Department of Social Work at Saint Mary's College

Introduction - Mission - Requirements - Application to Social Work Department - Advising - Student Involvement
Grievance Policies - Licensing - Nondiscrimination Policy

Introduction

Social Work is one of the major professions concerned with humanity's well-being. The practice of social work may range from the prevention of social problems to the alleviation of pain and suffering to helping people cope with what cannot be changed. It may be practiced within either sectarian or secular institutions, private or public.

The ideals and values of the profession are consistent with Christian ideals and values. The Social Work Program at Saint Mary's College prepares students to integrate their personal values and the practice of social work. It offers the student a well-rounded preparation for professional practice based on a strong liberal arts foundation.

Saint Mary's College offers a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work. Baccalaureate level social workers are prepared for beginning generalist practice with individuals, families, groups and communities with special emphasis on direct service to clients.

Mission Statement

Recognizing the pioneering tradition of Saint Mary's College to educate women to lead and make a difference in the world, the Social Work Program prepares students for generalist social work practice and graduate study. Through classroom and field learning opportunities, students develop the interpersonal, research, and critical thinking skills which underlie effective social work intervention. These skills are translated into meaningful action through a multi-level understanding of the pluralistic and diverse nature of the social environment. With a firm grounding in social work values and ethics, students will work for social and economic justice with oppressed populations in society as well as in their workplace, civic, home and spiritual communities.

Application

Prerequisites for formal application to Social Work Major:
1. Completion of 45 credit hours
2. Satisfactory progress toward completion of the College General Education requirements
3. A cumulative GPA of 2.0 in departmental courses taken to date

Students are admitted to the Social Work Program through the following process:

Step 1. The student receives her major petition from the Academic Affairs Office during the second semester of the sophomore year. The student submits her petition to the Chair of Social Work and Anthropology Department. If the petition requests admission to the Social Work Program, the Chair sends the student to the Director of the Social Work Program whose responsibility it is to submit a recommendation to the Chair based on an admission interview conducted with the petitioner.

Step 2. The student who petitions for admission to the Social Work Program meets with the Director of Social Work who evaluates her in terms of her academic qualifications, her motivation and attitude, her professional interest, and her apparent suitability for the social work profession. The petitioners will have completed or will be currently enrolled in SW 202: Introduction to Social Work. During the interview, the applicant will receive a personal copy of the Social Work Program Handbook which will be reviewed with her. The Program Director also consults with the other members of the Social Work faculty to obtain their evaluation of the student before making a recommendation to the Chair.

If the Chair has reservations concerning the recommendation, other faculty in the Department who have taught the student may be consulted and a meeting with the Director of the Social Work Program is arranged to resolve the difference of opinion.

Step 3. The Department Chair returns the student's petition to her with one of the following categories checked: Accepted with no reservations or Conditionally Accepted if the petitioner has an overall grade point average (GPA) of under 2.0 but is otherwise satisfactory. A conditionally accepted petition is re-evaluated by the Director following the student's completion of all sophomore courses and a final recommendation is made. Occasionally, the petition may not be signed, with the reasons explained. Students who are not approved may petition again, at a later date.

The major becomes official only after the student files her petition with the Academic Affairs Office. If the student fails to file the petition, the major is not official and she is not entered in department files.

Requirements

Overview Social Work majors are expected to complete a rigorous regimen of courses that makes careful long range planning a necessity in order to make optimal use of college time. These requirements include General Education courses as required in all majors, Social Work courses, and supporting courses in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work.

Due to the rigor of the course structure, advising is key to successful completion of the major. All students work with a faculty advisor in Social Work in planning their curriculum. Social Work faculty also provide transfer students from another college or from another major special advising sessions.

General Education Requirements
In order to fulfill the goals and objectives set forth in its mission, the Social Work Program follows a structured program that develops a foundation based on knowledge, values and skills as the student grows in her identification with the profession and in her confidence to employ the knowledge, values and skills which she has learned. The liberal arts form the basis of the Social Work curriculum. As a result, the applicant to the Program must develop an appreciation for, and must demonstrate proficiency in English Literature, Mathematics, History, Philosophy, Fine Arts, Religious Studies, Writing and Communication Skills, Modern Language, Human Biology, and Social Science. Proficiency is demonstrated by successfully completing the General Education courses in the respective disciplines.

Orientation to the Social Work Program
During each semester, all declared social work majors and undeclared students interested in social work are expected to attend the orientation session held by the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work. The meeting is announced during SW 202: Introduction to Social Work and is posted in the Social Work bulletin board. At this session, the social work curriculum and department and general College policies and procedures are discussed. Officers of the various department associations are introduced and discuss activities for the coming year. New students are encouraged ask questions about the program and the department.

Advising

Each Saint Mary's student must have an advisor in her major. This department follows a policy of "open advising" which means that the student selects an advisor in her major. Social work students should feel free to discuss all aspects of their academic life with the advisor they select. The Program Director advises all transfer students as well as students with special problems.

All social work faculty maintain regular office hours. College policy requires that each advisor have no less than 5 office hours per week. It is not necessary to make an appointment with the professor during those hours. However, a student may want to make an appointment to insure that the professor will be able to see her at a time convenient to her class schedule. If it is not possible for a student to meet with her advisor during regular office hours, the student must initiate the appointment request.

You Can Expect Your Academic Advisor To:
1. Assist you with course selection, scheduling, and registration for each semester. Answer questions regarding College requirements and procedures. Inform you regarding College resources that can help with personal and academic concerns (study skills, career exploration, personal problems, etc.) and assist you in making contact with appropriate support services. 4. Assist you in establishing realistic goals during the academic year. 5. Empower you to explore career plans and alternatives. 6. Support your individual development. 7. Keep regular hours and be available for appointments. 8. Abide by the rules of confidentiality.

Your Academic Advisor Will Expect You To:
1. Meet with her or him on a regular basis (to be determined after the initial meeting). 2. Give accurate information concerning your interests and abilities. 3. Indicate if you are having difficulties. 4. Meet the goals established for the academic year. 5. Commit yourself to developing and using effective study habits. 6. Attend all classes on a regular basis. 7. Make appropriate use of College resources. 8. Select individual courses from those suggested and construct a tentative schedule prior to pre-registration each semester. 9. Complete appropriate paper work when making schedule changes or withdrawing from classes.

EXPECTED STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE
All courses required for the major, taken in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work must post a grade of "C" or better. Any departmental required course in which the student receives a C- or below must be repeated by the student. Any student receiving two grades of C- or lower in departmental required courses is subject to academic dismissal from the program. Again, it is important to remember that no life experience can substitute for Field Practicum I and II.