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Social work programs
Our goal is for you to be emotionally and spiritually strong enough to offer help and comfort to a broken world. Your social work courses will teach you both theory and practical skills for meeting the needs of individuals and communities, while your liberal arts classes will help you understand the physical, social, political, economic and personal environments of your future clients. In addition, you’ll learn how to integrate your faith with all areas of your life, including your career in social work.
Christian Community Development Minor
Christian community development holistically restores under-resourced communities through local Christian engagement. This integrative and interdisciplinary minor equips Christians to bear witness and do justice by using critical analysis of social, political, economic, and spiritual poverty in order to holistically develop communities towards self-sufficiency and spiritual renewal. Developing communities, beyond mere relief, involves relocation, living in a community in solidarity with those one serves; it involves reconciliation between both God and other human beings, including racial reconciliation, thus it integrates evangelism and justice; and finally it involves redistributing resources, capital, and power in the social, political, and economic dimensions of human life. Students will participate in a service learning component as part of capstone course REL420: Topics in Christian Community Development.
Student Learning Goals:
- Students will think biblically, theologically, and inter-disciplinarily about Christian community development, especially in the United States’ rural and urban context.
- Students will gain competency with key interdisciplinary (theological, sociological, political, economic, etc.) concepts and tools useful in the analysis and practice of Christian community development.
- Students will understand several current theories about the practice of Christian community development in the United States’ rural and urban communities.
- Students will grasp the biblical foundation for and practice of the Christian community development principles of relocation, reconciliation, and redistribution.
| Requirements:
| | ECO 101 - Survey of Economics *
This is an introductory course in economics which will cover both microeconomics and macroeconomics topics. The course will explore economic institutions, how they came to be, how they have changed over time, and how the government modifies them.(4 credits) | | PSC 201 - State and Local Government
This course examines the political relationships between the federal, state and local levels of U.S. government. Though we focus primarily on state and local governments and policy making, we also seek to determine which level of government is best suited to address the different social and economic problems. The role of the Christian in politics is also explored. (2 credits) (American politics) | | REL 290 - Christian Witness and Community Development
An examination of Christian witness as verbal proclamation (evangelism), as reasoned response (apologetics), as a distinctive lifestyle and as the practice of social justice. Prerequisite: REL262 (4 credits) | | REL 295 - Intercultural Communication
| | REL 420 - Topics in Christian Community Development
| | SWK 232 - At-Risk Populations and Social Justice **
Examines theoretical foundations for understanding dynamics of social inequity, privilege, and oppression; focus on diversity and on populations at risk due to racism, sexism and classism; self-assessment of students' racial and cultural heritage as it shapes their attitudes and biases toward different cultural and racial groups; emphasis on helping students become culturally competent social workers who are grounded in their faith and who identify with the profession's respect for diversity and commitment to social and economic justice. Open to non-majors. Prerequisites: PSY111, SWK231, SOC101, or permission of instructor. (4 credits) | | Christian community develoment service learning experience (no credit)
| | Choose one course:
| | SOC 202 - Social Problems
A discussion of myths and facts leading toward an understanding of many social problems, such as sexual deviance, drugs and alcohol, health care and illness (physical and mental), crime and delinquency, violence, wealth and poverty, inequality of opportunity, work, aging, sex inequality, racial minorities and discrimination, education, family problems, war, pollution, ecology and population. Emphasis is placed upon difficulties in defining, critiquing and proposing meaningful solutions.(4 credits) | | SOC 272 - Selected Topics in Sociology
A study of selected topics in sociology which are not adequately covered in other courses. Offered as a response to student or faculty needs or interests. Possible topics include: social change, social reform movements, the sociology of unconventional lifestyles, sociology of women, sociology of education, medical sociology, sociology of war and terrorism, and native American issues.(2 or 4 credits, non-yearly, consult department) | | SOC 304 - Ethnicity, Power and Identity
A study of racial and cultural minority groups in the United States and other societies emphasizing value systems, power relationships, forms of social organization, and cultural contributions. This course helps students develop an understanding of, appreciation for, and capacity to relate effectively with minority groups. Appreciation for heterogeneity is stressed. In-depth treatment of Hispanics and Hispanic culture in the United States. Prerequisite: recommend general education writing requirement. (4 credits) | | Total credits required: 24
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Notes:
*Students who have taken ECO213 and ECO214 are exempted from this course requirement.
**Students obtain permission from instructor to waive prerequisites
Semester Program Options: Students may substitute four credits from the Denver Semester, Romania Semester or CCD-Based Chicago Semester (with Religion department approval) for any course in the CCD minor except REL420.
Recommended Courses:
ACC310-Non-Profit Government Accounting
ECO302-Labor Economics
HIS241-Tribes, Trolleys and Tractors: Themes in Iowa's History
PSC260-Human Geography
REL294-Introduction to Christian Mission
Recommended Immersion Experiences:
CCD internship
CCD-based Summer of Service
CCD-based Spring Service Project
Denver Semester
Romania Semester
CCD-based Chicago Semester
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