Bachelors (BSW) in Social Work
Overview
The CSWE accredited bachelor of social work degree offers a 120-semester-hour course of study, 51 hours of which are prescribed social work course work that is designed to prepare students for professional social work practice with diverse populations in a variety of settings. This includes work with individuals and couples (micro level); families and small groups (mezzo level); and agencies, institutions, community and church organizations (macro level). There is an emphasis on generalist practice that values the uniqueness, dignity and needs of all people. Generalist practice is oriented toward analyzing and addressing problems with micro, mezzo and macro skills and perspectives.
The program courses are designed to include academic social work and field experience/practicum requirements within a liberal arts context. This enables the student to link social research with social work practice. The program prepares students to work in a variety of social work and social welfare settings, as well as to seek admission into graduate programs like the Master of Social Work (MSW) program at George Fox University. Students are required to obtain a minimum grade of C in all courses taken for the major.
Degree Outcomes
Graduates with a BSW in social work will:
- Acquire the social work ethics, values, skills and knowledge needed to analyze and understand the development and interrelationship of diverse world views, issues in social justice, and basic human needs
- Demonstrate knowledge, skills and values necessary to understand and affect the interrelationship between an individual and his/her environment at the macro, mezzo and micro levels
- Work effectively within diverse social contexts, structures and change processes in their practice
- Understand how their personal faith integrates with social work and apply that to their practice
- Be prepared for graduate social work education and will be committed to continual development in their professional field