Social Work

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Department Faculty

Judy Berglund, Mark Giesler, Vanessa Brooks Herd, Lucy Mercier, Stephen Yanca

The Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree is offered for those who complete the college baccalaureate degree requirements with a major in Social Work.

The social work major is designed to provide students with an introduction to the goals and processes of the social work profession. No minor is available in social work; however, a minor is available in Youth Services, as described below.

Mission and Goals

The mission of the Social Work department is to promote social welfare for residents of the Saginaw Valley, the state of Michigan and beyond – through advancement of knowledge about social problems, and through education about effective social work practices. We seek to respond to the particular needs of oppressed people and institutions by training ethical and effective social workers who are prepared to provide services to the diverse groups in this region and who are committed to helping clients achieve the greatest self-sufficiency.

Our mission is manifested in the following goals for the department:

1. Prepare students for generalist social work practice in the various communities represented in the Saginaw Valley.
2. Provide a foundation for entry into graduate social work education.
3. Provide the community with professional social workers who are committed to the historic mission of social work and are prepared to address issues of social justice.
4. Produce social workers who are ethical practitioners.

No academic credit will be given, in whole or in part, for any professional or other life experience. This applies both to experiences prior to admission to the major as well as life experiences after major admission. Only volunteer work approved by the department will be credited towards partial or complete fulfillment of the 40- credit volunteer component required in SW 215, Introduction to Social Work/Social Welfare. Only field work approved by the department and undertaken as part of SW 483-484, Field Instruction I and II, will be credited for the major.

The Department of Social Work does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, age, creed, ethnic or national origin, disability, political orientation or sexual orientation. This policy applies to students, employees, volunteers, field placement supervisors, faculty members, Community Advisory Committee members and anyone else who may have contact or business with the program on any basis.

Pre-Social Work Curriculum

Students interested in earning a degree in social work should select a “pre-social work major.” Freshmen and Sophomores should obtain advising from the Academic Advisement Center for Basic Skills and General Education courses and requirements. During the semester when pre-social work majors will be completing 40 credits, they should arrange for an interview with a member of the social work faculty. This interview is part of the formal application process for admission to the social work major. Pre-social work majors who have specific professional questions or concerns, or need advising for social work courses and requirements should see a member of the social work faculty.

The Social Work Department sponsors a number of clubs/activities and special events during each year. Presocial work students are encouraged to participate in order to begin to develop the ethics and values of the profession.

Requirements for Admission to the Social Work Major

A minimum of a 2.25 cumulative GPA is required for admission to the social work major. To be eligible for admission, the student must complete a total of 40 credits, including satisfactory completion of SW 215 and a 40-hour volunteer placement.

Application may be made during the semester in which the student will complete the requirements or subsequent to it, but no admission decision will be made until after the final grades are received. Students who are not formally admitted to the major will not be permitted to enroll in any of the advanced professional courses: SW 316, 318, 401, 403, 483, 484, 485.

Students may be admitted to the social work major during any semester; however, the two-semester senior sequence commences only in the fall semester.

Application Procedures

During the semester in which the admission requirements specified above will be met, the student should accomplish the following:

1. Submit a completed formal application form to the chair of the Department of Social Work.
2. Schedule and complete a formal interview with assigned faculty advisor in Social Work.
3. Submit a personal statement to the Department based on the admission and retention criteria below.
4. Have a letter filed with the Social Work Department indicating satisfactory completion of the volunteer placement as required in SW 215.
5. Sign an agreement to uphold the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics.
6. Have two letters of reference submitted on the forms provided in the admissions packet. References should be from employers, volunteer experiences, former professors (outside of the Department of Social Work), or character references.
7. Students must receive a satisfactory score on their interview and personal statement.

Selection Criteria

In addition to the student’s academic achievement in college courses, other selection criteria will include the number of credits completed at Saginaw Valley State University, and potential for achievement of the “Admission and Retention Criteria,” which is specified in the next section.

Admission and Retention Criteria

1. Stability and autonomy: Students will demonstrate the capacity to deal effectively with emotional stress, both in themselves and in relation to others, as demonstrated through a satisfactory evaluation of the volunteer component, a grade of “C” or better in “Introduction to Social Welfare/Social Work,” and performance as a social work major in a variety of courses throughout the student’s career.
2. Verbal and writing ability: Students will be able and willing to communicate thoughts and feelings effectively, both orally and in writing, as demonstrated in part by passing the English Basic Skills examination or receiving a grade of “C” or better in English composition courses, through satisfactory performance on the writing sample required for admission to the major, and continuous satisfactory achievement of written and oral communication skills throughout the Junior and Senior year.
3. Identifying and handling conflicting values: Students will be able to function within the context of value conflict, respecting the values of others even when different from their own, as demonstrated by acceptance of others with different backgrounds in their volunteer placement and field placement.
4. Academic achievement: Student will maintain a minimum of a 2.25 cumulative GPA in all courses, a minimum of a 2.25 cumulative GPA in the interdisciplinary courses, including SW 215 and SW 300, and a minimum of a 2.25 cumulative GPA in the professional foundation requirements. Students must have a grade of “C” or better in the interdisciplinary courses, including SW 215 and SW 300 and the professional foundation requirements.
5. Capacity for continued growth in professional education and commitment to the code of ethics of the social work profession: Students will assume increasing responsibility for their own learning and make use of educational experience oriented toward peer learning.Violations of the canons of ethical responsibility of the social work profession are unacceptable.
6. Professional choice: Students will show a growing understanding of their chosen field of social work and what is demanded of the professional, and will demonstrate a maturing interest in and commitment to their profession. Should the faculty become concerned about the student’s physical, mental or behavioral ability to perform in the program, the field placement, or in later professional practice, the student may be asked to sign a release of information form in order to assess his/her current functioning.

The faculty reserve the right to remove the status of social work major from any student who does not satisfactorily fulfill the requirements of any of these criteria; however, this procedure will require a hearing for the student and provide all the protection inherent in the rights of due process. The interests of both the student and the profession will be considered in reaching a final decision.

Eligibility for Social Work Registration

Upon completion of the BSW degree, students are eligible for the Social Work Technician Registration Credential as defined in the State of Michigan Occupational Code, and conferred by the Social Work Board of Examiners, Bureau of Licensing and Regulation.

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