Education & Human Services

Required General Education Courses

All social work majors are advised to take eight specific courses within the general education requirements to support your social work education.  These required eight courses should be completed during the semester in which you make formal application to the program; generally in your last sophomore semester.  All required supportive courses must be completed with a minimum grade of C.

To earn a Bachelor of Social Work degree, the following social work courses are offered:

SWK 105 Introduction to Social Work
A community service, 40 hour experimental course designed to provide students interested in the social work program with an opportunity to test and evaluate their interest in working with people. An accompanying seminar focuses on analysis of the experience.
Required of social work students; open to non-social work students.

SWK 203 Social Welfare in Contemporary Society
The systematic study of major social problem areas: poverty, health, education, hunger, housing, sexism, and racism, and their implications for social welfare services. A critical and comparative analysis of society's response to human need. A general education course (social science).

SWK 303 Professional Interactional Skills
Basic components of effective communication in social work practice; interpersonal and interactional skills relevant to different types of relationships and systems with which social workers interact; guided communication experiences. PREREQ: Grade of C or better in SWK 105 and SWK 203. PREREQ: or COREQ: SPE 101. course restricted to Social Work majors.

SWK 304 Human Behavior and Social Environment I: Infancy to Adolescence
This course focuses on the life states of infancy, childhood, and adolescence and provides a basic framework for developing and organizing knowledge of human behavior and the social environment. Social systems, life span and strengths approaches to understanding HBSE are introduced. The course includes theories and knowledge of biological, sociological, cultural, psychological, and spiritual development across the life span. The manner in which social systems promote or deter people in maintaining or achieving health and well-being are emphasized. Special attention is given to the impact of human diversity, discrimination and oppression on the individual’s ability to reach or maintain optimal health and well-being. PREREQ: Grade of C or better in SWK 105 and SWK 203. Open to non-Social Work majors with consent of instructor.

SWK 305 Social Work Practice I: The Generalist Model
Basic frame of reference for the understanding and practice of social work; various kinds of systems with which the social worker interacts, types of relationships involved and essential generalist/ problem solving methodology and skills. PREREQ: Grade of C or better in SWK 105, SWK 203, SWK 303, and SWK 304. Course restricted to Social Work majors.

SWK 307 Human Behavior and Social Environment II: Adulthood and Aging
This course focuses on the life stages of young adulthood, middle adulthood, and later adulthood. The focus is on the interactions between and among individuals, groups, societies, and economic systems. Course content includes empirically based theories and knowledge and teaches biological and social science concepts concerning human development that are fundamental to social work practice. Special attention is given to the impact of human diversity, discrimination and oppression on the individual’s ability to reach or maintain optimal health and well-being. PREREQ: Grade of C or better in SWK 105, SWK 203 and 304. Course open to non-Social Work majors with consent of instructor.

SWK 310 Social Work Practice II: Families and Groups
Selected practice modalities applied to social work intervention in small systems, emphasizing families, and groups. Students learn to apply problem-solving approach, task centered casework, psychosocial model, and behavior modification to these small systems. PREREQ: Grade of C or better in SWK 105, 203, and 305.
Course restricted to Social Work majors.

SWK 308 Social Work Research
Needs assessment, case evaluation, and program evaluation; components of research design and statistics essential for understanding and carrying out these activities. PREREQ: Grade of C or better in SWK 105 and SWK 203, and SWK 204; and STA 110, 113 or 205. Course restricted to Social Work majors or with consent of instructor.

SWK 405 Social Work Practice III: Community Organization
Social work intervention in groups, organizations, and large systems; knowledge, skill, and appropriate worker role useful in working with neighborhood and community action groups and different types of organizations. Grade of C or better in SWK 105, 203 and 305. Course restricted to Social Work majors.

SWK 406 Field Instruction I
Field placement of 16 hours per week in a community social service agency under supervision of professional staff; increased ability to apply knowledge and skill to social work interventions. Participation in weekly seminar. PREREQ: Grade of C or better in SWK 105 and SWK 203. Course restricted to Social Work majors.

SWK 407 Social Welfare Policy
Framework for analyzing social welfare benefits, beneficiaries, service delivery strategies, and financing from the perspective of various choices evolving in social welfare planning; evaluation of programs and services. PREREQ: Grade of C or better in SWK 105 and SWK 203. Course restricted to Social Work majors.

SWK 408 Field Instruction II
Continuation of field placement of 16 hours per week in a community social service agency. Application to advanced knowledge and skill in social work intervention. Participation in weekly seminar. PREREQ: Grade of C or better in SWK 105 and SWK 203 and 406. Course restricted to Social Work majors.

Additionally, nine (9) semester hours are required from the social work electives.

All social work program requirements are published in the NKU catalog.

Questions about declaring social work as a major, required courses, transferring into NKU, or applying to the major can also be answered by the program advisor.