SW513 - Human Behavior & the Social Environment

With a focus on the generalist perspective, this advanced human behavior, and the social environment (Master) course will present an overview from a systems/ecological approach of the life cycle of human development from conception through death.  This course is designed to familiarize the generalist MSW program student with knowledge of normative patterns of human behavior and to provide the tools to assess for appropriate individual developmental functioning of clients and their families.  This course examines the individual in social systems that include family groups, community organizations, culture, and society.  The part that socioeconomics, gender, and cultural diversity play in the normative processes of socialization of children within family contexts will also be discussed. The course will concentrate on the cognitive, social, emotional, and physiological theories of human behavior.  Focus will be on detailing the various developmental stages of conception through death and system problems such as overload within health care systems, juvenile and adult criminal systems, public school systems, etc.