Pre-Social Work/Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Program

Program Mission Statement

This mission of the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Program at Shawnee State University is to prepare competent, ethical, and culturally responsive social workers devoted to serving and empowering individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities in Appalachia and all regions.

Program Description

Our Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program is committed to developing competent, ethical, and compassionate social work professionals prepared to address complex social issues and promote social justice. Our curriculum is designed to provide a comprehensive foundation in social work theory and practice, adhering to the highest standars of professional education.

The program offers an integrative curriculum that encompasses:

• Human Behavior and the Social Environment (HSBE): Students explore the multifaceted factors that influence individual and collective behavior, gaining insight into biological, psychological, social, and cultural processes across the lifespan. This knowledge equips students to understand and assess the divers contexts in which people live and interact.
• Social Welfare Policy and Services: The curriculum emphasizes critical analysis of social policies and their impact on various populations. Students learn to advocate for effective and equitable policies that advance human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice.
• Micro and Macro Practice: Through coursework and experiential learning, students develop essential skills for engagin, assessing, intervening, and evaluating practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. The program balances clinical skills for direct practice with strategies for community organizing, advocacy, and systemic change.
• Research and Evidence-Based Practice: Students are trained to integrate research findings into practice, fostering a commitment to ongoing learning and the application of evidence-based interventions that effectively meet client needs.
• Field Education Practicums: Recognized by CSWE as the signature pedagogy of social work education, our robost field education component provides students with supervised, real-world experience in diverse settings. These practicums allow students to apply classroon knowledge to practice, develop professional competencies, and cultivate ethical decision-making skills.

Throughout the program, emphasis is placed on developing cultural competence, ethical practice, and effective communication skills. Students engage with diverse populations and learn to respond sensitively and effectively to vaious forms of diversity and oppression.

Graduates of our BSW program are prepared to enter the social work profession as generalist practitioners who can effectively serve in a wide range of settings, including healthcare, mental health, child welfare, schools, and community organizations. They are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to promate well-being, advocate for vulnerable populations, and contribute to positive social change.

The following chart shows the categorical breakdown of credit hours to complete the program:

Category	Credit Hours
General Education	41
Pre-Social Work	22
BSW Social Work	37
Social Work Electives	12
Personal Electives	2
Senior Capstone	3
	Total - 120

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Program Learning Outcomes:

The Pre-Social Work/Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Learning Outcomes were developed in alignment with the Council of Social Work Education (CSWE) Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) are:

1. Ethical and Professional Behavior: Graduates will demonstrate ethical and professional behavior, guided by the value and principles of the National Association of Social Work (NASW) Code of Ethics, with a particular emphasis on the distinctive challenges in Appalachian communities.
   1. Students will make ethical decisions by applying the standards fo the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics, relevant laws and regulations, models for ethical decision making, ethical conduct of research, and additional codes of ethics within the profession as appropriate to the context;
   2. Students will demonstrate professional behavior; appearance; and oral, written, and electronic communication;
   3. Students will use technology ethically and appropriately to facilitate practice outcomes; and
   4. Students will use supervision and consultation to guide professional judgment and behavior.
2. Diversity and Differnce in Practice: Graduates will recognize and respect the diversity of individuals and communities of Appalachia. They will identify intersectionality across the factors of diversity and understand the life experiences based on membership in certain groups, with an emphasize on oppressed and disenfranchised populations. This knowledge and expertise will guide their practice to effectively serve diverse populations.
   1. Students will advocate for human rights at the individual, family, group, organizational, and community system levels; and 
   2. Students will engage in practices that advance human rights to promote social racial, economic, and environmental justice.
3. Engage Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI) in Practice: Graduates will advocate for human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice, addressing disparities and promoting equiality in the Appalachian region.
   1. Students will deomonstrate anti-racist and anti-oppressive social work practice at the individual, gamily, group, organizational, community, research, and policy levels; and
   2. Students will demonstrate cultural humility by applying critical reflection, self-awareness, and self-regulation to manage the influence of bias, power, privilege, and values in working with clients and constituencies, acknowledging them as expers of their own lived experiences.
4. Engagement in Practice-Informed Research-Informed Practice: Graduates will utilize evidence-based research to inform their practice and contribute to research that addresses the specific needs and challenges, especially focusing on Applalachian communities.
   1. Students will apply research findings to inform and improve practice, policy, and programs; and
   2. Students will identify ethical, culturally informed, anti-racist, and anti-oppressive strategies that address inherent biases for use in quantitative and qualitative research methods to advance the purposes of social work.
5. Policy Practice: Graduatew will engage in policy practice to influence and enact policies that improve the well-being of individuals, families, and communities in Appalachia, advocating for systemic change at local, state, and national levels.
   1. Students will use social justice, anti-racist, and anti-oppresive lenses to assess how social welfare policies affect the delivery of and access to social services; and 
   2. Students will apply critical thinking to analyze, formulate, and advocate for policies that advance human rights and social, racial, economic, and environmental justice.
6. Engagement with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities: Graduates will effectively engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities in Appalachia, building collaborative relationships based on mutual respect, service, and integrity.
   1. Students will apply knowledge to human behavior and person-in-environment, as well as interprofessional conceptual frameworks, to engage with clients and constituencies; and
   2. Students will use empathy, reflection, and interpersonal skills to engage in culturally responsive practice with clients and constituencies.
7. Assessment of Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities: Graduates will conduct thorough and culturally appropriate assessment to identify strenghs, needs, and challenges of individuals, groups, families, organizations, and communities in Appalachia.
   1. Students will apply theories of human behavior and person-in-environment, as well as other culturally responsive and interprofessional conceptual frameworks, when assessing clients and constituencies; and
   2. Students will demonstrate repect for client self-determination during the assessment process by collaborating with clients and consituences in developing a mutually agreed upon plan.
8. Intervetion with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities: Graduates will implement effective intervention strategies that are responsive to the distinctive contexts of Applalchian communities, promoting resilience and positive change.
   1. Students will engae with clients and constituencies to creitically choose and implement culturally responsive, evidence-informed interventions to achieve client and constituency goals; and
   2. Students will incorporate culturally responsive methods to negotiate, mediate, and advocate with and on behalf fo clients and constituencies.
9. Evaluation of Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities: Graduatw will systematically evaluate the effectiveness of their practice and interventions, using feedback and data to improve outcomes for individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communties in Appalachia.
   1. Students will select and use culturally responsive methods for evaluation of outcomes; and
   2. Students will crtically analyze outcomes and apply evaluation findings to improve practice effectiveness with individuals, families, roups, organizations, and communities.