| Credits: | 1 |
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| Prerequisites: | None |
| Course Description: | Photovoice is a process in which people typically those with limited power due to poverty, language barriers, race, class, ethnicity, gender, culture, or other circumstances use video or photo images to document their environment and experiences and share them with others. It uses visual methods to communicate lived experience and to create a basis for discussion and action. The images are often used, with captions composed by the photographers, to bring the realities of the photographers lives home to the public and policy makers and to spur change. However, PhotoVoice can also be a method used direct practice, evaluation, and management settings. This course will cover basic methods for using Photovoice methods with individuals, groups, and communities. The course will provide an overview of the method and its application in different contexts, both domestic and intergenerational, and how visual images can be a powerful form of communication. This section of the class will include a walk through the School of Social Work's collection of documentary photography. The ethical dimensions of this method will also be covered. The remainder of the class will teach methods for photovoice and engage students in their own photovoice project. We will end with an exhibit of photos from the course that will take place in our School of Social Work. |
| Pathway Elective For: | Community Change (Host), Program Evaluation and Applied Research |
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| Credits: | 1 |
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| Prerequisites: | None |
| Course Description: | This course teaches students about the role of social media in social change. Students will explore research that demonstrates the ways that social media has changed/is changing the social world. This will include an exploration of the harmful changes that can result from social media (such as mental health issues, and increases in extremism, polarization, and misinformation), as well as the anti-oppressive changes that are possible (such as increases in social connection and community, and the use of social media for activism). Throughout this course, students will also develop their own skills in effective digital presence and activism. Core competencies including critical thinking, social justice, and social equity are also examined and discussed. |
| Pathway Elective For: | Community Change (Host), Management & Leadership, Policy & Political Social Work |
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| Credits: | 1 |
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| Prerequisites: | None |
| Course Description: | This course is designed to increase students awareness, knowledge, and understanding of issues related to diversity and social justice, including race, ethnicity, class, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, ability status, and the intersections between these social identity groups. Additionally, students will gain an understanding of dialogue as a method for peacefully resolving conflict that may emerge due to cultural misunderstandings or oppressive dynamics, as well as skills for effectively engaging in dialogue. The topics of this course include social identity development; difference and dominance and the nature of social oppression; our personal and interpersonal connections to power, privilege, and oppression; understanding and resolving conflicts or resistance; the process of dialogue and coalition building across differences; and its applications in multicultural social work settings. |
| Pathway Elective For: | Community Change (Host), Interpersonal Practice in Integrated Health, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse |
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| Credits: | 1 |
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| Prerequisites: | None |
| Course Description: | Participatory facilitation is the process of increasing participation of diverse people within groups and community contexts. Emphasis will be placed on understanding theories of group work and group process. In this course, students will develop skills and techniques to strengthen participatory facilitation practices, including understanding intergroup dialogue, liberating structures, participatory planning activities, and alternative forms of facilitation including world cafes and online facilitation practices. Students will explore examples as well as practice skills. Special focus will be on the role of power, privilege, and social identities within a facilitation context. |
| Pathway Elective For: | Community Change (Host), Management & Leadership, Policy & Political Social Work, Program Evaluation and Applied Research |
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| Credits: | 1 |
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| Prerequisites: | None |
| Course Description: | This course is aimed to create the following impacts on student learning: increased knowledge of the history of community based art and design in the US; increased knowledge of methods for collaborative community based art and design; develop skills in collaboration with community groups in developing community based art and design projects; Knowledge and skills to evaluate the impact of community based art and design activity. Our class is organized around principles of andragogy (adult learning), empowerment, and collaboration. We will develop a co-learning environment that will include presentations, skill building activities and exercises, speakers, and different media. Experiential activities will be central to the structure and process of this course. |
| Pathway Elective For: | Community Change (Host) |
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| Credits: | 1 |
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| Prerequisites: | None |
| Course Description: | This course will describe the values/ethics, processes, outcomes and dissemination strategies used in participatory research (i.e. community-based participatory research, Photovoice, digital storytelling, participatory action research, participatory evaluation). Students will learn how to develop research steering committees (or other guiding and decision-making bodies made up of stakeholders), engage partners in assessing community strengths, priorities and issues, and use research and evaluation as a tool for action. The course will include how to work with interested community partners to develop key research questions to solve (or better understand) prioritized problems. It will also explore different participatory approaches to engage community in each step of the research and evaluation process. |
| Pathway Elective For: | Community Change (Host), Program Evaluation and Applied Research |
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| Credits: | 1 |
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| Prerequisites: | None |
| Course Description: | This course examines environmental justice organizing in a US and global context. Students will explore the disproportional impact of environmental racism and climate change on low-income communities of color in the US and globally. The course will examine both the history of environmental justice organizing as well as contemporary US and global efforts to organize for change. A particular focus will be on grassroots and coalition building as a strategies for environmental justice and climate change organizing. |
| Pathway Elective For: | Community Change (Host), Global Social Work Practice, Policy & Political Social Work |
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| Credits: | 3 |
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| Prerequisites: | None |
| Course Description: | This course will examine theories, social policies and services, social movements, activism and research concerning gender-based violence, and domestic violence (intimate partner violence) in particular. While focusing on domestic violence, the course will address other forms of gender-based violence through an ongoing analysis of interlocking systems of oppression, power and control. This course is an integrative seminar designed to help students strengthen their critical analysis skills and integrate their knowledge and skills at micro, mezzo, and macro levels. The course encourages the application of these knowledge skills to various levels of practice aimed at ending domestic violence and other forms of gender-based violence, especially social change activities through policy advocacy and community organizing. |
| Pathway Elective For: | Community Change (Host), Global Social Work Practice, Policy & Political Social Work |
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| Credits: | 1 |
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| Prerequisites: | None |
| Course Description: | This course will be a rotation elective course focused on special and contemporary topics in community change. It will be faculty-driven and focus on specific and important issues in community change, including specific issues impacting community change, contemporary organizing efforts, specific skills in community change, and/or specific issues, policy, population, or contexts for community change. |
| Pathway Elective For: | Community Change (Host) |
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| Credits: | 1 |
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| Prerequisites: | None |
| Course Description: | In this mini-course, students will learn a theoretical framework for social entrepreneurship and design thinking, as well as explore the individual skills and will necessary to respond to complex social needs both locally and globally. Students will be placed on teams throughout the course to engage in hands-on activities, case studies, competitions and a leadership project. The objective of this course is to inspire and begin equipping students to become innovative leaders in the social sector. Specifically, we will address how to understand yourself as a leader within the context of a community and how to lead with moral imagination (the ability to put yourself in the shoes of the people you are serving); understand how an entrepreneurial mindset and operational skills can create and support social change; and turn theory into action by designing and carrying out a team leadership project. |
| Pathway Elective For: | Management & Leadership (Host), Program Evaluation and Applied Research |
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| Credits: | 1 |
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| Prerequisites: | None |
| Course Description: | This course will present the fundamental knowledge and skills needed to develop and manage the budget of a nonprofit social service organization and its programs. Students will learn to use techniques necessary to: 1) Plan, develop, display, revise, monitor, and evaluate a program budget; 2) Evaluate past financial performance (e.g. financial statements); 3) Monitor and evaluate the cost-efficiency and cost-effectiveness of a nonprofit program and a nonprofit organization. |
| Pathway Elective For: | Management & Leadership (Host), Policy & Political Social Work, Program Evaluation and Applied Research |
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| Credits: | 1 |
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| Prerequisites: | None |
| Course Description: | This course is designed to familiarize students with common types of supervision found in social work practice. The course will present fundamental knowledge and skills needed to effectively engage in supervisory relationships, both as a supervisor and as a supervisee. Students will learn strategies for effective supervision, learn to handle conflict in the workplace, and develop skills needed to support and assess performance of employees. |
| Credits: | 1 |
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| Prerequisites: | None |
| 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. |
| Pathway Elective For: | Interpersonal Practice in Integrated Health, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse, Management & Leadership (Host) |
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| Credits: | 3 |
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| Prerequisites: | None |
| Course Description: | The seminar examines health disparities and inequities as reflected in: higher incidence or prevalence of disease (e.g., earlier onset or more aggressive progression), premature or excessive mortality from specific conditions, higher global burden of disease (e.g., disability adjusted life years), poorer health behaviors and clinical outcomes, and worse outcomes on validated self-reported measures (e.g., daily functioning or conditions-specific symptoms). The seminar aims to develop a rigorous critical analysis of health disparities and inequities and the potentials and limitations of different approaches to addressing them (e.g., behavioral strategies, community change, and policy interventions). Weekly seminar activities focus on discussion, critique and analysis (theory, content and methods) of readings and media on racial and ethnic health disparities/inequities. Readings and media include a variety of disciplinary and professional frameworks and perspectives (e.g., epidemiology, sociology, urban planning). |
| Pathway Elective For: | Interpersonal Practice in Integrated Health, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse (Host) |
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| Credits: | 3 |
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| Prerequisites: | None |
| Course Description: | Everyone has a sexuality, and so social workers need to be prepared to support clients and communities across a variety of sexual identities, experiences, and behaviors. This course integrates a basic introduction into the spectrum of human sexuality along with foundational pieces supporting the theory and practice of social work. By viewing many facets of sexuality from a social work perspective, students will be prepared to assume serve individuals, groups, and communities regarding various issues connected to human sexuality. We will focus definitions surrounding sexuality, the ethics of sexuality and social work, ways to integrate sexuality information into different types of social work practice, and conversations on how complex feelings around controversial topics may impact both practitioners and their clients. Much of this class will include a more in-depth view on communities often marginalized around sexuality, including LGBTQIA+ individuals, older adults, people with disabilities/impairments, youth, people of color, those who have experiences sexual abuse, those who participate in kink/BDSM practices, and those who chose to be consensually non-monogamous. No previous sexuality education experience required, but an open mind and willingness to engage in the grey areas outside of binaries is strongly encouraged. |
| Pathway Elective For: | Interpersonal Practice in Integrated Health, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse (Host) |
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| Credits: | 3 |
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| Prerequisites: | None |
| Course Description: | This course presents advanced topics in Management & Leadership. The topics may include emerging practice issues and advanced application of specific methods. |
| Credits: | 1 |
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| Prerequisites: | None |
| Course Description: | Students will learn about comprehensive assessment and evidence based interventions with pre-school children (ages 3-5). This course aims to increase developmentally relevant and effective practice with preschool children and their families. A particular lens will be assessment and intervention in the context of school, however, assessment and intervention strategies within other settings will also be discussed. Special attention will be paid to the needs of preschool children most likely to be under-served by, or expelled from, preschool (e.g. children with behavior problems, children of color, children impacted by trauma, and children with developmental delays.) |
| Pathway Elective For: | Interpersonal Practice in Integrated Health, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse, Welfare of Children & Families (Host) |
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| Credits: | 1 |
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| Prerequisites: | None |
| Course Description: | This is an advanced methods mini-course focused on forensic interviewing of children. The mini-course is particularly relevant to interviewing children alleged to have been sexually abused, but also relevant to gathering information from children about a spectrum of traumatic maltreatment experiences. This mini-course will provide a critical review of the research evidence that is relied upon in forensic interviewing of children, and will provide information about best practice. The course takes child-centered, social justice, and culturally responsive approaches that is inclusive of the child’s needs, developmental stage, and level of cognitive – emotional functioning, throughout the forensic interview process. Documenting the child’s disclosure about the specifics of the allegations will also be discussed. |
| Pathway Elective For: | Welfare of Children & Families (Host) |
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| Credits: | 1 |
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| Prerequisites: | None |
| Course Description: | This course focuses on a specific parenting issue - the use of discipline and punishment in child-rearing. This course examines research on the effectiveness of wide range of parental disciplinary approaches, and introduce numerous evidence-based parenting interventions, and their recommendations and approaches to child discipline. The course content will be embedded within a child development framework that considers the child’s age and development stage, in conjunction with family and community-level factors. We will discuss how cultural norms and beliefs may influence parents’ discipline choices and how social workers can best dialogue with parents help them achieve their parenting aims. This one credit course addresses micro- and macro- social work issues. |
| Pathway Elective For: | Welfare of Children & Families (Host) |
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| Credits: | 1 |
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| Prerequisites: | None |
| Course Description: | This minicourse focuses on trends and issues of contemporary philanthropy and their approaches to evaluation to inform allocation models. The ways in which both philanthropic entities and their grantees evaluate the efficiency, effectiveness, and impact of the programming will be explored. |
| Pathway Elective For: | Management & Leadership, Program Evaluation and Applied Research (Host) |
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| Credits: | 1 |
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| Prerequisites: | None |
| Course Description: | This course provides an experiential opportunity for students to explore an array of animal assisted therapeutic activities specifically designed to further a wide range of therapeutic goals with children, adolescents, families and adult clients. Like play therapy and art therapy, animal assisted interventions, when integrated with evidence-based methods including (but not limited to) CBT and mindfulness, trauma recovery, family systems, cultural-relational and psychodynamic approaches, offer opportunities for people to work through a variety of issues and insecurities related to attachment, trauma, self-esteem and identity concerns, dysregulation, behavioral difficulties, mental illness, developmental disabilities, and family and relational problems. With selected animals as therapy partners, the therapeutic team helps people of all ages and positions foster new alliances, understand more fully existing problems and build practical life-skills to enhance confidence, effectiveness and joy. Presently, animal assisted therapy is gaining acclaim in the field of mental health intervention and there is a growing body of evidence supporting its efficacy to be explored. This course specifically teaches the theoretical foundations, standards, ethics, evidence, certifications, integration of methods, case examples, evaluation and practical skills involved in partnering with a variety of animals – dogs, cats, goats, pigs, horses and chickens (yes, chickens!)- to provide engaging and effective interventions. |
| Pathway Elective For: | Interpersonal Practice in Integrated Health, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse, Welfare of Children & Families (Host) |
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| Credits: | 1 |
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| Prerequisites: | None |
| Course Description: | This course was designed to increase the knowledge base and competency level of social workers who plan to work with (or are interested in) military service members, veterans, and their families. This will be accomplished by introducing students to basic military background and structure, the common problem-areas experienced by this community, and the diverse subgroups that exist within this unique population. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to demonstrate improved cultural competency in the areas of the military, veteran and family populations. Students will also be able to identify specific evidence-based interventions for engaging this population in a community-based or clinical setting. The practice area of this course will be identified as Interpersonal Practice and Mental Health. |
| Pathway Elective For: | Interpersonal Practice in Integrated Health, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse (Host) |
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| Credits: | 3 |
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| Prerequisites: | None |
| Course Description: | This course presents advanced topics in Program Evaluation and Applied Research. The topics may include emerging practice issues and advanced application of specific methods. |
| Credits: | 1 |
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| Prerequisites: | None |
| Course Description: | The Language Translation and Interpretation is a one-credit mini-course that aims to prepare students to identify, address, and evaluate the language translation and interpretation needs of individuals, families, and communities whose native language is not English. The course will focus on strategies and evidence-based practices for engaging with individuals, families, and communities with or without the aid of an interpreter. Examples of topic issues include gender, class, race/ethnicity, and how these factors influence translation and interpretation in social work practice. The course is recommended for both monolingual and multilingual students working with populations in the U.S.A. and/or other countries. |
| Pathway Elective For: | Community Change, Global Social Work Practice (Host), Interpersonal Practice in Integrated Health, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse |
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| Credits: | 1 |
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| Prerequisites: | None |
| Course Description: | The Understanding and Organizing Against Inhumane Immigration Policy mini-course focuses on the impact of immigration-related public policy on individual, families, and communities. In this course, we will identify and address sweeping national controversies around immigration and significant questions about social justice and racial discrimination. This course will focus on the problems undocumented immigrants face and the public policy strategies of enforcement, particularly at the border and in the interior of the country. Along with discussion of the policies and practices of enforcement, we will explore local enforcement consequences to individuals, families, and local communities. Discussions will include global, national, state, and local components. Students in this course will acquire the skills to critically analyze and address this aspect of immigration policy, its controversies, and strategies for organizing for change within local communities. |
| Pathway Elective For: | Community Change, Global Social Work Practice (Host), Policy & Political Social Work |
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University of Michigan
School of Social Work
1080 South University Avenue
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1106