FYS 1280 - Being a Changemaker

Credits: 4
This course will serve as an introduction to the role of the professional in the helping fields. We will explore the capacities in which helpers function and the types of settings in which they do this work though both lectures, readings and visits from practitioners in the field. In addition, the course will provide an overview of generalist social work practice in both direct and macro settings, an introduction to the National Association of Social Work (NASW) Code of Ethics and several influential theories used in the helping professions. This course will also explore the history of social services in our country and other parts of the world, as well as the founding of the Social Work profession at large. We will also discuss the charge of Social Work to challenge social injustice and to work for social change. Students will also see how theory informs practice by being involved in experiential learning through volunteering in a community setting over the semester.
McDaniel Plan: First-Year Seminar