The Social Work Program will provide and coordinate a Christ-centered, liberal arts education for students, including preparation in social work from a Christian perspective, and training for lives of effective and redemptive service in a culturally diverse society and world.
The Social Work Program is designed to provide foundational courses that students must take to establish their knowledge base and to offer electives in a variety of courses that will challenge them to think critically about issues affecting diverse population groups. Special attention is given to the study of special population groups, including racial and ethnic minorities, those with disabilities, the elderly, children and victims of oppression and injustice. Application of knowledge is a vital component. All social work students must complete an internship where they will be challenged to integrate classroom knowledge with practical experience. Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes
Gain wide exposure to the field. Observe and work with social work agencies, children's homes, homes for the aged, mental and penal institutions, probation and parole agencies, and juvenile courts.
Career and graduate school
This program fully equips you to pursue social work licensure and a job immediately upon graduation, or to continue on to graduate school.
Accredited
GU’s program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. Upon program completion, you can sit for licensure in social work or opt for a faster track in a social work graduate program.
Why GU
Career and graduate school. Acquire valuable experience before you graduate with a practicum in social work agencies, schools, churches, health clinics, or other human services.
Christ-centered. Let Christ’s call to serve become the foundation for your work with others.
Personalized attention. Experience personal growth and plan your career under the guidance of faculty who know your name and cheer your success. GU’s low 11:1 student/faculty ratio and community atmosphere allow professors to invest in their students.
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Success Stories
Immediately coming out of high school, I knew I wanted to help people, but I didn't know how. That's what really drew me to social work. Greenville taught me to take my passion for others seriously and to do something really good with it. I'm really excited for my future.
-Gabbie Hill
Social Work, BSW Course Requirements
The social work major requires completion of 46 credits. Students completing the social work major are eligible for the bachelor of science degree.
Field education is an integral part of the Social Work curriculum, providing you the opportunity to apply what you learn in the classroom and work under the supervision of a seasoned social worker. Community agencies and other work environments act as learning laboratories, giving students valuable exposure to the full range of functions, responsibilities, challenges, and opportunities today’s social workers experience.
All students must complete 400 hours of hands-on training.
All practicums and field sites must be approved by the Field Education office and you are expected to comply with the policies and procedures of the department as noted in the Field Education Manual.
Visit the Online Catalog for an explanation of graduation requirements.
Social Work, BSW Courses
This course introduces psychology as a science and emphasizes the interaction of social, cognitive, emotional, motivational, and organizational approaches to understanding human behavior. All students participate in a service learning experience in which they apply course concepts in real world situations and organizations. Discussions within this class include Christian perspectives on current issues in human behavior, cognition, and motivation.
Corequisite: PSYC 101L
This course will acquaint students with the major themes, theories and theorists in the field of human lifespan developmental psychology. Lifespan development is the scientific study of human development from conception to death. This course focuses on biological, cognitive, social, emotional, cultural, and religious aspects of human development, and aims to help students gain an understanding of human development across the lifespan.
Prerequisite: PSYC 101.
The nature, functions, and values of social work are explored. Social work is presented as a problem solving process with wide applicability in the arena of human services; thus, social work is studied within a wide spectrum of situations and institutions. Corequisite: SOC101. Offered: Fall semester.
A study of problem formulation, data collection, and data analysis including primary and secondary data collection. Major assignments include research design, literature review, survey design and method selection.
Prerequisites: SOCI 101, SCWK 202 (may be taken concurrently). (Offered fall semester.)
Develops student awareness of practice contexts where social workers may be employed, including schools, military, corrections, hospital, mental health, addictions, and other settings.
Prerequisite: SCWK 205. (Offered spring semester every third year.)
This course prepares students for entering the practicum environment as a beginning social work practitioner. Covers specific domains of generalist social work practice: exploring, assessing, and planning, the change-oriented phase, and the termination and evaluation phase. Students will have an opportunity to work with simulation cases throughout the entire cycle of interventions. Cultural competence and work with specialized populations are emphasized throughout.
Prerequisite: SCWK 205 and PSYC 212. (Offered spring semester every third year)
Each student must successfully complete a minimum practicum experience totalling ten to twelve semester hours, where 40 clock hours on location equals one hour of credit. Ideally, each practicum should be based at a social work agency or similar organization such as a school, church, health clinic, etc. which specializes in human services. Ideally an on-site supervisor with an MSW degree or LCSW license will supervise the student's practicum.
Prerequisite: SOCI 101, SCWK 202, SCWK 210, SCWK 205 and upper division status.
A basic course introducing the student to the concepts, theories, and methods employed in an objective scientific analysis of society, culture, social institutions and organizations, social control, deviancy, and social factors involved in personality development. Meets the general education social science or business management requirement. (Offered every semester.)
In this course students will learn about managing human behavior within a law enforcement agency, how these organizations function, and how humans interact with the organization. The student will learn that life within organizations is often governed very much in similar ways to life outside the workplace, where their actions are dictated by norms, cultures, and standards. These very characteristics show that human behavior is indeed predictable and they are used to accomplish organizational goals. The student will come to understand behavior from different levels of analysis: the individual, groups, and organization-wide.
This is a required course for the Criminal Justice Administration major.
A large part of law enforcement is attempting to control deviant behavior. It may be surprising to learn that the rules of society often have a historical context and a bit of politics behind them. Therefore, what was legal in the past may not be legal today, and what is illegal today may be legal in the future. Christians have traditionally emphasized specific values (e.g., the Ten Commandments) as a benefit to society at large. Therefore, those who are responsible for restraining deviant behavior should be armed with knowledge of how deviance is defined, how some seem to find benefit from a deviant identity, and what potential systems dysfunctions prevent effective changes. This course helps students understand how deviant behavior is determined by society, theories that describe why deviant behavior happens, and the social control systems that attempt to restrain it.
This course will provide an overview of the history and application of law enforcement and intelligence. Moreover, the course will review the numerous challenges presented to officials in the law enforcement and intelligence communities. Topics include the integration of intelligence and policing within the community, the development of the intelligence cycle, structure, and the application of legal and ethical parameters to intelligence work. The student will develop critical thinking skills and an understanding of intelligence work at the operational, tactical, and strategic levels.
This course helps students to recognize the importance of the criminal justice system and community working cooperatively towards a more successful criminal justice system. Moving towards community trust of, and cooperation with, the Criminal Justice system will aid in the overall success of the criminal justice system in working towards safe and inclusive communities. Some topics that will be covered include community policing philosophy, applications, issues, types, and contemporary research. The course will also consider different community policing models. This course will include a $50 course fee for a travel component where students are able to see an example of a community policing model when the course is taught face to face. Meets the general education global foundations requirement.
Prerequisite: CRJS 203.
This course will provide an overview of some of the largest segments of transnational organized crime. Students in the class will develop a fundamental understanding of issues related to human trafficking, cybercrime, and international organized/drug-related crime. Students will be presented with information about how these particular crime problems operate and influence the world economy. The student will develop analytic skills to think about crime issues internationally and with a worldview different than their own.
This course will provide an overview of vice and narcotics crimes. These crimes deal with issues which are policed based on their moral ramifications. This study will examine how certain behaviors become taboo by cultural standards, how they are criminalized, and what happens to those who are convicted of such crimes. During the course, students will learn about how police agencies attempt to mitigate threats to the United States.
This course covers the purpose and value of research as a problem-solving tool in criminal justice. Students will learn to form testable hypotheses, create questionnaires, gather and analyze data, and to read research articles with critical understanding.
Prerequisite: PSYC 202 or SCWK 202
This course will give students the basic skills needed to interpret statistics and the presentation of data including data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reports and other governmental databases. This course will also help students better understand the research of others, such as research articles or summaries of articles from criminal justice trade journals. Students will also be able to generate some charts and data summaries of their own. Skills in knowing how to use the computer as a tool in the research process will be taught.
This is a required course for the Criminal Justice Administration major.
Criminal justice organizations are increasingly relying on the accumulation and analysis of data. This course builds on Research Methods in Criminal Justice by having students identify a problem and create a research project that can address it. Students will gather data, analyze it, and report results and conclusions in a professional manner.
Prerequisite: CRJS 307.
In this course students will learn what is required to provide ethical and effective leadership within a law enforcement agency while building trust between citizens and police officers. The course will examine various policing strategies and the advantages and disadvantages of each strategy. You will also learn about the basic administrative responsibilities required of any law enforcement agency including planning, budgeting, organizational design, and assessment. We will also examine the important area of human resource management concerning the recruiting and hiring of personnel. Lastly, you will come to understand the concepts and principles that are essential in leading others in a way that inspires them to want to follow you.
This course will provide an overview of the structure and development of the homeland security network of the United States. This study will examine the dominant Intelligence Community position in this structure but will also address some of the law enforcement components which further support the system. During the course, students will learn about the roles of member agencies and how they mitigate threats to the United States.
This course will provide an overview of the history and theoretical concepts which drive terrorism. Students in the class will be presented with information about how terror groups develop, how they target democracies, and how they decide on the methods used in their conflicts. The student will develop analytic skills to look at a conflict and determine the best methods for understanding and mitigating the threat.
This course will introduce students to ethics and how it applies to, and is applied within, Criminal Justice. This course will explore and analyze ethical dilemmas. This course will consider the roles of individuals and professional organizations and agencies when confronted with ethical dilemmas. Additionally, this course will discuss ethics in community relations, ethics in criminal justice laws, the philosophy of punishment, and procedures and civil liability in law enforcement and correctional environments. Finally, this course will explore the standards and codes of professional responsibility in criminal justice professions (e.g. Law Enforcement Code of Ethics, ABA Standards of Professional Responsibility, American Jail Association Code of Ethics for Jail Officers, and the American Correctional Association Code of Ethics.)
Prerequisite: PSYC 101 or SOCI 101. (Offered fall semester of odd calendar years.)
Effective law enforcement requires an understanding of human behavior - deviant or otherwise. Emile Durkheim, a famous early sociologist, even went so far as to say that deviance, or breaking societal rules for behavior, is normal, and occurs in every human community. Thus an understanding of deviance begins with an understanding of human behavior, period. You will study the topic of human behavior-both conforming behavior and deviant behavior, take a diagnostic tool to identify your own personality traits, and learn to apply individual differences to human interactions and organizations. You will study and seek to understand the historical and societal context for deviance, theories or deviance, and social control mechanisms, from social scientific perspectives, but also from a Christian perspective which sees all human beings with worth, dignity, and potential.
Prerequisite: CRJS 203.
This course will introduce students to the operation and administration of police agencies. Through class discussion, student engagement, and multi-media resources, students will develop a better understanding of how administration plays an essential role in law enforcement. Students will be introduced to various leadership roles within criminal justice administration.
Prerequisite: CRJS 203. (Offered spring semester of odd calendar years.)
This course will introduce students to the basic operation of homeland and border security agencies. Through class discussion, student engagement, and multi-media recourses, students will develop a better understanding of these agencies, and the strategies of law enforcement personnel and support staff within these operations. Students will be introduced to various theories of homeland and border protection issues, including current intelligence initiatives with respect to foreign or home-grown terrorism.
Prerequisite: CRJS 203. (Offered spring semester of odd calendar years.)
A course designed to investigate delinquency, including juvenile deviancy and juvenile crime. Applicable theories and models of delinquency will be investigated, as will social construction of delinquency. The course is appropriate for the students focusing on criminal justice generally as well as social work. Professional implications will also be examined. Cross-Listed as SCWK 351.
Prereq: PSYC 101 or SOCI 101
Explores the work of cultural competence, diversity & inclusion, and expansion. Historical contexts are presented to describe present-day injustices and inequalities. Definitions of race, ethnicity, minority, equity and oppression are provided as background for exploring present issues surrounding race, gender and religious minorities. (Offered irregularly.)
This course examines theoretical and conceptual issues, empirical research, and social policies germane to human sexuality. Sexuality is approached from sociological, scientific, and human behavior perspectives. Incorporates historical overviews and an examination of policy landscape and impacts. (Offered fall semester of even calendar years.)
This class is the continuation of SCWK, in which the fundamentals of social science research methods were addressed. Students will continue and complete the research project they began in prior Spring semester, with this semester focusing on the data collection and analysis, as well as writing up the project findings and the implications of the findings of in APA format. The goal of the course is for students to understand and appreciate all parts of the research process of conducting an empirical social science research project. The class includes the completion of a publication-ready research paper that was started in SCWK210.
Prerequisite: SCWK 210. (Offered fall semester.)
This course will cover ways in which the social worker interfaces with the law, courts, and clients mandated or involved with the law or court system in social work practice. Social work students will also gain knowledge of mandated reporting, ethics in social work practice pertaining to the law, human rights, the pursuit of justice for all populations, and protection of diverse populations.
Prerequisite: SCWK205. (Offered spring semester of odd calendar years.)
In this course students will learn about various aspects of adult development and aging, including health and mental health functioning, longevity, working with the person in their environment, cognition, intelligence, memory and attention, clinical assessment, work, retirement, relationships, dying and bereavement (including Hospice work), and ethical issues within social work practice. Human rights and issues of dignity and respect for each individual will be emphasized.
Prerequisite: PSYC212 and SCWK205. (Offered spring semester of odd calendar years.)
This course will cover basic skills of working with individuals who require interventions because of a mental health diagnosis. Students will become familiar with mental health diagnoses as they exist in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), published by the American Psychiatric Association; issues regarding clients who are prescribed psychotropic medications to treat those diagnoses; and roles of social workers and counselors in providing services to those clients and their families. Cross-listed with PSYC 340.
Prerequisite: PSYC 101 or SCWK 205.
A course designed to investigate delinquency, including juvenile deviancy and juvenile crime. Applicable theories and models of delinquency will be investigated, as will social construction of delinquency. The course is appropriate for students focusing on criminal justice generally, as well as social work. Professional implications will also be examined. Cross listed with CRJS 351.
Prerequisite: PSYC 101 or SOCI 101.
This course introduces the student to the basic services available under the auspices of child welfare. The major emphasis is on services as offered within the United States; however, brief attention is given to a comparison with other countries. A historical overview of the field is also provided.
Prerequisite: SCWK 205. (Offered spring semester of odd calendar years.)
The development of major schools of social thought, major social theorists and their distinctive contributions to the understanding of the society, culture, and modernity, are considered and analyzed. Requires three of four major papers which focus respectively on social philosophers of antiquity, the major founders of sociological theory, modern social theories and theoretical trends and everyday applications of social theory. Also covers how to write a literature review for a research paper.
Prerequisite: SOCI 101. (Offered fall semester.)
SOC 381 Social Context for Community Development Three Credits
The different bases for healthy communities are explored, with emphasis on anthropological, sociological and biblical models of community. This will include how to revitalize communities which suffer from various problems with complex social causes, such as those with high rates of poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, criminal activity, welfare dependency or social service delivery, spiritual apathy and even war and refugeeism. A practical emphasis on community-building programs, policies or advocacy is included. Key field trip experiences will link class participants with practitioners in the field.
(Offered spring semester of even calendar years.)
Course content focuses upon basic concepts and operations in descriptive and inferential statistics. The areas of study will include measures of central tendency and dispersion, probability, correlation and regression analysis, parametric (t-tests and ANOVA) and non-parametric (chi-square) tests of significance. A basic introduction to Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software is provided. Cross listed with SCWK 202. Meets the general education quantitative reasoning requirement.
Course content focuses upon basic concepts and operations in descriptive and inferential statistics. The areas of study will include measures of central tendency and dispersion, probability, correlation and regression analysis, parametric (t-tests and ANOVA) and non-parametric (chi-square) tests of significance. A basic introduction to Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software is provided. Cross listed with PSYC 202. Meets the general education quantitative reasoning requirement. (Offered every semester.)
Students will understand the forces of globalization, why nations trade, problems of trade restrictions and international payments, and multinational corporations as international change agents. They will work from the manager's perspective to discover how working internationally affects the functional areas of business through influences of the land, the political environment, and the cultural heritage of the people. Meets the general education global foundations requirement.
Prerequisite: Open to any upper division student. (Offered spring semester.)
This course helps students to recognize the importance of the criminal justice system and community working cooperatively towards a more successful criminal justice system. Moving towards community trust of, and cooperation with, the Criminal Justice system will aid in the overall success of the criminal justice system in working towards safe and inclusive communities. Some topics that will be covered include community policing philosophy, applications, issues, types, and contemporary research. The course will also consider different community policing models. This course will include a $50 course fee for a travel component where students are able to see an example of a community policing model when the course is taught face to face. Meets the general education global foundations requirement.
Prerequisite: CRJS 203.
The purpose of this course is to explore race and poverty issues that impact the classroom environment. Candidates will search for effective strategies to better meet the needs of underserved populations. The hidden rules of economic class and characteristics of generational poverty will be studied, with emphasis on the impact this has on instruction. Students will spend time assisting in a classroom which serves a high minority and low socioeconomic population. Meets the general education global foundations requirement.
Prerequisite: EDUC 110. (Offered fall semester)
Course fee may apply.
A study of literary selections in various genres from diverse writers around the world. Meets the general education global foundations and humanities/literature requirements. (Offered spring semester.)
An introduction to the literature of a cultural group other than the predominant culture group of the United States. Each time the course is offered it may examine a different literature. The different topics studied could range from African-American Literature to Chinese Literature to Irish Literature to Latin American Literature, but the course will always focus on introducing students to a variety of genres through an exploration of a different culture's literary productions. Meets the general education global foundation and humanities/literature requirements. Course may be repeated due to study of different topics. (Offered spring semester.)
Emphasizes the forces that shaped and are now reshaping the region. Examines historical reasons for the present problems that trouble the area. Cross listed with HIST310 and SPAN310. Meets the general education global foundations and humanities/history requirements. (Offered fall semester.)
The study of the history and culture of China and Japan from ancient times to the present. Meets the general education global foundations and humaniities/history requirements. (Offered: Irregularly)
African American history (1492-1860) explores the history of American slavery from its beginnings in the West Indies through colonization and up to the Civil War. The course examines the Atlantic slave trade (until its abolition in 1808), domestic slavery in America, the political and ideological divide within America (during this time period) over the issue of slavery, and the efforts of American and British abolitionists to end slavery. Meets the general education global foundations and humanities/history requirements. Cross-Listed as: HIST 325. Offered: Fall semester of odd calendar years.
African American history (1860-1970) examines the halting progress Americans made during the 100 years between the Emancipation Proclamation and the civil rights legislation of the 1960's. Students consider the perspective of significant American civil rights activists, including W. E. B. Du Bois, Booker T. Washington, Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin, Mary Church Terrell, Anna Julia Cooper, Marcus Garvey, A. Philip Randolph, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King Jr. Meets the general education global foundations and humanities/history requirements. Cross-Listed as: HIST 326. Offered: Fall semester of even calendar years.
This course offers a broad overview of at least 5 of the worlds major religions, utilizing an historical and descriptive approach. Emphasis will be placed on attempting to understand the culture, philosophies, and world views associated with each religion empathetically and to consider the ways in which culture and beliefs have dialogically shaped one another and their associated communities. Current social and political issues that face these communities and our world will also be considered as we attempt to apply our knowledge within our chosen field of study and as responsible world citizens. Ultimately, it is hoped that the student will come away from this study with a clearer understanding of their own faith and culture and the ways in which those elements interact, having considered the common theological concerns of humankind through the various lenses of the worlds wisdom traditions, equipped to continue developing their knowledge and applying it within their chosen field or ministry.
Prerequisite: THEO 110 or THEO 310. (Offered fall semester.)
This course seeks to increase awareness of the uniqueness of Mexican culture, society, and politics and to promote an understanding of the forces driving changes in these areas. Meets the general education global foundations and humanities/historyl requirements. Cross-Listed as HIST 348. (Offered spring semester of even calendar years.)
Emphasizes the forces that shaped and are now reshaping the region. Examines historical reasons for the present problems that trouble the area. Cross listed with HIST 110 and SPAN 310. Meets the general education global foundations and humanities/history requirements. (Offered fall semester.)
This course is a study of the history, culture, and religion of the modern Middle East, especially as it relates to the development of, and ongoing interaction between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. We will seek to understand each community in terms of their origin, development, influences, and connections to each other and to civil orders. We will observe the concepts and phenomena they share, as well as the ways in which they are distinguished. We will then apply this knowledge to an analysis of current events and dynamics in the Middle East and how this plays out globally. Cross listed with THEO 315. Meets the general education global foundations requirement.
Prerequisite: THEO 110 or THEO 310. (Offered spring semester of even calendar years.)
African American History I (1492-1860) explores the history of American slavery from its beginnings in the West Indies through colonization and up to the Civil War. The course examines the Atlantic slave trade (until its abolition in 1808), domestic slavery in America, the political and ideological divide within America (during this time period) over the issue of slavery, and the efforts of American and British abolitionists to end slavery. Meets the general education global foundations and humanities/history requirements. Cross-Listed as: HIST 225. Offered: Fall semester of odd calendar years.
African American History II (1860-1970) examines the halting progress Americans made during the 100 years between the Emancipation Proclamation and the civil rights legislation of the 1960's. Students consider the perspective of significant American civil rights activists, including W. E. B. Du Bois, Booker T. Washington, Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin, Mary Church Terrell, Anna Julia Cooper, Marcus Garvey, A. Philip Randolph, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King Jr. Meets the general education global foundations and humanities/history requirements.
Cross-Listed as: HIST 226. Offered: Fall of even calendar years.
A study of the Jewish religion/culture that developed in the sixth century BCE and flourished in the Persian, Greek and Roman periods. Includes encounters with the rabbinic literature that began to be produced in the second century CE--the Midrashim, Mishanah and Talmuds--and modern expressions of Judaism around the world. Cross listed with THEO 345. Meets the general education global foundations requirement.
Prerequisite: THEO 110 or THEO 310. (Offered spring semester.)
This course seeks to increase awareness of the uniqueness of Mexican culture, society, and politics and to promote an understanding of the forces driving changes in these areas. Meets the general education global foundations requirement.
Prerequisite: HIST 101. Cross-Listed as HIST 248. (Offered spring semester of even calendar years.)
Students consider the relationships between culture and the world of work. They discover how the environment, especially the workplace, has been shaped by the value and life experiences of various ethnic and racial groups. Meets the general education global foundations requirement.
This course will explore the integration of various ethnic cultures in Christian worship songs in North American Churches. It also will examine African, African-American, Latino, Caribbean, and Asian worship music. The primary goal of this course is to raise awareness and equip students to value, plan, and lead worship music for a diverse congregation. The course will include discussions, music listening examples, and a group visit to a church in St. Louis. No particular music skills are required to take this course. Meets the general education global foundations requirement.
Prerequisite: MUSG 164 or THEO 110. (Offered Interterm)
This course will examine a range of topics at the intersection of culture and psychology, and will empower students to recognize and analyze how culture informs our outlook and behavior. Students will learn to critically examine their own outlook and behaviors, as well as those of others, in order to enact positive changes. Knowledge gained in this course can be applied to enhance students personal relationships and to increase their effectiveness in professions that deal with a culturally diverse public. Meets the general education global foundations requirement.
Prerequisite: PSYC 101
The scientific study of humanity, human origins, fossil forms, and the evolution of material and non-material culture. Meets the general education global foundations and social science or business managment requirement. (Offered spring semester of even calendar years.)
The purpose of this course is to learn Spanish language and acquire a deeper understanding of a Spanish-speaking nation via an immersion experience. Thus, the student will immerse her/himself in a Spanish -speaking country and, while in the country, the student will learn and practice as much Spanish as possible. The student will submit written reflections in Spanish according to the student's proficiency level. The reflections will be regarding the use of the language in the region and the Spanish-speaking country. In addition, it is advised that the student enroll in the "Spanish Language" immersion class. Meets the general education global foundation requirement. (Offered summers.) Prerequisite: SPAN 101
Emphasizes the forces that shaped and are now reshaping the region. Examines historical reasons for the present problems that trouble the area. Cross listed with HIST 110/310. Meets the general education global foundations and humanities/historyl requirements.
Prerequisite: SPAN 201 or equivalent. Co-requisite: Concurrent enrollment in an upper division SPAN course. (Offered in a three year rotation.)
Students will use the medium of film to examine both Spanish and Latin American Cultures. By way of classroom discussion and written composition, students will analyze, compare and contrast, critically evaluate ideas and ideologies which are addressed both overtly and covertly in the films. Meets the general education global foundation and upper division writing intensive requirements.
Prerequisite: SPAN 220
This course is a high level course in which writing skills and correct grammar usage in Spanish are emphasized. Through a variety of written documents, students will focus on critical reading and the interpretation of texts, skills which will further help develop their ability to write correctly in Spanish. Students will acquire a better understanding of finer points of Spanish Grammar. Meets the general education global foundation requirement.
Prerequisite: SPAN 201 or equivalent. (Offered in a three year rotation.)
Study of the Hispanic novel through reading of selected novels. Meets the general education global foundation requirement.
Prerequisite: SPAN 201 or equivalent. (Offered in a three year rotation.)
This course offers a broad overview of at least 5 of the worlds major religions, utilizing an historical and descriptive approach. Emphasis will be placed on attempting to understand the culture, philosophies, and world views associated with each religion empathetically and to consider the ways in which culture and beliefs have dialogically shaped one another and their associated communities. Current social and political issues that face these communities and our world will also be considered as we attempt to apply our knowledge within our chosen field of study and as responsible world citizens. Ultimately, it is hoped that the student will come away from this study with a clearer understanding of their own faith and culture and the ways in which those elements interact, having considered the common theological concerns of humankind through the various lenses of the worlds wisdom traditions, equipped to continue developing their knowledge and applying it within their chosen field or ministry.
Prerequisite: THEO 110 or THEO 310. (Offered fall semester.)
This course is a study of the history, culture, and religion of the modern Middle East, especially as it relates to the development of, and ongoing interaction between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. We will seek to understand each community in terms of their origin, development, influences, and connections to each other and to civil orders. We will observe the concepts and phenomena they share, as well as the ways in which they are distinguished. We will then apply this knowledge to an analysis of current events and dynamics in the Middle East and how this plays out globally. Cross listed with HIST 315. Meets the general education global foundations requirement.
Prerequisite: THEO 110 or THEO 310.. (Offered spring semester of even calendar years.)
This course aims to introduce students to the ways in which Scripture has been interpreted within Judaism and the resultant shape of rabbinic theology. Students will learn about traditional interpretive techniques and explore a variety of rabbinic texts that will serve as examples. Students will learn to attend to the types of textual details that inspired the early rabbis and to ask questions of the text and of other interpreters in a manner common to Judaism. Students will then practice discussing the biblical text communally and collaboratively, seeking creative and edifying interpretations for their own community and vocation. Meets the general education global foundations requirement.
Prerequisite: THEO 110 or THEO 310 (Offered spring semester of odd calendar years).
A study of the Jewish religion/culture that developed in the sixth century BCE and flourished in the Persian, Greek and Roman periods. Includes encounters with the rabbinic literature that began to be produced in the second century CE--the Midrashim, Mishanah and Talmuds--and modern expressions of Judaism around the world. Cross listed with HIST 345. Meets the general education global foundations requirement.
Prerequisite: THEO 110 or THEO 310. (Offered spring semester.)
In this intensive course, students at various levels of study will pilgrimage through the story of the confinement and control of people of African descent on U.S. Soil from Slavery through Jim Crow, Lynching, and Peonage, to Mass Incarceration and Police Brutality. They will also investigate the development of the political construct of whiteness. This course is designed to engage multiple learning-styles with special emphasis on experiential learning. Students will examine the biblical concept of shalom while rolling across the land and through the moments when shalom was broken and where shadows of shalom were realized on U.S. soil. The course is appropriate for students of pastoral ministry, theology, ethics, and social work. It is also a great opportunity for continuing education for pastors, justice ministers, leaders of non-profits, justice advocates, and social workers. This course will lay the foundations for Christian leaders to enter the larger movement for justice in the U.S. and global context by connecting them with leading organizations and leaders. Meets the general education global foundations requirement.
The study of a variety of social organizations and of the policies enacted or pursued related to mission, structure, and social work and criminal justice will be included. Using organizational theory and real-life models, students will engage in institutional problem-solving exercises. Cross listed with SCWK 361. Meets the general education upper division writing intensive requirement.
Prerequisite: PSYC 101 or SOCI 101. (Offered fall semester of odd calendar years.)
The study of a variety of social organizations and of the policies enacted or pursued related to mission, structure, and social-political environments. Governmental and non-governmental agencies in the areas of social work and criminal justices will be included. Using organizational theory and real-life models, students will engage in institutional problem solving exercises. Cross listed with CRJS 361. Meets the general education upper division writing intensive requirement.
Prerequisite: PSYC 101 or SOCI 101. (Offered fall semester of odd calendar years.)
A study of intimate relationships, marriage, family and contributing support systems. Includes historical overview and contemporary presentations. Emphasis is placed on multifactor understanding of relational/family health. Combines theoretical perspectives from sociology, psychology, anthropology and theology. Parenting, financial pressures, intra-family communication and family formation are examined.
Prerequisites: SOCI 101, 112, or PSYC 101. (Offered spring semester.)
A study of intimate relationships, marriage, family and contributing support systems. Includes historical overview and contemporary presentations. Emphasis is placed on multifactor understanding of relational/family health. Combines theoretical perspectives from sociology, psychology, anthropology and theology. Parenting, financial pressures, intra-family communication and family formation are examined.
Prerequisites: SOCI 101, 112, or PSYC 101. (Offered spring semester.)
