Transfers ToUC and CSUCal-GETC Area 4 · IGETC Area 4J · CSU GE Area D0DescriptionThis course offers a theoretically grounded sociological analysis of social welfare and the social services system, exploring them as both academic fields and professional practices. Through diverse sociological and interdisciplinary lenses, students will examine the historical emergence of social problems, the evolution of social services, and the role of social work in addressing inequality. Emphasis is placed on how theoretical frameworks inform our understanding of welfare institutions, state roles, social policy, and interventions at clinical and community levels. Core concepts, such as social justice, need, and inequality, are explored in relation to value systems, ethics, and methodologies embedded within broader sociological paradigms. 