Credits: 122
CIP Code: 440701

Program Description

The Bachelor of Social Work Degree Program prepares majors for entry-level professional practice in social work or for graduate study. The program curriculum is structured to provide students with an opportunity to develop a broad background in social and behavioral sciences, which includes integral components of theoretical knowledge of human behavior, practice skills, policy practice, research skills, and a field practicum. The BSW Program is a CSWE-accredited program.

The School utilizes an autonomous social work practice model to prepare culturally competent practitioners capable of intervening and working with systems of all sizes and resolving problems that particularly affect African American children, families, and males within the context of family and community. The curriculum builds upon a liberal arts base, integrating an Afrocentric perspective guided by humanistic values. Graduates are prepared to address social and economic justice issues at the local, regional, national, and international levels.

In addition to the development and modification of social policy, practice skills in interviewing, research, and methods of intervention are also required courses in the major. These courses prepare students for social work generalist practice. Students gain practical experience through a field practicum in a social work agency during the last semester of their senior year (See BSW Program Field Manual).

Program Objectives

The Baccalaureate Social Work Program has four objectives, which reflect the stated mission of the Whitney M. Young, Jr. School of Social Work and Clark Atlanta University, and are consistent with the purposes, values and ethics of the social work profession. The goals embrace each other by the depth, breath and specific knowledge and skills that students are expected to synthesize and apply in practice. The goals listed below reflect content from the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards for baccalaureate degree programs.

Objective 1: Prepare students for generalist practice with diverse groups without discrimination and with respect, knowledge of age, class, color, culture, disability, ethnicity, family structure, gender, marital status, national origin, race, sex, religious, sexual orientation and the relationships between human behavior and the social environment across the lifespan which incorporates the Afrocentric Perspective and the values and ethics of the social work profession.

Objective 2: Prepare students as social work generalist practitioners who link social research and social service practice by applying research findings to practice, and by evaluating their own practice.

Objective 3: Prepare students for generalist social work practice with systems of all sizes.

Objective 4: Prepare students for lifelong learning and critical thinking through an educational process that combines a liberal arts foundation with professional social work education and prepares them for graduate education in social work.

Admissions Requirements

Admission to the Undergraduate Program in Social Work is a process consisting of:

1. Admission to University.
2. A formal declaration of an interest in social work and completion of an Undergraduate Social Work application in the spring semester of the sophomore year.
3. Grade Point Average (GPA) 2.5 or better
4. The completion of two undergraduate social work courses: CUSW 200 Introduction to Social Work and CUSW 202 Intro to Helping Professions with a "C" or better.
5. Please note: The BSW program is available only to full-time Junior and Senior Undergraduate Students who have met the requirements for admittance into the program. Admittance into the BSW program has its own application process. You must apply to the BSW program even if you have declared social work as your major with the University. The application will be made available online. Hard copies of the application may also be obtained from the BSW Program Office. Nonsocial work majors may seek permission to take selected courses within the program with the permission of the BSW Program Director and Associate Dean of the School.

There are three possible admission decisions:

1. Unconditional admission: These students have demonstrated through their application materials and interview that they have the motivation and potential for competent professional social work practice and agree to uphold and conduct themselves according to the values and ethics of professional social work practice. In addition, these students have at least an overall GPA of 2.5.
2. Conditional admission: These students may continue in the major for one semester, during which certain conditions must be met. Students may be admitted conditionally with a lower GPA than 2.5 overall, but they must maintain a 3.0 overall GPA during the first semester in the BSW Program. A student may not enroll in any practice or field course with conditional admission.
3. Rejected: A decision of rejection will be made when the student does not demonstrate 1) acceptable academic performance necessary to successfully complete the requirements of the social work program and/or 2) commitment to social work values and ethics. A decision of non-acceptance will result in the student’s termination from the social work major.

The Director of the BSW Program sends a letter of acceptance, unconditional admission, conditional admission, or rejection to the applicant no later than sixty (60) days after the deadline for receipt of all applications. Students are encouraged to utilize the University’s procedural process to appeal admission decisions (CAU Undergraduate Policies and Procedures Handbook).

Transfer Credit

The Undergraduate Admissions Office determines the equivalency of transfer credits to academic credits earned at CAU. The BSW Program Director determines whether social work courses taken elsewhere are equivalent to those required by the program. If courses are deemed equivalent, the student will not have to repeat the course. Courses in social work taken in other accredited programs are evaluated individually based on catalog descriptions and/or course syllabi provided by the student to the BSW Program Director. All transfer students must contact the BSW Program Director before, or no later than, the registration period for transfer credit evaluation.

Academic Credit for Life and Previous Work Experience

The BSW Program does not give credit to students for life experiences or previous work experiences under any circumstances.

Study Abroad Opportunities

Clark Atlanta University students can travel and study at foreign colleges and universities worldwide regardless of their major. It is strongly recommended that all students take advantage of this cultural and academically enriching program. Opportunities are available during the summer session, fall, and spring semesters. Due to the BSW Program Plan of Study, BSW Program majors are encouraged to pursue study abroad opportunities during their sophomore year or during the summer sessions.
 
Students must be in good academic standing with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 and are required to receive academic credit during their period of study abroad. In collaboration with the Dean of Multicultural Affairs, the department chairs perform academic advisement and course approvals before departure for study abroad. Additional inquiries about study abroad should be directed to the department chair and the Dean of Multicultural Affairs. Depending upon the program and the student’s final aid award, eligible students can use their financial aid to underwrite the cost of studying abroad. Students planning to study abroad should meet with their financial aid advisor as soon as possible.

Student Learning Outcomes

Graduates in the Bachelor of Social Work Program will be able to:

1. Demonstrate ethical and professional behavior.
2. Engage diversity and difference in practice.
3. Advance human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice.
4. Engage in practice-informed research and research informed practice.
5. Engage in policy practice.
6. Engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
7. Assess individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
8. Intervene with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
9. Evaluate practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
10. Demonstrate knowledge of the Afrocentric Perspective with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.

Degree Requirements

The Bachelor of Social Work degree requires successful completion of twenty courses totaling sixty-six (66) credit hours in addition to the University’s General Education requirements. Combined with the University’s required general education core of fifty-six (56) credit hours, the number of hours to earn a degree in social work is one-hundred-twenty-two (122) credit hours.

Students pursuing the Bachelor of Social Work Degree Program must complete two prerequisite courses, CUSW 200 Introduction to Social Work and CUSW 202 Intro to Helping Professions, sequentially with minimum final grades of "C" before enrolling in any 300 and 400 level courses in Social Work. In addition, students must complete all required courses in Social Work with a minimum final grade of “C.” A final grade of “D” in CECO 250 Principles of Economics or CECO 251 Principles of Macroeconomics is acceptable for Social Work Degree credit, and majors are not required to repeat the course.

General Education Courses

Other University Requirements

Social Work Practicum Experience

All students graduating from Clark Atlanta University must take social work practicum instruction and social work practicum seminar upon completion of all BSW major core requirements before entering social work practicum instruction. Social work majors' practicum experiences consist of a required service learning agency experience of 20 clock hours in one of the pre-requisite courses, CUSW 202 Intro to Helping Professions; class-related practice experience assignment; and educationally directed social work practicum instruction placement, which requires a minimum of 400 clock hours in an agency setting. The primary purpose of all social work practicum experiences is to ensure that students directly engage with various agency structures, policies, clientele, and professionals. Agencies and field settings are carefully selected for their ability to provide solid educational experiences to students. (See Clark Atlanta University Whitney M. Young, Jr., School of Social Work’s BSW Social Work Practicum Handbook).

Social Work, B.A.

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A final grade of “D” is acceptable. SW Majors are not required to repeat the course.