SER 101 : Introduction to Social Welfare
This course provides an overview of social welfare in the United States from two perspectives — the development of major policies and practices from the colonial period to the present and the network of systems and services that constitute social welfare today. Students will explore the Human Service profession, the skills and values needed to succeed as a human services practitioner and gain an understanding of fundamental Human Service concepts including motivations for entering the field, roles of client and helper, serving the whole person, using an interdisciplinary approach, and empowering clients. Prerequisite: A passing score on the college's reading and writing placement tests or concurrent enrollment in ENG 092. Three lecture hours per week.
Gen. Ed. Competencies Met: Global and Historical Awareness, Information Literacy, Multicultural and Social Perspectives.
Course Outcomes
Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:
1. Define social welfare and human services.
2. Analyze historical and contemporary societal forces that shape and influence social policies.
3. Describe the relationships between societal issues and the delivery of social services.
4. Reflect on personal values, beliefs, prejudices, and experiences regarding the social welfare system.
5. Explain the factors that lead people to need, seek and receive services.
6. Write an Annotated Bibliography using APA format.
7. Identify multiple career fields within the field of human resources.
8. Demonstrate essential oral and written communications skills