The online DSW is a 44 credit hour program. Fall and Spring courses are eight weeks. Summer courses are six weeks. Students complete both a teaching practicum and leadership practicum as part of their coursework. All students must pass a qualifying assessment before proceeding to the capstone project (6 credit hours) that is completed in the third year of the program. Practicums occur across all semesters.
Students complete two practicum experiences. In the fall semester of the second year, students complete a leadership practicum concurrently with Applied Social Service Leadership, Management & Practice. In the spring semester of the second year, students complete a teaching practicum concurrently with Social Work Teaching & Learning: Theories, Methods & Assessment.
Work in online learning is asynchronous or synchonrous. With asynchonrous coursework, the instructor as well as the students in the course, engage with the course content at different times. Synchronous learning, a modality often enjoyed by students, more closely resembles the traditional classroom and requires students and the instructor to be in the same place at the same time.
DSW 700: Social Service Leadership and Teaching & Learning: History, Philosophy & Current Practice
This course introduces students to the study of social service leadership and teaching and learning by examining their associated philosophical and social work roots. Topics covered include historical influences on current social service systems and social work education specific to policies and practices, structures, and processes. Current models of practice are examined in light of historical and philosophical influences.
DSW 701: Ethics, Equity, and Social Justice: Theory and Practice
This course focuses on the theoretical, social, and historical foundations of ethis, equity, and social justice in relation to issues in social service leadership and social work teaching and learning. Topics to be covered include systems of oppression, interpersonal and systemic discrimination, and unequal distribution and access to power and resources as well as how to create a healthy and inclusive culture and climate in which all employees and those being served can thrive and reach positive outcomes. Students will have the opportunity to challenge dominant structure and practices that further social injustice and oppression. They will evaluate existing and proposed strategies to redress systemic barriers to equality and inclusiveness.
DSW 702: Implementation Science, Program Development, & Administration
This course aims to enhance students' understanding of implementation science and its application to program development and administration. Course topics include methods and strategies that facilitate the use of evidence-based practice and research in practice and policy-making, identifying and addressing the barriers that impede adoption of interventions and evidence-based practices, and identifying key measures to evaluate successful implementation of evidence-based practices
DSW 703: Continuous Quality Improvement, Data Driven Decision-Making and Evidence Based Practice & Manage
This course focuses on continuous quality improvement (CQI), data-driven decision making, and promotion of evidence-based practice and management. Topics covered include data literacy, applying the most appropriate data for decision making for effective leadership and management, communicating with data, and data visualization..
DSW 704: Research Methods
This course focuses on scientific inquiry and understanding of basic research methods including design and research ethics. Students will learn to research and review the literature in a systematic manner and critically appraise research studies for rigor, significance and relevance. They will apply this knowledge to researching and assessing evidence for practice change, particularly efficacy studies regarding interventions, practices, and programs as they relate to informing teaching and social service leadership.
DSW 705: Program Evaluation
This course will provide students with the knowledge and skills for conducting program evaluation and assessment in academic and social service settings. Students will be introduced to program evaluation concepts and methods, skills for designing, implementing and interpreting program evaluations, and using evaluation findings for initiating improvements and changing programs and practices in academic and social service settings.
DSW 706: Applied Social Service Leadership, Management & Practice
With the lens of administrative practice within the organization and boundary spanning in the community and advocacy practice, students will be trained on problem-based learning approaches in order to apply them to challenging leadership and management issues in academic and social service settings. Students complete a leadership practicum as a required component of this course. Students apply and integrate leadership knowledge and skills gained and developed through the coursework in a social service setting. Tasks covered include strategic planning, creating strategies for engaging clients, workforce retention, setting up a volunteer program, fundraising, grant writing, budgeting, and cost-benefit analysis. It also includes directing needs assessment, developing a plan for implementing evidence-based practices, instituting and evaluating a training and professional development plan for employees, directing and initiating program evaluation, conducting a readiness for change assessment of the organization, and utilizing information management systems and data-informed decision making.
DSW 707: Program Planning, Finance, and Budgets
The focus of this course is on program planning, administration, and management within the context of social work values and ethics. Students will also review various sources of funding and strategies for securing funding via grant writing, as well as gain knowledge of writing and submitting grant proposals.
DSW 708: Social Work Teaching & Learning: Theories, Methods & Assessment
This course explores theories and methods of teaching and adult learning in the classroom and online, course and curriculum development within the context of accreditation policies and guidelines, and student assessments and course evaluations. Students critically analyze theories and their applicability to the classroom, learners, and their fit with their developed teaching philosophy and preferred teaching methods.
DSW 709: Teaching in Social Work: Course Design, Instruction & Evaluation
Students apply theories and methods of teaching in the classroom and online, develop lesson plans, demonstrate use of best practices in instructional techniques and strategies, integration of technology into lesson plans, and classroom management. Students assess their own teaching and are also assessed on their teaching ability and provided feedback to enhance their teaching and instruction. Students complete a teaching practicum as a required component of this course..
DSW 710: Policy Analysis & Advocacy: Contemporary Issues
Critical examination of contemporary policies and practices in social service leadership and teaching & learning are undertaken from an equity, fairness, and justice perspective. Students critique policies and develop advocacy plans and strategies for correcting inequities and promoting and sustaining fair and just practices in academic and social service settings.
DSW 711: Integrative Seminar & Qualifying Assessment
Students will be guided to integrate the coursework completed and develop a concept paper for their thesis or capstone project. This concept paper serves as a qualifying assessment of the student’s readiness to move onto the capstone project. The processes for setting up capstone project committees will be discussed, and requirements for successful completion of capstone projects will be reviewed.
DSW 712: Capstone Project I and DSW 713 Capstone Project II
Students will complete an original capstone project under the supervision of faculty member/mentor and three other faculty members (one of which is from outside of the school) and disseminate its findings to the appropriate broader academic and/or social service community
DSW 713: Capstone Project I and DSW 713 Capstone Project II
Students will complete an original capstone project under the supervision of faculty member/mentor and three other faculty members (one of which is from outside of the school) and disseminate its findings to the appropriate borader academic and/or social service community.