ETHICS AND SOCIAL WORK PRACTICETake home midterm dueAnalysis reports dueAnalysis reports dueBibliographyTHE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK Course Number: SW 387R4 SW 360K Instructor’s name: Mitch Sudolsky, LCSW Unique Number: 96003/96093 Office Number: SSW 3.122A Semester: Summer 2004 E-mail: [email protected] Meeting Time/Place: Tues-Thurs 5:30-8:30 PM SSW 2.122 Office Hours: By appointment ETHICS AND SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE I. Standardized Course Description This course is designed to help students become more effective in dealing with ethical issues in social work practice. It provides a theoretical framework to examine value and ethical dilemmas in a systematic manner. The course is intended to both deepen awareness of new and emerging ethical issues and to provide tools and methodologies for reflection and analysis. A model for ethical decision-making which incorporates the basic components of reflection, analysis, evaluation, and the justification of an ethical position is presented. The orienting frames which organize the content include: philosophical systems underlying major ethical theories; models for ethical choice; codes of ethics; social ethics; organizational ethics; human rights issues; client, third parties, and colleague issues; the ethics of indirect practice—administration and supervision; and bioethics. . II. Standardized Course ObjectivesBy the end of the semester, students should be able to: 1. Broaden awareness of the range of subtleties of the value/ethical conflicts in . social work practice. 2. Deepen understanding of ethical theory and methodology and its application to ethical conflicts in social work practice. 3. Develop a greater understanding of both individual ethics and the ethics of institutions and collectivities. 4. Develop a greater understanding of how to practice in a conscious and ethical manner. III. Teaching MethodsThe primary teaching methods will be lectures, discussion, and group exercises. Guest lecturers, group presentations, and audio-visual presentations may also be utilized. - 1 -IV. Required and Recommended Texts, and MaterialsRequired: 1. Corey, G., Corey, M.S., & Callanan, P. (2003). Issues and ethics in the helping professions. (6th edition) Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks-Cole. 2. Rothman, J. C. (2005). From the front lines: Student cases in social work ethics (2nd edition) Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Other readings as assigned. V. Course RequirementsThe following course requirements will be completed during the semester, with points given for each course requirement. Grading will be based on total points accrued by the end of the course. 1. Ethical Reflection Papers- Students will select two of seven topics covered during the semester, and will write two 5-6 page papers which integrate personal reflections on the previous week’s lecture, readings, and case studies. This is more than a review of the readings or a personal opinion paper. It is a combination of scholarship, critical commentary, and personal values reflection. The paper should conclude with the student taking and defending an ethical stance. The first ethical reflection paper is due by July 6, and the second is due by July 22. 2. Midterm: This take home assignment will consist of case assessments. The student will identify the ethical dilemmas in each case, and identify possible resolutions. 3. Case Presentation: This assignment involves studying ethical/legal dilemmas in the social work, human services, or biomedical professions. The student will describe the case in detail, and will present relevant scholarly information. The student will be expected to consult with at least three professionals with whom to confer about the case, and will arrive at a decision about the case resolution from both a legal and ethical perspective for all involved in the case. The student’s task will be to educate classmates about the case and the process by which the student arrived at their resolution. An 8-10 page written analysis report will be due the day of the case presentation. Attachments to the report should include summaries of interviews with case consultants, documents used during your investigation, and references to substantiate your findings. Grading System: Course requirements will be weighted as follows: Ethical reflection paper one = 15% Ethical reflection paper two = 15% Take home midterm exam = 20% Class presentation = 15% Ethical analysis report = 20% Class participation= 15% - 2 -Grades will be assigned according to the following scale. 90-100 % = A 80-89 % = B 70-79 % = C 60-69 % = D below 60 % = F VI. Class Policies1. It is important for social work practitioners to be punctual in both attendance and in meeting deadlines. Therefore, class attendance is expected, as is handing in assignments on time. Students will lose 3 points for each day that an assignment is late. Any adjustments in due dates MUST be discussed with the instructor at least 24 hours PRIOR to the regularly scheduled date. 2. Students who fail to attend class on a regular basis (missing more than one class without a valid excuse, e.g., medical documentation) may receive one course grade lower than their final grade when points are totaled. Students who are one or two points below the cut-off for a letter grade may receive the higher grade at the end of the semester based on the quality of class participation. 3. Social work practitioners assume responsibility for themselves. Therefore, it is expected that work handed in will be your own. Scholastic dishonesty, including plagiarism and cheating during examinations, violates social work values and will result in recommendation for dismissal from the social work program and a referral to the Dean of Student's Office. 4. Social work practitioners are assertive and function as team members. Therefore, feedback about the course is welcome and the course will be viewed as a joint effort between students and the instructor. 5. Social work practitioners respect others. Therefore, differences in values, opinions, and feelings of class members and guest speakers will be respected. - 3