Give Hope. Serve Others. Change Lives!
If you have a heart for helping those in need, then consider becoming a social worker who gives hope, serves others and changes lives! The Social Work Program at CUAA will prepare you to make a difference with communities, families and individuals. Concordia's BSW integrates faith with service and provides an opportunity to use your God-given gifts to serve God and neighbor, and have a fulfilling career.
- Child & Family Services
- Communities & Schools
- Hospitals & Mental Health
The average undergraduate student award is $16,603.
Learn about financial aidWe 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 empowerment, support and advocacy to individuals, families, and groups and communities 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 Council on Social Work Education’s (CSWE) 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
Some of our social work students
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.
- Addictions
- Aging, Senior Welfare & Hospice
- Organizational Administration & Nonprofit Development
- Criminal Justice & Public Policy
- Probation Services
- Government Social Service Agencies
- Juvenile Justice Programs
- Family Services
- Children & Youth Services
- Domestic Violence Programs
- Human Trafficking Services
- Counseling & Case Management
- Public Health & Community Mental Health
- Hospitals
- Psychological Care
- Rehabilitation Services
- Mental Health Services
- Developmental Disabilities
- School Social Work
- Special Education
- Homeless Shelters and Housing Services
- Work with athletes
- Employment and Immigration Services
Complementary Majors/Minors
Social work majors have the option of working creatively with their advisors to design individualized degree options by adding a second major such as Psychology, Family Life, Business or others and adding minors such as Child Life Specialist, Psychology, Social Science, Spanish, Adolescent Studies, Entrepreneurship, LCMS Lay Ministry Certificate or others.
Questions?
Prof. Eric Shanburn, MSW, MTh, LLMSW
Social Work Program Director
Office: Kreft 103
734-995-7520
Social.work@cuaa.edu
blog.cuaa.edu/socialwork/
facebook.com/cuaasocialwork
instagram.com/cuaasocialwork
linkedin.com/company/cuaasocialwork
Fieldwork
Fieldwork is all about applying what you learn in the classroom to real life. During your senior year, you will participate in a year-long, professionally-supervised internship experience and complete 450 hours. 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 experiences. Learn more about field work in our field education manual.
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Incoming freshman can declare as Social Work majors. During their sophomore year students apply for Upper Division status for their Junior and Senior years. 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 Upper Division status.
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/or 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 Coordinator of the BSW Program
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 continue through senior year.
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. Achieving a BSW from an accredited school will help you gain Advanced Standing in future social work graduate programs. A license will also open up more Social Work job opportunities in your future. 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 BSW Student Handbook.Lisa Adams-Qualls Ph.D., SAC
Director - interim Director of BSW Program, Assistant Professor
Office: Regents' Hall 002B
Phone: (262) 243-2207
Email: lisa.adamsqualls@cuw.edu
Education
- Ph D - Social Work, Capella University (2003)
- BS - Social Work, Tennessee State University (1998)
- Social Work, University of Kentucky (1999)
Research Interests
- School Based Mental Health Clinics
Teaching Interests
- Mental Health
- Substance Abuse
Charnetta Gadling-Cole PhD, MSW
Program Director - MSW, Associate Professor
Phone: (262) 243-4272
Email: charneta.gadling-cole@cuw.edu
Bio
Dr. Gadling-Cole has over 20 years of administrative experience which includes grant writing, program/policy development, quality assurance, accreditation oversight and fundraising. She has served as a Fellow at the National Institute of Health, Prince Georges County Government and the Gerontological Society of America. Dr. Gadling-Coke is the author of 2 books, journal articles and book chapters. She has served as the PI on numerous grants.
Education
- Ph D - Social Work , Howard University (2010)
- BA - Psychology , Johnson C. Smith University (1994)
- Macro/Administration , University of South Carolina (2000)
Research Interests
- Caregiving
- Evidence Based Practices
Teaching Interests
- Policy
- Research
Eric J. Shanburn M.S.W., MTh, M.A.T.S., B.A., LLMSW
Director - Social Work , Assistant Professor
Office: Kreft 103
Phone: (734) 995-7520
Email: eric.shanburn@cuaa.edu
Education
- MA - Theological Studies, Covenant Theological Seminary (2006)
- BA - Psychology and Youth Ministry, William Tyndale College (1992)
- Applied Orthodox Theology, St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology (2019)
- Interpersonal Practice with Individuals, Families and Groups, University of Michigan (1994)
Eric Shanburn MSW, MATS, LLMSW
BSW Program Coordinator, Adjunct Professor
Office: Kreft K103
Phone: (734) 950-7520
Email: eric.shanburn@cuaa.edu
Bio
Born and raised in Greater Detroit, Eric Shanburn brings his youth ministry, social work, pastoral counseling, and non-profit leadership experience to Concordia University Ann Arbor as Adjunct Faculty and the Program Coordinator for the Social Work department.
Education
- MA - Theological Studies, Covenant Theological Seminary (2006)
- MS - Social Work, University of Michigan (1994)
Teaching Interests
- Congregational Social Work
- Community Development
- School Social Work
The curriculum for the Social Work program includes foundational courses in social welfare, child welfare, human behavior, practice skills, research methods, policies, programming and fieldwork (as well as the liberal arts core). Elective courses may include: Drugs, Society and Huma Behavior; Understanding Death and Dying; Dual Disorders: Integrated Treament for Co-Occurring Mental Health and Substance Abuse Disorders, as well as others, as always taught in the context of faith, service, and social justice.
BSW Student Material
Scholarships for BSW Students
- CSWE's Carl A. Scott Memorial Fund
- Children of Veterans Grant
- Police Officer's and Fire Fighter's Survivor Tuition Grant
- Fostering Futures Scholarships for former foster care students
- Other Social Work Scholarship online
- Concordia Scholarship list