Social Work And Human Services

Designed to illuminate the way students see their social world. Uses a sociological perspective: scientific study of human interaction and society, with emphasis on impact of groups on social behavior. Includes the systematic examination of culture, socialization, social organization, social class, race, gender, deviance, social change and empirical methodology. These content areas are woven throughout the fabric of the course, particularly as they affect the lives of at least three of the following groups: African Americans, Latino Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, Middle Eastern Americans and/or women.

Survey course introduces students to the human services field. Includes history, ethics, values, and principles of human and social services. Focus on modern practice, research techniques, and critical service provider skills. Students will explore community resources and human service roles and the development of a multicultural approach to working with diverse populations.

PSY 5 recommended.

This course is an introduction to psychology, which is the study of the mind and behavior. Students focus on theories and concepts of biological, cognitive, developmental, environmental, social, and cultural influences; their applications; and their research foundations. Includes major psychological concepts and theories in the areas of consciousness, learning, memory, motivation, perception, personality, stress, and social behavior. Formerly PSY1.

Choose one course from List A

This work-based learning course offers students a supervised field experience in a community organization, agency, or institution within human services/social work. Students will reinforce and apply knowledge gained in the prerequisite coursework while learning new skills outside of the classroom environment. In addition to engaging in fieldwork, student will attend a weekly class meeting that will complement their fieldwork experience. Students pursuing an AA-T in Social Work and Human Services need to complete a total of 2 units. Course study under this section may be repeated for a maximum of 16 units for occupational or a combination of general and occupational work experience education. One unit of credit is earned for each 75 hours of paid work or 60 hours of volunteer work per semester.

This course provides the student who is participating in a supervised field experience in a community organization, agency, or institution with a weekly class meeting that provides the academic element to the experiential course offering. In conjunction with the required corequisite work experience course, students will gain insight about their future role as a Human Services/Social Work practitioner through discussion, problem solving, reflection, and evaluation with self, instructor, supervisor, and peers. Ethical, legal, professional, and social justice issues in the field of Human Services/Social Work will be addressed.

Choose one course from List A not already taken.

This course covers historical, political, social, racial, gender, socioeconomic, and legal factors involved in the marketing, distribution, and government regulations of legal and illegal drugs. The course offers an overview of contemporary and culturally informed prevention, diagnosis, and treatment methods, including an analysis of effective, culturally responsive, evidence-based strategies and local recovery resources. This course explains concepts and theories relating to the epidemiology and toxicology of substance use, misuse, abuse, and dependence, and the impact on personal, community and societal health. The biological/physiological, neurological, and psychological short and long-term effects of selected pharmacological substances on the human brain and body are explored, including an analysis of risk factors associated with abuse and dependence.

Exploration of intercultural and interethnic communication behavior of individuals in relationships and/or groups, personal identity formation in the American context, historical development of culturally influenced communication styles, and evolution of new, American inter- and intra-group communication. Will examine social science research models, including single subject case study, in three (3) of the five (5) following groups: African-Americans, Asian-Americans, Native/Indigenous Americans, Pacific Islander-Americans, Hispanic-Americans. Students will attend Bay Area cultural events.

Exploration of issues relating to the multicultural community in which we live today. Interpersonal relations and communication. Focus on improving the individual’s understanding of other cultures and how those cultures impact the American lifestyle. Includes exploration of myths and misunderstandings. Discussion of four specific cultures or sub-cultures from the following groups: 1) African-American, 2) Asian-American, 3) Hispanic-American, 4) Native-American, 5) Middle Eastern-American, 6) European-American, 7) Gay/Lesbian American, 8) Disabled American.

An overview of the field of abnormal psychology. Introduces students to the major classifications of mental health disorders from the perspective of symptoms and behavior, causes, diagnosis and treatment. Examines historical, socio-cultural and contemporary understanding of mental illness. Includes disorders of mood, anxiety, psychosis, substance abuse, personality and other disorders in adults and children.

Develops critical thinking, reading, and writing skills as they apply to the analysis of primary and secondary non-fiction books, articles, and essays from a range of academic and cultural contexts. Primary texts will showcase diverse writers, including marginalized voices. Theme based units will emphasize the techniques and principles of effective written argument in research-based writing across disciplines.

An introduction to Ethnic Studies: an interdisciplinary and comparative study of race and ethnicity with a special focus on four historically defined racialized core groups: Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, and Latina/o/x/e Americans. The course will review core concepts and frameworks from Ethnic Studies disciplines, such as racism, white supremacy, settler colonialism, imperialism, self-determination, liberation, decolonization, intersectionality, abolition, anti-racism, and more. Students will apply theories and knowledge produced by communities of color and typically studied in: African American/Black Studies, American Indian/Native American Studies, Asian American and Pacific Islander Studies, and Chicana/o/x/e and Latina/o/x/e Studies. The course will also examine examples of struggle, solidarity and resistance while engaging in current justice and equity movements focused on dismantling white supremacy, colonialism, imperialism, and other forms of oppression targeting communities of color.

Introduction to social problems common to modern industrial society, and the role of principal institutions in social organization and social disorganization. Includes crime, juvenile delinquency, divorce, drug addiction, aging, mental health and population as well as other areas. Focus on modern American society.

Analysis of racial and ethnic relations in the United States. Includes race, ethnicity, racism, prejudice, discrimination and stereotyping, as well as theories and patterns of intergroup relations. Focus on: African Americans, Chicanx/Latinx, Asian Americans, and Native Americans.