Social Work
About the Program
The requirements for a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work ensure a broad program of study. Students take courses such as statistics, biological sciences, and English in conjunction with courses in social work history and policy, human behavior, social work practice theory, and research. Field practicum experiences, which involve supervised work in a local human-service agency, are available in a variety of settings, including child welfare agencies, juvenile courts, hospitals, mental health centers, and senior centers. The undergraduate social work program at Ohio University is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. Successful completion of the social work program qualifies graduates to apply for licensure as a social worker in the state of Ohio and most other states.
The program also offers a social services minor. Minor requirements consist of a minimum of 29 hours, including SW 102, 290, 390, and at least four other social work courses at the 300 level or above. In addition to Social Work electives, SW 383, 393, and 394 can be taken with permission of the instructor, to fulfill the 4 course requirement. The minor does not make graduates eligible for licensure.
The program offers a unique, individualized undergraduate degree in social work to high achieving students who are eligible for admission to Ohio University's Honors Tutorial College. In addition to taking a rigorous, accredited required social work curriculum, these students take tutorials that allow them to explore their interests in intensive studies with individual faculty members. This program emphasizes research, learning through service, and application of theory to policy and practice and requires the successful completion of an honors thesis. Graduates may be eligible for the MSW advanced standing program, which would allow them to earn their graduate degree in one year.
Career Opportunities
No matter what the political or economic climate, there always will be jobs for social workers as long as individuals and groups need assistance. Opportunities exist in a wide range of areas: child welfare; developmental disabilities; corrections; drug and alcohol abuse; mental health; health care; gerontology; family services; industry, business, and labor; and social research. A master̢۪s degree in social work focusing on rural practice is also available at Ohio University.
An undergraduate degree in social work from Ohio University prepares graduates to enter generalist social work practice or to pursue a graduate degree in social work or a related field. Generalist social work practice at the undergraduate level involves the capacity to apply knowledge, skills, and values to assess a range of situations and the ability to work with individuals, groups, organizations, and communities from a wide variety of perspectives. The knowledge base of generalist practice is composed of a liberal arts foundation. A liberal arts perspective is integrated in the social work curriculum content areas of practice, human behavior and the social environment, research, and policy. Generalist skills include critical thinking, communication, assessment, planning, monitoring and evaluation, and role-taking. Generalist social workers may fill many roles, including broker, teacher, counselor, mediator, manager, and advocate.
Admission
Admission to the program is divided into two stages: preprofessional and professional. First-year students are admitted as preprofessional majors to work on freshman- and sophomore- level requirements. However, to be admitted to the professional program, all prospective students, including Ohio University and transfer students, are required to submit a written application and an admission essay to the department̢۪s screening committee during their sophomore year. Application forms and guidelines for the essay are available from the department and online.
To be considered for admission, students are expected to have a minimum overall g.p.a. of 2.5. In addition, they must have completed (1) both SW 102 and SW 290 with at least a C (2.0); (2) BIOS 103, PSY 221, PSY 273, and one course in two of the following four disciplines: anthropology, economics, political science, and sociology; (3) Tier I composition (ENG 151, 152) and quantitative skills (MATH 113) requirements; (4) at two quarters of the foreign language requirement; and (5) a paid or volunteer experience in the area of social work (20 hours). At least 48 quarter hours of college level course work leading to a baccalaureate degree is also required. Students transferring from colleges or universities other than Ohio University must complete a minimum of 12 quarter hours at Ohio University before applying for admission to the major. The Social Work program is competitive; completion of admission criteria alone does not guarantee admission.
Curriculum
General requirements for a major in social work consist of a minimum of 60 hours of social work courses, plus at least 45 quarter hours of liberal arts foundation courses.
Program required courses are:
102 Intro to Social Welfare and Social Work (4)
290 Social Welfare as an Institution (4)
350 Research Methods in Social Work (4)
383 Intro to Social Work Practice Methods (4)
390 Social Policy (4)
393 Dynamics of Human Behavior I (4)
394 Dynamics of Human Behavior II (4)
396 Social Work Practice I (4)
397 Social Work Practice II (4)
398 Social Work Practice III (4) –
Tier III equivalent
491A Integrative Seminar (2)
491B Integrative Seminar (2)
491C Integrative Seminar (2)
492A Field Practicum (4)
492B Field Practicum (5)
492C Field Practicum (5)
The following liberal arts courses are also required:
BIOS 103 Human Biology
PSY 221 Statistics
PSY 273 Child and Adolescent Psychology
PSY 332 Abnormal Psychology
PSY 374 Psychology of Adulthood and Aging
Additional hours in the social sciences must include at least one course in each of the following areas: anthropology, economics, political science, and sociology, although social work elective courses may be used to substitute for up to a maximum of four hours of this requirement. In compliance with the Council on Social Work Education, the Social Work Program does not grant academic credit or course waivers for life experiences or previous work experiences.
Scholarships and Financial Aid
A variety of sources of financial aid are available for undergraduate students. Social work majors may also apply for the Nina A. Montgomery Scholarship. A limited number of University Partnership Program (UPP) scholarships/traineeships are available for junior and senior social work majors interested in child welfare training and future employment. Contact Tracy Pritchard at 740.597.1636 or pritchar@ohio.edu. For more information about aid, go online to the Ohio University's Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.
Program Contact
Social Work
Morton Hall 416
Athens, Oh 45701-2979
740.593.1292
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