Overview

What: The Social Justice and Social Welfare minor provides students with a broad overview of social justice perspectives on issues relevant to the social welfare system, its relationship to the market economy, and the historical, political, and cultural factors that shape it¹. Through coursework, students learn the analytic and practical skills needed to develop, evaluate, and transform social welfare and justice policies. Students gain competency in the core issues of human needs and social development, relevant to many careers.

The minor also enhances students’ preparation for graduate study in social work¹, law, education, health care, public policy analysis, nonprofit management, social service administration, student affairs, conflict resolution, and others.

Why: Students often want to pursue careers toward improving the quality of life of others. Understanding of the social welfare system and social justice issues is essential as a foundation for such careers.

Who: Students in a variety of majors are learning skills toward such a successful career (e.g, business, education, healthcare) but are in need of knowledge of the systems that impact their careers as well as the well-being of those they are training to serve. Please note that social work major students are not eligible to earn the SJSW minor. 

How: To select this minor, students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 and complete the SJSW Declaration Form.  

Students will also be required to complete a pre- and post-assessment of learning outcomes. 

COURSE PLAN FOR THE 18-HOUR MINOR:

Required Introductory course:
SOCW 3303 Social Welfare Policy and Services

Required Core courses:
SOCW 3301 Theories of Human Behavior
SOCW 3307 Diverse Populations 

3 courses from the following list:

SOCW 3312 Disability & Social Work

SOCW 3314 The Latina Experience

SOCW 3320 U.S. Immigration and the American Dream

SOCW 4314 Intimate Partner Violence

SOCW 4366 Seminar in Gender Issues

SOCW 4335 Aging in American Society

SOCW 4371 Inequities and Incarceration

Students are required to earn a C or better in all SJSW minor courses to earn the minor. 

Additionally, students will have a final assessment at the end of their coursework to assess their learning outcomes (this allows for data gathering for Unit Effectiveness Process [UEP] requirements).

¹ The Social Justice and Social Welfare Minor does not provide the specific skills needed for actual social work practice or for social work licensing. Additionally, students who complete the minor and decide to pursue a Master’s degree in social work at UTA will not be allowed to count courses taken in the minor toward the Master’s.