3/14/2025 6:41:24 AM	SWHS 86 Course Outline as of Fall 2025	New Course (First Version)
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  SWHS 86	Title:  SOCIAL WORK FIELDWORK
Full Title:  Social Work Seminar and Fieldwork
Last Reviewed:2/10/2025

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	3.00	Lecture Scheduled	1.00		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	17.50
Minimum	3.00	Lab Scheduled	0		6 min.	Lab Scheduled	0
		Contact DHR	6.00			Contact DHR	105.00
		Contact Total	7.00			Contact Total	122.50
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  35.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 157.50

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade or P/NP
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly: 

Catalog Description:

Students will participate in a lecture component and supervised fieldwork in Social Work and Human Services. They will develop skills and ethical principles to facilitate working in the field, and reinforce skills learned in previous courses. Students will have a supervised field experience working in a community organization, agency, or private organization with a weekly class meeting that provides the academic element to the experiential course offering. Students are required to locate a fieldwork experience prior to enrollment.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:
Course Completion of PSYC C1000 (PSYC 1A) OR SOC 1; AND Course Completion of SWHS 90, SWHS 80, SWHS 87. For Addiction Studies: SWHS 88 must be completed prior to SWHS 86

Recommended Preparation:

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

Students will participate in a lecture component and supervised fieldwork in Social Work and Human Services. They will develop skills and ethical principles to facilitate working in the field, and reinforce skills learned in previous courses. Students will have a supervised field experience working in a community organization, agency, or private organization with a weekly class meeting that provides the academic element to the experiential course offering. Students are required to locate a fieldwork experience prior to enrollment.

(Grade or P/NP)
Prerequisites:Course Completion of PSYC C1000 (PSYC 1A) OR SOC 1; AND Course Completion of SWHS 90, SWHS 80, SWHS 87. For Addiction Studies: SWHS 88 must be completed prior to SWHS 86
Recommended:
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:CSU;
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:		Inactive:
Area:
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
CSU Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 2025	Inactive:
UC Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
C-ID:

Certificate/Major Applicable: Major Applicable Course

COURSE CONTENT

Student Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Identify the major components of social work and human services, apply theoretical knowledge to fieldwork, and evaluate the field experience in relation to career goals and personal growth.

2. Apply ethical principles, including specific Code of Ethics outlined, to fieldwork, demonstrating professional use of self, awareness of legal guidelines, and adherence to privacy and information management standards.

3. Engage in culturally humble practices, develop non-judgmental assessment and support skills, and demonstrate readiness for professional growth through supervision and self-reflection.

 

Objectives:

At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Identify and characterize the major components of social work and human services practice.

2. Apply theoretical knowledge to the fieldwork experience.

3. Apply a basic Code of Ethics from relevant organizations to fieldwork experience.

4. Reflect upon the application of ethical and professional standards to use of self within specific agency settings.

5. Evaluate the fieldwork experience in relation to course objectives, career plans, and personal growth.

6. Demonstrate knowledge of fundamental legal guidelines, privacy and information management related to the standards of professional practice.

7. Explain the purpose and skills of cultural engagement and humility (i.e., recognizing cultural competence, multiculturalism, and cross-cultural collaboration as areas for ongoing professional development).

8. Demonstrate personal self-awareness, non-judgmental assessment and support capability, and readiness for professional development, including feedback from supervision.

Topics and Scope

Lecture and application of the following to the fieldwork experience:

I. Social Work and Human Services as a Profession

    A. Role of supervision

    B. Career opportunities

     C. Additional educational options

    D. Certifications in the field

    E. Professional development

    F. Self-care and professional burnout

II. Nature of Social Work and Human Services Practice as a Helping Profession

    A. Legal standards

    B. Professional certifications and licensure

III. Ethical and Social Justice Standards in the Field

    A. National Association of Social Workers

    B. National Organization of Human Services

    C. Code of Conduct for Credentialed Alcohol and Drug Professionals

    D. Social justice principles

IV. Legal Context of Social Work Practice and Human Services

V. The Role of Supervision in the Professional Development Journey

VI. Resources and Services for Clients

    A. Housing

    B. Healthcare

    C. Employment

    D. Transportation

    E. Psychological services

VII. Cross-Cultural and Diverse Representation in Social Work

    A. Cultural engagement and humility

     B. Cultural competence

    C. Multiculturalism

    D. Diverse populations in regards to race, nationality, ethnicity, sexuality, spirituality, gender, age, abilities, economic status, or language

Assignments:

1. One reflection paper on professional practices.

2. Written discussions on ethics, state certification processes, legal guidelines, and professional development in the field of social work (2-5).

3. Documented completion of forms for fieldwork:

    A. Required field hours (105 minimum)

     B. Learning goals by employer, student, and instructor

4. Class participation including In-class activities practicing social work behaviors

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 20 - 40%
Reflection paper, learning goals, written discussions
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 15 - 20%
In-class activities practicing social work behaviors
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 40 - 60%
Learning goals evaluation
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 0 - 0%
None
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 5 - 10%
Documentation of required hours worked; class participation

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

National Association of Social Workers. (2021). Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers. National Association of Social Workers. NASW Press. 2021.

Days in the Lives of Social Workers: 62 Professionals tell "Real-Life" Stories from Social Work Practice. 5th ed. Grobman, Linda. White Hat Communications. 2020. (classic).

The Social Work Skills Workbook. 9th ed. Cournoyer, B. R. Cengage Learning. 2020. (classic).

The Human Services Internship: Getting the Most from Your Experience. 5th ed. Kaiser, P.M. Cognella Academic Publishing. 2020. (classic).

The Social Work Ethics Casebook: Cases and Commentary. 2nd ed. Reamer, F.G. NASW Press. 2018. (classic).

Print PDF