Department of Social Work

Professors
 B.J. Bryson, L.P. Donaldson, H. Yeom

Associate Professors
S. Funge, K. Myers, N. Poe

Assistant Professors
S. Isom, H. Kang, N. Miller

Mission Statement

The Department of Social Work prepares generalist social workers committed to strengthening community life for diverse individuals, families, groups and organizations and promoting social justice through advocacy and action.

The department offers a B.S.W. degree program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. In addition, it offers two minors in family studies (with family ecology or gerontology foci) and nonprofit studies.

The Department of Social Work is committed to: 

• Preparing students to work effectively in a broad spectrum of social service agencies to address poverty, and challenge multiple forms of oppression, social injustice, and other human rights violations.
• Preparing students for life-long professional learning and advanced academic study by providing an environment geared toward achieving academic excellence.
• Advancing excellence and integrity through the development of high-quality academic programs through high-impact teaching and engaged learning.
• Making contributions to professional knowledge through varied forms of scholarship.
• Responding to the profession and communities by providing service and continuing education opportunities.

Career Opportunities and Marketable Skills

Career Opportunities

• Aging services
• Child and adult day care centers
• Children and youth services
• Community action agencies
• Criminal justice agencies
• Domestic violence programs
• Family service agencies
• Homeless shelters
• Hospitals/home health programs/hospices
• Income maintenance programs
• Legal services agencies
• Behavioral and mental health services
• Services to people with developmental disabilities
• Nursing homes and residential communities
• Public child welfare/child protection services
• Residential treatment facilities
• School programs
• Substance use programs
• Vocational rehabilitation services

Marketable Skills

• Advocacy
• Assessment
• Case management/brokering
• Communication
• Community outreach
• Crisis intervention
• Group facilitation
• Intake/referral
• Intervention/service planning
• Interviewing
• Networking
• Policy analysis
• Problem solving
• Program development/evaluation
• Recording/writing
• Relationship-building/interpersonal
• Research
• Service provision
• Team/group/collaborative

Co-curricular Activities and Organizations

The Social Work Organization (SWO) offers the opportunity to socialize, meet professionals and volunteer in the community. Membership in SWO is open to any student interested in a career in the helping professions.

Phi Alpha Honor Society is to promote academic excellence among social work students. Membership in Phi Alpha is by invitation to students with a minimum of nine credit hours in required social work course holding a major grade point average (GPA) of 3.25 and a cumulative GPA of 3.0.

Admission and Retention Requirements

Information on admission to programs within the Department of Social Work, retention and minimum grade requirements may be found on the individual program pages listed below:

Programs

• Social Work, B.S.W.