Social Work
Undergraduate Degree Program and Field Education

School of Social Work 95 Burrill Avenue Bridgewater, MA  02325 Phone:  508-531-2773 or 508-531-2256 Fax: 508-531-1492 Office Hours: 8:00 am-4:00 pm Monday 8:00 am-6:00 pm Tuesday-Friday David J. O'Malley, LICSW, Ph.D. Assistant Professor and Coordinator of the BSW Program Phone:  508-531-2978 Room 102T Overview BSW Program Goals Accreditation Licensure Curriculum The Admissions Requirements are detailed in the Bachelor of Science in Social Work section of the university catalog). Program of Study -- Declaration Form (formerly Change of Major form)   Phi Alpha Honor Society Information

BSW Guidelines for Admission/Internship and Practice Application for Internship and Practice Courses    Application to BSW Internship and Practice Courses    Application for Senior Practicum Field Resources     BSW Senior Evaluation     BSW field manual - Updated Fall 2012     Learning Contract: BSW Senior and MSW Foundation and Advanced Year     SCWK 498 Monthly Field Instruction Report     Junior Internship Timesheet     Process Recording Guidelines     Process Recording Sample     Process Recording Format    Behavioral Standards Acknowledgement Form Code of ethics Financial Literacy and Giving Program -- Takes you to the Economics School

Overview

Mission Statement of the BSW Program

The BSW program prepares its graduates for entry-level professional positions in Social Work and related fields, providing them through a liberal arts foundation with the requisite knowledge, values, and skills to address effectively the needs of vulnerable and at-risk populations in Southeastern Massachusetts and beyond.  Adhering to a strength-based generalist practice approach, and utilizing a person and environment framework, the curriculum focuses on ethical and culturally-competent practice and strives for social justice in order to enable our graduates to enhance the lives of individuals, families and communities.

The School of Social Work offers an undergraduate program leading to the Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work (BSW).   The BSW Program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).  A minor in social welfare is also available. The curriculum is designed to prepare students for beginning generalist professional practice in social work. The BSW program defines generalist practice in accordance with the CSWE 2008 definition: "Generalist practice is grounded in the liberal arts and the person and environment construct. To promote human and social well-being, generalist practitioners use a range of prevention and intervention methods in their practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. The generalist practitioner identifies with the social work profession and applies ethical principles and critical thinking in practice.  Generalist practitioners incorporate diversity in their practice and advocate for human rights and social and economic justice.   They recognize, support, and build on strengths and resiliency of all human beings.  They engage in research informed practice and are proactive in responding to the impact of context on professional practice.  BSW practice incorporates all of the core competencies."  Students learn current social work methods, skills, theories, values, and ethics for practice with various populations and, most especially, with the region's diverse and vulnerable populations. The program builds on a liberal arts perspective, providing students with a foundation for critical thinking, effective communication, and ethical behavior that will be of daily importance to them in professional practice. Social work majors also complete the program well prepared to sit for licensure and for graduate study.   BSW alumni may be eligible for advanced standing admission status at some graduate schools of social work.

BSW Program Goals

The BSW program goals mirror the professional core competencies (EPAS 2008) as set forth by the Council on Social Work Education and are listed below. Additional information about the competencies and the associated practice behaviors is located in the social work student handbook.

Upon graduation from the BSW Program, Bridgewater State University students will meet the following goals, having demonstrated competency at the appropriate level,  They will be competent to:       

§  2.1.1 Identify as a professional SW and conduct oneself accordingly

§  2.1.2 Apply SW ethical principles to guide professional practice

§  2.1.3 Apply critical thinking to inform and communicate professional judgments

§  2.1.4 Engage diversity and difference in practice

§  2.1. 5 Advance human rights and social and economic justice

§  2.1.6 Engage in research-informed practice and practice-informed research

§  2.1.7 Apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment

§  2.1.8 Engage in policy practice to advance social and economic well-being and to deliver effective social work services

§  2.1.9 Respond to contexts that shape practice

§  2.1.10 a-d Engage, assess, intervene, evaluate with Individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

·        2.1.10(a) Engagement

·         2.1.10(b) Assessment

·        2.1.10(c) Intervention

·        2.1.10(d) Evaluation

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Accreditation

The University's undergraduate social work program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

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Licensure

Graduates of the BSW program are eligible to sit for the Massachusetts Licensed Social Worker (LSW) exam.

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Curriculum

The BSW Program curriculum integrates a theoretical framework of person and environment with field experience. In an integrated fashion, classroom instruction and the field education program provide students with the skills and knowledge for generalist practice and the opportunity to demonstrate competency in generalist practice as operationalized by specific practice behaviors linked to the program goals. The Introduction to Social Welfare (SCWK250) course acquaints students with social work practice as they participate in community service in a social service agency. In Introduction to Social Work Practice (SCWK338), students attend a 3-credit course weekly and spend a minimum of 90 hours during one semester at an agency learning how it functions and about the professional roles of social workers. This course lays the foundation for the senior year Field Experience course
(SCWK498).  The senior field experience runs from September through May and entails a minimum of 410 hours under the supervision of a professional social worker at the Master of Social Work level in conjunction with a weekly seminar. Central to the BSW program is the NASW code of ethics which can be read in its entirety at http://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/code/code.asp
 
The complete list of social work courses can be found in the university catalog http://catalog.bridgew.edu/.

Each of these courses is explained in detail in the 'Requirements' section of the university catalog for Social Work.

The Admissions Requirements are detailed in the Bachelor of Science in Social Work section of the university catalog.

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Last Modified: February 19, 2013