Bachelor of Social Work in Social Work

Using your God-given gifts to help those in need

Do you have a heart for social justice and helping those in need? Congratulations. You have what it takes to change the world and be a social worker. We need people like you! People with both zeal and compassion are uncommon and have what it takes to create change and make a difference in the world . This an opportunity to use your God-given gifts to serve God and the world, and have a fulfilling career.

Program Overview

Let’s talk about the long term. Upon graduation you’ll have acquired the skills and knowledge and a year of practice experience to immediately enter into generalist professional practice. So, how do you get there? Everything that you learn will be centered around the Council on Social Work Education’s (CSWE) nine competencies. They include: demonstrating professional behavior, advancing human rights, using practice-informed research and research-informed practice, and engaging with a diverse range of people.

What makes us unique? Simple. Our philosophy of education. We believe that Christian service, quality research, and hands-on learning are the best ingredients for your growth as a competent professional. You’ll learn comprehensive methods in providing support and counsel to individuals, families, and groups, communities and organizations in need.

The primary mission of the CUAA Social Work program is to prepare graduates for baccalaureate level, generalist, social work practice, within the context of faith, service and social justice. To fulfil this mission, the CUAA Social Work program is based on CSWE’s nine competencies:

Demonstrate Ethical & Professional Behavior
Engage Diversity and Difference in Practice
Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice
Engage in Practice-informed Research and Research-informed Practice
Engage in Policy Practice
Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations and Communities
Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

Areas of Practice

BSW’s are valued by employers. The BSW program educates students for professional Social Work practice and prepares them for entry level positions in all areas of Social Work and social service professions. Some of the areas of practice include:

Addictions
Aging
Criminal Justice
- Probation services
- Police and government agencies
- Juvenile Justice programs
Family & Children Services
- Children & youth services
- Child welfare agencies
- Domestic violence programs
- Family services
- Human trafficking services
Health Care
- Home health agencies
- Hospices
- Public Health
- Inter-Professional Health Education and Services
- Hospitals
  - Medical care
  - Psychological care
  - Emergency Care
  - Rehabilitation Services
Mental Health
- Mental health services
- Developmental Disabilities
- Community Mental Health Services

Schools
- School Social Work (elementary & secondary)
- Day Care Centers
- Special Education
Social Welfare
- Community action agencies
- Homeless Shelters and Services
- Residential Treatment Programs

Fieldwork

Fieldwork is all about applying what you learn in the classroom to real life. You will participate in a year-long, professionally-supervised internship experience and complete 450 hours. We encourage you to explore many options for your field experience and remain open to the unknown. Field experience is an integral part of becoming a social worker. It not only allows you to explore the diverse opportunities that are offered in social work practice, but it allows you to discover your strengths, assets and passion. As a CUAA student intern, you get to develop and demonstrate your abilities under the supervision of professionals. To heighten this experience, you’ll participate in weekly mentoring seminars with experienced faculty to debrief and analyze specific events. Learn more about field work in our manual.

Complementary Majors/Minors

Social work majors have the option of working creatively with their advisors to design individualized degree options for double majors and/or minors. Some of the options have included:

Criminal Justice
Education
Lay Ministry Certification
Music
Political Science
Psychology
Social Science
Spanish

Questions?

Joanne Bernard
BSW Program Coordinator
Social.work@cuaa.edu

What to Expect

Your classes will consist of understanding human behavior, policy, ethics, the use of theory in practice, research and how to build relationships with individuals, families, groups, communities and organizations. Guess what? That is exactly what you’ll be further developing through your field experience/internship. This significant requirement helps you prepare for your first professional position by allowing to you apply your knowledge, values and skills in a real-world setting. Our faculty will give you the tools needed for generalist, social work practice within the context of faith, service to others, and social justice.

Locations

Ann Arbor

Outcomes & Paths

Career Paths

Individuals
Families and Children
Groups
Communities
Organizations
International Collaborations
Politics
Health Care
Aging
Addictions

BSW Admission

Students cannot enroll in upper division Social Work courses (SW 300 or SW 400 level) or begin a field placement until they have completed the application and been accepted into the upper division program.

Prior to official acceptance into Upper Division Status, students are expected to take the two introductory social work courses, SW 225 (Social Work & Social Welfare) and SW 235 (Introduction to Child Welfare) during their freshman and sophomore years. Students must receive at least a "C" in all social work courses. Students who receive at least a “B” in all Social Work courses may be eligible for advanced standing in a Master of Social Work (MSW) program.

Complete an Application for Admission into Upper Division Status in the Social Work Major. A completed application includes:

Completion of Application for Admission Form
Completion of a Personal Narrative
Submission of Current Academic Transcript and spring class schedule
Interview with the Director of the Social Work Program or other social work faculty

Application materials are due the first Friday in February of the sophomore year. Upper Division classes will begin the fall semester of junior year and will take four semesters to complete.

Accreditation

Our Social Work program at CUAA is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Why is this important? Graduating from a CSWE accredited school is necessary for you to take the exam for Social Work licensing. Being a licensed social worker allows you to practice as a professional with the title of Social Worker and allows you to gain Advanced Standing in future social work graduate programs. In other words, accreditation ought to be a weighty factor when selecting a school. It is worth noting that CUAA is one of only two schools in the Concordia University system with an accredited social work program.

The Department of Social Work is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. The Department will, under no circumstances, give credit for prior work or life experiences. This is in compliance with CSWE Educational Policy and Accreditation Standard 3.1.5.r

Click here to view our Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes and our Student Handbook.

Sarah Collins

Elizabeth P. Talbot

Department Chair - Social Work, Professor

Curriculum

The curriculum for the Social Work program includes foundational courses in social welfare, human behavior, research methods, and fieldwork, as well as the liberal arts core.

In addition to the curriculum, BSW students are also required to complete Service Learning and IPE hours in preparation for their field placement. These hours will be completed between their freshman year and the summer prior to senior year.

Service learning is an opportunity for students to become involved with the Social Work community through a social service organization, learning first-hand some of the ins and outs of Social Work practice.

Interprofessional Education (IPE) is essential for students preparing for careers in the health and social care fields. The goal of IPE is for students to develop competencies and skills to work in collaborative, team-based environments that are patient/client-centered.

Service learning and IPE have multiple functions. 1) Provide unique experiences that prepare you for the field internship. 2) Provide experiences that build your resume and strengthen your competitiveness for employment. 3) Increase confidence in your ability to be a Social Worker. 4) Fulfill the Christian mission of developing in mind, body and spirit for service to Christ in the church and the world.

Social Work Resources