|
Table of Contents Academic Life Academic Regulations The Academic Programs International and Off-Campus Studies Special Programs Admissions and Financial Aid Life Outside the Classroom People Facts and Figures College Calendar |
Social Work http://www.stolaf.edu/depts/social-work/ Director, 2000-01: Mary Carlsen, Family and Social Service, social policy, professional ethics, practice Faculty, 2000-01: Naurine Lennox, Family and Social Service, social service systems and history, rural practice, research St. Olaf students prepare for lives of service as responsible and knowledgeable citizens. Those who study social work are committed to enhancing human well-being and alleviating suffering. Social Work, a program in the Department of Family and Social Service, builds on students' liberal education by enabling them to critically examine need, illumine inherent human strengths, reflect on their ethical conduct, and explore policies and programs that address social problems. The program mission is to prepare students to ethically serve diverse populations and promote a just global community. Completing a bachelor of arts degree in Social Work prepares students for beginning generalist professional practice with diverse clients, both rural and urban. The Council on Social Work Education accredited the program in 1990; graduates are certified for the state licensure examination at the baccalaureate level. Courses meet WRI, MCS-G, HBS-E, and ORC and are appropriate for students who are interested in social welfare, the Peace Corps, or related areas like psychology, education, church work, and human resources. Courses for non-majors focus on special issues - homelessness, poverty, AIDS. Level 300 courses are reserved for majors. Students considering social work graduate school are strongly encouraged to consult faculty about appropriate undergraduate courses. The program provides preparation for graduate study in marriage and family counseling, policy, ministry, special education, law, and related fields. OVERVIEW OF THE MAJOR Social work education builds on the liberal arts with professional foundation courses. It prepares students for generalist practice who understand scientific approaches to knowledge building and practice, are reflective of and responsible for their own ethical conduct, and are committed to lives of service and leadership in the global community. Courses are sequential, culminating with the 400 hour field practicum and capstone course with a project. Students gain experience with individuals, groups, families, organizations, and communities in settings as diverse as child welfare, health, and corrections. Practicums are in the nearby communities; placement elsewhere can be arranged. REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR Those interested in the major should contact the program director in their first year or as early as possible. Students in good standing at the college who have satisfactorily completed prerequisite courses and Social Work 221 are eligible to apply for admission to the program. Students are granted major status only after satisfactory completion of Social Work 221, 246, 254, and a program application. Students must achieve a grade of C or better in all required courses to progress in the program. Details are available in the Program Handbook available from faculty. Prerequisite Courses Required for the Major Foundation Social Work Courses Required for the Major ADMISSION TO AND RETENTION IN THE SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM The program actively seeks and encourages students from diverse backgrounds to consider a social work major and provides one-to-one advising. First- and second-year students interested in Social Work are encouraged to submit an Interest Inventory. It is in the Program Handbook, available from program faculty. The program application, admission requirements, requirements for remaining in good standing in the program, processes for petitioning reinstatement, and grievance procedures for redress of any adverse decision are also in the Handbook. The program does not discriminate against any student on the basis of race, gender, ethnicity, culture, class, religion, national origin, age, physical or mental ability, sexual orientation, public assistance status or geographic location. Students are formally notified of admission to the program prior to registration spring semester of the junior year. Students who transfer to St. Olaf at or before the beginning of the junior (third) year may be considered for admission to the program, providing they have completed equivalent prerequisite courses in sociology, psychology, and human biology. Field Practicum and methods courses must be completed while enrolled at St. Olaf. No credit or waiver is given for previous internship or work experience nor for life experience. SPECIAL PROGRAMS The St. Olaf Social Work Program encourages student participation in off-campus programs, both domestic and international. Majors can conveniently schedule an Interim abroad, including Social Work 256: Family Social Services in Central Mexico, and Family Studies 263: Aboriginal Cultures in Australia. To participate in a semester program off-campus (e.g., HECUA in South America, ACM Chicago Urban Studies, Indonesia) and complete the program requirements in four years, students must plan early and carefully with the help of social work faculty. St. Olaf Study Service in Indonesia is an exciting option for sophomore majors in the spring semester. Students often count social work courses for Family Studies and other interdisciplinary majors and concentrations including American Racial and Multicultural Studies, and Women's Studies. Social work faculty occasionally work with students in independent projects in social welfare and social service. Completing the Social Work major is possible only through the regular college, however. COURSES 120 "I Want to Help People" Students explore human services as a profession, a vocation, or a hobby. Who needs help? Who helps? Where? How? Using the liberal arts as a foundation for helping people, students can study careers in areas such as homelessness, addictions, juvenile delinquency, welfare, and social ministry. The class includes discussion, speakers and field trips; additional fee. Open to first year students and sophomores. Offered in Interim 2001-02 and alternate years. 150 Erasing the Border: A Mexican/American Service Learning Experience Students expand their understanding of and interest in diversity while living in the Borderlands. Ysleta Lutheran Mission provides orientation to the communities of El Paso, Texas, and Juarez, Chihuahua. Students participate in local service projects and cultural events, including worship services. Following the cultural immersion, students return to campus to reflect upon, analyze, and draw lessons from the experience. They apply their learning to future college studies and life choices, preparing to lead in a globalized world. Offered during Interim 2002. GE: MCS-D. 221 Social Work and Social Services Students study the progression of the U.S. social welfare system from English Poor Laws, the Social Security Act, and the Contract with America to the 1996 reforms, and how its components (public, private, church-related) interrelate to serve diverse populations in cities and small towns. The development of social work, its underlying values and ideology, and its relationship to social welfare are included. Students volunteer 20 hours. Offered Fall Semester. 231 Social Welfare in the Global Community Students study human need (poverty, health, education, human rights) and explore how several countries address social welfare in their own economic, religious, political, and cultural contexts. We examine the particular needs and strengths of women; India and Mexico provide a special focus. Excellent for students who desire to "do good" in non-Western cultures, especially through study-service programs, Peace Corps, or related opportunities. GE: MCS-G. 235 Special Topic in Social Service Students study in-depth a current topic affecting at-risk populations (homelessness, family violence, child abuse, addictions, or poverty) from a social work perspective. Students explore the public and private programs, legislation, policies, and resources being used to address the issue. Videos, speakers, and field trips are included; students also explore a particular aspect of the social service system that addresses the chosen topic. Offered every third year. 246 Human Behavior in the Social Environment Humans relate to one another in couples, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Through the lens of social systems theory, ethics, and a strengths perspective, social work majors apply prerequisite and advanced theoretical research material from biology, sociology, and psychology to assess situations encountered by social workers. Diverse examples are drawn from novels - Joy Luck Club, The Color of Water, A Poison Stronger than Love - and from students' autobiographies. Prerequisites: Sociology 121 or 126, Psychology 241, and Biology 123 or 243; open to non-majors by permission of program director only. Offered Fall Semester. 254 Methods and Skills in Social Work I Social work majors study the "how-to" of social work practice, particularly oral communication. They describe strengths, as well as problems, of diverse individuals, families, and small groups; frame goals and plans for change utilizing the problem-solving method and the systems perspective; and use ethical decision-making, informed by the scientific method, grounded in the liberal arts, and concerned with social justice. Students demonstrate learning in videotaped role playing. Prerequisites: Social Work 221 and concurrent enrollment in Social Work 246. GE: ORC. Offered Fall Semester. 256 Family Social Services in Central Mexico (abroad) Families in central Mexico survive and thrive in their communities. Students explore how public and private organizations work with informal systems to assist those challenged by poverty, injustice, poor health, addictions, and global economic pressures. Development opportunities for, and contributions of, women are emphasized. Speakers, site visits to agencies and programs, home-stays, indigenous village immersion, and an orientation to Mexico City are included. GE: MCS-G. Offered Interim 2000-01. 258 Social Policy Affirmative action and welfare reform exemplify how society's values and needs translate into policies and programs. Social workers work for justice by creating, implementing, and evaluating policies in income, employment, housing, and child welfare. Students study policy formation and analysis that reflect interests and powers of diverse groups as well as economic and social needs of certain populations at risk, especially women, African-Americans, gay men and lesbians, and Latinos. GE: HBS. Open to non-majors by permission of program director. Offered Spring Semester. 261 Methods and Skills in Social Work II Social work majors continue the "how-to" of generalist practice. They assess strengths and problems of diverse groups, organizations, and communities and use the systems perspective to help an organization or community frame its goals and plans for social change. Students scientifically assess communities; meet community practice social workers; and develop plans for implementing change that are reflective, scientific, just, and grounded in the liberal arts. Prerequisite: Social Work 254. Offered Spring Semester. 274 Evaluation of Social Work Practice and Programs Social work majors study scientific approaches to building knowledge for generalist practice and assessing effectiveness and efficiency of both individual practice and social service programs. Students learn to assess needs and progress, design case interventions, measure client satisfaction, and assess program outcomes. They evaluate elements of practice with diverse clients and portions of programs with which they are familiar and apply ethical standards to scientific inquiry, open to non-majors by permission of program director only. Offered Spring Semester. 294 Internship 298 Independent Study 373 Methods and Skills in Social Work III This course immediately precedes the Field Practicum (Social Work 380); in it, majors integrate principles and skills of assessment and planning, develop and implement strategies of ethical intervention with diverse clients, and refine skills of termination, evaluation, and documentation. Students apply evaluation methods to diverse practice situations, articulate implications of social policy for their practice, and demonstrate learning in videotaped role playing. Prerequisite: Social Work 261. Offered in September each year, for majors only. 380 Field Practicum (2.5 credits) In this "real world" experience, social work majors complete at least 400 hours in a rural or urban agency with structured learning about generalist practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities from diverse backgrounds. Students engage in professional responsibilities with careful guidance and supervision from the field instructor and the field coordinator. Students periodically attend a seminar to integrate classroom learning, share experiences, and obtain support. Prerequisite: Majors who have satisfactorily completed all foundation and required courses with numbers below 380. Offered Fall Semester. 381 The Social Worker as Professional This "capstone" course is for senior majors. Students complete a project commonly assigned to a beginning level generalist social worker. Weekly seminars introduce auxiliary skills for beginning workers. Students discuss current social work issues and provide peer assistance with projects. Evaluation includes: a report of project results; analysis of decision-making in relation to theory, scientific findings, diversity, and ethics; and assessment of demonstrated mastery of program outcomes. Prerequisite: Social work majors who have satisfactorily completed Social Work 380. Offered Spring Semester. 398 Independent Research 399 Seminar |