DEPARTMENT OF SOCIALWORK

UNIVERSITY OF BENIN
BENIN CITY, NIGERIA.

Course Title: CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES OF INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL WORK

Course Code: BSW 411 Lecturer: T.B.E. Omorogiuwa
Semester: First E-mail: tracy.omorogiuwa@uniben.edu
Session: 2023/2024

A. Course Description
This course is designed to introduce students to international social work practice and
research. The idea of this course is to expose students to the international environment with
a view to preparing and equipping students to be able to practice competently anywhere in
the world. Concrete example will be sited from both western and developing world cultures.
The course acquaints students with key concepts, service delivery systems, forces;
influencing international social work practice, social issues as well international
organizations efforts and how social work practice is delivered across countries.
Furthermore, this course involves critical analysis of global social issues, including situations
affecting children, women and other general problems such as poverty, diseases such as
HIV/AIDS, disasters, human trafficking, migration factors etc, which impact the welfare of
people in varied contexts. This course is relevant for social work students seeking to
practice international social work or to apply international social work principles to practice
in the Nigerian context.

B. Learning Outcomes/Objectives

On the completion of this course, the student will be able to:

 Describe international social work and discuss the need and cautions crucial to
international social work practice.

 Recognize international organizations in international social work practice and their

influence on global welfare.

 Consider the influence that environmental, cultural, religious political and economic
factors have on social welfare and the delivery of human services in different context.

 Communicate in-depth understanding of key issues related to global welfare such as

poverty, problems confronting children, women and others such as migration,
disasters diseases - HIV/AIDS etc.

 Relate impacts from international environment to social work practice in the Nigeria.

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 C. Course Outline/Content

Wks Topics Lecturer Remark

1. Introduction: DR. TBE
 Concept of international social work practice
 Historical development of international social work
 Prospects for global engagement and the importance
of international social work
2.  Components of international social work DR. TBE
 The values of international social work
3. Social service delivery system: DR. TBE
 Public and private settings
 Levels of professional and international social work
practices
4.  International social work and social policy DR. TBE
 Elements of social policy
5. Forces motivating international social work DR. TBE
6. Global issues and international social work I DR. TBE

7. Global issues and international social work II DR. TBE

8. Conflicting practices in international social work DR. TBE

9. International organizations DR. TBE

10. Social work ethical principles DR. TBE

11. Social work around the world – Nigeria, United States, DR. TBE
United Kingdom, Sweden, Ghana, South Africa, Germany,
Chile, Denmark, China and Uganda etc.

12. Revision DR. TBE

D. Time Schedule Weekly: Thursday 9:00am-11:00am

E. Mode of Assessment
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Students are expected to complete one test or take home assignments, but in groups over
the course of the semester

F. Course and University Policies on Attendance and Assessment

Continuous assessment (CA) = 30%
Examinations = 70%
Total = 100%

G. Required and Recommended Texts and Materials:

•International social work in perspective