Spring 2021 Undergraduate Electives: Explore topics in social justice, social welfare, and social work this Spring through the School of Social Work. Enroll through Course Search & Enroll
SOC WORK 664-001 Topics in contemporary social welfare: U.S. Service Members, Veterans and Military Families
ONLINE/3 Credits
This course will introduce students to military life and culture, stressors and sources of support for service members, veterans, and their families. We will focus in particular on the impacts of recent wars in Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom) and Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom) on individuals and families. Topics will include deployment-related separation, combat related stress, trauma, loss, and transitioning from service. We will examine the range of policies and programs to promote the health and wellbeing of service members, veterans, and their families. This class is recommended for those who hope to work with service members, veterans and military families.
SOC WORK 674-001 Topics in contemporary social welfare: Sex Trafficking & Social Work
ONLINE/3 Credits
In this course, we will examine the dynamics of sex and labor trafficking on a local and global level from various perspectives. This course will cover the extent and nature of the problem; including prevalence, experiences of survivors, types of trafficking and exploitation, methods of traffickers, the role of weak social institutions, cultural dynamics, and global power dynamics. International, federal, and state legislation, which is intended to prevent and respond to sex trafficking victimization, will be analyzed. The course will also examine social work practice, in relationship to identification, prevention, advocacy, outreach, programmatic design, and promising practices. The aim of this course is to provide students with a holistic understanding of sex trafficking drawing from interdisciplinary sources and presenting a variety of perspectives, and the relationship of such understandings to various aspects of practice. Emphasis will be placed on the effects of sex trafficking on survivors, and evidence-based interventions available to prevent and address those effects.
SOC WORK 636-001 Social Work in American Indian Communities: The Indian Child Welfare Act
ONLINE/3 Credits
The role of social workers and social services in American Indian and tribal communities, particularly compliance with the Indian Child Welfare Act. Historical context includes land removal and loss, the boarding school and adoption eras, and social determinants of health including the impacts of historical and intergenerational trauma.
SOC WORK 639-001 Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender (GLBT) Individuals and Social Welfare
ONLINE/3 Credits
Introduction to contemporary topics related to the social welfare of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) individuals. Issues addressed are related to development, health disparities, family, research, history, and ethics. Designed to enhance student understanding of issues related to GLBT individuals in America. A life cycle perspective will be presented to highlight the unique issues of LGBT people at various stages of human development. Overlapping sexual orientation, in addition to these generational considerations, are the many other aspects of diversity present in the LGBT community, including race, ethnicity, class, gender, physical and mental abilities, religion, and national origin. Exposure to empirical literature on LGBT issues that will inform their understanding of past, present, and future challenges facing the LGBT community in light of its many complexities.
SOC WORK 648-001 End-of-Life: Implications and Challenges for Practice
ONLINE/2 Credits
Focuses on social work practice with children, adolescents, adults and elders who have terminal illness, as well as their families.
SOC WORK 523-001 Family Violence
ONLINE/3 Credits
An overview of the risk factors and trauma effects of the major forms of family violence. Models of prevention and intervention will be described. Attitudes about family violence will be explored. Basic skills for detecting abuse and making referrals will be taught.
For more information, visit Guide Course Listing. Registration Questions? Contact Emmy Roper, eroper@wisc.edu
This post was authored by Academic Affairs on 12/10/2020.