Courses

Description

This course is an analysis of major social problems in Canadian society, their nature, development, and social causes. The course examines the impact of problems such as poverty, crime/criminality, drug addition, and prejudice/discrimination and inequality, with a particular focus on Indigenous, racial/ethnic, and other marginalized groups.

Description

This course aims at a critical examination of the historical and contemporary position of women in various societies, with particular emphasis on Canada. Traditional sociological theories and a number of feminist perspectives will be used to analyze gender inequality, the institutionalized means through which it is reproduced, and the possibilities for meaningful change in Canada.

Description

This course assists students in developing and refining basic helping skills through the use of lectures and experiential role plays, which integrate theory into practice. Lectures will primarily focus on theory, terminology, and the core skills of the helping activity. Participation in the lab portion of this course is expected and enhances the integration of counselling theories and strategies into direct practice. Role play activities allow students to practice skills and develop confidence.

Description

Course material provides an overview of communication theories as well as a practical basis for learning interpersonal skills. This includes discussions of how self-concept, perceptual process, language, and non-verbal behaviour influence communication. This course provides opportunities to increase selfawareness selfawareness and to improve and develop effective interpersonal communication skills. This course will also provide the student with the opportunity to develop confidence in public speaking.

Description

This course provides a basic introduction to social welfare policy in Canada, its historical development, and its role within the political and economic context of Canadian society. A major emphasis is placed on a review of the values and ideology implicit in various types of social welfare policy. Students will critically analyze the effect of social welfare policies on client populations and upon themselves as social service workers. Class discussions focus on northern issues.

Description

Students are introduced to the practice of social service, its values, knowledge, and skill foundations. The principles and contributions of mutual aid, self-help, and natural helping networks are examined. The relationship between social service practice and the communities and organizations in which it takes place is a focus of discussion. Other discussion topics include current trends in the field of paraprofessional services, ethics, and the basic structure and function of social service agencies.

Description

This course provides an understanding of the implications of disabilities on people's lives from a social context. Students will examine attitude, values and predominant views of disability in Canadian culture. A focus of this course is on an empowerment approach to supporting people with disabilities.

Description

This course explores the various dimensions of death, loss, and bereavement. Various topics that will be explored are: dynamics of mourning, children and death, abnormal versus normal grief, grief and the family, suicide, last rites, funerals, etc. As a result of this course, students will learn to face and accept loss as a natural part of life and thereby learn how to be more supportive and helpful in encountering loss situations in both professional and personal spheres.

Description

Students become acquainted with the values, assumptions, and issues underlying various approaches to helping. An emphasis is placed upon students developing a better understanding of their own personal helper values, assumptions regarding human behaviour, and styles of helping. The various ethical issues relating to being a helper are also examined.

Description

This course gives students a basic introduction to the issue of chemical dependency. An emphasis is placed on understanding theories used to explain the etiology of chemical dependency and various patterns of drug use and their impact on various groups in society. In addition, students will learn about the psycho-social impact of drug use on individuals and families, and students will learn basic skills of assessment and intervention with this population. Professional and ethical issues in working with the chemically dependent will be examined as well.

Description

This course surveys the various aspects of social service work with children. The three main theoretical models of child helping-the Adlerian model, behaviour modification, and general systems theory-will be examined in detail. Students learn how to apply these techniques in response to common behavioural problems in a variety of settings including the family, the community, and the school.

Description

This course uses a multidisciplinary approach to the study of women in society and academia. It explores interdisciplinary and historical perspectives on women and examines the development of feminist theories and methodologies. Emphasis is placed on the diversity of women's experience within the context of differences in class, race, age, and sexual orientation. The connections between women's experiences in the everyday world and their representation in Canadian institutions will be explored, with the aim of understanding the relationship between personal empowerment and social change.

Description

This course uses the multidisciplinary approach to the study of women in society and academia developed in WMST 101. The course will focus on the critical examination of gender segregation in the paid labour force and its relationship to institutionalized representations of women in science and medicine, law, politics, religion, and family. Emphasis will be placed on Canadian institutions as well as class, race, and age differences between groups of women in Canadian society.