Elective modules

Elective Group A

SOC252 Religion and Society - Singapore University of Social Sciences

Religion remains a mainstay of contemporary societies, serving to organise social life and interaction among people. Here, we trace the historical origins of various religions – Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Taoism, and indigenous religions – and use a comparative approach in our discussion of the philosophical, ritualistic, and institutional aspects of the religions. We also take a closer look at how these religions have evolved in the Asian context.

For more details on this module, please refer to https://www.suss.edu.sg/courses/detail/soc252

SSC5202  Southeast Asian Islam in Historical and Sociological Perspectives - National University of Singapore

This module uses the socio-historical approach to examine the religious life of the Malays in Southeast Asia. It begins by discussing the dynamics of Islamisation in the region since the 14th century and considers different varieties of religious thought and their influence on Malay culture and institutions. The impact of colonialism in the 19^th century and its approach to the administration of Islam will then be examined. This will be followed by an analysis of the work of relevant thinkers on issues of religion and reform, aimed at alleviating problems in the community. A critical analysis of the socio-historical meaning of the resurgence of Islam in the post-Independence era and its response to the demands of modernity and social, political and economic change will also be undertaken. Students will be introduced to major strands of religious experience in the region today and the extent to which they are able to strengthen and facilitate the community’s development and its adaptation to the modern world.

Elective Group B

CSL5201 Culturally Appropriated Counselling Skills - National University of Singapore

This module aims to provide knowledge and techniques for building relationship and intervening therapeutically in direct social work practice. Students are facilitated to learn and build on their self-reflections and awareness in relation to working with their clients in the different contexts.

SWK5204 Micro-skills for Interviews and Home-visits - Singapore University of Social Sciences

Micro-skills for Interviews and Home-visits seeks to enable students to learn microskills, concepts and develop competencies integral in establishing a therapeutic relationship with the client in the helping process. The learning process encourages self-awareness of the influence of oneself in the context of conducting home-visits and interviews. In addressing the multicultural aspects of our work, this course also examines the importance of cultural competency. The integration of theories and skills in this course seek to support students with the practical knowhow for the engagement, assessment and influencing of the client in face-to-face sessions at the agency and in the client’s residence.

For more details on this module, please refer to https://www.suss.edu.sg/courses/detail/swk109

SWK5205 Reflective Practice and Cultural Competencies - Singapore University of Social Sciences

The understanding of “self” and its relationship with others is critical in social work practice. The understanding of one’s personal beliefs, values and biases is a first step in appreciating the importance of multi-cultural identities in the lives of clients and how it will influence one’s attitude and beliefs about clients. There are two main components to the course. The first component consists of a journey of self-awareness through experiential learning and the second component consists of using the insights gained to understand how the “self” interacts and relates to people who have different ages, genders, ethnicity, religions, physical abilities, cultural practices and socio-economic backgrounds. Through a constant practice of self-reflection towards inter-cultural value differences, the course aims to introduce respectful, cultural competent social work practices among diverse social groups.

For more details on this module, please refer to https://www.suss.edu.sg/courses/detail/swk211

PSY5202 Everyday Psychology - National University of Singapore

The course is designed to equip students who are not planning to major in psychology with basic literacy in the discipline. Students will acquire basic understanding of common human experiences, such as the self, learning, and memory from a psychological perspective, developmental processes, and psychological disorders; and apply psychological knowledge to understand some of the common problematic behaviours we encounter, such as forgetfulness, anxiety-related disorders, and depression. Students will also learn about some of the practical issues, such as whether it is beneficial to boost one’s self-esteem, how we learn, and how we can help shape future generations.