Catalogue: Traditional Program:
Social Work
Social Work (SWK)
Associate Professor Gaddis
The Bachelor of Social Work program is the study of the professional activity of helping individuals, families, groups, organizations, or communities at the local and global level. The goal is to give students the skills to assist these systems to improve or recover their ability to function successfully in society. It also involves the creation of conditions within society conducive to realizing that goal. The degree prepares students for entry level generalist social work practice at the micro and macro levels. It also challenges students to appropriately integrate their studies and the Christian faith. (The program will pursue accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education.)
The Bachelor of Social Work degree consists of a course of study including a 33 semester hour core of social work courses which requires a field placement of 400 hours. The degree is supported by 54 hours of general education classes and 7 hours of electives. Courses are taken in sequence with each course developed to build on previous courses in the sequence. All students in the BSW program will gain real-world experience through SWK 350 and 351.
In compliance with standards of accreditation, social work students must apply for admission to the Social Work program. Application should be submitted soon after completing SWK 200. Applications are located in the Social Work department.
B.S.W. : 124 hours to include all General Education coursework as well as BIB 360; WVC 301, 401; PSC 102; SOC 101, 201, 202, 220; PSY 202, 312; 303; IST 201; SWK 200, 250, 300, 301, 350, 351, 370, 470, 471, 450, 451 and electives.
| 200 | Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare (3) An introduction to the social work profession and to the philosophy, concepts, and values of social work practice. Also included is an overview of the historical development of the profession and current fields of practice. Current fields of practice will be explored. Included in this exploration will be social work as ministry. A Biblical perspective of social responsibility will be discussed. |
| 250 | Social Welfare Policy and Ethics (3) Prerequisite: SWK 200 Current local and national social welfare policies will be examined. Factors influencing the development of policies as well as models of social policy analysis will be discussed. Also provided are policy implications for social work practice. Students will be exposed to the legislative process by participating in Social Work Legislative Day during the Mississippi Legislative session. The student will be challenged to examine how their personal worldview may or may not align with policies developed within the context of a secular. How the student will professionally and ethically balance potential discrepancies will be explored. |
| 300 | Human Behavior and the Social Environment I (3) Prerequisites: SOC 101, PSY 201 or 202, BIO 105 and 107 Presents the development of the individual through the life cycle, focusing on the biological, cultural, psychological and social systems as they affect human behavior. Included in the discussion will be the potential impact of one’s worldview on human behavior. |
| 301 | Human Behavior and the Social Environment II (3) Prerequisite: SWK 300 Presents the social systems theory of understanding human behavior within families, groups, organizations and communities. Particular emphasis is placed on the social, cultural, psychological, spiritual, and biological factors influencing the dynamics of human growth and development within the social environment. Worldview dynamics as they function within the larger social system will also be discussed. |
| 350 | Social Work Practice I (3) Prerequisites: SWK 200 An analysis of the methods and techniques of social service practice with an emphasis on work with individuals. Topics include ethics of practice, assessment, and intervention methods. |
| 351 | Social Work Practice II (3) Prerequisite: SWK 350 A continuation of SWK 350. Examines the methods and techniques of practice with families, groups and communities. Topics include family and group dynamics, assessment and intervention methods, and dynamics of community organization. |
| 370 | Interviewing in Social Work (3) Prerequisites: Social work majors only: SWK 200 Provides an introduction to the basic skills in working with people. Course content includes interviewing techniques and methods, facilitative skills with an emphasis on the acquisition of effective helping skills. The student will be instructed in skills which incorporate the client’s worldview in the interview process. |
| 450-451 | Social Work Field Seminar (2) Prerequisite: All core social work courses completed successfully. Social work majors only. Taken concurrently with SWK with SWK 470-471. A seminar to facilitate the integration of knowledge from previous courses with the practicum experience. Additionally, the course will address current social work issues such as ethical dilemmas, integrating personal faith with professional practice, current practice trends, and specialized case study reviews, and the use of appropriate research methods to evaluate practice in the practicum placement. |
| 470-471 | Social Work Field Experience (10) Prerequisites: All core social work courses completed successfully. Social work majors only. Taken concurrently with SWK 450-451. Requires 400 hours during two semesters of unpaid field experience related to the student’s academic and life goals. The field experience is designed to provide professionally supervised experience in the research and application of principles of behavior and modification in selected settings. Focus is on implementing knowledge from precious courses with practice skills, as well as learning the structure, function and policies of social work agencies. |
