Attendance
Professional Expectation
Curricular Context
DescriptionGoal
Logistics
Requirements
Late Assigments
Grading Policy
Listserv
Principal Reading Materials
Teaching Methods
Resources

Attendance:

To allow yourself some assurance that deadlines can be met, complete assignments well before the due date!! This will allow you time to attend to emergencies!
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Professional Expectation:

Just as licensed professionals must prepare themselves in advance to practice competently, Social Work 403 places professional expectations on both the instructor and students. The instructor pledges to come to class prepared to study with students the materials for each week. Similarly, students must ready themselves for competent and critical discourse of assigned materials. Therefore, readings listed for a given week are to be read prior to that week in anticipation of critical, in-depth discussions of that material, and other classwork. To assist students in meeting these expectations, Social Work 403 enables students to develop their critical thinking skills and writing ability since both are germane to social research and professional social work practice in formal institutional and community-based settings. Critical thinking is defined in Social Work 403 as the careful examination of beliefs and actions that ideally leads to creative opinions or conclusions that form the basis for professional action. Critical thinking skills are developed via the deliberate, judicious, and methodical evaluation -- both verbally ( class discussions ) and in writing ( research report & examination ) -- of our class material's logic, assumptions, stated conclusions, and practice relevance.
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Curricular Context:
As this is an elective social work course, this meets the social work major's elective requirement for graduation.
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Description:
As an industry, health care has proliferated in recent history resulting in costs exceeding $1 trillion in 1997. Health care costs accounts for over 15% of our GNP, and health care expenses are a leading reason for personal bankruptcies in the U.S. Although the health care industry remains a major part of our lives, the overwhelming majority of Americans remain extremely unhappy with the current health care delivery system and see the need for fundamental change. But, because of entrenched economic interests, however, growth is projected to continue, but any desired change will remain incremental. Fortunately, as part of this slow evolution, health care payers and providers are realizing the import of social-ecological contributions to health and illness. As such, medical social work remains important to the delivery of quality health care in America . This class is grounded in a liberal arts perspective and uses knowledge gained in prior coursework ( i.e., history, economics, political science, and social work ) to analyze and understand America's efforts to provide health care to its citizens, and social work's role in this endeavor. In so doing this course uses social-ecological, social systems, and critical theories to examine health care issues in the United States , and the role of professional medical social work in health care settings. Health issues covered include the social nature and origins of disease and illness, the social organization of medical care, contemporary critical debates regarding the organization and delivery of health care in the United States , and alternatives systems and their success in delivering health care to their citizens. Attention is directed to differential access to quality health care by America 's poor, oppressed, and otherwise disenfranchised populations, and social work's role in addressing such issues. Social Work 403 meets twice weekly ( see logistics above ), and students will complete a 20 hour field placement each Friday from between 1:00-1:50 PM (alternative times can be arranged in advance). Each panel will meet with the instructor once prior to their panel day, and the instructor is available to students five times weekly ( see office hours above ). Students are encouraged to meet often with the instructor to master the required materials and prepare a professional quality presentation.
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Goal:
The cardinal goals in Social Work 403 are to enable students to use knowledge gained in prior coursework to analyze and understand contemporary health care in American society, and social work's pivotal role in implementing various health care interventions. Social Work 403 will help students understand the history and current state of American health care, the historic and contemporary societal impact of health care policies, the culture of the health care environment, and how the American system differs from those in other industrialized countries. In so doing students will develop themselves professionally via a field experience, thoughtful and professional group essays, collegial interaction, and discussion leadership opportunities - all of which are part and parcel of professional generalist practice.
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Logistics:
Meetings:***
Room:***
Faculty: S. D. Ginther, M.S.W., Ph.D .
Office Locale: Lommen 83b
Office Phone: 218.477.2634
E-mail: ginther@mnstate.edu
Social Work Department phone: 218.477.2632
Department Web Page: www.moorhead.msus.edu/socialwk/
Office hours:By appointment
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Requirements:
To accomplish the course goal, formal class requirements are:
•  Two take-home essays ( LE 50 points each; LE 100 points total; 50% of final grade);
•  Four panel presentations ( LE 25 points each; LE 100 points; 50% of final grade);
•  Academic Service Learning Field Labortatory experience (20 hours); and
•  Professional Journal.
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Late Assignments:

Grading Policy:

Listserv:

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Principal Reading Materials:

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Teaching Methods:
Social Work 403 will utilize lectures, class readings, cooperative learning groupwork, videos, class/group discussions, group writing assignments, in-class demonstrations, experiential exercises, an Academic Service Learning experience, case vignettes, small group role plays, four reaction papers from each cooperative group, and in-depth class discussions in seminar format to accomplish the above goals and objectives, and measure student learner outcomes. Just as licensed professionals must be prepared to practice competently in the workplace, students are responsible for readying themselves for academic discourse of assigned materials. Therefore, readings listed for a given week are to be read prior to that week in anticipation of critical, in-depth discussions of that material. Social Work 403 will also enable students to further develop themselves professionally. Critical thinking and public presentation skills, as well as professional writing abilities are emphasized since all are germane to understanding and discussing health care policy, and successful social work practice in formal institutional and community-based health care settings. Critical thinking skills will be developed through the deliberate, judicious, and methodical evaluation -- both verbally ( in class ) and in writing ( group reaction papers ) -- of the course material's logic, expressed or implied assumptions, stated conclusions, and practice relevance. Further, professional interactional, leadership, and public speaking skills needed for entry-level generalist practice will be nurtured through cooperative learning groups, panel presentations, and a field experience. These experiences will give students the opportunity to study the materials collaboratively, direct various class meetings, as well as see first hand, social work professionals in action. In all instances, professional use of self is emphasized.
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