AlaskaX: Introduction to Social Work

Social work is an exciting field and a marketable profession, and there are many different types of social work careers and areas of social work research. Social workers make a positive difference in the lives of individuals every day in many different ways. This course will introduce learners to the profession of social work and the human services delivery system. Social work practice settings from a micro, mezzo, and macro level will be explored, such as mental health and clinical social work, child welfare, substance abuse, older adults, poverty, criminal justice, and more.

Learners will examine the historical development of the social work profession focusing on the knowledge, values and skills that characterize the social worker. Students will be oriented to the context for social work practice and the foundational frameworks of the profession, including the strengths perspective, the socio-ecological model, and the biopsychosocial framework. Learners will also be introduced to the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics and how to utilize the code to navigate ethical dilemmas and decision-making processes.

In this online course, learners will explore the concepts of social and economic justice and examine the characteristics of social injustice implicit in racism, classism, sexism, and gender orientation. The impact of social injustice is not always the same for people of color, women, or LGBTQ+ people. This course provides many opportunities to explore your own beliefs about diversity and social justice. Even though this is an asynchronous and self-paced course and not in-person, it is important to emphasize that the course should always be a safe environment that respects differences of opinion and recognizes that each of us is on our own journey in understanding diversity and communicating across cultures.