Major in Social Work, BSW
Program Description (Mission, Purpose, Goals)
Program Mission
The program is designed to produce sound, beginning generalist social work practitioners at the baccalaureate level who demonstrate the knowledge, values, and skills of the profession by working with diverse populations in the local, national and global communities.
The mission of the Social Work program at Winston-Salem State University is to provide undergraduate instruction that will equip social work graduates with the skills they need to become beginning generalist social work practitioners. The program will provide students with the knowledge and ethical skills needed in direct service positions in order to be able to work with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Our graduates will be able to employ integrated strategies in assessing human needs throughout their careers. In addition, graduates will also be able to affirm the dynamics of different groups, taking into consideration their unique racial, economic, ethnic, gender, physical and cognitive characteristics.
Program Purpose
The Social Work Program emphasizes the history of social work and how its history has shaped current social work practice as we know it today. The program provides quality courses that focus on emerging topics in the areas of social welfare policy, research, human behavior, ethics, and social work methods. The program heavily focuses on teaching students the knowledge and application of values/ethics in practice with ALL populations. Furthermore, it is expected that our students, while being challenged in a dynamic community agency, be appropriately supervised by a competent field instructor. It is our hope that students, after receiving this sound training, would further their education in graduate or professional programs to engage in higher levels of practice to improve the conditions of oppressed people everywhere.
Program Goals/Core Competencies
The goals (core competencies) of the Social Work Program are the following:
1. Identify as a professional social worker and conduct oneself accordingly.
2. Apply social work ethical principles to guide professional practice.
3. Apply critical thinking to inform and communicate professional judgments.
4. Engage diversity and difference in practice.
5. Advance human rights and social and economic justice.
6. Engage in research-informed practice and practice-informed research.
7. Apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment.
8. Engage in policy practice to advance social and economic well-being and to deliver effective social work services.
9. Respond to contexts that shape practice.
10 Engage, assess, intervene, and evaluate with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.
Special Admission Requirements for the Major
Formal admission to the Social Work Program involves a series of steps. Students generally apply for formal admission to the program during the spring or summer terms. Students may apply for formal admission to the program while taking SOW 3363 Introduction to Social Work. The Social Work Program Committee will review applications and admit qualified students into the program. Students cannot be enrolled or take upper level classes in the major until they have officially been admitted into the program.
To apply for admission to the Social Work program, students must
- successfully complete a minimum of 36 credit hours in general education requirements;
- successfully complete SOW 3363-Introduction to Social Work, with a grade of “C” or higher, and have an overall GPA of 2.0
- submit a current copy of the official transcript
- sign a contract indicating that they read and agreed to the follow the Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW);
- secure two letters of reference
- complete required volunteer hours
A transfer student may declare Social Work their intended major; however, admission to the Social Work Program is dependent upon the following:
- Completion of the general education courses with a minimum GPA of 2.0
- Completion of SOW 3363-Intro to Social Work with a “C” or higher;
- Submission of an application with required supporting documents.
Major Requirements
Students majoring in social work must take a minimum of 43 semester hours of required social work (SOW) courses and 18 semester hours of support and related course work for a total of 61 semester hours. Students must obtain a grade of “C” or better in all required courses.
SOC 2301, PSY 2301 and an introductory statistics class (GER/SOC/MAT 2326) must be completed as part of general education (9 semester hours).
The student and advisor must meet a minimum of twice during the academic year to ensure sequential selection of courses and to avoid delays in the student completing the Social Work program. Any deviation from this curriculum should be done in consultation with the Social Work Program Coordinator.
Academic credit for life experience and previous work experience is not given, in whole or in part, in lieu of the field practicum or for courses in the professional foundation areas specified in the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS). Social Work credit earned at a school accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) is reviewed and evaluated by the BSW Program Coordinator for transferability.
Prerequisite General Education Courses for Major (9 semester hours)
SOC 2301 General Sociology (General Education)
PSY 2301 General Psychology (General Education)
SOC/GER/MAT 2326 Introductory Statistics Course (General Education)
Required Major Courses (43 semester hours)
The BSW curriculum prepares its graduates for generalist practice through mastery of the core competencies (as noted above) based on a professional curriculum. Students will take the following courses:
SOW 3363 Introduction to Social Work
SOW 3368 Social Welfare Policy I
SOW 3369 Social Welfare Policy II
SOW 3375 Social Work Methods I
SOW 3376 Social Work Methods II
SOW 3370 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I
SOW 4340 Human Behavior and the Social Environment II
SOW 3101 BSW Professional Seminar
SOW 3302 Social Work Research
SOW 4302 Applied SW Research
SOW 4343 Ethics in SW Practice
SOW 3641 Field Instruction I
SOW 4641 Field Instruction II
Required Related/Suggested Electives (18 semester hours)
SOC 3356 Sociology of the Family
SOC 4364 Race and Culture or SOC 3343 Cultural Diversity
SOC 3356/SOC 4364 or 3343 - 6 semester hours, must be taken among related and support courses. Other elective courses - 12 semester hours should be selected in consultation with the major adviser to fit student’s area of interest.
Notes
SOW (social work) courses are offered in sequential order and offered once a year with the exception of SOW 3363 Introduction to Social Work
Students who intend to apply to an advanced standing MSW (Master of Social Work) degree program may want to take a Human Biology or Human Development course while matriculating in the BSW program for admissions consideration in an advanced MSW (master of Social Work) degree program. Not all programs are the same and thus students should always look at the requirements of the graduate program of interest.
Policies
Students may receive conditional or provisional acceptance if they do not meet the special admissions requirements; this determination is based on the decision of the Admissions Committee.
Students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 and a 2.5 GPA within the social work major to be eligible to enroll in SOW 3641 Field Instruction I.
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