Course Syllabus
Instructor Contact Information
Lead Faculty Information
This course was designed by Tiffany Adamson, MSW, LCSW. There are numerous sections of this course with varying faculty. This course may contain videos and content designed by another faculty to be used by all sections of this course.
Course Details
For a list of course activities, scroll to the bottom of this page.
Course Prerequisites
Graduate Standing in Social Work
Course Materials
- American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR)
- Full text available via OU Libraries with the link above. You may need to sign in with your OU 4x4.
- American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.)
- The most recent APA Manual (2020) is required for all courses in the Anne & Henry Zarrow School of Social Work Online MSW Program.
- National Association of Social Workers (2021) Code of Ethics for Social Workers
- Additional materials will be posted in Canvas.
Course Format
This course is divided into 8 modules, and students will have 2 weeks to complete each module.
Grades
Breakdown
| Activity | Points/Percentage |
|---|---|
| Discussion Post x2 | 10 points (x2) |
| Quiz x2 | 20 points (x2) |
| Mock Case Presentation | 10 points |
| Diagnostic Exam | 30 points |
| 100 points |
Scale
| Percentage | Letter Grade |
|---|---|
| 90–100% | A |
| 80–89% | B |
| 70–79% | C |
| 60–69% | D |
| Below 60% | F |
Course Components
Discussion Posts
Initial Post: You will be asked to respond to a posted topic. My expectations are that you start your own thread with a thoughtful, thorough response to the question asked, at least 3 days before the discussion responses are due. Your original thread should be approximately 100 words long and should include evidence that you have spent time thinking about the material, and have formed a meaningful response to the prompt. Thoughts and opinions will need to be supported by reliable sources.
Responses to Peers: Then, you are to respond to at least two other posts from your classmates. As graduate students, posts like “Great point, I agree” are not sufficient. Instead, I expect you to thoughtfully contribute to a discussion with your classmates with a meaningful response of at least 50 words each.
Your posts should also make it clear to me that you have learned from the material and sources must be cited using APA (7th ed.) formatting.
Quizzes
Students will be asked to complete two objective quizzes online through Canvas. The first quiz includes the materials covered in the first three modules. The second quiz covers the materials from modules four through seven. It is acceptable to look at the materials you have been provided in Canvas while you are taking the quiz, but you may not discuss the quiz or consult with each other either during or after you take the quiz.
Mock Case Presentation
During the scheduled Live Sessions, the class will be broken into small groups and work like a diagnostic team and report their group’s analysis/findings of the case/client to the larger group. These points are literally class participation points.
Diagnostic Exam
This final exam will consist of a series of case studies for you to analyze and answer questions about. This exam must be completed by you alone, but you can use your notes, books, and the materials that were in the Canvas course. This exam can be completed at your own pace and turned in through Canvas. Again, you may not discuss the exam or consult with each other as this is an independent exam.
Course Policies
Communication
If you have any general questions about assignments, class logistics, due dates, etc., please post a question in the Course Help Board in the Start Here Module. You can post questions about the course to the Course Help Board throughout the semester. Your classmates may be able to answer your questions.
For all other questions, 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.
Late Policy
Assignments should be turned in when they are due, electronically on Canvas, by the assigned due date. For quizzes and exams, 1 point will be deducted per day for late submissions. Discussion board assignments cannot be turned in late as a late entry will not be reviewed by your peers, defeating the purpose of discussion.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the most common form of academic misconduct at OU. There is 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.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use in the MSW Program
Unless otherwise specified by a professor for a course or assignment, the following AI policy applies across the program:
Positive Uses (not considered academic misconduct):
AI should be a “cleat” to enhance effort, not a “crutch” to replace effort.
- Prioritize original thought; use AI as a learning tool: The core objective of graduate education is to develop analytical thinking and communication skills. AI tools should supplement, not replace, your intellectual effort. For example, consider using AI as a “devil’s advocate,” “critical advisor,” or “red team” to identify potential weaknesses in your writing or arguments so that those weaknesses can be remedied through original work.
- Prepare for real-world AI integration: Graduate-level work often involves complex problem-solving and generating novel insights. Consider experimenting with AI use effectively and ethically, which may benefit your current and future career. For example, using AI to edit the clarity and flow of your original work draft is (usually) acceptable.
Prohibited Uses (considered academic misconduct):
Results in sanctions, including dismissal from the program.
- Fake references. You may not submit fabricated sources. All submitted references will be checked by professors who are deeply familiar with the leadership and behavioral sciences literature. The submission of any fabricated source or reference (so-called AI “hallucinations”) is academic misconduct and will result in sanctions.
- Plagiarism. You may not submit AI-generated content as your own original work. This prohibition includes summaries, discussion posts, essays, reports, or any other assignment where the primary intellectual effort is expected from the student. Students must give credit to large language models whenever they are used, even if only to generate ideas rather than usable text. For disclosure guidance on the use of AI, please refer to APA Journals Policy on Generative AI
- Cheating on quizzes and exams. You may not use AI tools to generate answers for quizzes, exams, or other assessments where independent thought and direct knowledge recall are expected.
University Academic Policies and Student Support
Access the University Academic Policies Document.
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|