Social Work - Doctor of Social Work (DSW)
Subject-area course lists indicate courses currently active for offering at the University of Louisville. Not all courses are scheduled in any given academic term. For class offerings in a specific semester, refer to the Schedule of Classes.
500-level courses generally are included in both the undergraduate- and graduate-level course listings; however, specific course/section offerings may vary between semesters. Students are responsible for ensuring that they enroll in courses that are applicable to their particular academic programs.
Course Fees
Some courses may carry fees beyond the standard tuition costs to cover additional support or materials. Program-, subject- and course-specific fee information can be found on the Office of the Bursar website.
DSW 700. Social Service Leadership and Teaching & Learning: History, Philosophy & Current Practices3 Units
Term Typically Offered: Fall Only
Prerequisite(s): Course restricted to students admitted into the DSW program.
Description: This course introduces students to the study of social service leadership and teaching and learning by examining their associated philosophical and social work roots. Topics covered include philosophical and historical influences on current social service systems and social work education specific to policies and practices, structures, and processes. Current practices are examined in light of historical and philosophical influences.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
DSW 701. Ethics, Equity, and Social Justice: Theory and Practice3 Units
Term Typically Offered: Fall Only
Prerequisite(s): Course restricted to students admitted to the DSW program.
Description: This course focuses on the theoretical, social, and historical foundations of ethics, equity, and social justice in relation to issues in social service leadership and social work teaching and learning. Topics to be covered include systems of oppression, interpersonal and systemic discrimination, and unequal distribution and access to power and resources as well as how to create a healthy and inclusive culture and climate in which all employees and those being served can thrive and reach positive outcomes. Students will have the opportunity to challenge dominant structures and practices that further social injustice and oppression. They will evaluate existing and proposed strategies to redress systemic barriers to equality and inclusiveness.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
DSW 702. Implementation Science, Program Development, & Administration3 Units
Term Typically Offered: Spring Only
Description: This course aims to enhance students' understanding of implementation science and its application to program development and execution of innovations. Course topics include theoretical routes of implementation science and organizational change and development, major implementation science models and frameworks, common factors in the implementation process, assessment of organizational readiness and attitudes towards evidence based practices, methods and strategies that facilitate the use of evidence-based practice and research in practice and policy making, identifying and addressing the barriers that impede adoption of interventions and evidence based practices, and identifying key measures to evaluate successful implementation of evidence-based practices.
Note: Course restricted to students admitted into the DSW program.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
DSW 703. Continuous Quality Improvement, Data Driven Decision-Making and Evidence Based Practice & Manage3 Units
Term Typically Offered: Spring Only
Prerequisite(s): Course restricted to students admitted into the DSW program.
Description: This course focuses on continuous quality improvement (CQI), data-driven decision-making, and promotion of evidence-based practice and management. Topics covered include data literacy, applying the most appropriate data for decision making for effective leadership and management, communicating with data, and data visualization.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
DSW 704. Research Methods3 Units
Term Typically Offered: Summer Only
Prerequisite(s): This course is restricted to students admitted to the DSW program This course focuses on scientific inquiry and understanding of basic research methods including design and research ethics.
Description: Students will learn to research and review the literature in a systematic manner and critically appraise research studies for rigor, significance, and relevance. They will apply this knowledge to researching and assessing evidence for practice change, particularly efficacy studies regarding interventions, practices, and programs as they relate to informing teaching and social service leadership.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
DSW 705. Program Evaluation3 Units
Term Typically Offered: Summer Only
Prerequisite(s): This course is restricted to students admitted into the DSW program.
Description: This course will provide students with the knowledge and skills for conducting program evaluation and assessment in academic and social service settings. Students will be introduced to program evaluation concepts and methods, skills for designing, implementing and interpreting program evaluations, and using evaluation findings for initiating improvements and changing programs and practices in academic and social service settings.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
DSW 706. Applied Social Service Leadership, Management & Practice4 Units
Term Typically Offered: Fall Only
Prerequisite(s): Course restricted to students admitted into the DSW program.
Description: With the lens of administrative practice within the organization and boundary spanning in the community and advocacy practice, students will be trained on problem-based learning approaches in order to apply them to challenging leadership and management issues in academic and social service settings. Students apply and integrate leadership knowledge and skills gained and developed through the coursework in a social service setting through onsite leadership mentoring. Students complete a leadership practicum as a required component of this course.
Course Attribute(s): CBL - This course includes Community-Based Learning (CBL). Students will engage in a community experience or project with an external partner in order to enhance understanding and application of academic content.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
DSW 707. Program Planning, Finance, & Budgets3 Units
Prerequisite(s): Course restricted to students admitted into the DSW program.
Description: The focus of this course is on program planning, administration, and management within the context of social work values and ethics. Students will also review various sources of funding and strategies for securing funding via grant writing, as well as gain knowledge of writing and submitting grant proposals.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
DSW 708. Social Work Teaching & Learning: Theories, Methods & Assessment4 Units
Term Typically Offered: Spring Only
Description: This course explores theories and methods of teaching and adult learning in the classroom and online, course and curriculum development within the context of accreditation policies and guidelines, and student assessments and course evaluations. Students critically analyze theories and their applicability to the classroom, learners, and their fit with their developed teaching philosophy and preferred teaching methods. Students complete a teach practicum as a required component of this course.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
DSW 709. Teaching in Social Work: Course Design, Instruction & Evaluation3 Units
Term Typically Offered: Spring Only
Description: Students apply theories and methods of teaching in the classroom and online, develop lesson plans, demonstrate use of best practices in instructional techniques and strategies, integration of technology into lesson plans, and classroom management. Students assess their own teaching and are also assessed on their teaching ability and provided feedback to enhance their teaching and instruction. Students complete a teach practicum as a required component of this course.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
DSW 710. Policy Analysis & Advocacy: Contemporary Issues3 Units
Term Typically Offered: Summer Only
Prerequisite(s): Students must be admitted to the DSW Program.
Description: Critical analysis of contemporary policies and practices in social service leadership and teaching & learning are undertaken from an equity, fairness, and justice perspective. Students critique policies and develop advocacy plans and strategies for correcting inequities and promoting and sustaining fair and just practices in academic and social service settings.Final Exams may be scheduled for and limited to the assigned time in any course type. This course does not follow regular semester dates. This section is restricted to students admitted to the DSW program in Social Work.
Note: This class will be offered online with 100% digital instruction asynchronously and up to two synchronous sessions.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
DSW 711. Integrative Seminar & Qualifying Assessment3 Units
Term Typically Offered: Summer Only
Prerequisite(s): Students must be admitted to the DSW Program.
Description: Students will be guided to integrate the coursework completed and develop a concept paper for their capstone project. This concept paper serves as a qualifying assessment of the student's readiness to move onto the capstone project. The processes for setting up the capstone project committee will be discussed, and requirements for successful completion of the capstone project will be reviewed.Final Exams may be scheduled for and limited to the assigned time in any course type. This course does not follow regular semester dates. This section is restricted to students admitted to the DSW program in Social Work.
Note: This class will be offered online with 100% digital instruction asynchronously and up to two synchronous sessions.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
DSW 712. Capstone Project I1 Unit
Grading Basis: Pass/Fail
Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring
Prerequisite(s): Students must be admitted to the DSW Program.
Description: Prerequisites or corequisites: Students must successfully complete all prior coursework. Students will complete a capstone project under the supervision of a DSW Chairperson and capstone committee and disseminate findings to the appropriate broader academic and/or social service community. The Capstone will demonstrate that the student was able to integrate advanced social work knowledge, conduct scholarly literature to support their project, develop a methodology that is appropriate to the research question, analyze and interpret the data, and present how the findings can be used to advance practice or promote change. Students focus on writing the Introduction, Literature Review, and Methodology sections of the capstone manuscript and implementing the capstone project in this course.Final Exams may be scheduled for and limited to the assigned time in any course type. This course does not follow regular semester dates. This section is restricted to students admitted to the DSW program in Social Work.
Note: This class will be offered online with 100% digital instruction asynchronously and up to two synchronous sessions.
Course Attribute(s): CBL - This course includes Community-Based Learning (CBL). Students will engage in a community experience or project with an external partner in order to enhance understanding and application of academic content.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
DSW 713. Capstone Project II1 Unit
Grading Basis: Pass/Fail
Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring
Prerequisite(s): Students must be admitted to the DSW Program.
Corequisite(s): Students must successfully complete SW 712.
Description: Prerequisites or corequisites: Students must successfully complete all prior coursework. Students will complete a capstone project under the supervision of a faculty member/mentor and committee, and students will disseminate findings to the appropriate broader academic and/or social service community. The Capstone will demonstrate that the student was able to integrate advanced social work knowledge, conduct scholarly literature to support their project, develop a methodology that is appropriate to the research question, analyze and interpret the data, and present how the findings can be used to advance practice or promote change. Students focus in writing the Results, Discussion, and Conclusion section and disseminating the findings of the project through oral presentation and submitting a manuscript to a scholarly journal.Final Exams may be scheduled for and limited to the assigned time in any course type. This course does not follow regular semester dates. This section is restricted to students admitted to the DSW program in Social Work.
Note: This class will be offered online with 100% digital instruction asynchronously and synchronous sessions.
Course Attribute(s): CBL - This course includes Community-Based Learning (CBL). Students will engage in a community experience or project with an external partner in order to enhance understanding and application of academic content.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
