1. Academic Programs
  2. Social Work Minor
minor   
  • Social Sciences

Social Welfare Minor

Social Welfare encompasses a wide field of study that prepares students for work in a variety of occupations including social work, human services, education, counseling, healthcare, and rehabilitation services. Students who study social welfare examine individuals, relationships, institutions, and policies and the ways in which these are related.  This minor introduces students to the study of social welfare from a variety of disciplinary perspectives.  Students can combine this minor with a major in any field. 

 

The minor is composed of 28 credits (7 courses) across five departments, Anthropology, Education, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology.

In order to complete the minor, students will take 2 required courses: 

  • SOC 382: Introduction to Social Welfare*
  • PSY 202: Lifespan Development

Students must also complete 4 electives, coming from at least 2 different departments from the following list: 

  • ANT 275: Prisons, Punishment, and Social Control
  • ANT 340: Inside-Out
  • EDU 251: Principles of Education
  • EDU 252: Educational Psychology
  • EDU 318: Cultural and Linguistic Diversity in Education
  • EDU 330: Diversity and Inclusion*
  • POL 319: Inequality and Politics*
  • PSY 221: Social Psychology
  • PSY 233: Traditional Psychiatric Disorders*
  • PSY 234: Medical and Developmental Disorders*
  • PSY 304: Theories and Processes of Counseling*
  • SOC 171: Introduction to Public Health
  • SOC 212: Sociology of the Family*
  • SOC 221: Social Inequalities*
  • SOC 240: Criminology *
  • SOC 262: Self & Society*
  • SOC 340: Victimology*
  • SOC 341: Variant Behavior*
  • SOC 347: Juvenile Delinquency*
  • Special Topics (with program director approval)*

Courses marked with * may have prerequisites. 

In addition to the six required courses, students will complete 4 credits of internship/field experience in the department of Sociology, Psychology, or Education.  

Students pursuing a major or minors in Anthropology, Education, Psychology, or Sociology may only count 2 of the above courses toward both their major/minor field of study and the minor in Social Welfare.