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ADVANCED CURRICULUM BY SPECIALIZATION/FIELD OF PRACTICE

Aging  |  EAP   |  Families & Children  |  Health  |  Mental Health

Social Action & Community Development  |  Substance Abuse

Master's Thesis  |  Course Offerings

Students should be aware that some required courses in certain specializations may be available for only one semester during an academic year.

AGING SPECIALIZATION
The Aging Specialization prepares students for work with older persons and provides student with the requisite knowledge base for the field. The specialization is available to students in both the Clinical and MACO concentrations. The specialization prepares graduates to assist organizations and agencies in their efforts to help older persons function at the highest level possible in both community and residential settings.

The Aging Specialization provides a basic knowledge of the field of aging, including knowledge of programs and policies directed toward older persons as well as an ability to analyze and evaluate these programs. The specialization also provides a theoretical base that includes interdisciplinary content crucial to working in the field of aging, background in past and current research in the field and the opportunity to develop skills specific for working effectively with older clients and in programs and organizations targeted toward older persons and their needs.

Clinical Students

* this course fulfills the multi-cultural requirement.

Management and Community Organization Students

* this course fulfills the multi-cultural requirement.

Secondary Concentration Option in Aging
A Clinical Concentrator wishing to have MACO as a secondary concentration would fulfill the clinical concentration requirements by taking SWOA 703 or SWOA 704 and another SWOA option course. A MACO concentrator wishing to have clinical as a secondary concentration would take the MACO concentration requirements and SWCL 700 or SWCL 744 and SWCL 724.

EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM SPECIALIZATION (EAP)
The Employee Assistance Program Specialization is responsible for training students in providing a healthy and safe workplace for employees. This is accomplished by their participation in the development of policies, counseling of employees and their family members, and education of managers and union officials.

The purpose of the EAP is achieved by students concentrating in either the clinical concentration or the MACO concentration to work in the world of work. This particular program has a specific emphasis on employee assistance and managed behavioral health care. Other occupational areas such as child/eldercare, career counseling, and organizational development are also addressed.

Clinical Students

* one of these must met the multi-cultural content requirement if not fulfilled elsewhere.

Management and Community Organization Students

* one of these must met the multi-cultural content requirement if not fulfilled elsewhere.

Secondary Concentration Option in Employee Assistance Program Specialization
A Clinical Concentrator wishing to have MACO as a secondary concentration would fulfill the clinical concentration requirements and take either SWOA 703 or SWOA 704.  A MACO concentrator wishing to have clinical as a secondary concentration would take the MACO concentration requirements as well as either SWCL 700 or SWCL 744.

FAMILIES AND CHILDREN SPECIALIZATION
Work with families and children is a well-established field of social work practice, one with strong historical ties to the profession. The Families and Children Specialization prepares students for clinical and management and community organization practice with families and children in a wide range of professional settings. Such settings include child protection and child placement, home-based services to families at risk, children's group and residential care, School social work, child guidance, child and family service agencies, parent education, juvenile and family courts, family violence programs, child and family advocacy and policy development organizations. The specialization is open to students from both the Clinical and the MACO concentrations.

The Families and Children Specialization provides a firm grounding in work with target populations in a variety of settings. Knowledge of family and children's programs and policies, with particular emphasis on child welfare issues, is provided through the advanced policy option. Advanced field placement and research options build student knowledge and skills in dealing with family and children's problems in specific practice and research roles. Practice methods options allow students to tailor the curriculum to their individual interests within the families and children field. The required specialization courses will provide critically important exposure to issues of separation, loss and reattachment; maltreatment of children; assessment of family strengths and needs; and other child welfare issues that affect the population, regardless of the setting in which they are seen.

Clinical Students

* this course fulfills the multi-cultural content requirement
** one of these must fulfill the multi-cultural content requirement if not fulfilled elsewhere.

Management and Community Organization Students

* this course fulfills the multi-cultural content requirement
** one of these must fulfill the multi-cultural content requirement if not fulfilled elsewhere.

Secondary Concentration Option in Families and Children Specialization
A Clinical concentrator wishing to have MACO as a secondary concentration would fulfill the Clinical concentration requirements and take SWOA 703 or SWOA 704 and take another SWOA option course. A MACO concentrator wishing to have Clinical as a secondary concentration would take the MACO concentration requirements and SWCL 700 or SWCL 744 as well as SWCL 727.

HEALTH SPECIALIZATION
The Health Specialization seeks to prepare students for active roles in improving the health of the people of Maryland through the conception, development, preparation for delivery and evaluation of health policies and social services in the health care field. It prepares students to work in direct practice (clinical, management and community organization) in organizations and agencies whose goal is to improve the health of the population (clients, patients, organizations, communities or societies).

The Health Specialization provides a broad understanding of the health care field, including knowledge of health care programs and policies as well as ability to analyze and evaluate them, a sound theoretical base in the application of social work values and principles to health care, an understanding of health care research and an opportunity to develop social work practice in the health care context.

The Health Specialization prepares graduates to work in health care organizations (e.g., hospitals, public health settings, hospices and health planning and advocacy organizations) and to work directly with patients and families who are experiencing acute, chronic and terminal diseases.

Graduates will be well qualified to work in one of the largest fields of social work practice-one where employment opportunities in recent years have been excellent.

Clinical Students

* this course fulfills the multi-cultural content requirement

Management and Community Organization Students

* this course fulfills the multi-cultural content requirement

Note: CHILD, ADOLESCENT & FAMILY HEALTH (CAFH) SUBSPECIALIZATION WITHIN THE HEALTH SPECIALIZATION: CAFH Subspecialization requires completion of the Health specialization requirements (SOWK 713, SOWK 765, SWCL 712). SWCL 714, Social Work Practice in Maternal and Child Health, is taken  and SOWK 789, Social Work Research in Maternal and Child Health, is taken as the research course.

Secondary Concentration Option in Health Specialization
A Clinical concentrator wishing to have MACO as a secondary concentration would fulfill the Clinical concentration requirements by taking SWOA 703 or SWOA 704 and another SWOA option course while taking SWCL 712 instead of SOWK 765. A MACO concentrator wishing to have Clinical as a secondary concentration would take the MACO concentration requirements and take SWCL 700 or SWCL 744 and SWCL 712.

CHILD, ADOLESCENT AND FAMILY HEALTH SUB-SPECIALIZATION
Child, Adolescent and Family Health Subspecialization within a field of practice.

Child, Adolescent and Family Health (CAFH) social workers practice in a variety of settings, including prenatal clinics, well-baby centers, pediatric intensive care units, school based health centers, programs for pregnant and parenting teens, child development centers, settings for children with chronic illness, disabilities, or mental health problems, state and local departments of health, the federal government and child health advocacy organizations.

Depending upon the social workers' setting and position, social workers may provide direct services, organize parents or other constituencies, administer programs, formulate policy, or advocate for improved policies and services.

The CAFH Subspecialization is part of the Health Specialization. Students must satisfactorily complete the Health Specialization for their chosen concentration. Students substitute SOWK 789, "Social Work Research in Child, Adolescent and Family Health" for their research option and take SWCL 714, "Social Work Practice in Child, Adolescent and Family Health" as an elective.  While fulfilling these requirements, students who choose a secondary concentration if primarily Clinical would choose between SOWK 765 or SWCL 712 and take SWOA 703 or SWOA 704 and another SWOA option. If they are primarily MACO and secondarily Clinical, they take SWCL 700 or SWCL 744.

MENTAL HEALTH SPECIALIZATION
The Mental Health Specialization seeks to prepare students to play active roles in improving the mental health of people through the conception, development, and preparation for delivery and evaluation of mental health policies and social services in the mental health field. It prepares students to work in direct practice (clinical) and in organizations and agencies (MACO) whose goals are to improve the mental health of the population.

The Mental Health Specialization provides students with a broad understanding of the mental health care field. It includes knowledge building of mental health care programs and policies as well as the ability to analyze and evaluate them, a sound theoretical base in the application of social work values and principles to mental health care, an understanding of mental health care research and opportunity to develop a specific social work method in the mental health care context.

Clinical Students

* one of these must fulfill the multi-cultural content requirement if not fulfilled elsewhere.

Management and Community Organization Students

* one of these must fulfill the multi-cultural content requirement if not fulfilled elsewhere.

Secondary Concentration Option in Mental Health Specialization
A Clinical concentrator wishing to have MACO as a secondary concentration would fulfill the Clinical concentration requirements and take SWOA 703 or SWOA 704 as well as another SWOA option Course. A MACO concentrator wishing to have Clinical as a secondary concentration would take the MACO concentration requirements and SWCL 700 or SWCL 744.

SOCIAL ACTION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIZATION
The Social Action and Community Development Specialization prepares students for social and community development as a field of practice by providing students with the requisite knowledge base for the field. It is limited to Management and Community Organization concentration students, though students may choose Clinical as a secondary concentration. The specialization prepares graduates to assist community organizations and agencies, to foster social change and community development, to facilitate a social environment and provide services and conducive to the social functioning of individuals, groups and communities and to administer social programs to achieve this end.

A particular concern of Social Action and Community Development is the reduction of poverty and economic and social dependency. As a field of service and practice, social action and community development includes such areas as social action and advocacy including legislative advocacy, community and neighborhood development, planning and administration. The field of service intent is the development of community cohesion and community function as demonstrated by groups, organizations and individuals within a community.

Management and Community Organization Students

* one of these must fulfill the multi-cultural content requirement if not fulfilled elsewhere.

Secondary Concentration Option in Social Action and Community Development Specialization
A MACO concentrator wishing to have Clinical as a secondary concentration would fulfill the MACO concentration requirements and take SWCL 700 or SWCL 744 for an elective as well as another SWCL option course. Clinical is not offered as a primary concentration with this specialization.

SUBSTANCE ABUSE SPECIALIZATION
Social work practice in the substance abuse field is relatively new and growing. This growth is in part the result of an expanded definition and approach to substance abuse problems, which include the contribution of social and environmental factors.

The Substance Abuse Specialization seeks to prepare students to become active practitioners in improving the lives of people who have been impacted by substance abuse through the conception, development, preparation for delivery and evaluation of policies and social services in the substance abuse field. It prepares students to work in direct practice (clinical) and in organizations and agencies (MACO) whose goal is to improve the lives of the populations directly affected by substance abuse (individuals, organizations, communities and societies).

The Substance Abuse Specialization provides a broad understanding of the substance abuse field, including knowledge of substance abuse programs and policies as well as an ability to analyze and evaluate them. The specialization also provides a theoretical base that includes interdisciplinary content crucial to working in the substance abuse field, past and current research in the field and the opportunity to develop skills specific to working with clients with a substance abuse history and in programs and organizations targeted toward this population and their needs.

Clinical Students

* one of these must fulfill the multi-cultural content requirement if not fulfilled elsewhere.

Management and Community Organization Students

* one of these must fulfill the multi-cultural content requirement if not fulfilled elsewhere.

Secondary Concentration Option in Substance Abuse Specialization
A Clinical concentrator wishing to have MACO as a secondary concentration would fulfill the Clinical concentration requirements and take SWOA 703 or SWOA 704 as well as another SWOA option course. A MACO concentrator wishing to have Clinical as a secondary concentration would take the MACO concentration requirements and SWCL 700 or SWCL 744.

MASTER'S THESIS
SOWK 799, Master's Thesis, is available as a research option for all concentrations and specializations with approval.

COURSE OFFERINGS
Students should be aware that some required courses in certain specializations may be available for only one semester during an academic year.

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