| Co-Chairs: Megan Meyer, PhD, and Steven Soifer, PhD
Social workers specializing in social action and community development help community organizations and agencies help themselves. They contribute to the grassroots approach by joining other disciplines to bring about social change and community development and providing services to reduce poverty and economic and social dependency. During this era of community fragmentation, social alienation, and economic degeneration of the poor and the middle class, the need for skilled professionals in social and community development has never been greater. The School of Social Work is one of the few schools of social work in the nation that offers a specialization in social action and community development. In addition to faculty expertise, a strong alumni and social network, and excellent resources for this specialization, the School is located in an area that provides a host of opportunities for policy analysis and advocacy. Only a short drive from the nation’s capital and social policy center, the School also provides ample opportunities for both rural and urban social and community development. The social action and community development specialization prepares graduates: to assist community organizations and agencies; to foster social change and community development; to facilitate a social environment; to provide services conducive to the social functioning of individuals, groups, and communities; and to administer social programs to this end. Coursework
During the Advanced Practice Year, students specializing in Social Action and Community Development design a 30-credit curriculum with the faculty, selecting Management and Community Organization courses, an advanced course in social policy analysis such as Legislative Process in Social Welfare (SOWK 710), Comparative Social Policy (SOWK 720), or Social Work and the Law (SOWK 704), a research course relevant to the specialization, and an appropriate elective. At the same time, students spend three days a week in an agency, community organization, advocacy group, or legislative office dedicated to the objectives of social action and community development. Field instruction opportunities are available in social planning federations, neighborhood and grassroots organizations, social advocacy organizations and legislative offices, as well as local, state, and federal agencies. Secondary Concentration Option in Social Action and Community Development
A MACO concentrator who wants to have clinical as a secondary concentration will fulfill the MACO concentration requirements and take SWCL 700 or SWCL 744 and another SWCL option course. Clinical is not offered as a primary concentration. RELATED LINK UMBs Global Health Multidisciplinary Research Committee top |
