SW 330 - Human Behavior and Cultural Diversity I (S) (W)

3 Credit(s)

This is the first half of a two-semester course sequence covering the major traditional and nontraditional theoretical perspectives for understanding human behavior and cultural diversity in the social environment. Students explore theoretical concepts of human development of the self using shifting paradigms and perspectives as an organizing framework. These perspectives include working with individuals, families, groups, communities, and organizations while incorporating a global context. Within this framework, students engage, discuss, and critically analyze important factors of human growth, functioning, identity development, and diversity, including race, gender, religion, ethnicity, class status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and physical ability. In light of these sociocultural dimensions and the aforementioned frameworks, students reflect upon their own personal values, biases, and development through experiential education, including service learning and structured in-class activities. During the first semester, students examine human behavior from traditional and nontraditional theoretical perspectives, including multidimensional development of the self within the context of family, group, community, and organizations. This is a writing enriched and service learning course.