200

This course prepares students for the challenging ethical dilemmas that often confront human services professionals. The course provides students with a general understanding of the basic principles of ethics and ethical decision-making, with an emphasis on its application to the field of human services. Students become familiar with current ethical and legal issues that the human services professional are exposed to in a variety of settings and learn the principles of bioethics as it relates to topics such as abortion, right to life, and right to die.

The practicum is presented as a dual model seminar that uses both in-class and on-line teaching formats.  The focus of this seminar is to prepare students for the intensive responsibilities of doing an in-field practicum. Students are instructed in the use of Blackboard to be able to submit the weekly assignments.  Students are also given the tools and assistance to search for, identify, interview for and obtain an appropriate practicum field placement. By the end of the semester, students will have contracted with an agency to be their practicum site for the next semester.

The practicum is an intensive field experience in an approved human services or community agency. The focus of the practicum is for students to learn how an agency functions and experience being a part of that agency. This course requires the application of theory and its practical use in a clinical setting. The course requires 160 contact hours under the supervision of an agency professional and a college faculty member. Classroom work includes small group discussion and analysis of the practicum experience. The practicum director determines the selection of practicum agencies and serves as a liaison throughout the year. The practicum is expected to be completed within one semester’s time.