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Social Welfare Minor

Minor in social welfare at George Fox, a top Christian college

Do you have a passion for helping others? Are you driven to do your part to make the world a better place by assisting the underprivileged or working in a social services environment? George Fox’s social work program offers a social welfare minor that may be just right for you.

In this 18-credit-hour course of study, you’ll get introduced to what social welfare is, diversity issues in social work, social policy, and human behavior in the social environment. You will also have the opportunity to specialize in specific areas related to the field – specifically crime and deviance, race and ethnicity, juvenile delinquency, and social work with children.

Request more information about the social welfare minor at George Fox University or schedule a visit to begin your education at Oregon's Christian university, ranked as one of the top Christian colleges in the nation by Forbes.

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Minor Requirements

18 credit hours

Complete the following:

This course serves as an introduction to the philosophy, historical development and current practices of the social work profession. Specifically, the knowledge base, values, skills, practices, settings, educational and career opportunities of the profession will be examined. Emphasis is placed on developing awareness of the scope of the profession using a scientific, analytic approach to service delivery and evaluation; relating generalist social work practice to social welfare systems; economic and social justice; and work with diverse, oppressed and at-risk populations. This course includes community service opportunities and/or social service agency tours. This course is required for those majoring in social work and must be taken prior to entrance into the major.
This course introduces students to issues of diversity and difference in preparation for culturally competent social work practice. Students will learn about vulnerable and marginalized groups and the environmental systems which impact them. Special attention is given to issues of intersectionality, bias, discrimination, power and privilege, and oppression. Students will explore their own personal identity and how their views, beliefs, values and behaviors may support or hinder future social work practice with diverse populations.
This course provides and seeks to apply a basic framework for creating and organizing knowledge of human behavior during the lifespan. Social systems, human development theories, and strengths approaches are critically examined to foster understanding of individual, family, group, organizational, and community behaviors and the impact of the larger environment on these systems. Special attention is given to the impact of human diversity, discrimination, and oppression on the ability of individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities to reach or maintain optimal health and well-being. Required for majors. Prerequisites: PSYC 150 General Psychology and SOCI 150 Principles of Sociology or permission of instructor.
This course introduces human rights and social justice concepts in the context of social work history, values, ethics, and practice. Related concepts of oppression, power, privilege, and inequity will also be covered. Prerequisites: Formal admission to the social work program or a declared minor in social welfare.
This course proves an in-depth analysis of how human needs and values are translated into social policy on community, national and international levels. Special attention is given to the ways in which values and power interests influence the creation of social policy. Emphasis is placed on the history of social welfare and related policies, the process of policy formation and analysis, and impact of policy on at-risk populations. Implications for generalist social work practice and services will be explored through a variety of class activities. Required for social work majors. Additional course fee is required. Prerequisites: SWRK 180 Introduction to Social Welfare and SWRK 475 Field Experience/Practicum I, or the instructor's permission.

Choose one of the following:

3 semester hours required.
This course will provide an overview of the different types of violence that occur within family systems. Attention will be given to the intersection of diverse identities and violence, factors with society that contribute to violence, and societal responses to violence within society. Prerequisites: PSYC 150, SOCI 150 or SWRK 210 and at least sophomore level status or instructor permission.
This course will introduce students to multidisciplinary approaches to death, loss, and grief in the context of the biopsychosocialspiritual model. Topics will include the human response to loss throughout the lifespan, societal responses to dying and death, ethical issues related to dying and death, suicide, and advanced planning for death and dying. Prerequisites: PSYC 150 or SOCI 150 and at least sophomore level status or instructor permission.
Basic principles of child welfare, with emphasis upon the services for families and children needing various types of support. Focus is on developing a knowledge and understanding of child welfare and supportive services. Prerequisite: SWRK 180 Introduction to Social Work or permission of instructor.
This course provides a general introduction to the study of aging, older people and their adaptation to a rapidly changing world from a social work perspective. It examines a wide variety of physical, cognitive and psycho-social changes that occur as one ages, how these factors influence interaction with social/physical environments, and how the older person is, in turn, affected by these interactions. Social work perspectives, values and interventions with this population will be emphasized. Prerequisite: SWRK 180 Introduction to Social Work and formal admission to the social work program.
A special-interest class that addresses a relevant subject in the field of social work. Previous and projected subjects include, but are not limited to, administration and community planning; cognitive and behavioral theories; crisis and trauma recovery; current issues in social work; medical and mental health services; systemic and ecologic theories; social policy; and treating addictive behaviors. Prerequisite: SWRK 180 Introduction to Social Welfare.

Why George Fox?

Christ-centered community

Our faith influences everything we do here, from the way our professors teach to the way we relate to one another and serve in the community.

Global opportunities

More than half of George Fox undergraduate students study abroad, ranking George Fox among the nation's leaders in study abroad participation (U.S. News & World Report).

Small classes

Our 14-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio means you'll get to know your professors on a personal level.

National recognition

George Fox University is a Christian university classified by U.S. News & World Report as a first-tier national university, and Forbes ranks George Fox among the highest Christian colleges in the country.

Social Work Faculty

Required Courses

Four-Year Course Plan

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