MSW 530: Social Work Research & Evaluation

It is impossible to be an ethical social work practitioner without knowing if our interventions, programs or policies are effective. Research is the tool by which we build a base of evidence to support our interventions; hence, research is an integral part of all social work practice. This course will teach students how to be critical consumers and creators of research as it applies to social work practices, programs and policies. Further, students will examine the importance of research in enhancing social work knowledge and practice and its role in decreasing social injustice against oppressed and at-risk populations - part of the mission of social work. This is the first of two courses in the MSW research sequence designed to develop student competence in social research through active involvement in conducting different individual and group research projects throughout the year.