Fall 2022 Course Syllabus
Course: SOCW-2361 (Section: 71, CRN: 91918)
Introduction to Social Work
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Instructor Information
Instructor Kristi Clark
Email clarkkb@lamarpa.edu
Phone (409) 984-6102
Office Madison Monroe Education - Room: 119 A
Office Hours Office Hours by Appointment.  Please contact your instructor at clarkkb@lamarpa.edu or 409-698-0826 (call or text) for an appointment.">Office Hours by Appointment.  Please contact your instructor at clarkkb@lamarpa.edu or 409-698-0826 (call or text) for an appointment.
Additional Contact Information By Appointment 409-698-0826
Course Information
Description Development of the philosophy and practice of social work in the United States, survey of the fields and techniques of social work.
Required Textbooks Textbook Purchasing Statement: A student attending Lamar State College Port Arthur is not under any obligation to purchase a textbook from the college-affiliated bookstore. The same textbook may also be available from an independent retailer, including an online retailer.

Introduction to Social Work: An Advocacy-Based Profession, 2nd Edition, Sage Publishing, 2019. ISBN# 978-1-5063-9453-4
Additional Materials/Resources

Required Equipment:

Students must have a reliable computer and reliable internet connection. Mobile devices (cell phones and tablets devices) do not adequately support or run course content.

Computer Skills and Digital Information: All students are required to use a computer for this course. The required Browser is Google Chrome for Blackboard navigation.  Do not attempt to use Explorer or Safari for as they will not allow access to all Blackboard course content.  It is your responsibility to make sure that your computer is set up properly to navigate through all aspects of the class. 

All students should be able to use a word processor and its options such as spelling and grammar check and computer tutorials.

Corequisites/Prerequisites TSIA complete in English Language Arts and Reading.
Learning Outcomes After completion of this school, student will be able to:

1. Discuss the historical development of social work in the United States.
2. Distinguish the profession of social work from other helping professions.
3. Identify core values of social work as stated in the National Association of Social Worker (NASW) Code of Ethics.
4. Identify the primary roles and functions of social workers (advocate, broker, facilitator, etc.)
5. Identify practice settings where social workers function and articulate how these settings influence the roles of social workers.
6. Describe the Generalist Intervention Model.
7. Describe how the Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners Code of Conduct guides social work practice.
8. Describe how the NASW Code of Ethics guides social work practice.
9. Describe social work's goal of advancing human rights and justice.
10. Describe social work's obligation to serve diverse populations.
11. Articulate the importance of self-care to prevent burnout, compassion fatigue, and secondary trauma.
Core Objectives
* Communication skills: Students will demonstrate effective written, oral and/or visual communication.
* Critical Thinking Skills: Students will engage in creative and/or innovative thinking, and/or inquiry, analysis, evaluation, synthesis of information, organizing concepts and constructing solutions.
* Empirical and Quantitative Skills: Students will demonstrate applications of scientific and mathematical concepts.
* Social Responsibility: Students will demonstrate intercultural competency and civic knowledge by engaging effectively in local, regional, national and/or global communities.
* Personal Responsibility: Students will demonstrate the ability to connect choices, actions and consequences to ethical decision-making.

Lecture Topics Outline Week One:        Introduction and Orientation to the Course of Social Work 2361

Week Two:        Chapter 1: The Social Work Profession

Week Three:     Chapter 2: The History of Social Work

Week Four:       Chapter 3: Generalist Social Work Practice

Week Five:        Chapter 4: Advocacy in Social Work

Week Six:          Chapter 5: Poverty and Inequality

Week Seven:     Chapter 6: Family and Child Welfare

Week Eight:       Chapter 7: Health Care and Health Challenges

Week Nine:        Chapter 8: Physical, Cognitive, and Developmental Challenges

Week Ten:         Chapter 9 & 10: Mental Health and Substance Abuse and Addiction

Week Eleven:    Chapter 11 & 12: Helping Older Adults and Criminal Justice

Week Twelve:    Chapter 13: Communities at Risk and Housing

Week Thirteen:  Chapter 14: The Changing Workforce

Week Fourteen: Chapter 15: Veterans, Their Families, and Military Social Work

Week Fifteen:     Chapter 16 & 17: Environmentalism and International Social Work

Week Sixteen:    Final Exam and Research Paper Due
Major Assignments Schedule Please see the CALENDAR located in your Blackboard course for all class due dates.


Chapter Lecture Assignments = 150 points

Chapter "Time to Think" Assignments = 150 points

Five Major Exams = 500 points

Research Paper Core Project =200 points
Final Exam Date December 5, 2022 - 8:0 AM   Through  December 5, 2022 - 11:59 PM
Grading Scale

A =

900 - 1000  

90 -100 %

B =

800 -  899

80 - 89  %

C =

700 - 799

70 - 79  %

D =

600 - 699

60 - 69  %

F =

500 - 599

50 - 59  %


Determination of
Final Grade
The final class letter grade will be based on total points accumulated (not percentages) from exams, chapter writing assignments, critical thinking writing assignments, research paper, and assessment test.

Cheating/Plagiarism (intentional or unintentional), or assisting others to cheat will result in an F for the course.
Exams and assignments will be discussed individually with students upon request.
Each students work must be original and their own work.
The instructor will be available for consultation during office hours or by appointment.
Inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated and will result in permanent expulsion from the class and the issuance of a grade of F for the class.

Grades will be posted for the Assignments, Exams, and Research Paper, etc through the MY GRADES link.

Once the assignment due date has passed, you will no longer see it on the Calendar.
Chapter Lecture Assignments = 150 points
Chapter "Time to Think" Assignments = 150 points
Five Major Exams = 500 points
Research Paper =200 points



A =

900 - 1000  

90 -100 %

B =

800 -  899

80 - 89  %

C =

700 - 799

70 - 79  %

D =

600 - 699

60 - 69  %

F =

500 - 599

50 - 59  %


Course Policies
Instructor Policies Cheating/Plagiarism (intentional or unintentional), or assisting others to cheat will result in an F for the course.

Exams and assignments will be discussed individually with students upon request.

Each student's work must be original and their own work.

The instructor will be available for consultation during office hours or by appointment.

Late work not accepted.

Inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated and will result in permanent expulsion from the class and the issuance of a grade of F for the class.
Attendance Policy Research has shown a cause and effect relationship between attendance and college success. Students with more than three absences from the course will receive an academic penalty (which is spelled out by the instructor). Students must log into their Blackboard course weekly.

Each student is required to log into their Blackboard weekly.
Additional Information None
Institutional Policies
MyLSCPA Be sure to check your campus email and Course Homepage using MyLSCPA campus web portal. You can also access your grades, transcripts, academic advisors, degree progress, and other services through MyLSCPA.
Academic Honesty Academic honesty is expected from all students, and dishonesty in any form will not be tolerated. Please consult the LSCPA policies (Academic Dishonesty section in the Student Handbook) for consequences of academic dishonesty.
ADA Considerations The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the the Office for Disability Services Coordinator, Room 231, in the Madison Monroe Building. The phone number is (409) 984-6241.
COVID 19 Information The Lamar State College Port Arthur (LSCPA) Student Code of Conduct COVID 19 Policy requires students who have been exposed to COVID 19 or diagnosed with COVID 19 to report their condition on the COVID 19 Notification Form (available via a link on the Student Code of Conduct COVID19 webpage). This information will be provided to the Dean of Student Services. In addition, this policy requires all students to wear face coverings in compliance with the criteria included in the policy. For more information please refer to the COVID 19 link on the LSCPA website.
Facility Policies No food or tobacco products are allowed in the classroom. Only students enrolled in the course are allowed in the classroom, except by special instructor permission. Use of electronic devices is prohibited.
HB 2504 This syllabus is part of LSCPA's efforts to comply with Texas House Bill 2504.
Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect As per Texas law and LSCPA policy, all LSCPA employees, including faculty, are required to report allegations or disclosures of child abuse or neglect to the designated authorities, which may include a local or state law enforcement agency or the Texas Department of Family Protective Services. For more information about mandatory reporting requirements, see LSCPA's Policy and Procedure Manual.
Title IX and Sexual Misconduct LSCPA is committed to establishing and maintaining an environment that is free from all forms of sex discrimination, including sexual harassment, sexual violence, and other forms of sexual misconduct. All LSCPA employees, including faculty, have the responsibility to report disclosures of sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment, sexual assault (including rape and acquaintance rape), domestic violence, dating violence, relationship violence, or stalking, to LSCPA's Title IX Coordinator, whose role is to coordinate the college's response to sexual misconduct. For more information about Title IX protections, faculty reporting responsibilities, options for confidential reporting, and the resources available for support visit LSCPA's Title IX website.
Clery Act Crime Reporting For more information about the Clery Act and crime reporting, see the Annual Security & Fire Safety Report and the Campus Security website.

Grievance / Complaint / Concern If you have a grievance, complaint, or concern about this course that has not been resolved through discussion with the Instructor, please consult the Department Chair.
Department Information
General Education and Developmental Studies
Chair:Shirley MacNeill
Email:macneisb@lamarpa.edu
Phone:(409) 984-6365