SW 674 - Spirituality and Social Work

3 Credit(s)

This course provides students with an opportunity (1) to think through and emotionally experience the place of spirituality in social work practice, (2) to come to an understanding of the meaning and application of spirituality in each student’s own social work practice, and (3) to explore the impact of religion and spirituality on social policy. This course is premised on the view that spirituality is a basic human need whether it is expressed in a formal institutional setting or takes a myriad of other forms. As social workers more and more encounter diverse belief systems, it is important that practitioners at all levels of practice have some understanding of how the adherence to different beliefs affects peoples’ functioning. The course addresses the knowledge and skills needed to work within the spiritual and religious contexts of the “lived” world of clients. The course explores spirituality as a core dimension of human experience and addresses the need for social workers to understand their own beliefs and biases about spirituality and religion and have regard for their own spiritual growth.