Spring 2023 Online Electives

This undergraduate course will provide a foundational understanding of human biology with emphasis on the biological bases of behaviors and issues of concern to social workers. This course is designed to meet the human biology prerequisites for Masters in Social Work students, and will cover the basics of human biology including anatomical systems and structures, development from conception through aging and death, genetics, evolution and biological and environmental interactions. The focus of the course is not only on biology but also on the critical analysis of the interplay between human biology and social issues. Discussions will cover the biological bases of phenomena including but not limited to addictions, mental illness, sexuality and aggression. Emphasis throughout the course also will be placed on biological processes related to trauma and stress.

Course Introduction - In this video Elaine Hammond provides a summary of what the course covers.

The purpose of this course is to familiarize students with social media and social networking as they influence community change. Specifically, students will be introduced to the fundamental terms and concepts of social media and networking, including various interfaces, tools, and platforms that may be leveraged to promote community change and development. Students will also explore existing scholarship and best practices, as well as issues of social justice, burdens of adversity, social disadvantage, and human rights as they apply to the democratization of technology. Students will examine and evaluate the challenges, opportunities, and future applications of social media and networking related to community change.

This course is organized primarily as a seminar that will highlight Motivational Interviewing approaches to help clients build commitment and reach a decision to change behavior. This course provides a forum for case presentation and discussion with an emphasis on discussing cases from student’s field placements and/or practice settings. Theories of behavioral change will be discussed, and the transtheoretical model (TTM) of intentional behavior change will be highlighted as an integrative framework for understanding the process of behavior change.

The theoretical basis of Motivational Interviewing lies in the construct of "ambivalence" and the conflict between indulgence and restraint that is so prevalent in the addictive behaviors. Failure to change behaviors causing problems is a phenomenon that extends well beyond the addictions, however, and the immobilizing effects of ambivalence can be seen in many social work practice spheres. Applications of motivational interviewing have been extended to behavioral change in general, including social work, mental health, health promotion, general medical care, corrections, and community and organizational settings. In addition, the course will discuss MI's application to practice with "mandated" clients.

While the course will reflect topics related to students who are working with clients with alcohol and other drug problems in their field and/or practice settings, it is also open to students who would like to learn and practice the Motivational Interviewing approach. In direct contrast to lecture formats, seminars can be a good means of changing perceptions, developing problem-solving skills, and challenging opinions.

This course is approved for CEUs.

This course is aimed at developing the knowledge and skills necessary for working with individuals who have a diagnosis of serious mental illness using recovery-oriented evidence-based practices. It is designed for MSW students and MSW mental health practitioners. Students will become familiar with evidence-based practice, within a recovery-oriented paradigm, as a general approach to practice as well as specific evidence-based interventions to use for individuals with a diagnosis of serious mental illness. It is assumed that students will have a basic knowledge on serious mental illness as a pre or co-requisite, however a review will be provided. Students will learn to examine research literature to determine the various levels of support for specific interventions and essential principles for translating research into practice. In addition, they will identify the appropriate treatment outcomes that reflect effective, quality, mental health practice. Each evidence-based practice presented will also be examined for its utility with diverse groups. Providing assessment and treatment to a diverse group of individuals with a diagnosis of serious mental illness is the focus of this course and will be discussed in detail.

This course is approved for CEUs.

This course will provide an introduction of theoretical frameworks on trauma throughout the life span.  An overview of types of trauma and the impacts of trauma on the individual, family, and community will be examined. Information on treatment methods and evidence-based practices used to address trauma will be provided. This course offers students the opportunity to be introduced to an overview of the skills necessary to assess and intervene in situations involving trauma. The role of assessing and intervening in situations involving trauma will be examined from several theoretical perspectives.

This course is approved for CEUs.

Solution-focused practice has been widely used in the counseling, medical, education and business fields. This course will present the origin, principles, theory, research and application of solution-focused work. Students will develop the knowledge base to utilize this intervention approach in multiple settings. The differential application of solution-focused techniques based on assessment, treatment plans and ethical practice guidelines will be explored. A major emphasis will be placed on skill development and implementation. Participants will be expected to engage in case discussions, experiential exercises, role plays and simulations that integrate theory with practice.

This course is approved for CEUs.

This course provides a general introduction to the fields of abnormal psychology and clinical psychiatry.  Specifically, this course will acquaint students with the epidemiology, classification, and etiology, of the major forms of mental illness. It is the primary aim of this course to develop the student’s diagnostic skills in clinical settings. To that end, didactic emphasis will be placed not only on the study of psychopathological symptoms and behaviors, per se, but also on their manifestations in everyday life. Specific attention is paid to the ethical and social work value-related problems associated with diagnosing and labeling clients with a psychiatric disorder, and issues of race, ethnicity, culture, class, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disabilities or illness, age and national origin as they influence the manifestations of behaviors that may be diagnosed as mental illness or affect the presentation of mental illness. Case studies and videos will be used to ensure that students have an effective working knowledge of: (a) the biological and psychosocial bases of the major mental disorders; (b) the behavioral symptomatology that characterizes them; and (c) their classification according to the American Psychiatric Association system of classification of mental illness and the World Health Organization (WHO) International Classification of Diseases (ICD). This course also addresses the role of social workers as advocates for people with mental disorders and as environmental change agents.

This course is approved for CEUs.

This course will provide a dual focus on alcohol and other drug problems and the family, examining: 1) the impact of alcohol and other drug problems on families, and 2) assessment and intervention strategies appropriate for these family systems and their individual family members (i.e.: children and adults).

This course is approved for CEU's.

This course provides participants with a trauma-genic conceptual framework for working with survivors of sexual abuse. Assessment techniques and treatment strategies are presented with special emphasis on individual and group therapy. Other topics in a survivor’s life; use of creative arts therapies in recovery; spiritual aspects of healing; and the avoidance of vicarious traumatization for the worker.

In keeping with the generalist model, as social workers we need to be exploring spiritual themes with our clients. Such exploration can offer them a source of inner strength during times of crisis. It may also help them find a sense of community based on their belief systems and give meaning to their lives even when grieving during transitions and losses. This course will expose the student to basic knowledge about spirituality as a component of mental health as well as teach her/him interventions for integrating spiritual concepts into clinical practice.

This seminar covers the following aspects of proposal preparation: informational exchange, preparing the proposal, basic and advanced rules of writing proposals, the grant-management system, budgets, specific aims, background and significance, preliminary studies, conceptual framework to guide the research, measurement to operationalize constructs, sampling plans, procedures for data collection, statistical analysis, and critical components of writing proposals. All students will submit a final proposal.

This course is approved for CEUs.

This course provides a general introduction to the assessment and treatment of behavior problems of childhood and adolescence. The course will review classification and etiology of major mental health disorders within the contexts of normal and abnormal mental and emotional development of children and adolescents, and family, peer group, school and community. The ethical considerations related to the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with behavior disorders will be examined. The impact of trauma, family factors, culture and oppression on the development, naming and treatment of behavior disorders will be highlighted. Strategies employed to treat children, adolescents and their families will also be addressed.

This course is approved for CEUs.

In this course, students will develop knowledge and skills necessary for responding to disasters, such as floods, fires, hurricanes, and major transportation accidents. Students will become oriented to trauma-informed casework, mental health interventions, and shelter-based interventions that are utilized by disaster response teams. These interventions include rapid assessment skills, enhanced Psychological First Aid for survivors, staff and volunteers, and facilitation of immediate problem-solving. The course is anchored in the values and ethics of the social work profession and incorporates a human rights perspective in understanding disasters and their differential impact on vulnerable populations.

This elective course will introduce graduate students in Social Work and Nursing to issues relevant to working with veterans and military family members. This interdisciplinary course will also provide students the opportunity to discuss topics across care-providing disciplines. Course content will include an introduction to military values, structure, culture, and terminology; government and community- based service delivery systems and supports available to veterans and military families; and the changing nature of the military, such as special issues related to women, racial/ethnic minorities, and gay and lesbian service members and veterans. Using a trauma-informed framework, the course will examine the physical and mental health impacts of service and combat on veterans (e.g., physical trauma and disabilities, psychological trauma and PTSD, moral injury) as well as challenges of reintegration (e.g., unemployment, homelessness, access to services). These issues will be applied to military spouses/partners, families, and children, as will topics of separation, reunion, transitioning from the war zone to home, caregiver burden, loss, grieving, and fear of future deployments.

This course is designed to familiarize students with social policies and programs for meeting the rapidly growing needs of the older population. Policies, programs, and services for older adults will be examined, with an emphasis on similarities and differences related to diversity and human rights. This course is intended to increase the student's awareness and knowledge of programs and services provided through the Older Americans Act, the Social Security Act (including Medicare and Medicaid), Affordable Care Act, and other policies and community initiatives for the aging population. It will focus on the history, features, strengths, and limitations of these existing policies, and provide the skills needed to advocate for change at the legislative, agency and/or community level. Students will be exposed to content areas that will enable them to understand aging programs that deal with social services, health care, housing, and other elements of community and institutional long-term care systems. This course will incorporate a trauma-informed and human rights perspective when considering policies that target the older adult population.

Infant Mental Health is a rapidly growing field that emphasizes the importance of supporting the developing parent-infant relationship and promoting secure attachments. This course will provide a foundation and overview of the important theories and assumptions underlying infant mental health, the evidence-based practices with infants, toddlers and families, and identification of appropriate interventions based upon the infant and family’s needs, cultural histories and capacities. Students will critically examine trauma-informed and human rights perspectives on how experiences of early childhood persist over time and how they may be summoned up again by the presence of a baby. The course will highlight the importance of self-reflection and self-awareness of one’s own experiences of early childhood, as well as cultural histories and capacities.

This course will provide a general introduction to cognitive-behavioral therapy. The student will be introduced to the behavioral, cognitive and emotional systems. They will learn how to develop conceptualizations that connect client problems with potential interventions to address these problems. Interventions will include stimulus control, behavioral activation, contingency management, skills training, distress tolerance and exposure therapy. Cognitive-behavioral interventions for several disorders will be addressed including insomnia, depression, and alcohol use disorder. Strategies for engaging clients in treatment will be highlighted throughout.

Macro social work practice involves working at the community, system, or policy level to promote social change. This course will encourage students’ individual or group efforts to practice macro social work through the creation of a project or initiative of their choosing. Students will conceptualize a project, develop a project outline, and utilize macro practice skills to implement their project. Students also will gain knowledge of various macro practice settings and roles for social workers through a mix of informal and formal instructional opportunities, such as guest speakers, peer learning, and course materials. 

Note: Before enrolling in the course, interested students must meet with the instructor (via Zoom) to outline their proposed macro project and implementation plan. Interested students should email Michael Lynch at mrlynch2@buffalo.edu to set up a meeting time to discuss their project proposal. After the meeting, approved students will be enrolled in the course.

Social work—as a school, as a discipline and as a profession—claims to be committed to racial justice. However sincere this claim may be, it must be accompanied by action if it is to make any material difference in our classrooms, knowledge and practice. The purpose of this course is to encourage students’ individual or group efforts to promote racial justice at the UBSSW by offering them course credit. We want to show that taking action and making change are not “extracurricular” activities—they are defining components of social work.