The Boston College Program

Boston College's Graduate School of Social Work offers courses at Stonehill College's Martin Institute of Law and Society. Selected undergraduate students from Stonehill College may take these courses for undergraduate and graduate credit. Students with a minimum 3.0 G.P.A. and an interest in pursuing a Master's degree in Social Work (M.S.W.) after graduation may apply to the Department of Sociology and Criminology to participate in these courses. SO 227 Human Services is strongly recommended prior to application.

The following courses are offered through the Boston College Program:

SO 701 THE SOCIAL WELFARE SYSTEM
An examination of the nature of social welfare and of the social, political, and economic context within which social welfare policies and programs are conceived and administered to meet social objectives and needs.

SO 702 SOCIAL POLICY ANALYSIS
An exploration of alternative strategies to the solution of social problems through analysis of specific social welfare policy issues (such as income maintenance, housing, and health) and their priorities nationally. Emphasis is directed towards the poor, minorities, women, unemployed, elderly, children, and other "at risk" groups. Prerequisite: SO 411

SO 721 HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT
Spring Semester
A foundation course emphasizing a systemic perspective in human development and social functioning. Concepts from biology and the behavioral sciences provide the basis for understanding the developmental tasks of individuals, their families, and groups in the context of complex, environmental forces which support or inhibit growth and effective functioning.

SO 723 RACISM, OPPRESSION, AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY
An analysis of the current issues and problems in American racism. These are studied in the context of the dynamics of social process, historical and anthropological perspectives, and theories of prejudice and social change. Social work's responsibility to contribute to solutions is emphasized. The class develops models examining the problems of racism.

SO 547 RESEARCH METHODS IN SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE
An introduction to elementary research methods and statistical analysis of social work data. The course covers basic methods of social research including principles of research investigation, research design and problem formulation, survey methods, sampling, measurements and the use of descriptive and inferential statistics for data analysis and hypothesis testing. (May substitute for SO/CJ 306.)

SO 451 QUANTITATIVE METHODS IN SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE
Content includes the use of bivariate and multivariate techniques of data analysis involving two or more samples, and focuses on hypothesis testing utilizing parametric and nonparametric techniques to analyze practice problems. Topics include bivariate analysis, analysis of variance, linear regression analysis, measures of association and correlation, and an extended discussion of research designs and sampling theory and designs. (May substitute for SO/CJ 308.)