Syllabus: Knowledge and Philosophical Foundation of the Social Work Profession

Course Description: This course provides an introduction to the social work profession. The
history, philosophy, values, principles and ethics of the profession are discussed, together with the
methods and processes in generalist problem solving. The course also studies the roles, skills and
techniques used by social workers in facilitating a planned change process towards the
empowerment of individuals, families and communities in order to bring about individual, family,
community and social transformation. The profession’s global standards are discussed as well as the
Philippine practice situation.

Course Content and Learning Objectives:

Introduction to the Course

Learning Objectives: At the end of the unit, the students are expected to:
1. Discuss the course content and expectations
2. Contribute to the enrichment of the various elements of the syllabus.
3. Express their understanding and acceptance of the school’s academic and nonacademic
policies, rules and regulations.

Content

The academic and non-academic policies, rules and regulations in the Student Handbook.

Unit 1. The Social Work Profession – Week 1

Learning Objectives: At the end of the unit, the students are expected to:
1. Portray social work as a profession.
2. Compare and contrast social work with related concepts
3. Express enthusiasm for social work

Content:

A. Social Work: definitions

B. The Attributes of a Profession
C. Social Work and Related Concepts

1. Social Work 5. Social Development

2. Social Worker 6. Empowerment
3. Social Welfare 7. Social Justice
4. Social Services 8. Economic Justice

Unit 2. The History of Social Work – Week 2

Learning Objectives: At the end of the unit, the students are expected to:
1. Discuss the milestones in the evolution of social work in the western world and in the
Philippines.
2. Discuss current developments in social work locally and globally.

Content

A. Old World (European) Background

1. Beginning concepts of social welfare
a. Common chest

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 b. Individualization
c. Hamburg experiment
d. Military workhouse
e. Elberfeld system
f. Daughters of Charity

B. English social welfare

1. Religious foundation
2. Political foundation
3. Philosophical foundation
4. Succeeding concepts of social welfare
a. Principle of investigation
b. Individual approach
c. Social reform
d. Charity Organization Society
e. Settlement house
f. Social research
g. Beveridge report

C. American Social Welfare

1. Development phases of US government social welfare
2. Major developments in US private social welfare
3. Policies of American social welfare

D. Philippine Social Welfare

1. Pre-Spanish times
2. Spanish times
3. First Philippine Republic
4. American colonial period
a. Government social welfare
b. Private social welfare
5. Social welfare during the Japanese occupation
6. Post-liberation years
7. Developments in Philippine social welfare
a. 1950s d. 1980s
b. 1960s e. 1990s
c. 1970s f. 2000s

Unit 3. The Concepts of Social Functioning and Social Role – Week 3

Learning Objectives: At the end of the unit, the students are expected to:
1. Relate social work to social functioning
2. Discuss the factors that result in problems in social functioning and role performance.
3. Apply some measures to improve social functioning.
4. Appreciate social work’s contributions to the enhancement of people’s social functioning.

Content

A. Definition and elements of social functioning

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 B. Elements of social role
1. Role expectation
2. Role conception
3. Role demands/requirements
4. Role performance
5. Problems in role performance

C. Indicators of normal social functioning

D. Situations where problems in social functioning occur
E. How to modify role performance

Unit 4. The Purview of Social Work – Weeks 4-6

Learning Objectives: At the end of the unit, the students are expected to:
1. Discuss the social work profession’s scope of expertise.
2. Portray social work’s field of practice.
3. Discuss the sphere of knowledge on which social work is founded.
4. Recognize the contributions of social work in bringing about human development and
empowerment and social transformation
5. Identify human and social situations that fit and match the expertise and intervention of social
work.

Content

A. Rationale for social work

B. Domain/Area of expertise of social work
C. Premises of social work
D. Purpose of social work
E. Mission of social work
F. Goals of social work
G. Objectives of social work
H. Functions of social work

Week 7 – Midterm Examination

Unit 5. The Philosophical Foundation of Social Work – Weeks 8-9

Learning Objectives: At the end of the unit, the students are expected to:
1. Discuss the implications of the social work beliefs, values, principles and code of ethics to the
professional behavior of social workers.
2. Compare the values and ethics of social work with their own personal values and ethics.
3. Demonstrate the principles of social work in given practice situations.
4. Express adherence to the philosophy, beliefs, values, principles, and the code of ethics of
social work.

Content

A. The philosophy of social work

B. Social work beliefs
C. Social work values
D. Guiding principles of social work
E. Philippine code of ethics for social workers

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Unit 6. The Scope of Social Work Practice – Week 10

Learning Objectives: At the end of the unit, the students are expected to:
1. Differentiate the methods, components and processes involved in social work problem
solving or planned change process
2. Carry out social work principles and ethics in problem solving.
3. Demonstrate beginning skills in social work generalist problem solving.

Content

A. The methods of social work practice

1. Primary methods
2. Secondary methods
3. Generalist method

B. Social work practice levels

C. Social work practice settings
D. Fields of social work practice

Unit 7. Components of Social Work Practice – Weeks 11-12

Learning Objectives: At the end of the unit, the students are expected to:
1. Differentiate the components and processes involved in social work problem solving or
planned change process.
2. Carry out social work principles and ethics in problem solving
3. Demonstrate beginning skills in generalist problem solving
Content

A. The client
B. The problem
1. Factors that determine problem focus
2. Classification of problems
3. Types of problems in social functioning

C. The agency and other resources

1. Types of welfare organizations
2. Types of agency resources

D. The social work change process

1. Intake and engagement
2. Data collection and assessment
3. Planning and contracting
4. Intervention and monitoring
5. Final evaluation and termination

Unit 8. Social Work Roles, Skills and Techniques – Week 13

Learning Objectives: At the end of the unit, the students are expected to:
1. Differentiate the social work roles, skills and techniques
2. Apply the social work roles, skills and techniques in given case situations.

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 Content

A. Social work roles

B. Social work skills
C. Social work techniques

Week 14: Final Examination

References

 Alle-Corliss, Lupe and Randy (1998). Human Service Agencies, An Orientation to

Fieldwork. NY: Brooks/Cole Publishing Co.
 Ashford, Jose B. Craig W. Lecroy and Katie Lortie (2001). Human Behavior and the Social
Environment, 2nd ed., CA:Wadsworth/Thomson Learning
 De Guzman, Leonora (1992). Introduction to Social Work. Q.C.: New Day Publishers
 Hepworth, Dean H. et al., (2006). Direct Social Work Practice : Theory and Skills, 7th
ed., Singapore: Thomson Brooks/Cole
 Kirst-Ashman, Karen K. (2007). Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare, 2 nd
ed., Singapore: Thomson Brooks/Cole.
 Morales, Armando and Bradford Sheafor (1995). Social Work: A Profession of Many
Faces, 7th ed.
 Norlin, Julia M. and Wayne A. Chess (1997). Human Behavior and the Social
Environment, 3rd ed., Singapore: Allyn and Bacon.
 Review Notes in Social Work
 Sheafor, Bradford W. and Charles R. Horejsi (2012). Techniques and Guidelines for
Social Work Practice, 9th ed., U.S.: Allyn and Bacon.
 Schulman, Lawrence (2006). The Skills of Helping Individuals, Families, Groups and
Organizations. Singapore: Brooks/Cole.
 Zastrow, Charles (2007). The Practice of Social Work: A Comprehnsive Worktext, 8 th
ed.. Belmont, CA: Thomson Higher Education
 https://socialangakingwork.blogspot.com/2010/01/history-of-social-welfaresocial-work-
in.html

Grading System

Class Standing Midterm Grade

Reports 25% Class standing 50%
Quizzes 25% Midterm examination 50%
Recitation 25%
Unit Tests 25%

Tentative Final Grade Final Grade

Class standing 50% Midterm grade 40%
Final examination 50% Tentative Final grade 60%