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The Faculty
The Major
Course
Offerings
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Source:
2005-2006 Catalog
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BSW Mission Statement: Education for competence in social work practice
is the guiding mission of the Department of Social Work, Washburn University.
The Baccalaureate program in Social Work (BSW) provides a respectful,
supportive approach to learning while maintaining high academic standards.
The program is committed to providing opportunities to students who may
otherwise experience barriers to higher education. Originating from the
historical roots of social work, the BSW program is inextricably linked
with the core values of the profession. The program demonstrates its commitment
to maintaining the integrity of its mission through the integration of
content throughout the entire curriculum relevant to the ongoing pursuit
of social and economic justice: the value, worth, and dignity of all persons,
the belief in client self-determination, and the capacity for growth.
The BSW program is designed to prepare undergraduate social work students
for generalist practice and to meet multi-level client needs of Topeka
and the surrounding region. Emanating from a strong liberal arts education,
the BSW program integrates an ongoing commitment to a lifetime of learning
and professional development. Individual courses are integrated within
the foundation curriculum and are designed to facilitate students' master
of the generalist base of social work practice.
Student Learning Outcomes:
Social Work students at Washburn University, upon graduation, are expected
to have:
- demonstrated an over-arching commitment to social work values as
evidenced by honoring human diversity, dedication to working with populations
at risk, and working towards the elimination of social and economic
injustice;
- used critical thinking and logical problem solving skills to analyze
ethical dilemmas, analyze policy, assess their practice effectiveness,
perform client assessments, and determine appropriate generalist interventions;
- demonstrated mastery of the knowledge base of social work;
- acquired an understanding of the history and current mission of social
work profession and explain the primary generalist perspectives, including
the person-in-environment model, traditional and alternative theories
of human interaction and development, and the bio-psych-social-cultural
frameworks;
- demonstrated an integrative knowledge of theories and skills for
improving the well-being of individuals, families, groups, and agencies,
communities, and the larger environment; and
- developed skills for the appropriate and effective use of self in
generalist practice, the ability to use supervision for their professional
development, and an ongoing commitment to leaning and skill building.
The Program
The Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program is designed to provide students
with the professional ethics, theories, and skills necessary for entry
level practice of generalist social work. The social work degree is built
upon a strong liberal arts education that includes the ability to read
intelligently, write effectively, listen sensitively, speak with clarity,
think critically, and demonstrate appreciation for the diversity of people
and culture.
Careers in social work occur in a variety of settings, such as public/state
social services, hospitals, schools, mental health agencies, courts, nursing
homes, crisis centers, and children and family service agencies. Career
options include direct practice with clients, administration, social planning,
and legislative advocacy.
The BSW program may be completed in four years by full-time students.
Two lower division courses, Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare
(SW 100) and Generalist Social Work Perspectives (SW 250), are recommended
for the freshmen or sophomore year. Foundation theory and skills courses
may then be completed in the sophomore and junior years. The culmination
of the BSW program is the Field Practicum Placement. Two practicum courses
are required for majors, in which students develop their social work practice
skills in a community agency, under the direct supervision of a licensed
social worker that is arranged by the Field Practicum Office.
Licensure Eligibility
All graduates of the BSW program are eligible to pursue licensure at the
baccalaureate level (LBSW) in the State of Kansas and in other states
that require social work licensing or registration at the baccalaureate
level. This licensure is necessary for the practice of social work, and
satisfactory completion of an accredited social work program is necessary
to be eligible for the LBSW (requirements vary from state to state).
Program Accreditation
Washburn University's BSW program is fully accredited by the Council on
Social Work Education (CSWE).
BSW Policies
BSW Handbook/Field Practicum Manual
All social work major students will receive a copy of the BSW Handbook/Field
Practicum Manual. This BSW Handbook/Field Practicum Manual includes detailed
information regarding the BSW program. All policies regarding courses,
scheduling, grading, and practicum determinations are provided. Students
are expected to carefully read the BSW Handbook/Field Practicum Manual
and to comply fully with all of its provisions. To this end, students
who are admitted to the BSW Program are required to sign attestations
indicating a willingness to comply with rules and policies contained in
the student handbook. In addition, students admitted to the BSW Program
are required to sign attestations concerning the university’s Academic
Integrity and Honesty Policy; the department’s policies regarding
confidentiality, e-mail and mail folders, courtesy expectations, adherence
to the writing style conventions contained in the American Psychological
Association Publication Manual (5th Edition), e-mail and mail; and compliance
with the Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers
(NASW).
Requirements for Admission to the BSW Program
A student can declare social work as a major at any time. To do so, he
or she must be a Washburn University undergraduate student in good standing
with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0. However, to proceed
beyond the sophomore year in the Social Work Department, a student must
apply for and be formally admitted to the BSW Program. Transfer students
who have completed social work courses at another university must obtain
formal admission to the BSW program in order to establish their eligibility
to apply for field practicum training.
1. The applicant must be accepted as a student in good standing at Washburn
University as defined in the current Washburn University Catalog.
2. The student must have a Declaration of Major in Social Work form on
file in the Social Work Department.
3. The applicant must complete a minimum of 24 hours of college credits
with an overall or cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or above on a
4.0 scale.
4. The student must successfully complete Introduction to Social Work
and Social Welfare (SW100) or Generalist Social Work Perspectives (SW250).
5. The applicant must complete and submit an Application for Admission,
with the current academic advising plan developed with a social work faculty
advisor.
6. The student must have on file a positive recommendation from a member
of the social work teaching faculty.
7. The applicant must complete an admission interview with the Baccalaureate
Program Director or the Chair of the Social Work Department.
Procedure
1. The prospective BSW student must meet with a Social Work Department
advisor, develop an academic advising file, complete required forms, declare
a major in social work, and successfully complete 24 hours of credits
(sophomore status) including SW 100 or SW 250.
2. The prospective BSW student will complete the BSW Program Application
and provide a reference from a member of the social work faculty. The
application and reference forms are available in the Social Work Department
Office.
Transfer students who have previously completed a course equivalent to
SW 100 or SW 250 may elect to submit reference forms from a former professor
who is qualified to assess their suitability for the study of professional
social work practice at the baccalaureate level.
1. Applicants for admission to the BSW program will schedule a personal
interview with the Baccalaureate Program Director, the Chair of the Social
Work Department, or a designated member of the social work faculty. The
purpose of the interview is to review the application and obtain official
acceptance into the BSW program.
2. The student is advised in writing regarding her or his admission to
the BSW program.
In accordance with Washburn University regulations and policies, and
the social work department policies and procedures, social work faculty
and field instructors may request the social work department to re-evaluate
student readiness for professional social work practice at any point in
the program if warranted by apparent infraction of Washburn University
Disciplinary Code, University Academic Impropriety Policy, the National
Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics, the State of Kansas
Regulations defining professional misconduct, or by an observed pattern
of recurring behavior that is socially and/or professionally inappropriate
in any situation, particularly social work education and practice settings.
GRADUATE PROGRAM IN SOCIAL WORK (MSW)
The Master of Social Work is administered by the Department of Social
Work. For complete information about the MSW program, see Graduate Programs
in the index.
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