SWK 6100: Human Behavior and the Social Environment
Credits: 3
Key Skills: Identify stages of human development; explain identity formation; describe physical and cognitive development milestones; define biopsychosocial perspective; define ecological life model; describe person-in-environment perspective; define life course perspective; apply strengths perspective to assess for resilience; discuss impacts of trauma on development; devise strategies for intervention with client systems
Description: Human Behavior and the Social Environment is part of the core curriculum of the online master of social work program, emphasizing influences between people and their environments in the context of biophysical, familial, institutional, societal, and social factors. Topics covered include the person-in-environment perspective and life course perspective, which will be explored throughout the course in case studies and reflective writing.
The course begins with an exploration of Bronfenbrenner’s ecological perspective, a theory that describes the ways individuals dynamically interact with their environment. By the end of the course students will understand the stages of human development from birth to older age and will seek to apply the strengths perspective to their work with clients to highlight resilience within individuals.