SOWK 421: Child Welfare - The purpose of this course is to introduce students to a comprehensive overview of services offered to families and children in contemporary America. Students explore child welfare services through an examination of the history of services provision, as well as the policy framework through which social work services are delivered. This course is recommended to anyone interested in working with families and children.

SOWK 625: Child Sexual Abuse and CPS (Child Protective Services) Investigation - This course explores the issues involved in child abuse and neglect cases, with an emphasis on child sexual abuse. It offers an integrative framework of principles, theories, process, and skills specifically designed for performing culturally sensitive investigations and assessments with alleged abusive and neglectful families. This academic course is offered to graduate students interested in public social services, and to those awarded Title IV-E stipends (supplanting the VISSTA [Virginia Institute for Social Services Training Activities] training sequence), and to qualified community people. Child Welfare emphasis area elective.

SOWK 615: Substance Abuse and Dependency - This course examines current theories and models pertaining to substance abuse and chemical dependency. It explores intervention and treatment techniques for working with chemically dependent individuals and their families, with an emphasis on diverse populations. The course integrates theory and practice skills to teach students to critically examine the clinical issues involved in substance abuse and chemical dependency treatment.

SOWK 641:642: Foundation Practicum and Seminar I and II - The foundation practicum provides a forum in which students learn to apply knowledge, skills, and values acquired from the generalist foundation practicum. Opportunities are provided for students to learn to utilize concepts, theories, and sound professional judgment in the context of community-based family practice. Professional values, ethical practice, assessment, and supervision issues are emphasized forming the basis for the concentration year.

SOWK 680: Management and Supervision in Social Work - This course is designed for advanced social work students and examines the various theories of administration and will provide students with a working knowledge of the purpose, function, and role of social workers as manager/supervisor. This course will explore macro level management to include: planning, organizing, staffing, leading, controlling, and evaluating. The course emphasizes client-centered management and includes the part that socio-cultural, gender, and ethnicity play in the decision making process as well as in organizational service delivery.

SOWK 680: Crisis Intervention - This course will focus on developing basic crisis intervention skills (interviewing, assessment, follow-up) along a broad continuum in the community. Special topics of concern will be highlighted: partner abuse; child abuse; school violence, etc. Students will also become aware of the role of various agencies within the realm of crisis intervention.

SOWK 680: Couple's Therapy - The purpose of this course is to present and analyze several theoretical approaches to couple's therapy, to explore these approaches' common assumptions, and to provide practical experience assessing and addressing the problems for which couples seek treatment. The course will utilize lecture, class presentations, guest speakers, videos, and role-playing.

SOWK 791:792 Concentration Practicum and Seminar I and II - The concentration practicum provides a forum in which students learn to apply knowledge, skills, and values acquired from the specialized concentration curriculum. Via discussion, case presentations, and role-playing, students learn to utilize concepts, theories, and sound professional judgment in the context of community-based family practice, thereby moving students beyond foundation level work. Service delivery issues, agency/organizational dynamics and practice skills are emphasized.