Bethlehem University - Faculty of Art

The Department of Social Sciences offers a baccalaureate degree in Sociology and in Social Work, in addition to two minors in Psychology and Sociology. The department has two aims: to qualify the student for employment in the various institutions that serve society and to enable the candidate to pursue higher studies.

A student majoring in either Sociology or Social Work needs to earn a total of 122 credits in the major of his/her choice distributed as follows.

The Sociology Major consists of a total of 60 credits as in the following schedule.

PSYC 131	Introduction to Psychology (3)	SOCI 334	Arab Society (3)
PSYC 233	Social Psychology (3)	SOCI 335	Social Stratification (3)
PSYC 243	Psychosocial Problems (3)	SOCI 336	Civil Society (3)
SOCI 131	Introduction to Sociology (3)	SOCI 337	Application of Res. Methods (3)
SOCI 231	Sociology of the Family (3)	SOCI 343	Computer for Social Sciences (3)
SOCI 233	Classical Theory (3)	SOCI 389	Senior Seminar (1)
SOCI 235	Modern Sociol. Theory (3)	SOCI 433	Social Change (3)
SOCI 245	Statistics for the Social Sc. (3)	SOCI 435	Social Movement (3)
SOCI 329	Displace. and Forced Migra. (2)	SOCI 437	Soc. of Develop. & Soc. Serv. (3)
SOCI 331	Methods of Social Research (3)	SOCI 438	Israeli Society (3)
SOCI 333	Demography (3)

The Social Work Major consists of a total of 60 credits in the following schedule.

PSYC 131	Introduction To Psychology (3)	SOWK 335	Organization: Theory (3)
SOCI 131	Introduction To Sociology (3)	SOWK 336	Field Work Practicum I (3)
SOWK 131	Soc. Welfare and Social Work (3)	SOWK 337	Planning for Human Services (3)
SOWK 221	Fields of Social Work (3)	SOWK 338	Research Methods (3)
SOWK 231	Human Behavior & Soc. Env. (3)	SOWK 389	Senior Seminar (1)
SOWK 235	Helping Skills (3)	SOWK 433	SW Practice Modalities (3)
SOWK 245	Statistics for Social Sciences (3)	SOWK 434	Social Work Practice II (3)
SOWK 331	Group Work (3)	SOWK 436	Social Work Practice III (3)
SOWK 332	Methods of Social Research (3)	SOWK 437	Field Work Practicum II (3)
SOWK 333	Community Organ. (3)	SOWK 439	Field Work Practicum III (3)
SOWK 334	Social Work Practice I (3)

Students majoring in either Sociology or Social Work are provided the opportunity to minor in a discipline other than their major field. A student may take a minor program consisting of 18 credits in the Faculties of Arts, Sciences, and Business Administration.

The University requirements for both Sociology and Social Work students are 40 credits.

Students are accepted to major in either Sociology or Social Work after their third semester provided that they have earned at least 40 credits and that all of the following conditions are met:

First Year
FALL SEMESTER		CR	SPRING SEMESTER		CR
ARAB 120	Arabic Lang. Skills I	3	ARAB 121	Arabic Lang. Skills II	3
ENGL 120	English Lang. Skills I	3	ENGL 121	English Lang. Skills II	3
MATH 111	Fundamentals of Math	3	HIST 120	History of Mod. Palestine	3
SOCI 131	Intro. To Sociology	3	SCIE 111	General Science	3
PSYC 131	Intro. To Psychology	3	SOCI 231	Sociology of the Family	3
LIBR 101	Library Skills	R
Second Year
FALL SEMESTER		CR	SPRING SEMESTER		CR
PSYC 233	Social Psychology	3	ENGL 213	English Lang. Skills III	3
SOCI 233	Classical Theory	3	PSYC 243	Psychosocial Problems	3
SOCI 245	Statistics for Social Science	3	SOCI 235	Modern Soc. Theory	3
	Fine Arts Req.	2	SOCI 343	Computers For Soc. Sc.	3
CMSR 101	Community Service	1		Minor	3
	Minor	3
Third Year
FALL SEMESTER		CR	SPRING SEMESTER		CR
POLS 300	Themes in Political Science	3	PHIL 302	Philosophy and Ethics	3
PSED 101	Physical Education	1		Minor	3
	Minor	3	SOCI 335	Social Stratification	3
SOCI 331	Methods of Soc. Research	3	SOCI 337	Application of Res. Meth.	3
SOCI 334	Arab Society	3	SOCI 438	Israeli Society	3
SOCI 338	Displace. and Forced Migr.	2
Fourth Year
FALL SEMESTER		CR	SPRING SEMESTER		CR
ECON 300	Basic Economics	3	RELS 300	Cultural Religious Studies	3
	Minor	3		Minor	3
SOCI 336	Civil Society	3	SOCI 333	Demography	3
SOCI 433	Social Change	3	SOCI 389	Senior Seminar	1
SOCI 435	Social Movement	3		General Elective	4
SOCI 437	Soc. of Dev. and Soc. Serv.	3

First Year
FALL SEMESTER		CR	SPRING SEMESTER		CR
ARAB 120	Arabic Lang. Skills I	3	ARAB 121	Arabic Lang. Skills II	3
ENGL 120	English Lang. Skills I	3	ENGL 121	English Lang. Skills II	3
MATH 111	Fundamentals of Math	3	PSED 101	Physical Education	1
SOWK 131	Introduction to Soc. Work	3	PSYC 131	Introduction to Psychology	3
SOCI 131	Introduction to Sociology	3	SOWK 221	Fields of Social Work	3
			SOWK 231	Human Behav. & Soc. Env.	3
Second Year
FALL SEMESTER		CR	SPRING SEMESTER		CR
HIST 120	History Of Mod. Palestine	3	CMSR 101	Community Service	1
SCIE 111	General Science	3	ENGL 213	English Lang. Skills III	3
SOWK 331	Group Work	3	SOWK 235	Helping Skills	3
SOWK 333	Community Organization	3	SOWK 335	Organization: Theory	3
	Minor	3		Fine Arts Requirement	3
				Minor	3
Third Year
FALL SEMESTER		CR	SPRING SEMESTER		CR
POLS 300	Themes in Political Science	3	PHIL 302	Philosophy and Ethics	3
SOWK 245	Statistics for Sc. Sc.	3	SOWK 332	Methods of Social Res.	3
SOWK 334	Social Work Practice I	3	SOWK 434	Social Work Practice II	3
SOWK 336	Field Work Practicum I	3	SOWK 437	Field Work Practicum II	3
	Minor	3		Minor	3
Fourth Year
FALL SEMESTER		CR	SPRING SEMESTER		CR
ECON 300	Basic Economics	3	RELS 300	Cultural Religious Studies	3
	Minor	3		Minor	3
SOWK 338	Research Methods	3	SOWK 337	Planning for Human Serv.	3
SOWK 436	Social Work Practice III	3	SOWK 389	Senior Seminar	1
SOWK 439	Field Work Practicum III	3	SOWK 433	SW Practice Modalities	3
				General Elective	3

In addition to the Majors in Sociology and In Social Work, the department of social science provides the opportunity for all students to join the program towards a minor in psychology and sociology. The Department recommends that Social Work students opt for a minor in Psychology. To earn a minor, students are required to successfully complete 18 credits in the following courses.

This course takes the form of a general introductory survey presenting the fundamental concepts in learning, developmental psychology, personality and other allied aspects such as motivation and emotion. Emphasis will be placed on the essential differences between theory and fact.

A study of the development of the physical, perceptual, emotional, social and cognitive aspects of the stages of childhood, adolescence, adulthood and old age. Focus will be placed on their implications in relation to the educational process.
Prerequisite: PSYC 131

This course will enable students to acquire the necessary appreciation of the theories of psychology as applied to physiotherapy. This will include an awareness of their own behavior and that of others, and the importance of this in patient-therapist relationships. Topics to be covered will include: perception, motivation, and the development of personality and attitudes. Emphasis will be placed upon group discussion in order to develop the problem-solving skills essential in a competent physiotherapy practitioner.

This course is designed to acquaint students with new directions in social psychology. Emphasis moves from theories and methods to applied topics, including ways in which social interaction affects the behavior and thought of the individual.
Prerequisite: PSYC 231

This course will introduce students to the effects of social groups on the behavior of the individual. The nature and effects of group pressures, relationships and hierarchical structures within social groups and development of attitudes will also be studied. Particular attention will be paid to the effects of disability, loss, aging, and bereavement.

This course acquaints the students with an in-depth analysis of the major psychosocial problems such as drug addition, child maltreatment, juvenile delinquency, battered women, societal reactions to mental health problems, and so forth. The interrelationships among psychosocial problems, policies, social norms, and delivery of services in the areas of mental health, social welfare and education will be discussed. Special attention will be given to the identification and prevention of psychosocial problems and intervention in them.

This course reviews theory and research dealing with the psychology of adjustment. Emphasis will be placed on major areas in psychosocial adjustment such as motives, stress, frustration, anxiety, inner conflict, and so forth. The course will also acquaint students with psychosocial factors that may influence people�s adjustment in various settings such as family, classroom, workplace etc. Also, students will study models of prevention and intervention that will facilitate the process of psychological adjustment.
Prerequisite: PSYC 231

This course focuses on the major approaches, methods, and findings in the field of culture and personality. It presents an overview of basic theories, strategies, issues and conclusions in the psychological study of personality. An equal share of attention will be given to culture with an emphasis on the person-situation controversy.
Prerequisite: PSYC 233

This course focuses on the idea that traditionally abnormal behaviors are no different from other behavior patterns in their development and maintenance. The aim is to acquaint the student with a range of approaches to the concept of abnormality by giving a historical introduction to abnormal behavior and diagnostic methods. The student also studies theories of abnormality, and methods of formulating and measuring abnormal behavior and its treatment.
Prerequisite: PSYC 233

This course reviews theory and research dealing with group processes while demonstrating the relevance of this work in applied Palestinian settings. Conceptual analyses of group processes will be reviewed in depth from a balanced stance when presenting ideas, evidence and viewpoints. Classic analyses of groups (leadership, reactions to deviance, determinants of group performance) will be integrated with contemporary topics (deindividuation, group-think) as well as applications to achieve a comprehensive analysis of group behavior. Emphasis will also be placed on studies of groups in therapeutic, educational, organizational, industrial, judiciary and athletic contexts.

A critical examination of the psychological bases of political behavior is covered in this course. In addition, there will be an analysis of the concepts of attitudes, ideology, power, influence, consensus, group conflict and social identity. Some of the areas to be covered include learning and political socialization, personality and ideology, motivation in politics, public opinion and the media and political conflict and change.

This course presents the characteristics of exceptional children and the various ways in which they are educated, trained and treated. The focus will be devoted to the traditional categories of special education, such as mental handicaps, learning disabilities, emotional disturbance, speech and language disorders, hearing impairment, visual impairment, physical handicaps and giftedness. Emphasis will be placed on diagnosis, etiology, assessment and intervention.

This course is designed to provide a critical overview of the theories and methods in the field of social cognition. Application of theories and methods to research on therapy, health, politics, education, organizations, marketing and law are discussed. Emphasis will be placed on social cognition theories of attribution, psychological control, social schemata, attention, personal memory and social inferences.

This course is based on PSYC 232, 234 and SOCI 332. The course aims to develop an appreciation of the patient as an individual and an understanding of the effects of society upon individual behavior and expectations.

The purpose of this course is to acquaint the student with the development of modern sociology. Reference is made to the contributions of Ibn Khaldun and al-Farabi to sociology and social thought. The input of some of the founding fathers is discussed besides the study of such social institutions and processes as the family, culture, socialization, intergroup relations, social aggregates and the methodology of sociology. Students are encouraged to reflect on the issues confronting their society through the use of sociological principles and guidelines.

The focus of this course is the family with its related systems and processes. The forms and functions of the family are discussed as they have evolved historically together with the effects of social change on the family and the relationships that contribute to its integration. Kinship systems, marriage and divorce are studied with special concentration on modern developments in the Arab family.

The objective of this course is to familiarize the student with the theories of the founding fathers such as Comte, Marx, Weber and Durkheim. With this familiarity, the student should be able to see how the classical theories have contributed to the shaping of sociology as well as to discuss the relevance of some of these theories to Palestinian and Arab society.

Trends and theories of modern sociology are discussed with attention to structural-functionalism, conflict and psychosocial paradigms. Points of divergence and convergence among the various theories and trends are highlighted and the student is encouraged to reflect on his/her own society using the knowledge gained in this course.

This course comprises a study of the rationale, application and interpretation of statistical concepts pertinent to the social sciences. Frequency distribution and graphing, measures of central tendency, measures of relative standing, hypothesis testing, regression, correlation and probability are covered.

The nature of social research is studied with emphasis on the characteristics of the social researcher and the scientific method in social studies. The steps involved in social research are clarified together with the tools used in the gathering, classification and analysis of data. The outstanding methods and tools currently used in social studies are also discussed.

This course will focus on the structure and role of society and how socialization occurs in different cultures. In particular attention will be paid to social influences on the patterns of disease, inequalities in health and effects of institutionalization.

The aim of this course is to introduce the student to the science of population. Demographic terms, equations and theories are studied in order to understand the significance of vital statistics and the characteristics of the population as they relate to age-sex composition, spatial distribution and other specific indicators. Students are encouraged to focus on their own society and to compare its population data and figures with neighboring and other societies.

The objective of this course is to introduce the students to Arab society with special emphasis on Palestinian society. Social, cultural and political systems and their manifestations in social structure, institutions and behavior of individuals will be examined in the Arab and Palestinian contexts. Prospects and obstacles to development will also be studied with special focus on the challenges facing Palestinian society.

The student is introduced in this course to the concepts of inequality and stratification. Slavery, the estate system, castes and classes are discussed. The Marxist and Weberian approaches to stratification are examined together with the theories expounded by Davis and Moore, Lenski, Dahrendorf and others. Special attention is given to stratification in Palestinian society based on the theoretical knowledge gained in the course.

The aim of this course is to focus on the inter- and intra-state relations between state and civil society. The conditions in which socioeconomic organizations and structures integrate and function are discussed. Some of the topics that will be studied include social practice, influence, pluralism, democracy, independence in processes of power, leadership and administration.

This course will provide the student with the opportunity to put into practice the research methods and techniques that have been studied in SOCI 331.
Prerequisite: SOCI 331

This course focuses on refugee status and displacement as a socio-political process of international and national dimensions. Attention is given to causes and effects of this phenomenon and to various proposed solutions in different contexts. Emphasis will be placed on the Palestinian refugee experience and its various aspects.

This course is an introduction to the use of the computer and to some of the programs applied in the social sciences. At the completion of the course, the student should be able to enter data, organize and analyze it with the help of a computer. In addition he/she should have gained some basic knowledge of statistical packages for the social sciences.
Prerequisite: SOCI 245

This course is designed to provide seniors with an opportunity to review, organize and integrate material from previous major courses. Seminar participants conduct research and present papers for open discussion and defense, with faculty members assisting as resource consultants. Seniors in Sociology are expected to make use of the basic skills they have acquired from the methodology and statistics courses. The seminar course is required for graduation.

This course aims at examining the basic processes by which societies initiate, consolidate, transform and change their basic institutions and social structures. Anatomy of reform and revolutionary social movements, especially those affecting Arab and Third World countries will be given special attention.

Through study and analysis, this course focuses on the concept of social change and its theories, factors and obstacles. Main social and occupational mobility processes are discussed in addition to the relationship between social change, social planning and social policy.

This course is intended to examine the concepts of development and their relevance to Palestinian society. Theories of development are discussed together with a review of public and private organizations of social service engaged in development work. Students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with development projects underway and to examine alternative models of development appropriate to the specific conditions of their society.

This course aims at studying Israeli society and how it has blended heterogeneous groups who differ in their customs, traditions, situations and cultures into a homogeneous society. The course also focuses on the problem of creating a homogeneous society composed of different subgroups.

This course is designed to introduce the students to the history and nature of social welfare with emphasis on social work as one of the major professions of this system. It will overview the nature and characteristics of social work, its functions and principles and some of the basic concepts the social worker will be dealing with, such as human needs, social problems, social services, etc. These topics will be discussed with special interest in their relationship to the Palestinian society.

This course introduces the student to the different fields of social work practice. It focuses on the following fields: family welfare, school social work; correctional social work; social work in health settings, psychiatric social work; social work with the elderly, and vocational social work.

This course is designed to elucidate the range of human needs and behavior as related to various conditions of rural and urban scenes in Palestine. Examination of social, political, economic and cultural factors which influence individual, group and community social functioning in contemporary Palestine and the function and mission of welfare institutions.

This course is designed to provide the students with the basic skills in conducting an effective interview with different kinds of clients. In addition, focus will be on basic helping skills in social work practice such as verbal and nonverbal behaviors, different modes of continuing responses, leading responses, self-referent responses, identifying and understanding own needs as helping relationships. The course is both didactic and experiential.

The objective of this course is to familiarize the students with the basic concepts of statistics used in social work research, including descriptive statistics and measures of central tendency, t-test, and chi-square.

The aim of this course is to develop both a theoretical base for the practice of group work and a broader understanding of its contemporary forms from different theoretical perspectives. Issues of group composition including age, race and religion and "personality style" will be examined. Group dynamics such as power and authority, group roles beginnings and endings, development phases and group sub-culture and cohesion will be discussed. Short-term, theme-focused, and open-ended groups will be compared and contrasted in a range of settings. The course is both experiential and didactic.

This course acquaints the students with the basics of research methods in social work. Emphasis will be placed on sampling and research design, data collection, coding, and data analysis.

This course will introduce students to the macro practice of community work with emphasis on the organizing and advocacy skills needed to implement organizational and community change. Social work students will learn how to identify these needs and mobilize agencies and communities to meet them. They will learn how to advocate on behalf of clients and empower people at the grassroots level to participate in decisions that affect their lives. They will understand how social change occurs both within agencies and within communities and how these changes affect different populations, especially disenfranchised and oppressed populations. The course is both didactic and experiential.

This is the first in a sequence of three courses. It is designed to introduce the philosophy and principles of direct social practice and provide the students with basic skills in developing and enhancing professional relationships. The course will also explain the methods of case study, needs and problems identification and diagnosis. The course is both didactic and experiential.

This is an introductory course in organization/administrative practice and theory. The course will cover classical theories of bureaucracy and scientific management, neoclassical human relations theories and their applications in organizations, contemporary concepts of contingency, open systems, organizational environments and interorganizational networks. Emphasis will be given to the application of theories to the human and social services in contemporary Palestinian society.

This course enables students to apply theoretical content learned in class to real problem-solving activities in community agencies. Students are placed in a community agency in the second semester of their junior year and are expected to practice in the agency for a concurrent two and a half days per week. Students will receive intensive individual and group supervision.

This course focuses specifically and in depth on the early stages of the problem-solving process, namely exploration, assessment, goal formulation and planning. Under the general theme of "strategic planning," students examine the key theoretical bases of social planning and the important issues, methodologies and technologies relating to both the strategic and technical aspects of planning, which are dealt with both as an early stage in the problem-solving process and as the setting for a field of practice.

This course will provide the student with the opportunity to put into practice the research methods, techniques, and statistical analysis that have been studied in SOWK 332 and SOWK 245. Emphasis will be placed on the use of statistical packages such as SAS or SPSS in data analysis.
P rerequisite: SOWK 332, SOWK 245

Review and critique of social welfare system organizations, their services and social policies are covered in this course. Emphasis will be placed on forces, which have influenced the models of the welfare state, its programs and policies. Crucial issues of welfare policy and services confronting social workers and planners are discussed.

This course examines the theory and application of brief practice modalities, e.g., task-centered, crisis intervention, etc., as they are used in a variety of settings. Strategies for contact, data collection, assessment, intervention, evaluation and termination are explored within the context of short-term models. Students are asked to apply theory to specific systems, drawing upon knowledge of appropriate techniques, socio-cultural factors and types of problems presented. The course is both didactic and experiential.

This is the second in a three-course sequence and it focuses on diagnostic skills and on developing and building intervention strategies and plans. The focus will be on the application of the following models in direct social work practice: the psychosocial model, the cognitive model, the task-centered model, the problem-solving model, the functional model and the ecological model. The course is both didactic and experiential.

This course aims to provide the students with the basic knowledge concerning disability and its various types. The effects of the disability on aspects of the afflicted person�s life are examined. The course provides students with basic skills and trends in the field of rehabilitation.

This is the third in a three-course sequence and it examines theory and research as they apply to direct practice with the family system. Differential use of theory provides a framework for intervention strategies in troubled families. Patterns of family functioning are examined and implications for intervention are discussed. Content, process and goals of all phases of practice (from contact through termination) are examined. Implications of practice with caring family constellations are addressed. The course is both didactic and experiential.

This course enables students to apply theoretical content learned in class to real problem-solving activities in community agencies. Students are placed in a community agency in the first semester of their senior year and are expected to practice in the agency for three concurrent days per week. Students will receive intensive individual and group supervision.

This course enables students to apply theoretical content learned in class to real problem-solving activities in community agencies. Students are placed in a community agency in the second semester of their senior year and are expected to practice in the agency for three concurrent days per week. Students will receive intensive individual and group supervision.