Macro Practice

  • SSW MP 759: Communities and Organizations: Analysis and Intervention
    MP759 is a foundation course that provides an orientation to macro social work as a core method for all practitioners. Students learn a common framework and practical skills for planning and implementing change in communities and organizations. The course emphasizes principles including social and economic justice and empowerment through an examination of racism and other intersecting oppressions, constituent-led change efforts, and a strengths-based orientation to practice in urban settings and other social environments. Designed for clinical and macro practitioners, the course provides skills in community and organizational assessment, including power analysis and use of demographic and other data; development of strategic action plans; and use of partnerships with non-traditional settings, coalitions, and other constituencies to effect social and organizational change. Teaching and learning methods include use of case studies, videos, field-based research, and in-class exercises and discussion.
  • SSW MP 773: Hum Serv Mgt
    This course description is currently under construction.
  • SSW MP 775: Strategic Management
    Focuses on strategies for developing, strengthening, and advancing the effectiveness of non-profit organizations. Significant issues and emerging themes in agency administration are examined with an emphasis on equity and inclusion. Students will acquire skills in strategic planning, strategic collaboration, authentic stakeholder engagement, and grant writing through the preparation of a strategic plan and a proposal for grant funding, along with other learning methods.
  • SSW MP 776: Financial Management in Human Service Organizations
    This course provides an in-depth examination of management control systems, including fund accounting, operating, and cash budgets; line-item, program, and zero-base budgeting; cost accounting; and account structures. Students develop an understanding of financial statements, cash flow analysis, cost/benefit analysis, and break-even analysis.
  • SSW MP 780: Advocacy for Equity and Justice
    This course combines theory and skill development to enable social workers to shape legislation, regulations, budgets, and institutional policies and practices as advocates committed to respectful engagement with constituents and community partners. The course distinguishes advocacy from other social change strategies, relates advocacy to policy practice, and builds skills in issue framing, testimony, media relations, partnerships, and different forms of advocacy writing to advance strategic objectives. MP780 draws upon the experiences of class members and the instructor and incorporates case studies, guest speakers, and interactive exercises and assignments. Upon completion of the course, students will be prepared to practice effectively as advocates committed to advancing equity and justice in multiple settings.
  • SSW MP 781: Community Organizing
    MP781 is designed to strengthen the ability of class members to foster progressive social change. It provides knowledge and skills in different models of community organizing, with a focus on collective action to promote social and economic justice, particularly in urban settings. Class members will develop skills in outreach and recruitment, leadership development, issue selection, strategy and tactics, campaign planning, coalitions, and building grassroots community organizations. MP781 emphasizes the responsibility of social workers to facilitate democratic participation and community empowerment based on respect, humility, and commitment to addressing racism and intersecting forms of oppression. In addition to readings and lectures, the course utilizes guest speakers, small group exercises, role play, video, poetry, music, and direct engagement with community-based organizations. Assignments emphasize skill building and integration of organizing theory and practice. The course relates community organizing to policy, planning, and management to underscore its relevance for all macro practitioners.
  • SSW MP 783: Planning and Program Development
    This course introduces students to planning theory, planned social change, organizational development, program development, proposal writing, and leadership. Specific emphasis is placed on basic concepts, principles, skills, and knowledge necessary to effect change at the organizational and community levels.
  • SSW MP 785: Program Evaluation
    MP 785 equips students with the ability to conduct an evaluation as an essential part of the infrastructure of any program or organization designed to advance social change. Students will learn how to select an evaluation design and method that responds to a program's organizational reality, political-policy context, client and/or community input and that promotes a culture of learning and adaption to ensure the highest quality service. Students will design a comprehensive field-based evaluation plan or conduct an evaluation in the field based on their own collection of data.
  • SSW MP 786: Health Equity
    Data indicate, people who identify as white in the United States experience better health outcomes across a myriad of chronic conditions. Achieving health equity requires closing the racial health gap. Macro social workers are poised to fight for health equity -- by dismantling white supremacy culture and colonial ideology that shape the systems and structures, social determinants, which produce ill health. During the course of the semester, students will explore and propose organization and community change strategies to promote health equity.
  • SSW MP 787: Leadership for Equity and Inclusion
    Prepares students to assume leadership roles with a focus on promoting equity and inclusion in order to simultaneously advance social justice and the effectiveness of macro-level systems. Theories and styles of leadership are examined and critiqued as students work to identify and further develop their leadership styles. Students will acquire skills for effective leadership aimed toward dismantling white supremist culture, heterocentrism, ablism, sexism, and other forms of oppression, and building an organizational culture that embraces and utilizes a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and skills.
  • SSW MP 794: Macro Field Seminar
    A required monthly seminar in support of field placements for non-MSW-supervised, second-year macro students. There are no readings or assignments.

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