SCWK 7701 The Social Welfare System
Prerequisite for all other Policy courses. Required of all M.S.W. students. The course explores current social welfare issues in the context of history and underlying political rationale and societal values. The course is designed to provide students with an understanding of the relationship between contemporary social welfare policy and social work practice. The course focuses on the historical, political, economic and other social conditions that influence policy development in the United States. Models of social welfare are presented and critiqued. Policy issues and programs that impact specific populations are explored with an emphasis on social and economic justice. The course content will be framed through the lens of distributive equity and social justice. Understanding how policy influences practice and how social workers can influence social welfare policy are examined.
Course overview
- Department
- Social Work
- School
- SSW
- Credits
- 3
- Level
- Graduate
- Offered
- Every Spring
Course evaluations
- Course rating
- 3.58 / 5 · Very Good
- Instructor rating
- 4.20 / 5 · Very Good
- Terms evaluated
- 5
| Term | Instructor | Course overall | Instructor overall | Well organized | Clear learning objectives | Intellectually challenging | Helpful assignments | Applicable beyond course | Attendance necessary | Weekly effort | Responses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | Dana Prescott | 3.4 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 1–3 hrs/week | 14 of 17 |
| Spring 2026 | Dewin Hernandez | 2.4 | 2.7 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 1–3 hrs/week | 15 of 18 |
| Spring 2026 | Emilia Diamant | 4.0 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4–6 hrs/week | 16 of 20 |
| Spring 2026 | Estefania Palacios Pizarro | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4–6 hrs/week | 20 of 23 |
| Spring 2026 | Julia Macmahon | 3.4 | 3.8 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.5 | — | 17 of 24 |
| Spring 2026 | Maria Pineros Leano | 4.5 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4–6 hrs/week | 20 of 23 |
| Spring 2026 | Matthew Pecoraro | 3.5 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4–6 hrs/week | 17 of 24 |
| Spring 2026 | Megan Taylor | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.1 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.0 | 4–6 hrs/week | 25 of 28 |
| Spring 2026 | Paul Heithaus | 4.3 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 1–3 hrs/week | 17 of 24 |
| Spring 2026 | Thomas Byrne | 3.9 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 1–3 hrs/week | 19 of 25 |
| Spring 2026 | Thomas Heavren | 4.1 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 1–3 hrs/week | 22 of 24 |
| Spring 2026 | Whitney Irie | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 5.0 | 4.6 | 1–3 hrs/week | 12 of 14 |
| Spring 2026 | Xi Wang | 3.9 | 3.6 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 1–3 hrs/week | 19 of 25 |
| Spring 2025 | Akosoa Mcfadgion | 3.3 | 3.9 | 3.3 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 4.1 | 3.5 | 1–3 hrs/week | 18 of 24 |
| Spring 2025 | Dana Prescott | 4.0 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.0 | 1–3 hrs/week | 13 of 18 |
| Spring 2025 | Erika Clairgue Caizero | 3.3 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.6 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 4–6 hrs/week | 39 of 47 |
| Spring 2025 | Gabi Celia Ortiz | 3.3 | 3.0 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4–6 hrs/week | 19 of 24 |
| Spring 2025 | Julia Macmahon | 3.4 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.3 | 4.6 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 4.4 | — | 18 of 23 |
| Spring 2025 | Maria Pineros Leano | 3.3 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 4–6 hrs/week | 60 of 71 |
| Spring 2025 | Nicole Robinson | 2.8 | 3.7 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 4.0 | 3.8 | 3.2 | 1–3 hrs/week | 18 of 23 |
| Spring 2025 | Rebecca Jackson | 3.1 | 4.1 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 4.0 | 3.4 | 1–3 hrs/week | 27 of 44 |
| Spring 2025 | Vincent Fusaro | 3.3 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4–6 hrs/week | 19 of 24 |
| Spring 2025 | Whitney Irie | 4.9 | 5.0 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 4–6 hrs/week | 17 of 20 |
| Spring 2024 | Christopher Baidoo | 3.7 | 3.3 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4–6 hrs/week | 20 of 22 |
| Spring 2024 | Dana Prescott | 4.1 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 4–6 hrs/week | 11 of 17 |
| Spring 2024 | Joshua Lown | 4.2 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.9 | 4.1 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 1–3 hrs/week | 16 of 23 |
| Spring 2024 | Julia Macmahon | 2.7 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 4–6 hrs/week | 16 of 22 |
| Spring 2024 | Maria Pineros Leano | 3.9 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4–6 hrs/week | 35 of 40 |
| Spring 2024 | Nicole Robinson | 2.6 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 1–3 hrs/week | 17 of 20 |
| Spring 2024 | Oladoyin Okunoren | 3.1 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 4–6 hrs/week | 21 of 23 |
| Spring 2024 | Rebecca Jackson | 3.2 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 3.4 | 1–3 hrs/week | 32 of 42 |
| Spring 2024 | Sophia Eisenberg | 3.9 | 4.2 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.1 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 4–6 hrs/week | 18 of 22 |
| Spring 2024 | Vincent Fusaro | 3.7 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4–6 hrs/week | 20 of 22 |
| Spring 2024 | Whitney Irie | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.8 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.7 | 1–3 hrs/week | 6 of 8 |
| Spring 2023 | Dana Prescott | 3.1 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 4–6 hrs/week | 17 of 26 |
| Spring 2023 | Julia Macmahon | 3.2 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 4.3 | 3.4 | 4–6 hrs/week | 18 of 20 |
| Spring 2023 | Lyndsey Mcmahan | 3.9 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.0 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 4.1 | 1–3 hrs/week | 13 of 19 |
| Spring 2023 | Maria Pineros Leano | 3.9 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 4–6 hrs/week | 18 of 22 |
| Spring 2023 | Nicole Robinson | 3.3 | 3.8 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 3.7 | — | 11 of 15 |
| Spring 2023 | Oladoyin Okunoren | 3.7 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.1 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 4–6 hrs/week | 15 of 22 |
Data freshness
Instructors
- Akosoa Mcfadgion
- Christopher Baidoo
- Dana Prescott
- Dewin Hernandez
- Emilia Diamant
- Erika Clairgue Caizero
- Erin Donohue
- Estefania Palacios Pizarro
- Gabi Celia Ortiz
- John Franchitto
- Joshua Lown
- Julia Macmahon
- Lyndsey Mcmahan
- Maria Pineros Leano
- Matthew Pecoraro
- Megan Taylor
- Nicole Robinson
- Oladoyin Okunoren
- Paul Heithaus
- Rebecca Jackson
- Shanta Pandey
- Sophia Eisenberg
- Sophie Hansen
- Spencer Sandberg
- Thomas Byrne
- Thomas Heavren
- Vincent Fusaro
- Whitney Irie
- Xi Wang