SOCIAL WORK

 

Sociology/Social Work Department

 

Department Chairperson: Associate Professor Daniel

Faculty: Associate Professor Siefert; Assistant Professor Cannavo

 

 

Social Work Program Mission Statement

 

The mission of the Social Work program is to prepare students to be professionally responsible beginning generalist practitioners who will intervene on behalf of diverse groups. This preparation includes education in foundational knowledge, skills, and values necessary for work with client systems of all sizes. Through the integration of classroom instruction and community-based learning opportunities, students are prepared for leadership in the community and the profession.

 

Program Goals

 

The Bachelor of Arts in Social Work degree program is comprised of a two-year lower division and an additional two-year upper division undergraduate curriculum, which has as its primary goals:

 

1.         To promote the development of professional entry-level social work practitioners.

 

2.         To provide students with opportunities to develop and demonstrate leadership skills in the community.

 

3.         To prepare students to pursue graduate level social work education.

 

Program Objectives

 

Graduates of the Daemen College Social Work program will demonstrate:

 

1.         that they have internalized both a professional identity and professional responsibility required for effective social work practice;

 

2.         the ability to apply knowledge, practice and problem-solving skills included in the generalist model of social work practice with client systems of all sizes;

 

3.         leadership skills by advancing social justice      within organizations and delivery systems on behalf neighborhoods and communities;

 

4.         the ability to integrate the bio-psychosocial sources of human development into their social work practice;

 

5.         the capacity to apply empirical principles to       evaluate and advance their practice and evaluate and apply research results to their practice;

 

6.         critical thinking skills necessary to analyze, formulate, and influence social policy within the context of past and present social work and social welfare issues.

 

The program of study leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Work is accredited at the baccalaureate level by the Commission on Accreditation of the Council on Social Work Education.

 

The Social Work curriculum is carefully sequenced around a professional foundation that includes content on social work values and ethics, diversity, social and economic justice, populations-at-risk, human behavior and the social environment, social welfare policy and services, social work research, social work practice, and a field practicum.

 

Admission Requirement:

Freshmen are admitted to the Social Work program on a conditional basis. In the second semester of the sophomore year, conditionally accepted students submit an application for full acceptance into the Social Work program.

 

B.A. SOCIAL WORK

 

Degree Requirements:

SOC 201        Introduction to Sociology

PSY 103        Introductory Psychology

BIO 103          Human Biology

MTH 104        Survey of Statistics

 

Successful completion of foreign language requirement through the intermediate level.

 

SOC 224        Ethnicity, Race & Cultural Diversity

SOC 303        Sociology of the Family

            or SW 411     Intervention in Marriage and Family Problems

PSY 408        The Psychology of Mental Illness

SW 213          The Social Welfare Institution

SW 214          Introduction to Social Work

 

Upper Division Courses:

 

SW 311          Methods of Social Work Research I

SW 312          Methods of Social Work Research II

SW 325          Foundations of Generalist Practice I

SW 326          Foundations of Generalist Practice II

SW 333          Human Behavior & the Social Environment I

SW 334          Human Behavior & the Social Environment II

SW 424          Foundations of Generalist Practice III

SW 432          Contemporary Social Welfare Policy & Services

SW 451          Field Experience in Social Work I

SW 452          Field Experience in Social Work II

SW 454          Foundations of Generalist Practice IV

 

Six (6) credits in Social Work/Sociology selected from the following courses:

SW 217          Alcoholism, Substance Abuse & Other Addictions

SW 232          The Aging Process: Introduction to Gerontology

SW/SOC 243            Child Welfare Services & Policy

SW 327          Death, Dying & Bereavement

 

Admission to Upper Division*:

 

The Social Work Program is interested in accepting students in the program who wish to develop and demonstrate leadership skills in the community as beginning generalist practitioners. To prepare for the foundational courses, students applying for admission to upper division must complete the requirements identified below by the date that graduating seniors’ grades are due for the spring semester.

 

1.         Completion of the following courses: BIO 103, SOC 201, 213, 214, 224, 303,

            PSY 103, PSY 408, MTH 104; and three credit hours each in Government and

            Economics.

 

2.         A cumulative grade point average of 2.5 at the end of the sophomore year (students with a cumulative GPA between 2.0 and 2.49 may be conditionally admitted to upper division at the discretion of the program faculty) and a C or better in all Social Work courses.

 

3.         Human Service Experience: Submission of evidence of 50 hours of volunteer experience in a community service/human service program.

 

4.         Completion of the upper division application including a personal statement.

 

5.         Submission of two letters of recommendation.

 

6.         Satisfactory completion of interview with the Social Work Admissions Committee.

 

* Transfer students must submit an application for upper division at the time of acceptance to the college and prior to registration for classes. See Social Work Student Handbook for other criteria.

 

Continuance in Upper Division

 

Requirements for continuance in upper division: maintenance of a 2.5 cumulative GPA, a letter grade of C or better in all Social Work courses and adherence to the NASW Code of Ethics.

 

Admission to Field Experience (SW 451-452):

 

1.         Upper division status and maintenance of a 2.5 cumulative grade point average.

2.         A total of 100 hours of community service learning in the Community Partnership

            Program.

3.         C or better in all social work courses.

4.         Completion of Field Placement Experience application packet.

5.         Of the six social work elective credits, complete three credits in the area of the student’s professional interest prior to the beginning of field placement.

6.         Satisfactorily complete an interview with the Field Coordinator to determine readiness for placement and placement issues.

 

Continuance in Field Experience

 

Requirements for continuance in the field experience: Maintenance of a 2.5 cumulative GPA, a grade of passing (P) in SW 451 and a grade of C or better in all Social Work courses, and adherence to the NASW Code of Ethics. All non-social work requirements for the baccalaureate degree must be fulfilled or taken concurrently with SW 452.