Social Work/Human Services
Social Work/Human Services (SWHS) Courses
SWHS 299 Experimental Offering in Social Work/Human Services
- Units:0.5 - 4
- Prerequisite:None.
- Catalog Date:January 1, 2025
This is the experimental courses description.
SWHS 300 Introduction to Social Work & Human Services
- Units:3
- Hours:54 hours LEC
- Prerequisite:None.
- Transferable:CSU
- C-ID:C-ID SWHS 110
- Catalog Date:January 1, 2025
This course provides an introductory overview of the fields of social welfare, social work, and human services within the United States, with a critical evaluation of contemporary social issues and the various approaches to service delivery. Students examine the historical settings and circumstances that shaped the evolution of social welfare and the social work profession, focusing on key individuals, events, policies, and legislative acts. Emphasis is placed on core skills and knowledge including a fundamental understanding of the code of ethics, ethical decision-making, values, culturally-responsive practice, cultural humility, and the generalist perspective. Additionally, students explore the various career and academic pathways in the field.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- discuss the historical evolution of social welfare and the professions of social work and human services in the United States.
- explain the current service delivery system environment in which social work and human service clients’ needs are addressed, and describe the services provided by a local social service agency.
- demonstrate critical thinking in envisioning ways of collaborating, negotiating, and advocating while working with and within social service agencies and institutions.
- identify and be able to uphold the legal, ethical, and professional practice responsibilities of a human services paraprofessional working within social service organizations, with special attention to cultural humility and culturally-responsive practice.
- assess careers and academic pathways in the field and create a professional development plan.
- explain the services provided by a local social welfare agency (ideally associated with a visit to or volunteer experience).
SWHS 302 Introduction to Psychology of Human Relations
- Units:3
- Hours:54 hours LEC
- Prerequisite:None.
- Transferable:CSU
- General Education:AA/AS Area III(b); CSU Area E1
- Catalog Date:January 1, 2025
This course introduces the skills of communicating and relating to others by improving attitudes, values, and methods that enhance communication skills in human relations. This course will improve the students' interpersonal self-awareness skills and assertiveness techniques. This course is open to all students and is a required course for the Social Work/Human Services AA degree and certificate programs. This course is not open to students who have completed HSER 302.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- choose appropriate physical, tonal, and verbal responses in an interpersonal setting.
- confirm when a contradiction is presented between client's spoken words, or between client's spoken words and non-verbal behavior in an interpersonal setting.
- detect differences between poor responses and effective responses.
- describe the innate emotional basis influencing the individual response patterns of different persons which affect how they respond to their environment.
SWHS 331 Cross Cultural Psychology
- Same As:PSYC 368
- Units:3
- Hours:54 hours LEC
- Prerequisite:None.
- Advisory:PSYC 300
- Transferable:CSU; UC
- General Education:AA/AS Area V(b); AA/AS Area III(b); AA/AS Area VI; CSU Area D; IGETC Area 4
- Catalog Date:January 1, 2025
This course explores the impact of cultural influences on the psychological and individual development of ethnic group members. Emphasis will be placed on integrating traditional theoretical approaches and current cross-cultural statistical research and theory in the study of African-Americans, Asian-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, Native-Americans, gays & lesbians, the elderly, and the disabled. This course is not open to those who have completed PSYC 368 or HSER 331.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- define culture; ethnic group demographics; family and gender roles; collectivism and individualism; research methodologies; identity formation and ethnicity, stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination; cognition and intelligence; language, bilingualism and non-verbal communication; psychosocial stressors; and behavior disorders.
- recognize, understand and analyze psychological issues related to individual and institutionalized ethnocentrism, stereotyping, and prejudice, including recognizing one's own ethnocentrism, stereotypes and prejudice.
- demonstrate an understanding of, describe, and critically analyze the research on the impact of culture and minority status on basic psychological processes.
- compare and contrast research biases in the study of individuals from diverse populations.
SWHS 340 Introduction to Chemical Dependency
- Units:3
- Hours:54 hours LEC
- Prerequisite:None.
- Transferable:CSU
- General Education:AA/AS Area III(b); CSU Area E1
- C-ID:C-ID ADS 110X
- Catalog Date:January 1, 2025
This introductory course provides a historical and sociological perspective on the use, abuse, and social control of drugs associated with substance use disorder. Included are overviews of the biopsychosocial nature of addiction, the impact of addiction on children, families, and society. An overview of contemporary methods used in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment will be reviewed, including analysis of effective evidence-based strategies and local and national recovery resources. This course is not open to students who have completed HSER 340.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- recognize the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5-TR criteria for substance use disorder.
- discuss the history of legislative efforts to regulate and control drug availability and their impact.
- discuss current drugs and the impact of common administration methods and describe the physical/chemical reactions of the human body to various drugs (illicit and licit).
- describe economic factors, such as, the cost of various legal and illegal drugs, the profit resulting from the sale of drugs, the expense of the law enforcement, education, prevention, treatment programs, set the parameters that impact the formulation of policy and helps to determine the actions, reactions, and attitudes to drug abuse.
- identify the different modalities used in education, prevention, treatment, intervention, recovery, and relapse.
- identify the dynamics and interaction of family life, work life, social life, and recreational activities resulting in the use of drugs.
SWHS 350 Ethical Issues in Social Work/Human Services
- Units:3
- Hours:54 hours LEC
- Prerequisite:None.
- Advisory:SWHS 366
- Transferable:CSU
- Catalog Date:January 1, 2025
This course introduces students to the skills, duties, and responsibilities of a human services paraprofessional, with a focus on legal and ethical obligations. Course topics include professional codes of conduct, ethical decision-making models,common social service interventions, crisis intervention, documentation, court mandated reporting, legislative mandates and laws pertaining to working with special populations. This is a required course for the Social Work/Human Services certificates and AA degree. This course is not open to students who have completed HSER 350.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- identify, describe, and demonstrate the basic skills, duties, and responsibilities required of a social work/human services paraprofessional.
- describe the ethical standards and legal obligations for social work/human services paraprofessionals and demonstrate effective use of an ethical decision-making model .
- identify, analyze, and demonstrate appropriate interpersonal and social skills in interactions with a diverse population using the core principles of equity, social justice, cultural humility, and person-centered practice.
- understand and demonstrate the basic protocols for client intake, needs assessment, goal setting, evaluation, referral, and termination of services informed by research and best practices.
SWHS 360 Techniques for Interviewing and Case Management Services
- Units:3
- Hours:54 hours LEC
- Prerequisite:SWHS 302 with a grade of "C" or better
- Transferable:CSU
- Catalog Date:January 1, 2025
This course introduces students to effective case management, counseling, and interviewing techniques as applied to associate paraprofessional experiences as counselors, group counselor aides, mental health workers, social service technicians and other new careers in human services. This is a required course for the Human Services Specialist certificate and the Social Work & Human Services General AA degree.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- recommend and refer a client or person requesting help to at least three different community agencies appropriate for client's needs, demographics, etc.
- assess when to utilize basic empathy skills in an interpersonal setting, and when to utilize challenging skills.
- justify and demonstrate effective utilization of both basic and challenging skills.
- differentiate among skills used with special needs individuals, the skills used with a chemical dependency population, and the skills used with a senior diagnosed with dementia.
SWHS 365 Techniques for Working with Groups
- Units:3
- Hours:54 hours LEC
- Prerequisite:None.
- Advisory:SWHS 300 and 360
- Transferable:CSU
- Catalog Date:January 1, 2025
This course introduces the basic elements and techniques of groupwork. Through class discussions, in-class practice, and role plays students will learn the knowledge and skills needed for effective group facilitation. The course emphasizes different types of groups, stages of group process, and techniques for working with specific populations including individuals with substance use disorders and those from diverse backgrounds. This course is not open to students who have completed HSER 365.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- define the key concepts of group work practice, including ethics, group stages, group process, and group management.
- describe and demonstrate techniques used in group work practice.
- evaluate use of effective group work techniques.
SWHS 366 Practices in Human Services
- Units:3
- Hours:18 hours LEC; 108 hours LAB
- Prerequisite:SWHS 300 with a grade of "C" or better
- Transferable:CSU
- Catalog Date:January 1, 2025
This course provides students with a supervised internship in a community organization, agency, or institution that provides social services. Through weekly class meetings, students review knowledge and skills learned in previous social work/human services courses. This course focuses on developing skills for future work as a human services professional. Students must provide their own transportation to internships. This course is not open to students who have completed HSER 366.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- integrate knowledge of the field of human services into fieldwork experiences.
- incorporate the ethical code into fieldwork practice.
- manage client information within the appropriate legal, ethical, privacy, and agency guidelines.
- choose culturally responsive services that incorporate cultural humility and cultural engagement.
- evaluate their developing identity as a skilled, ethical, and culturally responsive human services professional.
SWHS 367 Advanced Practices in Human Services
- Units:3
- Hours:18 hours LEC; 108 hours LAB
- Prerequisite:SWHS 366 with a grade of "C" or better
- Transferable:CSU
- Catalog Date:January 1, 2025
This advanced practicum course provides research and supervised field experience in public and/or private agencies providing mental health, corrections, chemical dependency, and child/adolescent treatment services. Students integrate concepts, values, and skills acquired from previous courses and apply their knowledge to the process of helping others via internships. Field trips are required and students provide their own transportation. This course is not open to students who have previously taken HSER 499: Experimental Offering in Human Services (Advanced Practices in Human Services).
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- demonstrate the ability to assess an actual work problem and choose intelligent and thoughtful solutions.
- utilize professional written communication skills, including a clear writing style and the ability to write grammatically correct case studies, reports, memos, and letters.
- utilize professional oral communication skills including oral presentations, case presentations, group interaction, peer review, and group problem solving.
- demonstrate an understanding of working with diverse client populations by referring a client to at least one agency for each population age-group: newborn to senior.
- demonstrate professional competency using integrated understanding for individual improvement by developing additional skills.
SWHS 494 Topics in Human Services
- Units:0.5 - 4
- Hours:9 - 72 hours LEC
- Prerequisite:SWHS 300 and 350 with grades of "C" or better
- Transferable:CSU
- Catalog Date:January 1, 2025
This practicum course provides research and classroom experience in designing programs for public and/or private agencies providing mental health, corrections, chemical dependency, and child/adolescent treatment services. Students integrate concepts, values, and skills acquired from previous courses and apply their knowledge to the process of helping others via project planning. This course is not open to students who have previously taken HSER 499: Experimental Offering in Human Services (Advanced Practices in Human Services). This course is not open to students who have completed SWHS 367.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- assess work problems and choose intelligent and thoughtful solutions.
- produce professional writing samples that demonstrate the use of professional written communication skills, including a clear writing style and the ability to write grammatically correct.
- select the most effective oral communication skills for use in different professional modalities of communication such as case studies, oral presentations, group interaction, peer review, and group problem solving.
- integrate culturally responsive interventions into written and oral communication.
- evaluate the effectiveness of their professional practice through the use of reflection, peer feedback, and supervisor suggestions.
- create a social services program that can be implemented in their community.
SWHS 495 Independent Studies in Human Services
- Units:1 - 3
- Hours:54 - 162 hours LAB
- Prerequisite:None.
- Transferable:CSU
- Catalog Date:January 1, 2025
SWHS 498 Work Experience in Human Services
- Units:0.5 - 4
- Hours:27 - 216 hours LAB
- Prerequisite:None.
- Enrollment Limitation:Student must be in a paid or non-paid internship, volunteer opportunity, or job related to career interests.
- Transferable:CSU
- General Education:AA/AS Area III(b)
- Catalog Date:January 1, 2025
This course provides students with opportunities to develop marketable skills in preparation for employment or advancement within the field of Social Work/Human Services. Course content will include understanding the application of education to the workforce; completing required forms which document the student's progress and hours spent at the work site; and developing workplace skills and competencies. During the semester, the student is required to attend orientation. Students must complete 27 hours of related paid or unpaid work experience for .5 unit. An additional 27 hours of related work experience is required for each additional .5 unit. The course may be taken for a maximum of 16 units. Students should have access to a computer, the Internet, and some computer media such as a USB drive to store data files. Online students must have an email account. Only one Work Experience course may be taken per semester.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- apply industry knowledge and theoretical concepts in a field of study or career as written in the minimum 3 learning objectives created by the student and their employer or work site supervisor at the start of the course.
- manage personal career plans and decision making using industry & workforce information and online resources.
- behave professionally and ethically, exhibit adaptability, initiative, self-awareness and self-management as needed.
- exhibit effective communication, collaboration, and leadership skills at work with consideration to workplace dynamics and social and diversity awareness.
- demonstrate critical and creative thinking skills as they apply to the workplace.
SWHS 499 Experimental Offering in Social Work/Human Services
- Units:0.5 - 4
- Prerequisite:None.
- Transferable:CSU
- Catalog Date:January 1, 2025
This is the experimental courses description.
Public Service, Health, and Education
This program is part of the Public Service, Health, and Education meta-major.
Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
This program is part of the Liberal Arts and Social Sciences meta-major.