Social Work Major (BS)

Description

Social Work Department Mission

The Department of Social Work is committed to excellence in preparing ethical and competent professionalsocial workers who foster the well-being of individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.Through teaching, service, and scholarship, the department promotes civic engagement in diverse societies.

Social Work Undergraduate Program Mission

Firmly grounded in the liberal arts tradition and informed by the person-in-environment and globalperspectives, the Undergraduate Social Work Program at SUNY Brockport, is committed to the promotion of human rights, social, economic, and environmental justice, and the elimination of poverty and oppression. Through teaching, service, and scholarship, we strive to prepare competent, self-aware, ethical generalist social workers for evidence-based practice with diverse populations, advocating for the well- being of all people in our shared global community.

Definition of Generalist Practice

Generalist social work practice refers to the knowledge base, professional values, and practice skillsneeded for the social work practitioner to intervene using a multi-level approach to assessment andintervention. It involves working in partnership with the client system to frame problems in a manner thatassists the client system to meet goals. It seeks to identify and strengthen the maximum potential inindividuals, groups, organizations, and communities and is committed to understanding and respecting theunique context of the client system and responding to issues of human diversity. The generalist social workeris able to use the framework and ethical guidelines of the NASW and IFSW codes of ethics with client systems and to promote social and economic justice. The generalist practitioner is able to use critical thinking andresearch informed practice to identify and intervene in a manner that strengthens the client system.

Admission to the Program

Social Work Intents will be assigned a departmental advisor to assist them with proper course planning and career orientation as they pursue the requirements for admission to the program. Students may indicate their desire to major in social work at any time during the first two years of undergraduate study by registering with the Department of Social Work as an Intent to Major.

Enrollment is limited to seat availability and meeting the program requirements. Students seeking acceptance to the major must meet the following criteria:

  • Cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or above.
  • Completion of a minimum of 54 credits, or an AA, AS or AAS.
    • Delta College Program students must complete 34 credits and meet all other criteria
  • Completion of the prerequisite courses (see below)

Transfer students are advised to consult with the undergraduate admissions coordinator, program director or department chair regarding equivalency of courses taken at other institutions. University policies regarding transfer credit are available.

All new social work majors will be assigned an academic advisor. Students should meet with their advisors the first month after admission to the program.

Prerequisite Courses

Program Requirements

Students in the social work major pursue a bachelor of science degree, and must complete its requirements.

In addition to the course requirements below, students must meet the following requirements:

  1. Maintain both a cumulative and major GPA of 2.5 or above.
  2. Earn a grade of “C” or higher in every social work course required for the major.
  3. Retake any required social work course in which a grade lower than “C” is earned.
  4. Continued demonstration of suitability and capacity to enter the profession of social work as per the Undergraduate Social Work Academic Performance Standards.
  5. The above criteria must be met by all students when they enter field instruction in the senior year and before they graduate from the program.

General Education Requirements (34-35 credits)

Prerequisite Courses (12-13 credits)

Major Departmental Requirements (54 credits)

Junior Year Courses

Senior Year Courses

*denotes courses that meet both major and general education requirements

Electives (18 credits)

Total Credits (120 credits)

Additional Degree Requirements

*NOTE: Generally, students are enrolled in SWO 451-453; with permission of faculty advisor and field coordinator, students may select SWO 454 to complete the field instruction requirement as an alternative to SWO 451-453.

**NOTE: Students enrolling in SWO 451-453 must enroll in SWO 455-457. Students enrolling in SWO 454 must enroll in SWO 456. SWO 441 must be taken with SWO 454-456, or SWO 453-457

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate ethical and professional behavior
  2. Engage diversity and difference in practice
  3. Advance human rights, and social, economic and environmental justice
  4. Engage in practice-informed research and research-informed practice
  5. Engage in policy practice
  6. Engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities
  7. Assess individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities
  8. Intervene with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities
  9. Evaluate practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities

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