Course Syllabus
Lead Faculty Contact Information
This course was designed by Dr. Ann Riley to provide students with the theoretical basis, practice skills, and evaluation tools for effective social work practice with families and groups. A variety of learning modalities are included to enhance student engagement, including guest faculty lectures and simulated family therapy sessions. I hope you will benefit from this opportunity to access the expertise of various faculty members at the School of Social Work. I appreciate my colleagues for their permission and willingness to share in support of your preparation for social work practice! Any anecdotes within presentations are relevant to them and not necessarily your instructor. All course instructors are well-versed in the study of the generalist social work practice model with a focus on higher-level systems and will guide you through this course.
Instructor Contact Information
Course Details
For a list of course activities, scroll to the bottom of this page.
Course Prerequisites
Graduate Standing in Social Work
Course Materials
- Families textbook: Goldenberg, I., Stanton, M., & Goldenberg, H. (2017). Family therapy: An overview (9th ed.) Boston: Cengage Learning
- Groups textbook: Toseland, R. W., & Rivas, R. F. (2018). An introduction to group work practice (8th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon
- The most recent APA manual is required in every Social Work course. The current manual (7th edition, 2019) ISBN-13: 978-143383217
- National Association of Social Workers (2021) Code of Ethics for Social Workers
- Additional readings will be pulled from multiple sources and linked in the "Resources" section of each course module.
Social Work Competencies Addressed
| EPAS 2022 Competencies | Course Content |
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| Competency 1: Demonstrate Ethical & Professional Behavior |
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| Competency 2: Advance Human Rights & Social, Racial, Economic & Environmental Justice |
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| Competency 3: Engage Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (ADEI) in Practice |
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Competency 4: Engage in Practice-Informed Research & Research-Informed Practice |
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Competency 6: Engage Families |
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Competency 6: Engage Groups |
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Competency 7: Assess Families |
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Competency 7: Assess Groups
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| Competency 8: Intervene with Families |
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| Competency 8: Intervene with Groups |
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| Competency 9: Evaluate Practice with Families |
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| Competency 9: Evaluate Practice with Groups |
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Grades
Breakdown
| Division | Description | Percentage | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Family Assignments
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1 - Family of Origin Assessment |
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35.0% |
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2 - Family Case Assessment |
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Group Project Assignments
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3a - Group - Concept Proposal |
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35.0% |
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3b - Group - Curriculum Binder |
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3c - Group - Role Play Facilitation |
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3d - Group - Team Evaluation/Participation |
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Participation
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Reflection Activities (11) - 12 pts each |
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30% |
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Discussion Boards (6) - 12 pts |
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Attendance - 7 pts
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| Total | 100% |
Scale
| Percentage | Letter Grade |
|---|---|
| 90–100% | A |
| 80–89% | B |
| 70–79% | C |
| 60–69% | D |
| Below 60% | F |
Course Components
Family Assignments
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Family of Origin Assessment - The intent of this assignment is to prepare you to assess families qualitatively and quantitatively by exploring your own family of origin history, to develop and use a genogram and ecomap for assessment purposes, and to reflect on how your family of origin or parentage has influenced you personally and professionally. In this assignment, students focus on their childhood/adolescent years to construct an assessment on their family of origin (or family of parentage) plus an evaluation using: 1) a three-generation family genogram, and 2) a socio-environmental ecomap, and 3) a portion of the FACES IV – Family Satisfaction Scale.
If you have concerns about completing this assignment (possible triggers, lack of family history information, or family disconnection), please advise your instructor so you can discuss together how to proceed and obtain assignment support given your situation. Please note all information in this assignment is confidential between you and the instructor.
- Family Case Assessment - This assignment is the culmination of the family social work practice content. Students will apply family theory knowledge by conducting a qualitative family case assessment with a corresponding discussion using a quantitative assessment tool. Based on a true memoir, this engaging family account (titled The Glass Castle) depicts dysfunctional family dynamics, as well as, the family's strengths for coping with and surviving abject poverty.
Group Assignments
Group Project - This assignment is intended to help students engage in evidence-based practices related to client systems of interest to them, and to increase their abilities to synthesize and present a plan for a group intervention.
Student groups will develop a fixed-time 10-session treatment group for a population of interest & create specific plans for implementation. This assignment has four components submitted at different intervals over the duration of the group content half of the course.
- Concept Proposal - completed form (2 pages) describing the purpose, type, agency, client population and team task plan agreement.
- Curriculum Binder - substantial written document with multiple required components (outlined on assignment page).
- Facilitation Role Play - 30 minute treatment group facilitation role play from the group project curriculum binder.
- Team Evaluation - Individually completed form on the functional process and participation of the team.
Participation
These assignments are intended to give students an opportunity to make connections with the content, as well as to engage with classmates.
- Reflection Exercises - Short, written responses allowing for deeper engagement with the week's content module materials.
- Discussion Boards - Question prompts requiring a substantial post, followed by two replies to peers that further the conversation.
- Attendance - Attendance and engagement in three Live Sessions and two Live Check-In dates, along with timely submission of all assignments, including discussion board initial posts & replies.
Course Policies
Communication
Students should use their OU e-mail or canvas to communicate with the instructor. They can expect a response usually within 48 hours Monday-Friday. For any reason communication will be delayed beyond that, it will be communicated to the students in advance. Professional communication is an expectation.
Feedback
Students can expect instructive comments from me on most assignments but perhaps not all. I will provide a comment for any reduction of points. I believe in students’ rights to clear instructions and expectations, so I use rubrics to grade all major assignments and students have access to these as their guide.
Late Policy
All assignments must be turned in on or before the due date and time. The weekly structure for this course is from Monday@ 12:00amCT to Sunday @ 11:59pmCT. Unless prior arrangements are made with me, any assignments turned in after the assigned due date and time will receive a 10% reduction in grade for each day up to three days late. Assignments are not accepted after the third full day. You are responsible for converting your own time zone relative to Central Standard Time.
Plagiarism
The NASW Code of Ethics states: “Social workers should not participate in, condone, or be associated with dishonesty, fraud or deception.” One of the values on which the Code of Ethics is based is that of integrity and one of the ethical principles derived from this value is “Social workers behave in a trustworthy manner.”
Plagiarism is the most common form of academic misconduct at OU. There is basically no college-level assignment that can be satisfactorily completed by copying. OU's basic assumption about writing is that all written assignments show the student's own understanding in the student's own words. That means all writing assignments, in class or out, are assumed to be composed entirely of words generated (not simply found) by the student, except where words written by someone else are specifically marked as such with proper citation. Including other people's words in your paper is helpful when you do it honestly and correctly. When you don't, it's plagiarism.
For more information about plagiarism, watch this video and then take this short course offered by University Libraries.
Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act Statement (HIPAA)
In line with the new HIPPA regulations concerning protected health information, it is important that you understand that any client information that you share, either verbally or written, will need to be de-identified. This means that any information that would allow another to identify the person needs to be changed or eliminated. This includes obvious things like names and birth dates but may also contain other information that is so unique to the person that it could allow for identification, including, but not limited to diagnosis, race/ethnicity, or gender. If diagnosis, race/ethnicity, or gender is directly related to the case presentation, it can be included if it will not allow for identification.
School of Social Work Anti-Racism Statement
“The 2022 Educational Policies and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) affirms and strengthens the enduring commitment of social work education to principles of anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion. The 2022 EPAS supports social work programs in developing a workforce of social workers who are knowledgeable about the ways positionality, power, privilege, and difference affect practice areas, and how social workers challenge systems of oppression that affect diverse populations.” - Excerpt taken from the CSWE Educational Policies and Accreditation Standards
University Academic Policies and Student Support
Land Acknowledgement
In brief, "The University of Oklahoma recognizes the historical connection our university has with its indigenous community. We acknowledge, honor and respect the diverse Indigenous peoples connected to this land. We fully recognize, support and advocate for the sovereign rights of all of Oklahoma’s 39 tribal nations. This acknowledgment is aligned with our university’s core value of creating a diverse and inclusive community. It is an institutional responsibility to recognize and acknowledge the people, culture and history that make up our entire OU Community." - Excerpt taken from the OU Land Acknowledgement Statement
Students are encouraged to explore where they live to identify those Tribal and Indigenous people whose lands are being occupied due to colonialist oppression.
Course Catalog
Search the OU Course Catalog.
Student Handbook
Please familiarize yourself with the OU Student Handbook.
Student Support Services
OU offers a variety of services to support students. For more information, please refer to the Student Support Module in your Orientation course.
Online Library
Access digital materials and other resources at OU Libraries.
Copyright Statement and Privacy Information
Sessions of this course may be recorded or live-streamed. These recordings are the intellectual property of the individual faculty member and may not be shared or reproduced without the explicit, written consent of the faculty member. In addition, privacy rights of others such as students, guest lecturers, and providers of copyrighted material displayed in the recording may be of concern. Students may not share any course recordings with individuals not enrolled in the class or upload them to any other online environment.
Academic Integrity
As a member of the OU community, it is your responsibility to protect your educational investment by knowing and following the rules. The Student Code is available from the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, and is contained in the Student's Guide to Academic Integrity.
Academic honesty is incredibly important within this course. Cheating is strictly prohibited at the University of Oklahoma, because it devalues the degree you are working hard to get. Should you know of someone else engaging in academic misconduct, please report it to your instructor or directly to the Office of Academic Integrity. Your instructor has a professional obligation to report academic misconduct.
In addition to the course conduct policies outlined by your professor in the Course Syllabus in the online classroom, please review the Graduate Student Handbook.
Religious Observance
It is the policy of the University to excuse the absences of students that result from religious observances and to reschedule examinations and additional required classwork that may fall on religious holidays, without penalty. [See Faculty Handbook 3.15.2].
Reasonable Accommodation for Disabilities
The Accessibility and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) is committed to supporting students with disabilities to ensure that they are able to enjoy equal access to all components of their education. This includes your academics, housing, and community events. Please review OU's Accessibility Policy.
If you are experiencing a disability, a mental/medical health condition that has a significant impact on one or more life functions, you can receive accommodations to provide equal access. Possible disabilities include but are not limited to learning disabilities, AD(H)D, mental health, and chronic health. Additionally, we support students with temporary medical conditions (broken wrist, shoulder surgery, etc.) and pregnancy.
To discuss potential accommodations, please contact the ADRC at 730 College Avenue, (phone) 405-325-3852, or adrc@ou.edu.
Title IX Resources
Anyone who has been impacted by gender-based violence, including dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, harassment, and sexual assault, deserves access to resources so that they are supported personally and academically.
The University of Oklahoma is committed to offering resources to those impacted, including: speaking with someone confidentially about your options, medical attention, counseling, reporting, academic support, and safety plans. If you would like to speak with someone confidentially, please contact OU Advocates (available 24/7 at 405-615-0013) or another confidential resource (see "Can I make an anonymous report?").
You may also choose to report gender-based violence and discrimination through other means, including by contacting the Institutional Equity Office (ieo@ou.edu, 405-325-3546) or the police (911).
Because the University of Oklahoma is committed to the safety of you and other students, I, as well as other faculty, Graduate Assistants, and Teaching Assistants, are mandatory reporters. This means that we are obligated to report gender-based violence that has been disclosed to us to the Institutional Equity Office. This includes disclosures that occur in class discussions, writing assignments, discussion boards, emails, and during Student/Office Hours.
For more information, please visit the Institutional Equity Office.
Adjustments for Pregnancy/Childbirth Related Issues
Should you need modifications or adjustments to your course requirements because of documented pregnancy-related or childbirth-related issues, please contact me as soon as possible to discuss your options. Generally, modifications will be made where medically necessary and similar in scope to accommodations based on temporary disability. Learn more about the rights of pregnant and parenting students by consulting the FAQ sheets provided by the Institutional Equity Office.
Mental Health Support Services
OU offers telehealth services for students (see links to OU University Counseling Center and OU-Tulsa Student Counseling Services.) Each telehealth appointment remains fully private and 100% confidential. To request an appointment: call OU-Tulsa at 918-660-3109, or OU-Norman at 405-325-2911, or email TulsaCounseling@ou.edu.
Final Exam Preparation Period
Pre-finals week will be defined as the seven calendar days before the first day of finals. Faculty may cover new course material throughout this week. For specific provisions of the policy please refer to OU's Final Exam Preparation Period policy.
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
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