School of Social Work
(Faculty of Public Affairs)
Social Work (SOWK) Courses
Introduction to Social Welfare
Explores definitions of social welfare and the structure of the Canadian welfare state; evolution and devolution of the welfare state in Canada; social welfare and its relationship to social work, social change, and social justice.
Introduction to Social Work
Introduction to the profession of social work; evolution of the social work profession in Canada; social work knowledge, values and skills. Explores professional and regulatory social work bodies and international linkages.
Structural Analysis and Social Work
Evolution of structural social work, theories and critiques of structural social work and contemporary issues and challenges.
Lecture three hours a week.
Values and Ethics for Social Work
Focuses on knowledge and skills for ethical decision-making in social work; understanding social work values and ethics, accountability and the professional use of self.
Prerequisite(s): SOWK 1001 and SOWK 1002. For Bachelor of Social Work students only.
Lecture three hours a week.
The Political Economy of the Social Welfare State
Political economic theories as lenses for structural analysis of social problems and policies affecting social work practice in Canada.
Lecture three hours a week.
Introduction to Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families
Understand and develop skills required for working with individuals and families; active listening; use of self; engagement; rapport-building; interviewing and interventions; empathy; interpersonal and professional collaboration; supervision.
Prerequisite(s): SOWK 1001 and SOWK 1002. For Bachelor of Social Work students only.
Lecture three hours a week.
Introduction to Social Work Practice with Groups and Communities
Introduces students to theory and practice skills for group work and community work; structural social work with groups and communities.
Lecture three hours a week.
Drugs in Society: Theory, Policy , Practice
Examines extent and nature of alcohol, prescription and illicit drug use, theories of drug dependence, history of drug policy; contemporary drug strategies and treatment in Canada.
Prerequisite(s): SOWK 1001 and SOWK 1002.
Lecture three hours a week.
Working with Children and Youth
Preventative and protective social work intervention with children and youth. Issues addressed include child neglect, abuse and violence in the context of family; organizational mandate and social political contexts. Programs and services for children and youth.
Introduction to Research Methods in Social Work
Research methods used in social work; research paradigms; quantitative and qualitative analysis in social work and social welfare; stages in conducting research.
Lecture three hours a week.
Introduction to Statistical Analysis in Social Work
Fundamentals of statistical analysis; descriptive and inferential statistics and their use in social work research. Statistical tests including Chi-Square, t-tests, correlations and simple linear regressions.
Lecture three hours a week.
Social Policy and Administration
Understanding the welfare state and social policy in Canada; exploring issues in administration including program design and implementation; understanding and developing skills in policy-making and policy analysis. Canadian focus; recognition of the distinctiveness of social policy in Quebec.
Lecture three hours a week.
Community Development and Social Change in an International Context
Introduction to theories, models and methods of community organizing as a strategy for social change in an international context.
Lecture three hours a week.
Human Rights Practice in Civil Society
Examines the advocacy role and capacity of organizations in civil society to increase popular participation in promoting and protecting human rights; includes transnational and national non-governmental organizations, grassroots movements, community organizations, and virtual or Internet-based organizations.
Lecture three hours a week.
Special Topics in Social Work
Theory, policy or direct practice topics not covered in the regular course program. Choice of topics varies from year to year.
Lecture three hours a week.
Practicum I (Fall and Winter)
Focus on integrating theory and practice in an approved community setting supervised by a field supervisor. Graded as Sat/Uns.
Precludes additional credit for SOWK 3601, SOWK 3602.
Prerequisite(s): SOWK 2001, SOWK 2005, SOWK 2100, SOWK 2202, SOWK 2203, and permission of the School of Social Work. Student must be in good academic standing in the BSW program and have a 6.00 CGPA in the Social Work major.
352 hours of field work over two terms and concurrent practicum seminars.
Practicum I (Winter Term)
Focus on integrating theory and practice in an approved community setting supervised by a field supervisor; 352 field hours and compulsory field seminars. Graded as Sat/Uns.
Precludes additional credit for SOWK 3600, SOWK 3602.
Prerequisite(s): SOWK 2001, SOWK 2005, SOWK 2100, SOWK 2202, SOWK 2203, and permission of the School of Social Work. Student must be in good academic standing in the BSW program and have a 6.00 CGPA in the Social Work major.
352 hours of field work over one term and concurrent practicum seminars.
Practicum I (Fall term)
Focus on integrating theory and practice in an approved community setting supervised by a field supervisor; 352 field hours and compulsory field seminars. Limited enrolment in this course subject to discretion of Field coordinator. Graded as Sat/Uns.
Precludes additional credit for SOWK 3601, SOWK 3600.
Prerequisite(s): SOWK 2001, SOWK 2005, SOWK 2100, SOWK 2202, SOWK 2203, and permission of the School of Social Work. Student must be in good academic standing in the BSW program and have a 6.00 CGPA in the Social Work major.
352 hours of field work over one term and concurrent practicum seminars.
Law of the Family
Legal framework surrounding the family and family relationships in Canadian society. Topics include marriage and cohabitation, matrimonial support, custody and access, and dissolution of marriage. State interventions through law; law and change in family structures; equality issues; dispute resolution processes.
Social Work and Indigenous Peoples
Social work in partnership with Indigenous peoples in Canada; impact of the past on current relationships; rebuilding through dialogue and respect; understanding Indigenous social work.
Lecture three hours each week.
Advanced Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families
Advanced theory, methods, techniques, and skills for direct social work practice with individuals and families; individual and family assessments, treatment planning, intervention skills, and evaluation.
Prerequisite(s): SOWK 2202 and fourth-year standing in the Bachelor of Social Work.
Seminar three hours a week.
Advanced Social Work Practice with Groups
Advanced theory, methods, techniques, and skills for social work with groups; knowledge of group work and various group formats; and social work interventions in group process.
Seminar three hours a week.
Advanced Social Work Practice with Communities
Advanced theory, methods, techniques and skills for engaging in community-based practice. Politics and challenges of social work community organizing and strategies and skills for community work.
Seminar three hours a week.
Social Policy Development and Practice
Social policy development processes in government and non-governmental agencies; refining skills in evaluating and critiquing processes of policy formation; role of lobbying and social activism.
Seminar three hours a week.
Indigenous Peoples and Social Policy
History of colonization, legacy of colonialism, Royal Proclamation, BNA Act, treaties, impact of residential schools; implications of government social policy for Indigenous peoples in Canada; importance of self-determination and Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Lecture three hours a week.
Practice and Policy in Immigration
History of immigration policies in Canada; direct practice with immigrants and refugees; diaspora, settlement and integration issues; immigrants and refugee women; intergenerational family relations; resources and community organizing.
Lecture three hours a week.
Management of Non-Profit Organizations
Introduction to theories, models and methods of managing non-profit organizations; role, nature and values of the non-profit sector in a market society; practical knowledge of management in different types of non-profit organizations (e.g. cooperatives, voluntary associations, public advocacy and community service organizations).
Lecture three hours a week.
Social Work and Aging
Social perspectives on aging with focus on models of practice that contribute to the independence of elderly people. Social programs and policies, such as social insurance, social services, housing, public health and health care. Social, psychological and political issues related to independence in later life.
Lecture three hours a week.
Feminist Counselling
Examines theory and practice of feminist counselling, feminist counselling skills development.
Lecture three hours a week.
Special Topics in Direct Social Work Practice
Theory and knowledge development of direct practice topics not in the regular course program. Topics may vary from year to year.
Lecture three hours a week.
Special Topics in Direct Social Work Practice
Theory and knowledge development of direct practice topics not in the regular course program. Topics may vary from year to year.
Lecture three hours a week.
Special Topics in Social Policy
Theory and knowledge development of social policy topics not in the regular course program. Topics may vary from year to year.
Lecture three hours a week.
Special Topics in Social Policy
Theory and knowledge development of social policy topics not in the regular course program. Topics may vary from year to year.
Lecture three hours a week.
Special Topics in Social Work
Theory and knowledge development of a combination of practice and policy topics not in the regular course program. Topics may vary from year to year.
Lecture three hours a week.
Special Topics in Social Work
Theory and knowledge development of a combination of practice and policy topics not in the regular course program. Topics may vary from year to year.
Lecture three hours a week.
Social Work and Persons with Disabilities
Social work theory and practice with persons with disabilities. Structural analysis of theory, models, policies and practices; disability rights; critical analysis of medical model and ableism.
Lecture three hours a week.
Racialization and Social Work
Social work and racialization; racism and consequences; critical analysis of cultural formations, difference, and identities; critical examination of whiteness and privilege.
Lecture three hours a week.
Poverty and Social Welfare Policy
Social work analysis of theories of poverty and economic inequality; labour force participation; poverty and wealth and income distribution in Canada and international comparisons; Canadian social policies and poverty.
Lecture three hours a week.
Gender and Sexuality
Social work and social, political, institutional and economic relations shaping everyday experiences of gender and sexuality and implications for contemporary social work.
Lecture three hours a week.
Practicum II (Fall or Summer Terms)
Development, application, testing and integration of knowledge, theory and skills in practice with individuals, families, groups and communities, in research or in social administration and policy. Graded Sat/Uns.
Precludes additional credit for SOWK 4601, SOWK 4602.
Prerequisite(s): third-year standing in the BSW program; SOWK 2001, SOWK 2005, SOWK 2100, SOWK 2202, SOWK 2203, SOWK 3100; SOWK 3600 or 3601 or 3602, and permission of the School of Social Work. Student must be in good academic standing in the BSW program and have a 6.00 CGPA in the Social Work major.
352 hours of fieldwork and concurrent practicum seminars.
Practicum IIA
Development, application, testing,integration of knowledge, theory and skills in practice with individuals, families, groups and communities, in research or social administration and policy. Graded Sat/Uns. Part one of two part practicum taken consecutively with SOWK 4602.
Precludes additional credit for SOWK 4600.
Prerequisite(s): third-year standing in the BSW program; SOWK 2001, SOWK 2005, SOWK 2100, SOWK 2202, SOWK 2203, SOWK 3100; SOWK 3600 or 3601 or 3602, and permission of the School of Social Work. Student must be in good academic standing in the BSW program and have a 6.00 CGPA in the Social Work major.
176 hours of fieldwork and concurrent practicum seminars.
Practicum IIB
Development, application, testing, integration of knowledge, theory and skills in practice with individuals, families, groups and communities, in research or social administration and policy. Graded Sat/Uns. Part two of two part practicum taken consecutively with SOWK 4601.
Precludes additional credit for SOWK 4600.
Prerequisite(s): third-year standing in the BSW program; SOWK 2001, SOWK 2005, SOWK 2100, SOWK 2202, SOWK 2203, SOWK 3100; SOWK 3600 or 3601 or 3602, SOWK 4601 and permission of the School of Social Work. Student must be in good academic standing in the BSW program and have a 6.00 CGPA in the Social Work major.
176 hours of fieldwork and concurrent practicum seminars.
Special topic in Criminal Justice and Social Policy
Selected topic in criminal justice and social policy. Topics announced in advance. Part of the Summer School in Criminal Justice and Social Policy and offered by the Department of Sociology.
Prerequisite(s): fourth-year Honours standing or permission of the School of Social Work.
Honours Essay
Research essay under supervision of accredited faculty member. Project may be in the form of case study, historical study or other form that meets the approval of faculty advisor.
Prerequisite(s): fourth-year standing in the Bachelor of Social Work and permission of the School of Social Work.
Note: Not all courses listed are offered in a given year. For an up-to-date statement of course offerings for the current session and to determine the term of offering, consult the class schedule at central.carleton.ca.
Summer session: some of the courses listed in this Calendar are offered during the summer. Hours and scheduling for summer session courses will differ significantly from those reported in the fall/winter Calendar. To determine the scheduling and hours for summer session classes, consult the class schedule at central.carleton.ca