SW 506 Social Work in a Multicultural Society

This course prepares students to examine their understanding of various aspects of culture and the manner in which culture influences social work practice. Students will review different theoretical and conceptual frameworks for practice with multicultural populations. Students will develop a capacity for cultural self-assessment and a level of awareness of their own cultural limitations before working with diverse populations. Students examine the principles of a culturally competent system from the individual, organizational, policy, community and practice level. The course focuses on critical thinking as a vital skill and special attention is given to self-awareness, values clarification, and ethnographic research as a tool for describing a group or culture and means for gaining a deeper understanding and appreciation of cultural diversity. Prerequisite: SW 500 and SW 502. (3)