
● Understand unique strengths and barriers for women leaders, along with gaining an understanding of their personal values and ethics, and how this impacts their professional identity.
● Learn critical thinking skills and the use of engagement and intervention which are critical to career success.
● Create action plans to overcome systemic barriers and grow leadership skills.

Design

This course will use multiple methods including but not limited to lectures, demonstrations, readings, discussions, written assignments, individual and group exercises. The primary pedagogy will be experiential, involving problem solving, project planning, and hands on applications of real world situations arising in the field. The course will be graded satisfactory/unsatisfactory.

Intensive Focus on Privilege, Oppression, Diversity and Social Justice (PODS)

This course integrates PODS content and skills with a special emphasis on the identification of theories, practice and/or policies that promote social justice, illuminate injustices and are consistent with scientific and professional knowledge. Through the use of a variety of instructional methods, this course will support students developing a vision of social justice, learn to recognize and reduce mechanisms that support oppression and injustice, work toward social justice processes, apply intersectionality and intercultural frameworks and strengthen critical consciousness, self-knowledge and self-awareness to facilitate PODS learning.

Students will be able to assess similarities and differences between themselves and the people they work with utilizing leadership skills as well as set specific goals and objectives which incorporate these factors into their practice. Differences to be taken into account will include gender, race, ethnicity, social class, age and other forms of social stratification and disenfranchisement. Students will demonstrate competence in: a) assessing the causes and consequences of social and economic oppression of people represented in the group of people they are assigned to work with; b) analyzing, developing, implementing, and evaluating opportunities for growth and change to alter the situation(s); and c) building on the resources and strengths of socially and economically oppressed groups and working with them to strengthen their circumstances through utilization of leadership skill sets. Ethical standards of social work practice (as presented in the NASW Code of Ethics) will be used to address ethical issues commonly confronted by those practicing leadership in social work. The ethical standards of client confidentiality and appropriate roles, conduct and behavior of social workers and their colleagues, inter-professional/disciplinary collaboration, advocacy for oppressed individuals, and social justice will be particularly relevant to this course.