Ethical Decision-Making for Social Workers

Catalog description

Prerequisites: SWK 200, SWK 201, SWK 300, SWK 302, SWK 303, SWK 304, & SWK 350. This course examines social work values and ethics, in greater depth than what is addressed in previous course work. Students will learn how human rights principles inform social work ethics and become familiar with the core values of social work’s ethical standards. The course challenges students to explore values and ethical issues as they apply to social work theory, research, policy, and practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. The course examines ethical decision-making frameworks as students apply principles of critical thinking to case situations based on social work’s ethical standards and core values, including challenging social, racial, economic, and environmental justice and working for social change on behalf of oppressed people. Students will assess how the process of ethical decision making may affect professional relationships with clients, co-workers, and with other professionals involved in the case. Through course readings, discussions, and assignments, students will reflect on how their personal experiences and affective reactions may influence their professional judgment and behavior.