Social Work Assistant, AAS (SW23) (440799)  Degree


Campus Locations: Thomasville, Tifton, Online

The Social Work Assistant Program is designed to prepare individuals to obtain entry-level employment in public and private social service agencies. The social worker assistant is equipped with the skills, knowledge, values, and sensitivity to effectively serve human needs in a variety of community settings. Students have the option to select courses that will prepare them to provide client services, as well as support for families in a variety of fields, such as psychology, rehabilitation, and social work. They may assist clients in identifying social and community services that will best assist them. They may assist the social worker in developing, organizing, and conducting programs to resolve problems relevant to human relations, substance abuse, adult day care, and rehabilitation.

Length of Program: Five (5) Semesters

Entrance Date: Beginning of each semester.

Entrance Requirements: Refer to Admissions criteria. Click for Entrance Score Requirements.

Age: N/A

Education: An applicant must be a high school graduate or the equivalent (GED). College transcripts will be evaluated on an individual basis.

Advisor: A Program Advisor should be consulted prior to enrolling in any course. An advisor will be assigned by admissions.

Additional Requirements: Physical Exam, Criminal Background Check, and Drug Toxicology.

Note: Individuals who have been charged with a federal offense and/or certain types of misdemeanor offenses may be denied access to field practicum sites. Field Practicum is a program requirement; therefore, if a student is unable to meet this requirement, he or she will not complete the Social Work Assistant program.

Program Final Exit Point: Social Work Assistant, Associate of Applied Science.

Credits Required for Graduation: 66 minimum semester hour credits required for graduation.

Cost
Books: $711.35
Fees: $301.00
Tuition: $1,500.00
Total: $2,512.35
Books: $918.50
Fees: $301.00
Tuition: $1,500.00
Total: $2,719.50
Books: $823.00
Fees: $301.00
Tuition: $1,200.00
Total: $2,324.00
Books: $565.45
Fees: $301.00
Tuition: $1,200.00
Total: $2,066.45
Books: $361.75
Fees: $301.00
Tuition: $1,200.00
Total: $1,862.75
Curriculum Outline (66 hours)
1: General Core Courses 15
Area I: Language Arts/Communication (3 hours) 3
ENGL 1101

Co-requisite(s): ENGL 0090 and/or Entrance exam reading and writing scores in accordance with approved TCSG admission score levels. Explores the analysis of literature and articles about issues in the humanities and in society. Students practice various modes of writing, ranging from exposition to argumentation and persuasion. The course includes a review of standard grammatical and stylistic usage in proofreading and editing. An introduction to library resources lays the foundation for research. Topics include writing analysis and practice, revision, and research. Students write a research paper using library resources and using a formatting and documentation style appropriate to the purpose and audience.

3
Area II: Social/Behavioral Sciences (3 hours) 3
Area III: Natural Sciences/Mathematics (3 hours) 3
One Mathematics Course 3
Area IV: Humanities/Fine Arts (3 hours) 3
And one additional course from Area I, II, III, or IV (3 Hours)(as approved by program advisor) 3
2: Institutional Credit (3 hours) 3
COLL 1500

This course is designed to provide tools to assist students to acquire skills necessary to achieve academic and professional success in their chosen occupational/ technical program of study. Topics include: Getting off to a Good Start, Learning and Personality Styles, Time and Money Management, Study and Test Taking Skills, Stress Management and Wellness, Communications Skills, Career Exploration, Research Skills, College Campus Knowledge, Memory & Reading Skills, Presentation & Interview Skills, and Group Skills. Effective Fall 2016, students who already have an Associate Degree or higher will be given exemption credit for the COLL 1500 course.

3
3: Occupational Courses (48 hours) 48
COMP 1000

Introduces the fundamental concepts, terminology, and operations necessary to use computers. Emphasis is placed on basic functions and familiarity with computer use. Topics include an introduction to computer and digital terminology, and usage, operating systems, Internet and digital communication, word processing applications, spreadsheet applications, database applications, and presentation applications.

3
SOCW 2000

Pre-requisite(s): Provisional Admission This course provides an introduction to social welfare institution and the profession of social work. It focuses on the values, ethics, and methods of generalist social work practice with an emphasis on diversity. Students will be introduced to basic social welfare policies, community agencies, and at-risk populations.

3
SOCW 2010

Pre-requisite(s): Provisional Admission A practical course in the how to of human service case management. Students will learn the step-by-step process of case management from the initial referral for services, determination of eligibility for services, writing a formal plan for services, case documentation techniques, and techniques for monitoring a clients progress through the service delivery system, to case closure/follow-up activities. This course will include how to access community resources, how to interpret and utilize information from other professionals, and the development of interviewing, intervention, case recording, and caseload management skills. Legal and ethical issues in service delivery will also be discussed.

3
SOCW 2020

Pre-requisite(s): SOCW 2000; SOCW 2010 This course provides an overview of multi-cultural and critical perspectives on understanding: individuals, families, and their interpersonal and group relationships; life span development; and theories of well-being, stress, coping, and adaptation. Students learn to address biopsychosocial influences on human functioning.

3
SOCW 2030

Pre-requisite(s): SOCW 2000; SOCW 2010 This course is offered as a beginning general foundation class and focuses on social work practice with individuals. It will emphasize the initial contact and rapport building skills utilized in partnering with clients in the social work process, interviewing skills and counseling techniques along with the assessment of a clients situation, and determination of the appropriate level of intervention for the change effort. Students will be expected to participate in interpersonal sharing and activities. Additional areas of study include: interviewing for assessment, the person in environment perspective, motivational interviewing, and ethical framework for practice.

3
SOCW 2040

Pre-requisite(s): SOCW 2020, SOCW 2030 This course examines various modalities for assessing and intervening with individuals who have special needs, such as mental health disorders, addictive diseases, and development disabilities. The course focuses on problem assessment, types of intervention strategies, and techniques and methods for determining the effectiveness of interventions.

3
SOCW 2050

Pre-requisite(s): SOCW 2020, SOCW 2030 This course will provide students with a foundational understanding of the knowledge and skills required to participate in and lead small groups in a variety of settings. The course emphasizes an experiential approach which will provide students with the opportunity to develop skills in planning, facilitating, organizing, and evaluating the success of groups in micro and macro practice. Students will learn about the basic issues in group work and how to design groups for and work with children, youth, and adults. Emphasis will be placed on exploration and application of group work theory, principles and practices of group counseling, stages of group development, group dynamics, and group leadership. The latest research, ethical guidelines, and practices in group work will be examined and applied. Students will explore the interaction between groups and systems with their external environments and learn about concepts, theories, and methods and skills relevant to group work with diverse populations. Application of group work methods with at-risk populations will also be explored.

3
SOCW 2060

Pre-requisite(s): SOCW 2040, SOCW 2050 This course examines various modalities for assessing and interviewing with children and adolescents. It focuses on Bio-psychosocial changes, interpersonal relationships and the individualÆs ability to relate to the social environment. Topics include: child maltreatment, teen parenting, delinquency, violent behavior, school dropout, suicide, substance abuse, and runaway behavior.

3
SOCW 2070

Pre-requisite(s): SOCW 2040, SOCW 2050 This course explores the aging process and the experience of aging from a variety of perspectives. Physiological psychological and socio-culturally. Emphasis is placed on understanding the normative changes associated with the aging process, as well as the ways in which those changes are experienced personally and socially. Issues that will be reviewed include the realities of aging on our society; issues around health and emotional well being and aging, including life adjustments, physical health and mental problems and changes in physical appearance; and a look into the future of aging.

3
SOCW 2080

Pre-requisite(s): (SOCW 2040 and SOCW 2050) or (SOCW 2060 and SOCW 2070) The field practicum is an educationally focused, guided field experience in which students engage in community-based practice with individuals, families, and/or communities. Students gain experience with various social work roles, such as advocate, broker, and counselor. Students learn to function as professional generalists social workers in an organizational setting, to demonstrate an understanding of and behavior consistent with the NASW Code of Ethics, and to increasingly assume professional responsibility. Special emphasis is placed on the identification of specific needs, the empowerment of diverse populations at the micro and mezzo levels, and a keen awareness of social justice issues. Students will be under the supervision of the Social Work program faculty and/or persons designated to coordinate work experience arrangements.

6
SOCW 2090

Pre-requisite(s): SOCW 2060, SOCW 2070, SOCW 2080 Field Practicum II is an advanced educationally focused, guided, field experience in which students engage in community-based practice with individuals, families, and/or communities. Students gain experience with various social work roles, such as advocate, broker, and counselor. Students learn to function as professional generalist social workers in an organization setting, to demonstrate an understanding of and behavior consistent with NASW Code of Ethics, and to increasingly assume professional responsibility. Special emphasis is placed on the identification of special needs, the empowerment of diverse populations at the micro and mezzo levels, and a keen awareness of social justice issues. Students will be under the supervision of the Social Work program, faculty and/or persons designated to coordinate work experience arrangements.

6
and three of the following (9 hours) 9
SOCW 2100

Pre/Co-requisite(s): SOCW 2000 or SOCW 2010 or SOCW 2020 This course is designed to prepare students for a lifetime of engaged, responsible and active community involvement and leadership. In class, students will learn about leadership skills and styles and how to most effectively assess and assist organizations in their community. Outside of class, students will be required to provide volunteer service to an approved placement site in their local community for an approved number of hours.

3
SOCW 2110

Pre-requisite(s): SOCW 2020, SCOW 2030 This course focuses on initial introduction to the concept of families throughout the human life cycle. Using a biopychosocial approach, the course explores the changing family structure from initial courtship and marriage, having infants and toddlers, young children, teenagers, adult children, and grandparenthood along with caring for elderly parents and relations. Influences upon family (economic, cultural, ethnic, etc.) along with changes to traditional family structures (single parent, gay/lesbian, divorce) will be explored. As a clinical practice course, students will be expected to participate in interpersonal sharing and activities.

3
SOCW 2120

Pre-requisite(s): SOCW 2000, SOCW 2010 This course provides students with knowledge and skills to work with physically, socio-economically, mentally, psychologically, and economically disadvantaged and oppressed people. Attention is given to ethnic minorities of color, women, people with disabilities, gay and lesbian people, the poor, and the oppressed. A multi-dimensional, cross-cultural framework is introduced for assessments and interventions with consumers from diverse groups. Students learn to identify and emphasize the adaptive capabilities and strengths of disadvantaged and oppressed people.

3
SOCW 2150

Pre-requisite(s): Program Admission This course provides a comprehensive exploration of domestic and family violence. The history, nature, extent, causes and consequences of violence are examined. This course includes laws and law-enforcement, societal issues, populations victimized and diagnosis and treatment techniques. It also includes community resources, treatment centers and support groups, cultural awareness, special populations at risk and theories explaining the prevalence of domestic and family violence.

3
Faculty
Program Chair

Social Work Assistant Program Chair
School of Professional Services
Thomasville

15689 US 19 North, Thomasville, GA 31792
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