Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Spring Semester 2026

Family Law, Public Policy, and Social Welfare (Online)

SW 4500-31I

Course: SW 4500-31I
Credits: 3
Term: Spring Semester 2026
Department: FLHD
CRN: 10926

Course Description

This course examines contemporary family life and the impact of government laws, policies, and programs on family life over time and across contexts and cultures. It examines both the intended and unintended consequences of policies for families across a variety of policy matters, from anti-poverty policies to health and workplace policies. It also explores the varied effects those policies and programs can have on different types of families and different aspects of family functioning and well-being. (Fall [As Needed], Spring [As Needed]) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Prerequisite(s): SW 2100 or FLHD 1500 - Prerequisite Min. Grade: C Registration Restriction(s): Social work or FLHD majors or FLHD minors only

Required Texts

  1. Bogenschneider, K. (2014). Family policy matters: How policymaking affects families and what professionals can do (3rd Ed.). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
  2. APA Publication Manual, 7th Edition (Optional)
  3. Pdfs posted on Canvas
















Learning Outcomes

This course is designed to enable students to do the following:

  1. Discuss and apply a family perspective to policy-making and policy analysis.
  2. Articulate how families and government interact through family laws and policies in explicit and implicit ways throughout historical and contemporary US society.

  1. Identify and apply concepts and approaches within a family policy impact analysis and policy evaluation using policy research/writing and analytical tools.

  1. Evaluate family laws and policies in terms of their sensitivity to and supportiveness of all families thriving using a family policy impact analysis.


  1. Design, develop, and create professional and public scholarship on a specific family policy.

Course Requirements

1. Weekly Reflections: 240 pts / 12@20 pts each. You will have 12 opportunities to reflect on our course content in a variety of ways that alternate weekly including discussion posts (4), reading reflections (4) and case study analyses (4).
2. Writing Process & Drafts of your Paper: 175 pts. Over the course of the semester you will submit a number of rough drafts of various sections of your paper as check in points for your research project and meet with your writing group for further feedback and revision suggestions. What follows is an itemized list of the drafts and writing studio reflections. Please see Canvas for dates and more details.
3. Public and Professional Scholarship: 425 pts. Over the course of the semester you will create and present various forms of disseminating/translating the results of your FIA to both academics and policy makers in the form of a poster presentation, letter to a policy maker, and your final policy research paper.
4. Exams and Evaluation: 160 pts. The midterm serves as a checkpoint for understanding the key elements family policy making before you begin your own FIA. There is no final exam in this class – your research paper acts as your final assessment point. 

Course Outline

Week 1: Jan 05: Syllabus
Week 2: Jan 12: Overview of Family Law and Public Policy: Bogenschneider: Chapters 1-3 
Week 3: Jan 19: Government & Family Relations: Bogenschneider: Chapters 4-6
Week 4: Jan 26: The Politics of Family Values: Bogenschneider: Chapter 9
Week 5: Historical Underpinnings of Family Policy: Bogenschneider: Chapter 10
Week 6: Feb 9: Family Theory: Implications For Policy: An Ecological Perspective on Family Policy. (Trzcinski pdf)
Week 7: Feb 16: Family Impact Analysis (FIA) and Policy Evaluation: Bogenschneider: Chapter 12
Week 8: Feb 23: Midterm
Week 9: March 02: Public Scholarship: Bogenschneider: Chapter 13
Week 10: March 16: Public Policy for Healthy Relationships: The Forever Initiative.  Chapters 1-2. (Hawkins, 2013) 
Week 11: March 23: Public Policy for Healthy Relationships: The Forever Initiative.  Chapters 3. (Hawkins, 2013); Let them Eat Wedding Rings. Alternatives to Marriage Project (2007).
Week 12: March 30: Influencing the Future of Family Law and Public Policy: Bogenschneider:15 Approaches for Translating Family Science to Policy (Letiecq & Anderson, 2017)
Week 13: April 6: Participating in the Policy Process: The role of family scientists in translating research to enact policy change. Bogenschneider: Chpt. 11. Theory Illuminating Practice: One Researcher’s Journey Through the Strange New World of Policy Change (Hawkins, 2019)
Week 14: April 13: Final Paper Peer Review Session

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Late Assignments:  This course depends on your timely participation. Therefore, no late assignments will be accepted. This means if you hand an assignment in late you will receive a zero. Please make sure you plan for the semester assignment due dates accordingly. If you know you will be traveling during the semester, or away from an internet connection for a period of time, you are responsible for alerting the instructor ahead of time and making sufficient arrangements. 

Attendance Policy

This is an online class. Attendance will not be taken

Course Fees

This is an online course, tech fees apply.

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.