School of Health and Social Services

EOHS 502    Health Promotion in the Workplace    3 Hours

Provides specific skills and concepts for worksite health promotion as it pertains to designing, implementing, and evaluating multifaceted health promotion programs in the workplace. Additional skills acquired in this course include financial and marketing strategies, policy development, and effective communication between employer and employee.

Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; spring 2026; fall 2026

EOHS 503    Health Assessment in Workplace    3 Hours

This course presents concepts and teaches skills needed to assess health status at the individual, organizational, and community levels in a workplace wellness environment. Emphasis is placed on, but not limited to, physical and psychological components of health.

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024

EOHS 504    Principles of Total Worker Health and Worker Well Being    3 Hours

Advance understanding of both organizational and individual factors that influence total worker health. Introduce theoretical frameworks, strategies, and principles to promote worker well-being.

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2025; spring 2026

EOHS 510    Watershed Management and Science    3 Hours

Watershed management and science including water resources protection, watershed health development and assessment, and environmental and water ethics.

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

EOHS 546    Environmental & Occupational Health Science Internship    3,6 Hours (repeatable max of 6 hrs)

Supervised experience in an organization, facility, industry or business with Environmental, Occupational Health & Safety or Workplace Health Promotion responsibilities (or a combination of those). Assignments individually arranged. Note: Off-campus travel required. Permission of EOHS internship coordinator required.

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; summer 2024; fall 2024; spring 2025; fall 2025; spring 2026; fall 2026

EOHS 550    Principles of Occupational Safety and Health    3 Hours

Examines the principles of occupational safety and health in the workplace for controlling hazards, preventing occupational exposures, and improving worker health. Concepts surveyed will include hazards in the workplace, hazard and safety analysis, hierarchy of controls, injury prevention, industrial hygiene, workplace health promotion, and occupational safety and health management.

Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026

EOHS 560    Environmental Management    3 Hours

Application of environmental management systems, methods, and tools to mitigate threats to human and environmental health for compliance with major environmental laws and regulations. Students will explore their role as environmental and occupational health science professionals working with the public and private sectors in controlling adverse environmental conditions through the competencies of assessment, ethics, management, and communication. Application of risk assessment and communication techniques will be addressed as it relates to environmental management for the protection of human and ecosystem health. Air, hazardous waste, and water regulations and compliance will be reviewed.

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; fall 2024; spring 2025; spring 2026

EOHS 570    Industrial Hygiene    3 Hours (repeatable max of 6 hrs)

Presents contemporary occupational exposure and hazard issues in the workplace. Issues of industrial hygiene and general methods of control are addressed. Note: Field trips required; students responsible for own transportation.

Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026

EOHS 571    Air Quality Management    3 Hours

Examines the origins, dispersion, control and effects of air pollution; indoor air pollution; and the history of air quality control management. Provides a balanced account of air quality control regulations including the provisions and implications of the Federal Air Quality regulations, standards, setting, policy implementation and technical and management aspects of air quality control.

Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026

EOHS 572    Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology    3 Hours

The course will introduce student to the research approaches for the epidemiologic study of the environmental and workplace hazards. This course involves the study and reasoning of environmental and occupational epidemiologic study designs, basic and novel methods of characterizing exposures, and techniques for designing epidemiologic studies, and implementing methods to improve the evaluation of research in these fields.

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; spring 2025; spring 2026

EOHS 577    Environmental Toxicology    3 Hours

Toxicological principles and environmental risk assessment with emphasis on routes of exposure, biokinetics, and response to chemical stressors.

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; spring 2025; spring 2026

EOHS 580    Solid and Hazardous Wastes    3 Hours

Management of solid and hazardous wastes in the environment. Emphasis on regulatory compliance, control and remediation technologies, and environmental pathways.

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; spring 2025; spring 2026

EOHS 595    Public Health Management of Disasters    3 Hours

Examines the background and history of natural and technological disasters, their characteristics, human health and environmental impacts, and the management activities needed to control them. Provides an overview of federal programs to enhance state and local prevention, preparedness, and public health response to disasters.

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

EOHS 598    Capstone in Environmental and Occupational Health    3 Hours

Examine, refine, and demonstrate environmental health and/or occupational health and safety competencies. Students gain knowledge and skills in environmental and occupational health practice by working with an interdisciplinary team to solve a real-world environmental and occupational health and safety issue. Each student has the opportunity to apply classroom and practical experience received throughout their MS-EOHS coursework into an integrative experience. Students particularly will gain skills in exposure science, data analytics, advocacy, communication with diverse workforce audiences on contemporary EOHS issue, and improves the articulation of theory to practice through development, composition, and presentation of a research or analytic project on a relevant EOHS topic.

Prerequisite(s): permission of instructor

Restriction(s): Enrollment limited to students with a semester level of Masters Degree.

Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; spring 2025; spring 2026; summer 2026; fall 2026

GERO 501    Perspectives in Aging    3 Hours

Overview of the fundamental theories, issues and concepts in gerontology. Includes individual and societal aging; and disciplinary perspectives of adaptations and changes to aging.

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

GERO 503    Policy Foundations of Aging Services    3 Hours

Provides students with knowledge of the policy process and the politics of aging. Focuses on aging policy development and analysis by offering insight into relevant aging issues.

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

GERO 505    Development and Change of Aging Programs    3 Hours

Prepares students to develop gerontology programs and services for diverse aging populations. Provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to develop and/or administer services in the field of aging.

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

GERO 510    Current Issues in Aging    3 Hours (repeatable max of 6 hrs)

Addresses selected topics in aging presented at an advanced level considered key for gerontology professionals.

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

GERO 581    Global Aging    3 Hours

Provides an understanding of international population aging and explores the problems and solutions encountered in different sociocultural contexts for dealing with challenges and opportunities of aging.

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

GERO 590    Independent Study in Aging Studies    1-3 Hours (repeatable max of 3 hrs)

Supervised individual study and/or field-based experience in a topic or area of Gerontology of particular interest to the student.

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

HCA 401G    Fundamentals of Health Care Financial Management    3 Hours

Basic principles of financial management for health care organizations. Financial ratios applicable to health providers and insurance companies; issues in the healthcare revenue cycle and value chain; recognizing sources of risk in reimbursement; and addressing risk in financial plans.

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

HCA 520    Statistical Application in Health Care    1 Hour (repeatable max of 3 hrs)

This course covers basic statistical applications in SPSS and MS Excel. Familiarity with personal computers is assumed.

Corequisite(s): PH 520

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

HCA 530    Independent Investigation in Health Care Administration    1-6 Hours (repeatable max of 6 hrs)

Research problems or projects in the area of health care administration.

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

HCA 540    Health Care Organization and Management    3 Hours

Organization and management principles, theories and practices in the health care environment. The U.S. health care system, the role of the administrator, facilities operations and evaluation, and health administration research.

Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; spring 2026; summer 2026

HCA 541    Strategic Management & Marketing of Health Services    3 Hours

Marketing principles, theories, and practices in the health care environment. Structured opportunities to study health care marketing literature and to develop skills in marketing plan development.

Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026

HCA 542    Health Care Human Resources Administration    3 Hours

Principles and practices of human resources administration in the health care field. The unique characteristics of professional, technical, skilled and unskilled health care workers explored and emphasized.

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; spring 2025

HCA 543    Health Care Quality and Accountability    3 Hours

Critical knowledge of health care quality and required accountability within the health care industry. The major topics of quality assurance, risk management, utilization management, JCAHO and NCQA standards, Six Sigma, and continuous quality improvement will be discussed.

Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025

HCA 544    Health Systems Design for Sustainable Practices    3 Hours

Systems approach to effective and efficient management of health services delivery. Application, analysis and evaluation of organizational design and sustainability principles to the health care delivery components. Factors such as structure, work design, operations, and performance that affect decision-making are explored.

Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2026

HCA 545    Managerial Finance for Health Services    3 Hours

Methods of financing the delivery of health services in the U.S. Includes budgetary mechanisms and managerial finance techniques for measuring, monitoring, analyzing, and controlling costs for both the providers and consumers of healthcare services.

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; spring 2025; spring 2026

HCA 546    Graduate Internship    1-6 Hours (repeatable max of 6 hrs)

Supervised, full-time experience in a facility or in an agency approved by the Department of Public Health.

Recent Term(s) Offered: summer 2024; fall 2024; spring 2025; summer 2025; fall 2025; spring 2026; summer 2026; fall 2026

HCA 547    Global and Comparative Health Systems    3 Hours

A review of global health issues including how systems, policies, and program management influence availability and delivery of health services. Students will learn about the development of health systems and make comparisons of different types of health systems based on different aspects of health and health care such as resources availability, access to care, quality of care and models of care delivery. Issues of global health management and health disparities will be investigated in depth at the local, regional and global levels.

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2025; spring 2026

HCA 551    Healthcare Jurisprudence and Quality    3 Hours

Provides an overview of the American legal system as it relates to the health care industry. Topics include duty owed (patients and organizations), ethics, malpractice, risk management, quality, accountability, rights without obligations (of patients, practitioners, and management), and current trends in health care law.

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; fall 2024; spring 2025; fall 2025; fall 2026

HCA 555    Healthcare Leadership and Change Management    3 Hours

Stakeholder engagement and leadership commitment is essential for change readiness. Leadership principles, leadership complexities regarding healthcare professionals, human resources and ethical dilemmas in critical leadership scenarios will be discussed.

Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2025; fall 2026

HCA 556    Ambulatory and Long-Term Care Management    3 Hours

Explores operational management techniques related to ambulatory and long-term care settings, identifying dynamics unique to these settings. Special focus on management of challenging delivery areas.

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2026

HCA 559    Global Health Service-Learning Practicum    3-6 Hours (repeatable max of 6 hrs)

Offers students the opportunity to gain practical, field-based experience in global health. Students participate in service-learning projects either abroad or domestically, collaborating with organizations that operate within a global context. The hands-on practicum allows students to engage in public health initiatives and develop cross-cultural competencies, while making contribution to health outcomes in diverse communities.

Prerequisite(s): permission of instructor

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2025; spring 2026

HCA 564    Health Systems Informatics    3 Hours

A survey of information use and management in a health care context. Course content includes health information systems, informatics, data management, analysis, e-health, and patient privacy.

Recent Term(s) Offered: summer 2026

HCA 565    Information Systems Laboratory    1 Hour (repeatable max of 3 hrs)

Management of health care data using MS Excel and MS Access. Basic familiarity with personal computers is assumed.

Corequisite(s): HCA 564

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

HCA 571    Managed Care    3 Hours

Overview of managed care and organized delivery systems, including history, organizational structures, financing, cost containment strategies, and policy issues.

Prerequisite(s): HCA 540

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

HCA 572    Special Topics in Health Services    3 Hours

Survey of current topics within the field of health care administration. This course varies in content from term to term and may require field trips to area organizations.

Recent Term(s) Offered: winter 2024; winter 2025

HCA 574    Decision Making in Health Care    3 Hours

Basic decision models and decision making tools useful for managing uncertainty and solving health care management problems. The course is concerned with a wide variety of applied and theoretical archetypes, as well as modeling and quantitative techniques currently used in health care management.

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; spring 2025; spring 2026

HCA 586    Health Economics & Policy    3 Hours

Economic principles applied to the study of health care facilities, health services and manpower. These 400-level courses may be taken for graduate credit. Students receiving graduate credit in 400G courses will be required to do additional research, readings, or other appropriate assignments.

Recent Term(s) Offered: summer 2024; summer 2025; summer 2026

PH 443G    Health Problems of the Aged    3 Hours

Covers ecological factors affecting human health and longevity, current health problems, and research on health and disease as they relate to the aged.

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

PH 444G    Death Education    3 Hours

Man's relationship to death and dying, coming to terms with eventual death, coping with death of loved ones and with fear of death. Includes suicide prevention. Note: Field trips are required. Three hours of social or behavioral science required.

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

PH 447G    Human Values/Health Sciences    3 Hours

Analysis of the difficult ethical, legal, and social dilemmas confronting the health care delivery system, patients, medical practitioners, and other health care professionals in contemporary American society. Note: Appropriate background in the social, behavioral, biological, or allied health sciences required.

Prerequisite(s): PH 261 and PH 381

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

PH 450G    Rural Health and Safety    3 Hours

Students will explore a variety of health and safety issues unique to rural populations. The interdisciplinary team concept will be used throughout the course to foster collaboration that facilitates sharing of the expertise of the students and faculty. One Saturday meeting will be required for a team building activity.

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

PH 461G    Comprehensive School Health Program    3 Hours

Examination and application of the components of the comprehensive school health program. Discussion of the role of administrators, teachers, counselors and health service personnel in conducting, coordinating and evaluating the comprehensive school health program. Includes visitation in public schools.

Prerequisite(s): PH 381

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

PH 465G    Health/Safety/Elementary School    3 Hours

Nature and purpose of school health and safety in the elementary school, including curriculum development, instructional content areas, appraising students' health, and evaluation.

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

PH 467G    Drug Abuse Education    3 Hours

A drug abuse education and prevention course designed to provide current and documented information about abused substances. Includes study of the development, implementation and evaluation of drug prevention programs in the home, school, community and workplace.

Prerequisite(s): PH 100 or equivalent

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

PH 468G    Sexuality Education    3 Hours

Emphasis in this course is on planning, implementation and evaluation of school and community sexuality education programs. Health and policy issues which affect sexuality and sexual behavior are addressed along with analysis of contemporary health issues with sexual dimensions.

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

PH 501    Research Methods    3 Hours

Methods, materials, techniques, and planning of research studies used and conducted by the profession.

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

PH 520    Biostatistics for Public Health    3 Hours

Application of statistical theory and principles in public health and related disciplines. Emphasis is placed on developing and testing hypotheses, utilizing appropriate statistical methodology, and the use of appropriate technology.

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; summer 2024; fall 2024; spring 2025; summer 2025; fall 2025; spring 2026; summer 2026; fall 2026

PH 530    Selected Topics/Independent Study    1-6 Hours (repeatable max of 6 hrs)

With faculty guidance, students select and explore a topic of interest in public health.

Prerequisite(s): permission of instructor

Recent Term(s) Offered: winter 2024; spring 2024; winter 2025; spring 2025; summer 2025; fall 2025; winter 2026; fall 2026

PH 546    Graduate Internship    1-6 Hours (repeatable max of 6 hrs)

Supervised,applied field experience with various agencies, organizations, facilities, industries, and businesses with health-related missions or programs. Placement must be approved prior to registering. Off campus travel required.

Prerequisite(s): permission of instructor

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2026; summer 2026; fall 2026

PH 548    Community Organizing in Public Health    3 Hours

Application of strategies and skills to address underlying social, political, and economic factors that affect public health, including policy-making, community organization and mobilization, leadership, advocacy, negotiation, and communication.

Recent Term(s) Offered: summer 2024; fall 2024; summer 2025; fall 2025; summer 2026; fall 2026

PH 564    Public Health Issues in Women's Health    3 Hours

Examines social, economic, environmental, behavioral and political factors that influence women's health, as viewed from a public health perspective.

Recent Term(s) Offered: winter 2024

PH 567    Admn Compr School Health Program    3 Hours

Management and coordination of policies, procedures, activities and resources designed to promote and protect the health and well being of students and staff. Includes administration of family resource and youth service centers, and coordination of school health education, healthful environment, and health services.

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

PH 568    Public Health Approaches to STD/HIV Prevention    3 Hours

A study of the most common sexually transmitted infections, including infection with the human immunodeficiency virus, and their complications, with special emphasis on prevention and control. Topics include STI/HIV counseling and testing, partner notification, and the development of educational interventions for target populations.

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

PH 572    Practice of Drug Abuse Prevention    3 Hours

Examines the epidemiology of the use and abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. In addition, there will be in-depth study of relevant prevention science as applied to school and community settings. The course will be a didactic presentation of material, with substantial engagement activities for students.

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

PH 575    Program Planning in Public Health Practice    3 Hours

Methods of assessing population needs, assets and capacities that affect communities' health and translating findings into designing a population-based program, project, or intervention.

Prerequisite(s): PH 587

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; fall 2024; spring 2025; fall 2025; spring 2026

PH 576    Public Health Education and Communication Techniques    3 Hours

Provide concepts and skills in using education and communication techniques in public health promotion programs. Discuss policy advocacy and principles of effectively interacting with community constituents influential in health promotion programs.

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

PH 578    Health Inequities    3 Hours

Analysis of social, economic, and political structures that create health inequities in marginalized and minority populations. Application to program planning and policy analysis.

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; fall 2024; spring 2025; fall 2025; spring 2026; fall 2026

PH 580    Public Health Foundations and Practice    3 Hours

Comprehensive examination of public health foundations, including philosophy, purpose, history, organization, and functions and activities of public health at the global, national, state and community levels. Application of systems thinking to public health practice.

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; fall 2024; fall 2025; spring 2026; fall 2026

PH 581    Applied Methods in Public Health Practice/Field Epidemiology    3 Hours

Application of methods, tools, and techniques utilized by public health practitioners and other related professionals to identify, develop, and assess population-based interventions and outbreak investigations.

Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; spring 2025; fall 2025; spring 2026; fall 2026

PH 582    Epidemiology    3 Hours

Apply epidemiological methods to settings and situations in public health practice. Emphasizes problem solving and interpretation.

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; summer 2024; spring 2025; summer 2025; fall 2025; spring 2026; summer 2026; fall 2026

PH 583    Public Health Administration    3 Hours

Advanced concepts of organization, administration and management of public health agencies and programs.

Recent Term(s) Offered: summer 2024; summer 2025; summer 2026

PH 584    Principles of Environmental Health    3 Hours

A study of the traditional, emerging and controversial issues associated with environmental health. Biological, chemical and physical threats to human health are included.

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; summer 2024; fall 2024; fall 2025; winter 2026; fall 2026

PH 585    Global Health    3 Hours

Analysis of current issues in global health and strategies to address them.

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

PH 586    Violence Prevention    3 Hours

An examination of the nature and extent of family, school and community violence, the psychosocial and biological roots, past efforts to prevent and control violence, and principals of violence prevention.

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

PH 587    Health Behavior Theory    3 Hours

Applications of concepts and theories used in social and behavioral sciences to identify and conceptualize interventions to public health problems.

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; fall 2024; spring 2025; summer 2025; fall 2025; spring 2026; summer 2026; fall 2026

PH 588    Public Health Capstone    3 Hours

Integrative learning experience that synthesizes core MPH courses into an applied practice experience, within the classroom, addressing a current issue in public health.

Prerequisite(s): permission of instructor

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

PH 591    Health Program Evaluation    3 Hours

Application of methods and techniques to evaluate public health programs.

Prerequisite(s): PH 587 and PH 575 and (PH 520 or PH 620) or permission of instructor

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; spring 2025; fall 2025; spring 2026; fall 2026

PH 598    Applied Research in Public Health    1-3 Hours (repeatable max of 6 hrs)

Synthesis and application of MPH competencies to investigate and address public health issue.

Prerequisite(s): permission of instructor

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to students in Public Health (152)

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; summer 2024; spring 2025; fall 2025; spring 2026; summer 2026; fall 2026

PH 599    Thesis Research/Writing    3-6 Hours (repeatable max of 6 hrs)

Thesis research and writing directed by faculty committee.

Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026

PH 600    Maintain Matriculation    1 Hour (repeatable max of 6 hrs)

Continued enrollment for program completion.

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2026; summer 2026; fall 2026

PH 620    Advanced Biostatistics    3 Hours

Advanced techniques to analyze and interpret quantitative data and make inferences for public health practice.

Prerequisite(s): PH 520 or equivalent

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

PH 630    Advanced Epidemiology    3 Hours

Application of advanced epidemiologic principles for population-based decision-making.

Prerequisite(s): PH 582

Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026

PH 631    Contemporary Topics in Epidemiology    3 Hours (repeatable max of 9 hrs)

Examines and explores contemporary issues and methods in epidemiology.

Prerequisite(s): PH 582

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; spring 2025; spring 2026

SWRK 433G    Ethical Issues and Dilemmas in Social Work    3 Hours

An examination of professional ethics and common ethical dilemmas in social work. Models of ethical decision making are applied in case vignettes.

Prerequisite(s): permission of instructor

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

SWRK 436G    Services to Children    3 Hours

A survey of institutional and community services with focus on principles of social services for children and their families.

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

SWRK 501    Diversity, Oppression, and Equity in Social Work Practice    3 Hours

Expands culturally competent standards of practice used in making effective assessments and providing interventions across cultures, including rurality. Note: Not appropriate for advanced standing MSW students.

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to students in Social Work (157)

Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026

SWRK 510    Human Behavior in the Social Environment    3 Hours

Examines behavior within the context of families, groups, organizations, communities, and cultures. Topics include developmental stages of the individual within multiple systems with a particular focus on issues of anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to students in Social Work (157)

Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026

SWRK 520    Generalist Social Work Practice    3 Hours

Presents micro level theories as they apply to individuals and families. Foundation level skills are tied to theory for practice including communication skills, case management skills, and assessment skills. Field experiences in appropriate off-campus settings may be required. Note: Students are responsible for arranging their own transportation to designated or assigned sites.

Corequisite(s): SWRK 560

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to students in Social Work (157)

Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026

SWRK 522    Group Dynamics in Social Work Practice    3 Hours

An introduction to group work based interventions in social work, including dynamics of group interaction, stages of group development, and group types. Experiential exercises are used to promote understanding of group processes.

Prerequisite(s): SWRK 501 and SWRK 510 and SWRK 520 and SWRK 560

Corequisite(s): SWRK 561

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; spring 2025; spring 2026

SWRK 523    Rural Community Organization and Development    3 Hours

Teaches knowledge, skills, and values of advanced macro level social work practice with a focus on complex skills in community development, economic development, and organizational change within the rural community.

Prerequisite(s): SWRK 501 and SWRK 510 and SWRK 520

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; spring 2025; spring 2026

SWRK 530    Foundation of Social Welfare Policy    3 Hours

Foundations to social policy, social welfare, and the American society. Introduction to analytical and critical thinking about social welfare policy and processes.

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to students in Social Work (157)

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; spring 2025; spring 2026

SWRK 540    Foundations of Social Work Research Methods    3 Hours

Focuses on basic skills, knowledge, and values essential to critiquing and conducting social work research, with an emphasis on anti-racist and anti-oppressive evidence-based practice and research ethics.

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to students in Social Work (157)

Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026

SWRK 560    Generalist Field Practicum I    3 Hours

A beginning application of advanced social work principles and practice skills in a human services environment. Field experiences in an appropriate off-campus setting is required. Note: Students are responsible for arranging their own transportation to designated or assigned sites.

Corequisite(s): SWRK 520

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to students in Social Work (157)

Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026

SWRK 561    Generalist Field Practicum II    3 Hours

Continued application of advanced social work principles and practice skills in a human services environment. This is a continuation of SWRK 560. Field experiences in an appropriate off-campus setting are required. Note: Students are responsible for arranging their own transportation to designating or assigned sites.

Prerequisite(s): SWRK 520 and SWRK 560

Corequisite(s): SWRK 522

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; spring 2025; spring 2026

SWRK 571    Introduction to Kentucky Child Welfare Practice    3 Hours

Focuses on understanding problems and issues faced by children and families within an ecological framework. Examination of the complexities of social work practice within the Kentucky child welfare system.

Prerequisite(s): permission of instructor

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

SWRK 572    Interpersonal Violence: Social Work Practice    3 Hours

Provides students with the research, practice, and policy knowledge necessary for understanding, assessing, and intervening in various forms of interpersonal violence. Additionally, students examine their own values, beliefs, and biases related to working in this area of social work practice.

Prerequisite(s): permission of instructor

Recent Term(s) Offered: winter 2024; spring 2025; fall 2025; fall 2026

SWRK 573    Assessment and Case Management of Child Sexual Abuse    3 Hours

Prepares students to identify family dynamics associated with childhood sexual abuse, advocacy, crisis assistance and intervention. Students gain knowledge and skills required to interview children, families, and offenders, assess needs, make appropriate referrals, and prepare for the placement of the child. Students will learn the social worker's role in a multi-disciplinary team and increase their preparation for and participation in related judicial proceedings.

Prerequisite(s): permission of instructor

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

SWRK 574    Enhancing Safety and Permanency for Children    3 Hours

Students develop professional social work practice knowledge and skills in the delivery of services to children and youth in foster and out of home care as well as families (birth, relative, foster, and adoptive) who care for them. Students are prepared to enhance the safety and permanency of children receiving services from the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services. Students are responsible for their own transportation.

Prerequisite(s): permission of instructor

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

SWRK 576    Advanced Casework Practice in Child Welfare    3 Hours

Training in advanced levels of casework in a child welfare practice setting. Note: This is one of three administration and supervision courses offered by the Credit for Learning Program along with SWRK 577 and SWRK 578. Permission of the Credit for Learning (CFL) Program required.

Corequisite(s): SWRK 577, SWRK 578

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

SWRK 577    Supervision of Advanced Casework in Child Welfare    3 Hours

Core concepts and competencies in casework supervision in child welfare. Note: This is one of three administration and supervision courses offered by the Credit for Learning Program along with SWRK 576 and SWRK 578. Permission of the Credit for Learning (CFL) Program required.

Corequisite(s): SWRK 578, SWRK 576

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

SWRK 578    Coaching and Mentoring Child Welfare Practice    3 Hours

Supervision, coaching and mentoring theory, research, practices, and policies in child welfare. Note: This is one of three administration and supervision courses offered by the Credit for Learning Program along with SWRK 576 and SWRK 577. Permission of the Credit for Learning (CFL) Program required.

Corequisite(s): SWRK 577, SWRK 576

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

SWRK 579    Partnership in Assessing Children and Families    3 Hours

Provides students with a comprehensive introduction to assessment and provision of ongoing services in cases of child maltreatment as well as abuse and neglect of vulnerable adults.

Prerequisite(s): permission of instructor

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

SWRK 600    Maintaining Matriculation    1 Hour (repeatable max of 2 hrs)

Maintaining matriculation while completing a thesis or comprehensive examination.

Prerequisite(s): SWRK 622

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to students in Social Work (157)

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

SWRK 610    Social Work Administration and Supervision    3 Hours

This course prepares students to assume leadership roles in rural non-profits by developing the knowledge, skills, values, and cognitive and affective processes necessary for advanced social work practice in administration and supervision.

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to students in Social Work (157)

Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026

SWRK 612    Social Work in Diverse Rural Areas    3 Hours

Addresses issues of diversity, including rurality, in multi-level advanced social work practice for Advanced Standing students.

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to students in Social Work (157)

Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026

SWRK 620    Advanced Psycho-Social Approaches for Rural Practice    3 Hours

Focuses on knowledge, skills, and values for advanced micro level social work within a rural area. Topics include clinical interventions with individuals, families, and groups, empowerment and interdisciplinary approaches. Note: Completion of all required 500 level MSW courses required.

Corequisite(s): SWRK 660

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to students in Social Work (157)

Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026

SWRK 622    Integrated Social Work Practice with Families    3 Hours

This course builds on the knowledge and skills gained in the generalist social work practice classes. Knowledge and skills related to the social work processes for planned change using engagement, assessment, planning, implementing, evaluating, terminating, and follow up in working with families will be taught. Note: Completion of all required 500 level MSW courses or admission to the Advanced Standing program required.

Prerequisite(s): SWRK 610 and SWRK 620 and SWRK 623 and SWRK 660

Corequisite(s): SWRK 661

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to students in Social Work (157)

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; spring 2025; spring 2026

SWRK 623    Social Work Clinical Assessment and Intervention    3 Hours

Focuses on clinical processes of assessment and diagnosis for rural-centered social work practice. Topics include theories within the Bio-Psycho-Social paradigm, frameworks for organizing and formulating diagnostic understanding with diverse populations. Note: Completion of all required 500 level MSW courses required.

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to students in Social Work (157)

Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026

SWRK 630    Rural Social Welfare Policy    3 Hours

Focuses on policy analysis with emphasis on skills in legislative advocacy and decision making related to social policy and services for rural areas. Includes local and state government decision-making. Note: Completion of all required 500 level MSW courses or admission to the Advanced Standing program required.

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to students in Social Work (157)

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; spring 2025; spring 2026

SWRK 637    Theories of Addiction    3 Hours

This course involves introduction to theoretical, philosophical and historical premises of addictions. Topics include professional ethics, diversity, family roles and relationships, and dual diagnosis. Note: Admission to or completion of approved graduate program in a helping profession required.

Equivalent(s): PSY 637, CNS 637

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

SWRK 640    Applied Social Work Research    3 Hours

Focuses on skills, knowledge, and values for evaluation of advanced rural social work with emphasis on single subject design and program evaluation. Students conduct a research project on their practice. Note: Completion of all required 500 level MSW courses or admission to the Advanced Standing program.

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to students in Social Work (157)

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; spring 2025; spring 2026

SWRK 647    Addictions: Assessment, Diagnosis and Treatment Planning    3 Hours

This course involves the selection, administration, and interpretation of assessment methods and techniques used to diagnose addiction disorders, as well as the development of appropriate treatment plans and issues involved in individual, group and family treatment planning.

Equivalent(s): CNS 647, PSY 647

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

SWRK 660    Advanced Generalist Field Practicum I    3 Hours

An advanced application of social work principles and practice skills in a human services environment with a specific population. Field experiences in an appropriate off-campus setting are required. Note: Students are responsible for arranging their own transportation to designated or assigned sites. Completion of all required 500 level MSW courses required.

Corequisite(s): SWRK 620

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to students in Social Work (157)

Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026

SWRK 661    Advanced Generalist Field Practicum II    3 Hours

The capstone course, a continuation of SWRK 660. Application of advanced social work principles and practice skills in a human services environment with a specific population. Field experiences in appropriate off-campus settings are required. Note: Students are responsible for arranging their own transportation to designated or assigned sites. Completion of all required 500 level MSW courses required.

Prerequisite(s): SWRK 620 and SWRK 660

Corequisite(s): SWRK 622

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to students in Social Work (157)

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; spring 2025; spring 2026

SWRK 667    Counseling Substance and Process Addictions    3 Hours

Counseling issues to substance abuse diagnosis, treatment and aftercare programs involving individual, group, family and other systems.

Equivalent(s): CNS 667, PSY 667

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

SWRK 671    Social Work and the Law    3 Hours

Introduction to legal issues in social work. Identifies similarities and differences between legal and ethical obligations and dilemmas. Topics include courtroom evidence, procedure and testimony.

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to students in Social Work (157)

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; summer 2025; summer 2026

SWRK 672    Child Sexual Abuse    3 Hours

Dynamics, causes, and effects of child sexual abuse across the life span. Focuses on interventions, skills, and knowledge for working with families and individuals experiencing child sexual abuse. Note: Completion of all required 500 level MSW courses required.

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to students in Social Work (157)

Recent Term(s) Offered: summer 2024

SWRK 673    Grief and Loss: Issues and Interventions    3 Hours

Dynamics of grief and loss. Theories/models for interventions that are relevant for advanced direct social work practice in rural settings.

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to students in Social Work (157)

Recent Term(s) Offered: winter 2026

SWRK 675    Expressive Therapies in Social Work Practice    3 Hours

This course will focus on the use of expressive therapies in social work practice from a holistic perspective that embraces alternative practices for personal change and growth. Students will obtain knowledge from various theories and models with interventions that are relevant for individual, family and group social work practice which extends what is known as the traditional "talking cure". Note: Completion of all required 500 level MSW courses required.

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to students in Social Work (157)

Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2025

SWRK 676    Social Work with Migrants    3 Hours

Examine terms associated with migrants, the history of immigration in the U.S., cultural competency and migrant populations, theoretical underpinnings, effective interventions, the most vulnerable migrant groups, and the role of social work.

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to students in Social Work (157)

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

SWRK 678    Environmental Justice: Theory, Policy, and Practice    3 Hours

Examines the relationship between environmental practice and social inequity, with grounding in relevant theories, policies, practice and evaluation of micro, mezzo, and macro intervention.

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

SWRK 679    Professional Social Work Writing Seminar    3 Hours

Common social work writing tasks include documentation of client services, psychosocial assessments including diagnostic impressions, court reports often including recommendations for removal of children or jail time, grant proposals, and additional discipline specific writing requirements. This course will help students develop advanced social work writing skills in these areas critical for successful advanced professional practice.

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

SWRK 680    Social Work in Sports    3 Hours

Focuses on the role of social workers in sport. Theories and policies informing social work practice in sport will be examined. Focuses on the role of social work within an interprofessional team that works to support athletes. Applies social work values, ethics, and competencies to sport social work. Addresses the well-being of the athlete, assessment, intervention, and social justice.

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; spring 2026

SWRK 681    Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders    3 Hours

This course will prepare students to assess, diagnose, and treat PTSD and Other Trauma and Stressor related disorders in diverse settings. Evidenced Based Practice standards for specific populations will be explored. Suicide assessment, prevention, and treatment will be integrated throughout the course due to the increased risk factors with traumatic experiences. Themes of countertransference, secondary trauma, and burnout will be woven into the course.

Prerequisite(s): (SWRK 623 with a minimum grade of B or permission of instructor)

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2025; spring 2026

SWRK 682    Suicide Assessment and Intervention for Social Work    3 Hours

This course will further prepare students to assess and intervene with client systems experiencing suicidal ideation. Evidenced Based Practice standards for assessment will be reviewed. DSM criteria will be examined for diagnoses that increase the likelihood of suicidal thoughts and actions. Best practices for intervention and safety planning will be of focus. The Social Worker’s role at various levels, to include Qualified Mental Health Professional (QMHP), will be explored.

Prerequisite(s): (SWRK 623 with a minimum grade of B or permission of instructor)

Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024

SWRK 683    Trauma Informed School Social Work Practice    3 Hours

This course prepares students to assume the role of school social worker by developing the knowledge, skills, values and cognitive and affective processes for advanced trauma informed social work practice within school settings.

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to students in Social Work (157)

Recent Term(s) Offered: winter 2024; spring 2025; spring 2026

SWRK 685    Human Trafficking: Theories, Policies, & Intervention    3 Hours

Students will learn important terminology, typologies of human trafficking, and gain an understanding of the scope of the problem, both domestically and globally. Students will holistically examine the problem of human trafficking from a micro perspective to a macro perspective.

Recent Term(s) Offered: summer 2025; summer 2026

SWRK 695    Special Topics in Social Work    3 Hours (repeatable max of 9 hrs)

An in-depth examination of a selected topic in social work. Topics will vary.

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to students in Social Work (157)

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

SWRK 698    Selected Readings in Social Work    3 Hours (repeatable max of 6 hrs)

An independent study with a faculty member focusing on the development of a literature review or thesis topic pertaining to an agreed upon area within rural centered social work practice. Note: Completion of the 1st year of MSW or advanced standing required.

Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to students in Social Work (157)

Recent Term(s) Offered: None

SWRK 699    Selected Research in Social Work    3,6 Hours

An independent study with a faculty member focusing on the completion of the research proposal initiated in SWRK 698.

Prerequisite(s): SWRK 698

Recent Term(s) Offered: None