Research Methods in Clinical Social Work Practice

Catalog description

This course is designed to introduce social research methods in the context of social work practice. Research and evaluation are critical components of professional social work practice, and this foundation course hones in on critical thinking skills and examines methods of inquiry for testing theory and evaluating the effectiveness of social work practice. This course covers research skills and covers how research is integrated into social work practice. Steps in this process are covered in depth, and students will receive practice in moving from problem identification to research design to analysis to writeup. These are the same steps students will use for their capstone experience project at the end of the program. Research skills will be integrated with other areas of the MSW curriculum, and this course will examine the relationship between theory and research, the conceptualization of research questions and hypotheses, and elements of research design and analysis. It will introduce both quantitative and qualitative methodologies to build knowledge for practice.