Social Work at Bluffton College
The goals of the Social Work Department are:
1) to prepare students for beginning-level generalist social work practice who are well-equipped with theory and skill and socialized into the profession;
2) to prepare students with a solid foundation for graduate training in social work;
3) to prepare students who are interested in entering positions in civic leadership, voluntary service and church-related institutions and programs with a basic understanding of social work as a profession and its underlying value and knowledge base; and
4) to enhance the professional development of social service workers of the geographic area.
Social work practice is licensed in Ohio as in many other states. A Social Work degree at either the master or baccalaureate level is required to be eligible for a license. Bluffton's baccalaureate Social Work degree meets the standards for accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education.
Social work is concerned with helping people improve their lives through direct and indirect services. Social workers work with individuals, groups, communities and social policy issues to enable people to deal with their problems. Social workers bring to their practice an examined value orientation and a unique knowledge base that focuses on the interaction of person and environment.
Licensed social workers are employed in many types of settings by public and private agencies. Fields of practice include services to children, medical, mental health, services for elderly, criminal justice, schools, recreational and character-building programs, community planning and organization, overseas relief and development, public welfare and others. Roles for B.A.-level social workers include case management, supportive counseling and beginning level program development and administrative roles.
A generalist approach at the baccalaureate level provides skills enabling graduates to take employment in most fields of social work practice or to go on to graduate study. The program seeks competent students who are concerned about people and social problems, who want to help people and desire to work on improving the social environment in which they live. A strong emphasis is placed on understanding issues of human diversity within our society. Cross-cultural and off-campus experiences are strongly encouraged.
Field work is an important feature of social work education. The student engages in one semester of in-agency practicum within a broad choice of settings. This provides opportunity for the student to integrate knowledge with practice and demonstrate skills and competencies learned throughout the curriculum.
Entrance to the upper-level courses requires a written application into the program and a formal interview with program faculty. Transfer students are asked to submit letters of reference. See the Social Work Program Student Manual for further information.
Major (45
hours)
Foundation courses:
NSC 112 Integrated Lab Sciences: Chemistry/Biology/Life (3.5)
LAS 201 Introduction to Social Science (3)
PSY 110 Introduction to Psychology (3)
SOC 152 Introduction to Sociology (3)Required social work courses:
SWK 120 Introduction to Social Work (3)
SWK 141 Understanding Social Welfare (3)
SWK 240 Interviewing Theory and Technique (2)
SWK 263 Human Behavior and Social Environment 1 (3)
SWK 264 Human Behavior and Social Environment 2 (3)
SWK 301 Social Work Practice 1: Micro (3)
SWK 302 Social Work Practice 2: Mezzo (3)
SWK 303 Social Work Practice 3: Macro (3)
SOC 362 Methods of Social Research 1 (3)
SWK 372 Social Welfare Policy and Analysis (3)
SWK 401 Field Work (12)
SWK 404 Field Work Seminar (1)
SWK 405 Social Work Capstone Seminar (3)
The major can begin in the first, sophomore or even in the junior year, although the later beginnings presume substantial prior work on the general education and foundation courses. While breadth in the liberal arts is encouraged, some students may wish to combine the Social Work major with the Peace and Conflict Studies minor, a Spanish major or other majors or minors toward particular career interests.
Courses
SWK 120 Introduction to Social Work (3)
Introduces social work as a professional endeavor and the service programs and policies of formally organized agencies and institutions in which social workers work. Looks at the history, purpose, values, methods and structure of the profession. A variety of practice settings and social problem issues of concern are examined. Students are challenged to examine their own value commitment to working with people and striving for social reform, whether as a social work professional or public citizen.
SWK 263 Human Behavior and Social Environment 1 (3)
This course focuses on the developmental tasks of the individual through the life cycle
from infancy through old age. The influence of the family and other primary groups is
examined. Variety and diversity of human experience is explored in context of cultural
expectations and values and social change. Prerequisite: PSY 110, SOC 152 or consent of
instructor.
SWK 264 Human Behavior and Social Environment 2
(3)
This course focuses on the interactional effects of social institutions and diverse groups
and individuals. The community as the milieu in which individuals, families and groups
function is examined from an ecological perspective. The implications of this knowledge
for social work practice are examined. Prerequisite: SWK 263.
SWK 301 Social Work Practice 1: Micro (3)
This first course in the social work practice sequence presents a generalist model for the
sequence. The emphasis is on developing skills in the use of communication techniques
including interviewing, individual and family needs assessments; developing and
implementing service plans; identification of formal and informal resources; and beginning
practice evaluation. Prerequisite: SWK 263 and SWK 264.
SWK 302 Social Work Practice 2: Mezzo (3)
Introduces theory of group dynamics including communication, group formation, member roles
and group functions. Develops skill in the use of small group technique for personal,
small group and environmental change. Prerequisite: SWK 301.
SWK 303 Social Work Practice 3: Macro (3)
Further development of social work methodology with populations-at-risk using techniques
of community needs assessment, socio-political processes and coalition building and outcome
evaluations. Focus on building macro-practice skills through a supervised services program
development or community development project. Prerequisite: SWK 302 or concurrent with SWK 301.
SWK 372 Social Welfare Policy and Analysis (3)
The focus of this course is on evaluation and critical analysis of social welfare
policies, programs and services. Students are introduced to a framework for analyzing
social needs and social problems and methods of service delivery. Practical implications
in social welfare policy for social workers are emphasized, incorporating the roles and
skills that comprise the "practice of policy." Prerequisite: SWK 141.
SWK 401 Field Work (12)
Educationally directed field experience in a social agency under the supervision of an
agency supervisor and the direction of a faculty member for 448 clock hours. The student
is expected to implement the theory and knowledge gained throughout the curriculum and
demonstrate the practice competencies learned in the practice sequence. Prerequisites: SWK
301, SWK 302, SWK 303 and SWK 372. Corequisite: SWK 404.
SWK 404 Field Work Seminar (1)
A weekly seminar concurrent with fieldwork to facilitate integration of theory with practice. Corequisite: SWK 401.