SWK (0404) 241 - Quantitative Literacy for the Applied Social Sciences

Credits: 3.00

Students will take a journey through development and evaluation of a human services program. It leads students through the quantitative tasks involved with community needs assessment, program design, measure selection, process & outcome evaluation, and advocacy for the client population, using Microsoft Excel as its main analysis tool.

This course’s goals follow the Association of American Colleges and Universities’ VALUE rubric, which specifies six competency areas: interpretation, representation, calculation, analysis/application, assumptions, and communication. By the end of the semester:
1. Students will be able to interpret information that is presented in mathematical forms and apply it to social policy and social work practice questions.
2. Students will be able to represent quantitative information via graphs, charts, tables, and text.
3. Students will be able to Use Microsoft Excel to calculate percentages, averages, and other summary statistics needed for Social Work evaluation.
4. Students will be able to analyze quantitative data and apply results to evaluate hypotheses that arise within the context of Social Work practice.
5. Students will be able to understand mathematical assumptions that data must meet before certain statistical inferences are appropriate.
6. Students will be able to communicate results accurately in a way that addresses research questions.