Social Work. Career opportunities A bachelor of social work will prepare you to work in settings such as the following:

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1 Bonnie Holiday, Chair and Director Emily Dixon, Director of Field Instruction Randy Baxter Nathan Foster Jaclyn Caroffino, Adjunct mission The social work program of Spring Arbor University is dedicated to helping students build upon and integrate their liberal arts foundation with the knowledge and skills of the social work profession, and to apply social work and Christian values to ethical social work practice. We are also dedicated to preparing competent generalist social workers who are sensitive to and appreciative of diversity, committed to social and economic justice, and prepared to empower individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities. The discipline of social work involves using a planned problem-solving process to help individuals improve relationships and resolve problems. A distinction of this profession is a focus on how individuals and their environment interact which gives social workers a wide variety of options for intervention. Social workers are especially interested in helping those people who are most at risk due to social and economic injustices and discrimination. Social workers with a bachelor of social work (BSW) are prepared to work with a wide variety of client populations in a wide variety of settings. A BSW from an accredited program also makes you eligible for admission into advanced standing master of social work (MSW) programs, which prepares you for specialized practice, including individual, family and group psychotherapy. Career opportunities A bachelor of social work will prepare you to work in settings such as the following: developmental disabilities services program strengths and emphases The social work program at Spring Arbor University is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. A major strength of our program is a faculty dedicated to mentoring, nurturing and supporting students as they develop academically, spiritually and professionally. Students take classes in sequence that allows them to build supporting and caring relationships with each other. The curriculum focuses on a balance between theory and skill development in small classes that provides ample opportunity for active participation. 220

2 Our faculty have extensive practice experience in social work and create learning experiences that reflect actual agency experiences. The curriculum also provides direct experience working in the social work field through a junior level exploratory and senior level internship. Students majoring in social work are encouraged to explore how their Christian beliefs can be integrated with the knowledge, skills and values of the profession as they prepare for their professional career. Application to the major is required before junior level practice courses are taken. Freshmen, sophomores and transfer students can declare their intent to major in social work and will be assigned to a social work advisor who will help them prepare for admission to the major. Application to the major takes place after completion of SWK 281 Introduction to Social Work. Transfer students who have completed the equivalent of SWK 281 at another accredited program may provisionally take one semester of junior-level courses while they apply to and are accepted into the program. 1. Completion of 40 credits of general education and liberal arts requirements. 2. Cumulative grade point average of Successful completion of SWK 281 (C+ or better). 4. Timely submission of application materials for admission to the social work major. These materials can be obtained from and returned to the program director. 5. Personal interview with social work faculty. note: The decision as to whether all requirements are adequately met for admission to the social work major will be made by the social work faculty. See the Social Work Handbook for more information. The social work major requires 18 credits of support courses and 43 major credits in a sequence. Because the curriculum has been developed to build on previous learning, deviations from this sequence will be allowed only in extreme circumstances, and require approval from your social work advisor. No life-learning credit will be granted for social work course credit. The following courses required for the major also meet liberal arts requirements: ECN 101, PSY 100 or SOC 101 meets one social science requirement. BIO 100 or PSY 403 meets the laboratory science requirement. SWK 351 meets the math requirement. requirements The 43-hour requires: SWK 281 Introduction to Social Work (3) SWK 305 Human Behavior in the Social Environment (3) SWK 311 Racial and Ethnic Relations (3) SWK 335 Interviewing (3) SWK 340 Practice with Individuals and Families (3) SWK 351 Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences (3) SWK 352 Research Design (4) SWK 442 Social Welfare Policies (3) SWK 446 Practice with Groups (3) SWK 447 Practice with Communities and Organizations (3) SWK 450 Internship (10) SWK 480 Senior Seminar (2) Required support courses: BIO 100 Principles of Biology OR PSY 403 Physiological Psychology (4) (with permission) ECN 101 Introduction to Economics (3) OR ECN 221 Intro. to Microeconomics (3) OR ECN 222 intro. to Macroeconomics (3) POL 213 American National Govt (3) OR POL 214 State and Local Government (3) PSY 100 Introduction to Psychology (4) SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology (4) Note: SWK 285 Exploratory Experience is highly recommended. note: Social work majors also completing a sociology or psychology minor can count SWK 351 and 352 toward both major and minor. The 22-hour child welfare endorsement requires: SWK 305 Human Behavior in the Social Environment (3) SWK 340 Practice with Individuals and Families (3) SWK 307 Child Welfare (3) 221

3 222 SWK 341 Trauma Informed Child Welfare (3) SWK Internship (in a child welfare organization) (10) SWK 242 Death, grief and Loss (3) For course description see SOC 242. Also listed as PSY 242. (Offered in spring of odd academic year.) For course description see SOC 246. Also listed as PSY 246. (Offered in spring of odd academic years.) SWK 250 marriage and Family (3) For course description see SOC 250. (Offered in fall and spring.) An introduction to the field of social work. Knowledge will be gained of various practice settings, the history of social work, and the purposes and values that guide social work practice with individuals, groups, organizations, communities and social welfare. Case studies, guest speakers and videos are used to introduce the social issues and vulnerable populations that social work is concerned with. You will be encouraged to assess your potential as a social worker through self-reflection and course assignments. Prerequisite: Sophomore status. (Offered in fall.) An overview of normal biological, psychological and social development of individuals from a life-span and family life-cycle perspective. An emphasis on how the interaction of the individual, culture, race, gender and the social environment affect human behavior using social systems theory. Issues of gender and other current social problems associated with the family life-cycle will be addressed. This course provides the theoretical foundation for social work practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities. Additional theory of group and community behavior will be provided in SWK 446 and 447. For SWK majors: Co-requisite: SWK 281. Prerequisites: BIO 100, PSY 100, SOC 101. (Offered in fall and online in spring.) SWK 307 Child Welfare (3) Course is designed for students who would like to work with children and families in any type of setting. Content includes concepts, policies, and practices in the broad field of family and child services. Students will gain knowledge of the traditional child welfare services, as well as current concentrations or specializations that are more broadly defined as services to families, children, and youth. The objective is to prepare students to be aware of policies and services that impact children and families and to be aware of services available for children and families who are experiencing problems. (Offered in fall and online.) Course explores human development from age 40 through death. Research on developmental issues such as the changing family, work and retirement, faith, leisure, biological changes, and health will be explored. Developmental tasks and personality characteristics that lead to successful aging will be discussed. Social policies that impact on the ability to meet personal needs will also be analyzed. Of special interest will be the exploration of how the Baby Boomers are and will be changing our definitions of aging. (Offered fall of odd academic years.) For description see SOC 311. (Offered in fall, spring, and online.) This course explores the complex nature of volunteerism using a multidisciplinary approach. Students explore theoretical concepts from sociology, social work, business, history, communications, theology, motivation, and education as they engage in an exploration of what constitutes volunteer administration. Interactive exercises explore such topics as who is volunteering in the U.S. today, the impact of age on volunteer behavior, the history of formalized volunteering, the influence of religion on voluntary behavior, and more. There is also a review of the elements essential to the effective organization and management of a successful volunteer program. (Offered online.) An introduction to the researched-based theory and techniques of interviewing for the helping relationship. This is a pre-practice course that will teach interviewing skills necessary for effective practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities. Role playing will be used to practice skills within the classroom setting as well as interview assignments outside the classroom. Prerequisite: SWK 305, or permission. Concurrent with SWK 340. (Offered in spring.) Course covers theoretical foundations of generalist social work practice with individuals and families. Theories of Human Behavior and Social Environment (HBSE) will be applied to practice of assessment, goal-setting, intervention, termination and practice evaluation. Special attention given to intervention with diverse and vulnerable populations. Case materials and role-playing will be used. Problem solving process is learned that will also

4 be applied to practice with groups, organizations and communities. Prerequisite: SWK 305. Concurrent with SWK 335. (Offered in spring.) SWK 341 Trauma informed Child Welfare (3) This course will provide future child welfare practitioners with foundational knowledge related to trauma and child traumatic stress. It will focus utilizing a trauma lens to examine practice with children and families within the child welfare system, and the role of the social worker in effectively identifying traumatic stress, responding to children and families in a trauma-informed manner, and ensuring that they receive trauma-specific treatment services. (Online) Descriptive statistics (measures of central tendency and dispersion, graphical representation of data), inferential statistics (binomial and normal distributions, central limit theorem, standard tests of significance), and special statistical techniques (analysis of variance, linear regression, chi square test). Students have found it helpful to take SWK 351 and 352 concurrently. Also listed as POL 351 and PSY 351. (Offered fall and spring.) Basic theory of research design is used to design a proposal for doing program outcome evaluation, needs assessment, and single subject research. Primarily covers design and analysis of quantitative research with introduction to qualitative research methods. Students use Micro Case to understand how statistics are used to report research results. Course material will also prepare students for reading and using professional research articles. Students have found it helpful to take SWK 351 and 352 concurrently. Prerequisite: SWK 351 or concurrent. (Offered in fall and spring.) For description see SOC 360. (Offered in spring of even academic years) The Social Work Program offers courses on campus, weekend college, or online, that cover topics that are of special interest to social workers or those new to the field of social work. Please contact social work faculty for information on course scheduling and topics. (Limited offering.) The Carol Lee Seminar is a day-long meeting (usually a Saturday) that focuses on some aspect of death, grief and loss utilizing the expertise of a guest speaker. Independent reading and writing will also be required allowing the student to further explore an aspect of death, grief or loss. Also listed as PSY 380. (Offered in spring of even years.) See SOC 382 for course description. Also listed as HIS 382. (Offered in spring of even years.) Provides a review of the historical development and philosophical basis of social work s response to those in need and of social welfare policy. Will also examine the current welfare system with the purpose to enable students to develop beginning practice skills in the construction, analysis and implementation of social welfare policy at local, state and national levels. This course will prepare students to effectively utilize social policy as a generalist social worker. ECN 101. (Offered in fall online, and spring.) Theories of group behavior and the impact of group participation on human behavior are covered with emphasis on how these theories can be used in applying the problem-solving methods for treatment and task groups. Systems theory is used to understand how the social work profession makes use of groups to accomplish individual, family, organizational and/or community goals. Content on issues of diversity within and between various groups in our society. Content covers group dynamics, group development, group decision-making, use of self within group dynamics, group leadership skills and evaluation of group practice. Students practice group dynamics in the classroom through role-play. Prerequisites: SWK 335 and SWK 340. (Offered in fall.) organizations (3) This course builds on theory of human behavior in the social environment gained in SWK 305 and SWK 446 by providing additional theory of community and organizational behavior. The primary focus is on a macroperspective involving work with and in the community. The course is designed to teach students how social work uses knowledge and skills in organizing and planning to change or reform social conditions and to achieve better organization and coordination of community systems for meeting human needs. Students integrate their knowledge of theory and practice by developing and implementing a group project in the community. Prerequisites: SWK 305, SWK 335, SWK 340. Concurrent with SWK 446. (Offered in fall.) 223

5 SWK 450 internship (10) Participation in a social service program in a community agency, under the educational direction of social work professionals and university faculty. Students advance their knowledge of the profession and refine their generalist practice skills. The internship will involve 400 hours that can be split between interim and spring semesters. Graded S/U. Prerequisites: Admission to the Designed to integrate the concepts, knowledge and values learned in previous course work with agency experience. This capstone course provides opportunities for students to share learning experiences from agency placement and to demonstrate their competencies through a series of integration assignments. Prerequisite: Admission to the SWK (Offered in spring and online.) See SOC 484 for description. Also listed as POL 484. (Offered in fall.) 224