HSW 101 Introduction to Human Services and the Helping Profession
Credits: 3.00
This course is designed to help students explore human services as a generalist human services professional. Emphasis is on historical development, roles of the human service professional, theories of helping, technology, managed care, crisis intervention, international and multicultural issues in human services. Students are encouraged to examine themselves as helpers in the human services profession.
HSW 102 Theories of Group Counseling
Credits: 3.00
A survey of therapeutic modalities commonly employed in group settings. Students are expected to carefully analyze the theories presented and to begin developing a basis for their own theory of effective group work with various populations. Prerequisite: HSW 101.
HSW 105 Social Policy and Ethics in Human Services
Credits: 3.00
This course examines the relationship of social policy, ethics, and the human services field. Students will address ethical dilemmas, particularly as they relate to current and needed social policies on local, state, and national levels. A basic understanding of social welfare theories will assist the student in evaluating, assessing, and advocating for change in both a micro/macro perspective. The Ethical Standards of Human Service Professionals (National Organization for Human Services) will serve as a backbone for students to use in decision-making, assessment of clients and client groups, and promotion of change in a diverse setting. This course meets General Education Core Goal 9: Behavioral and Social Sciences; Core Goal 12: Global Perspectives and Diversity; and Core Goal 13: Ethical Reasoning and Behavior
HSW 130 Introduction to Youth and Family Systems
Credits: 3.00
This introductory course examines children and youth within the context of their familial role. Emphasis is placed upon non-traditional as well as traditional family systems and the impact that issues such as divorce, substance abuse, child abuse and incarceration has on the various units in the family system.
HSW 155 Introduction to Aging
Credits: 3.00
This basic, overview course is designed to introduce and sensitize the student to those personal and social forces which have impact on the lives of older adults in contemporary America. Commonly held attitudes about older persons and aging will be examined, along with current theories and prominent bodies of knowledge associated with biological, psychological, and sociological aspects of aging. Roles which older adults assume in various settings and institutions as well as the responses of society to older adults will be emphasized.
HSW 160 The Middle Years
Credits: 3.00
This course explores the developmental stages of the middle years of life span: the twenties, thirties, forties, and fifties. The course covers the major psycho-social theories and research on how we adapt to the psycho-dynamic and cultural pressures of middle age. It is designed for those whose work brings them into contact with adults and for students of all ages (including those who are anticipating, experiencing, or who have completed the changes of middle adulthood). The unique pressures on the "sandwich" generation (who have responsibility for teenagers and aging parents) will be examined.
HSW 202 Theories of Individual Counseling
Credits: 3.00
The purpose of this counseling course is to introduce students to the various approaches to counseling and to the theories behind individual psychotherapy. This course will also help students become more familiar with client/counselor relationships on a one-on-one level, and help each to improve their own theoretical understanding of the processes involved when working one-on-one as opposed to group programs. In addition, students will develop a broad base or generalist approach enabling each to be more sensitive ethically and culturally, limiting value judgments while carving out a counseling style tailored to the student's personality. We will also discuss the impact of managed care on the counseling process. Prerequisite: HSW 101.
HSW 203 Assessment and Docmumentation in Human Serices
Credits: 3.00
This course is designed to teach students the necessary skills to assess and document client interactions in a human services agency or program. Students will explore the nature of the helping relationship, demonstrate their active listening abilities, learn how to gather information, build treatment plans, and write case notes. Students will also understand case management in a managed care environment, and the legal, ethical and regulatory implications of comprehensive assessment and documentation.
HSW 205 Volunteer Administration
Credits: 3.00
This course examines the development and role of volunteerism in a profit-oriented society. Specifically, it is an in-depth exploration of the fundamentals of volunteer organization and management from an administrative perspective. It is designed for those whose work brings them into contact with volunteers, the currently employed volunteer administrator, and the student who will eventually be involved with volunteer management. This course meets General Education Core Goal 11: Civic Responsibility
HSW 206 Hospice: Concepts and Skills
Credits: 3.00
A course designed for those whose work brings them into contact with the dying (and their families) or for anyone who wishes to understand the issue of his/her own mortality in relation to the life cycle. Students will have the opportunity to examine the "hospice without walls" concept, to clarify attitudes toward death and dying, and to explore how such attitudes are learned and can be changed. Skills that can be acquired and practiced include: hospice and grief outreach and counseling, administration of cost-effective hospice counseling in the social service agency, and mobilizing support networks for the dying and their families.
HSW 210 Professional Development in Human Services
Credits: 3.00
This course is designed to prepare students for the practicum experience through professional self reflection and development. Students will evaluate human service agencies, organizational structures, and funding sources. Students will select a field site, process agency interview, and prepare for supervision in the field. Topics such as self-assessment, document gathering, and certification reviews will be addressed. The development of portfolio management demonstrating interpersonal styles, and program competency will be required. Students must pass this course with a grade of "C" or higher before taking HSW 211.
HSW 211 Human Services Practicum
Credits: 6.00
A course designed to integrate human services theory within a practical milieu. Through supervised clinical experience, the student begins hands-on training in a community agency. Skills focused upon are: intake interviewing, case management, assessment of client/consumer needs and intervention strategies to meet those needs, individual and group counseling, outreach activities, recording procedures, appropriate use of community referral and networking resources, staff relations, and inter-agency communication, evaluating program services and volunteer participation. Two hundred and eighty hours of recorded clinical experience are required in addition to a one and half -hour seminar every other week.
HSW 212 Practicum Human Services II
Credits: 9.00
A continuation of Practicum Human Services I within an alternate agency. Three hundred and thirty-six hours of recorded clinical experience are required and a two-hour seminar every other week. Prerequisite: HSW 101 and advising with field supervisor. *Approval of coordinator/instructor required.
HSW 216 Assessment and Techniques for Child/Youth
Credits: 3.00
This course is designed to develop the knowledge and skills in assessing the risk factors in the current situation of the child and/or adolescent. The course will focus upon the youth's educational social, psychological, emotional and physical environment to determine the level of required intervention. Students will learn the techniques needed to assess and reduce risk factors.
HSW 219 Drug and Alcohol Treat Proc-Intr
Credits: 3.00
Designed to provide a working knowledge of the helping process as it applies to drug and alcohol counseling, students completing this course should be able to: develop assessment and diagnostic skills; formulate appropriate goals and treatment plans; improve interviewing and intervention skills with drug/ alcohol clients; discuss and compare individual, group, and family treatment approaches; describe the levels of service available to drug/alcohol clients and their families; use AA, AL-ANON and other support groups as treatment allies; appreciate the impact of sex, age, ethnicity, race, and religion on the treatment process; and understand the American Psychiatric Associations (DSM IV) assessment of substance use disorders, anti-social personalities and depression. Alcohol and Drug Certification Process: The Pennsylvania Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors Certification Board recommends 300 clock hours of training/education relevant to the field of addictions. It should be noted that three semester/college credit hours are equivalent to 45 clock hours of training/ education. All students will be advised of the procedure for applying for certification credit.
HSW 220 Intro to Adjunctive Therapies
Credits: 3.00
A survey of adjunctive therapies and activities that enhance the therapeutic process for populations served by human service agencies. Therapeutic modalities include but are not limited to: art, music, movement, dance, poetry, psychodrama and biofeedback.
HSW 221 Adjunctive Therapy: Stress Management
Credits: 1.00
This course includes topics such as: stress, strain and stress responses; the role of personality; sources of stress; stress physiology; stress related disorders. A particular emphasis of the course is on intervention strategies including lifestyle changes, relaxation, and self-regulation techniques.
HSW 222 Adjunctive Therapy: Psychodrama
Credits: 1.00
This course provides an overview of the history, development and philosophy of psychodrama. This course requires active participation by students for planning and practicing techniques.
HSW 223 Adjunctive Therapy: Art Therapy
Credits: 1.00
This course provides an overview of the principles techniques and applications of art therapy. The course focuses upon the role of the art therapist as an integral part of a treatment team across several different client populations.
HSW 250 Psychology of Aging: Helping Skills
Credits: 3.00
This course is an in-depth exploration of psychological theories and their applications to appreciating and working with older adults. Students will have the opportunity to gain an increased understanding of their own personal development and self- knowledge in the context of the life cycle and to explore feelings about the aging process. Classroom experiences that focus on enhancing communications skills will be designed to enable students to translate psychological theories and helping techniques to every day family and job-related encounters with older adults. Prerequisite: HSW 155 or may be taken concurrently.
HSW 254 Aging in American Society
Credits: 3.00
This course is an in-depth exploration of the current social issues concerning older adults in American society. Students will examine the social needs which confront all older people and those needs of particular sub-groups of the older population such as the frail elderly, women, and minorities. Emphasis will be placed on reviewing the legislation which has led to the creation of programs and services for meeting the needs of older adults and on analyzing the system of services to detect areas of unmet needs, such as the need for "long-term care." Students will have the opportunity to gain an understanding of techniques of advocacy which can be used on behalf of and in concert with older persons. Prerequisite: HSW 155 or may be taken concurrently.
HSW 299 Indep Study in Human Services
Credits: 3.00
This independent study is designed to meet the special needs of a student in complying with the specific requirements of a particular human service curriculum or option. Note: May only be taken with the permission of the Human Services Coordinator.
Last Updated: 02-23-2011
