NGO Education Survey

SOWK 501 Foundations of Social Work (History, Philosophy, & Theory)

Fall Foundations of evidence-based practice with individuals, families, organizations, and communities within a framework of core social work values and practice obligations. Students will examine how their value commitments align with professional social work values. Situations are viewed from an ecological perspective, targeting for change all client and community systems that are contributing to client problems. The history and dominant philosophies of the profession will be introduced.

SOWK 511 Human Behavior and the Social Environment 

Fall This course introduces a foundational commitment in social work practice to recognizing the whole person. It includes a presentation of a theoretical and conceptual framework for understanding bio-psycho-social and spiritual factors in human development across the life cycle. With a focus on the impact of individual relationships, family systems, group dynamics, and societal structures, students will analyze the impact of viewing person through a holistic practice approach.

SOWK 513 Social Work Research Methods 

SOWK 513 Social Work Research Methods 

SOWK 520 Practice I Individuals

Fall This course provides an in-depth study of several theories of personality and behavior and their implications for social work practice. Theories and therapeutic approaches will be taught as well as implications for assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of individuals across the life span. Application to broader systems are reviewed.

SOWK 553 Foundation Field Experience and Seminar 

The Foundation field experience and seminar is designed to provide you with the opportunity to apply generalist social work knowledge, values, and skills in a community agency under the supervision of a professional social worker. Through field education, you will develop and refine your conceptualizations and ways of thinking analytically about human behavior, societal structure, and social policies; the options for intervention; and your own practice. The field experience is recognized as the signature pedagogy of professional social work education. Field, therefore, is educationally focused and guided by the goals of the Social Work program and the needs of the students. In addition, the field experience and seminar are designed so that learning can be generalized beyond the specific agency setting. As part of the field experience, you will work with your supervisor to create a learning contract reflecting the tasks you will perform to meet the CSWE competencies in the 2022 EPAS.

 SOWK 514 Policy Planning & Analysis

Spring Odd This course will introduce the tools and frameworks of policy analysis. Theories of policymaking and analysis will be presented and utilized in course projects. Students will employ policy analysis tools to evaluate social welfare and organizational policies through a variety of evaluative frameworks including professional social work ethics and Christian interpretations of justice and mercy. The students will use planning tools to create change plans to improve policies.

 SOWK 521 Practice II Families & Groups 

Spring This course provides knowledge and experience of working with families and groups as a system. This includes reviewing and application of assessment and treatment models for groups and families and direct practice in implementing skills needed to lead and facilitate groups.

MPA 501 Introduction to Public Administration

This course will survey the field of public administration with specific attention given to the development of public administration as a profession. The history of public administration as well as the major theoretical disagreements in the field between science and values will be covered in detail. Students will explore their own approaches to administration and public service in light of these theories.

MPA 511 Organizational Theory

This course will study contemporary theories and practices which undergird the management of organizations, with special emphasis on those in the public and nonprofit sector. This includes topics in organizational strategy and business planning, collaboration, leadership, developing and maintaining organizational culture, improvement and evaluation, and instituting/managing change.

MPA 512 Leadership

This course will examine the theory and practice of organizational leadership, with an emphasis on leadership in public and nonprofit organizations. This includes a study of the ethical dimensions of leadership as well as aspects of self-knowledge and evaluation that will help students develop effective personal leadership strategies.

MPA 513 HR Management

This course will introduce and discuss the major topics in Human Resource Management (HRM), particularly as they pertain to employment in the public and nonprofit sector. This course will address the major HRM tasks of workforce design and planning, managing employee competencies, and managing employee attitudes and behaviors while moving through the employment cycle from recruitment, selection, and compensation to evaluation, training, development, and retention.

MPA 514 Public Relations

This course will introduce the field of public relations and equip students with the tools they need to make wise, timely, and tactically sound decisions when in leadership roles, particularly in the public and nonprofit sector. Students will learn to identify their target audience and its characteristics while tailoring effective messaging which makes strategic use of varied media, including print, broadcast, electronic, trade, and social media. Emphasis will be placed on ethical practice and how values can shape an organizations relationship with its publics through case studies and other course assignments.

MPA 515 Project Management

This course provides students with the principles and techniques of project management. Focus will be given to event and planning implementation as well as an exploration of technological tools available to assist in project management. Students will also learn about and apply theories of organizational change in the context of project management.

MPA 516 Crisis Intervention

This course will introduce students to a new and growing field of literature on crisis intervention. Special attention will be paid to mental health issues, emergency preparedness and other crises that require coordinated responses and intervention. Students will learn about and apply best practices in crisis intervention in an organizational setting. Students will think critically about the role of the nonprofit and public sector in the community in times of crisis.

MPA 521 Government and Bureaucracy

This course will study the development of public policy through political process. This involves a study of the theories behind public policy as well as a study of the various actors in the formation process. Special emphasis will be focused on the challenges of democratic governance as policy works from proposal to legislation, implementation, regulation, and evaluation.

MPA 522 Budgeting and Public Finance

This course will introduce basic principles of budgeting and finance as it relates to the public and nonprofit sector. Students will gain competencies in reading, creating, and developing budgets. Forecasting for future sustainability will be addressed in content and in course assignments.

MPA 531 Program Evaluation

This course will build upon basic quantitative skills to develop a greater understanding of using quantitative analysis in research, both practical and academic, and in program evaluation. Developing skills in evaluating effective and efficient programs will be central to this course.

MPA 532 Policy Analysis

This course will include the tools and frameworks of policy analysis. Theories of policymaking and analysis will be presented and utilized in course projects. Students will employ policy analysis tools to evaluate governmental or organizational policies.

MPA 542 Contemporary Policing

This course will focus on the development, operation, and evaluation of both evidence-based policing methods and community initiatives, including developing effective public-private partnerships in this area. Students will learn to develop effective crimeprevention programs through critical analysis of case studies and current research with a goal of identifying the key factors that influence effective policies and the challenges of implementation

MPA 543 Advanced Criminal Procedure

This course will foster a nuanced understanding of the logic and caselaw which animates the guarantees of the 4th, 5th, and 6th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Students will study foundational cases in the field, trace their development to modern standards, and discuss the decisions both made and anticipated which sit at the cutting edge of current law. Prerequisite: Undergraduate work or professional training in criminal procedure.

MPA 551 Nonprofit Administration

This course will focus on administrative matters that are often unique to the nonprofit sector. Students will explore the nonprofit sector as a reflection of civil society creation and development. Topics such as volunteer management, commitment to mission and other management areas will be addressed.

MPA 552 Grant Writing and Fundraising

This course will prepare students to pursue funding opportunities for nonprofit organizations. Event planning, social media campaigns and other activities of fundraising will be covered as well as an introduction into grant writing. Students will apply their learning with projects from their real-life work.

MPA 553 Nonprofit Law

This course provides an overview of the law as it relates to the nonprofit sector, students will be given a foundation in a Christian legal perspective along with an overview of legal issues in several areas relevant to nonprofits. In each area, students will explore foundational concepts, emerging issues, and practical application to a chosen nonprofit organization. Areas of potential coverage include formation, governance, employment, operations, fundraising/donations, advocacy, partnerships, and taxation

MPA 580 Jurisprudence and Lawmaking

This course will study the major philosophies of governance, with an emphasis on practical application and just lawmaking, particularly within a Kuyperian worldview. Students will be introduced to classical thought in this field while also studying contemporary application as an avenue for analysis and critical evaluation of the views of human nature, theories of change, and implementation of incentives that drive modern policymaking

MPA 591- Individual Studies