Department of Social Work
Program Chair and Director Leader: Erma J. Borskey, MSW, LMSW, PhD.
Professors: Roslyn C. Richardson, MSW, LMSW, Ph.D.
Assistant Professors: Erma Borskey and Monica Smith
Assistant Professor: Tangela Colson, MSW, LCSW, Ph.D.
Instructor: Patsy Johnson, MSW, LCSW-BACS, Title IV-E Child Welfare Project Coordinator
Adjunct Instructors: Raegan Carter, MSW, LMSW; Shalindra Farris, MSW, RSW; Donna Gaignard, MSW, LMSW; Xavier Henson, MSW, LMSW; Shamyra Howard, MSW, LCSW; Lanique Roussell-Sheppard, MSW, LMSW, MPD, SSBB; Monica Smith, MSW, LCSW, SSW-C; Darlene Vessel, MSW, LMSW and Melanie Washington, MSW, LCSW-BACS
Staff: Patricia Smith Ph.D. (ABD)
DEGREES OFFERED: Bachelor of Science Degree in Social Work
The Department of Social Work offers a Bachelor of Science Degree in Social Work. This professional program prepares students for entry-level generalist social work practice. Students are also prepared for graduate study in schools of social work and related disciplines. Applicants are admitted to the program using the criteria outlined below.
Program Accreditation
This is a professional degree program is accredited at the baccalaureate level by the Council on Social Work Education, 1725 Duke Street, Suite 500, Alexandria, Virginia 22314-3457, (703) 683-8080, accred@cswe.org or cswe.org.
Program Mission
The mission of the social work professional degree program is to prepare competent, ethical, baccalaureate, generalist social workers to provide services that enhance the well-being of all client groups, with a focus on serving the poor, other at-risk populations, and African Americans.
This professional program prepares students for entry-level generalist social work practice and for graduate study in schools of social work and related disciplines. The Program’s goals are to produce ethical, effective and committed baccalaureate, generalist social workers who:
- Use a person-in-environment approach and a variety of prevention and intervention methods to promote human and social well-being in their work in diverse settings with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.
- Have a strong identification with the social work profession, use a strengths perspective, adopt basic social work values, and apply ethical principles and critical thinking in research-informed practice.
- Promote human rights and social and economic justice by empowering clients through social work practice with the disenfranchised and others from diverse ethnic, socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.
PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES: Department of Social Work Competencies
The program adopts the Council on Social Work Education – Social Work Competencies. The graduate will demonstrate the competencies listed below.
Competency 1: Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior
Competency 2: Engage Diversity and Difference in Practice
Competency 3: Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice
Competency 4: Engage in Practice-informed Research and Research-informed Practice
Competency 5: Engage in Policy Practice
Competency 6: Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Competency 7: Assess individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Competency 8: Intervene with individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Competency 9: Evaluate practice with individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Professional Internship
Students complete a minimum of 400 hours internship in a professional social work setting. The internship is call Field Education and is identified as “the signature pedagogy in social work. The intent of field education is to integrate the theoretical and conceptual contribution of the classroom with the practical world of the practice setting”. CSWE Educational Policy 2.2
Student Organizations
The Social Work Action Club is a major vehicle for student involvement in internal and external program affairs. Membership in National Social Work Honor societies is available to students who show academic excellence. Students are eligible for membership in the National Association of Social Workers, the National Association of Black Social Workers and other professional social work associations.
Admission into Program/Professional Status
Students are admitted to the program using the criteria below. Students are admitted without discrimination in regard to age, class, color, disability, ethnicity, family structure, gender, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or any other non-merit factors.
Application to the Department of Social Work may be made during the sophomore year. Admission requirements:
- Transfer to the College
- A minimum grade of “C” in ENGL-110 and 111
- Passed the University Writing Proficiency Examination
- Completed the following courses: MATH-130, 131 or higher; History (6 hours), BIOL-104, 105 and 106 or 107, HLTH-110, PSYC-210, SOCL-210 and POLS-200
- A cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or above
- Earned a minimum grade of “C” in SOCW and SOCW-200 and SOCW-298
- Submission of application and approval for admission
DEGREE REQUIREMENTS: Bachelor of Science in Social Work
The Bachelor of Science in Social Work is awarded to students who have satisfactorily completed 120 credit hours. These hours include 44 credit hours of required social work courses, 9 credit hours of social work electives, and the following:
- Complete all University General Education & College course requirements (61 credit hours)
- Complete Social Work Core Courses (44 credit hours); Social Work Electives (9 credit hours); Other social work requirements (6 credit hours- Statistics and American Government)
- Complete all College requirements
- Complete 60 hours of service learning
- Complete African American Experience Course (3 credit hours)
- Passed the Department of Social Work Comprehensive Examination
- Satisfied all Department of Social Work requirements
The Department of Social Work does not award/grant credit for life experiences.