SW 321 - Basics of Professional Communication

(3 units)

Development of basic communication and observational skills needed for subsequent social work methods courses.

Prerequisite(s): PSY 101; SW 101 with a “C” or better; SW 250 wiht a “C” or better; ENG 102.

Grading Basis: Graded
Units of Lecture: 3
Offered: Every Fall

Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. receive and provide feedback on communication skills.
2. apply cultural humility to interaction and communications with others.
3. identify evidence in support of basic communication skills, including empathy, active listening, and non-verbal communication.
4. establish rapport, provide empathetic responses and use open and close-ended questions to elicit information from others.
5. demonstrate openness and interest using non-verbal communication.
6. use verbal following skills, including paraphrasing, summarizing, focusing, and furthering in interaction with others.
7. write reports and descriptions that are accurate, informative, and devoid of judgmental language.
8. analyze the relationship between personal values and professional values.
9. articulate the influence of personal values on interpersonal communication.
10. communicate personal beliefs without harm to others.
11. apply relevant NASW ethical principles to practice scenarios.
12. examine the influence of context on communication and interaction.
13. identify and assess the influence of culture on patterns of communication.

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