SWK 221 Human Behavior in the Social Environment

SWK 311 Social Welfare Policy

SWK 331 Social Work Practice I: Individuals & Families

SWK 332 Social Work Practice II: Groups

SWK 333 Social Work Practice III: Communities & Organizations

SWK 417 Human Diversity

As part of their social work education, students complete a 440-hour internship at a social service agency during their senior year. Field placements include opportunities to work with a variety of populations and services. Most of these placements occur locally, but opportunities do exist for students to pursue international field placements or a specialized field placement in the Chicago area.

Social work students, during their senior year, participate in a required field practicum experience under the supervision of an experienced social worker for a minimum of 440 hours. This provides an opportunity for hands-on training and application of theory, knowledge and skills to actual situations in a variety of settings. Student field practicum placements have included adoption and foster care agencies, crisis pregnancy centers, juvenile court, hospitals, nursing homes, child and adolescent group homes, community mental health and residential treatment centers.

To enroll in the field practicum, students must achieve senior status (completed 96 credit hours), have taken SWK-462: Senior Seminar, have approval from the Social Work Program faculty and be accepted into the Social Work Program. Students must register to take SWK-450: Field Practicum and SWK-451: Field Practicum Seminar concurrently.

Students who choose to major in social work must make formal application to the Social Work Program. Applications should be submitted to the social work program director anytime after taking SWK-211: Introduction to Social Work. Students must be admitted to the program before registering for the fall semester of their junior year. Students must meet the following criteria for acceptance into the program:

1. Students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or above.

2. Students must earn a 2.5 average or above in social work courses taken.

3. Students must complete a written application that includes a statement describing the student's interests, goals, strengths and weaknesses, commitment to the profession and agreement with the National Association of Social Work Code of Ethics.

4. Three letters of reference must accompany the application. These will include a personal reference from a nonrelative who is not a student and is over 21, a reference from a faculty member outside the social work department and at least one reference from an employment or volunteer experience related to the field.

5. Students will attend an interview with one or more members of the social work program admission committee.

Applicants will be notified of their acceptance as soon as possible after the of completion of the application process. Applicants who are not accepted to the program will be advised as to an alternate field of study. Or, students may re-apply to the program upon written documentation that previous deficiencies were corrected.

A grievance or appeal to the admissions committee should be made in writing. Students will receive a response to their appeal or grievance within four weeks.

The social work program admissions committee reserves the right to request a student to withdraw from the social work program if academic performance, ethical or professional behavior or emotional or physical health indicates that the student may not successfully complete the program or jeopardize the well-being of clients served.

General Education Core requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree are listed in the academic catalog.

The Social Work Program at Cornerstone University was accredited through the Higher Learning Commission to offer a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work degree. This is the same accreditation as other degrees offered by Cornerstone University. Along with this accreditation, the Social Work Program sought and received a secondary level of accreditation through the Council on Social Work Education. A degree accredited by CSWE allows entrance into advanced placement Master of Social Work programs and state licensure, among other benefits.

On Feb. 9, 2004, the program was granted initial accreditation by CSWE. Then, on May 17, 2004, the CSWE informed us that they had retroactively extended accreditation back to the graduating class of 2001, the year candidacy status was achieved.

History of the Process

During Oct. 2003, two site team commissioners through the CSWE were on our campus to meet with all involved parties and to be the “eyes and ears of CSWE.” During this very intense visit, Dr. Ed Kuhlmann from Eastern College near Philadelphia and Professor Jan Potter from Dana College near Omaha, Neb., met with administrative personnel, social work faculty, students, alumni, advisory committee members and field instructors to review our program. Just before they left, they met with administrators and about 20 other excited people to give a very positive report.

The site team recommendation, along with our response, was given to CSWE for their meeting in February 2004.

Additionally, CSWE allowed us to apply for retroactive accreditation status back to candidacy, affecting the graduating classes of 2001, 2002 and 2003. Please refer to the council’s Web site at www.cswe.org.

The Advisory Board was established to provide direction, support and feedback regarding the Social Work Program to the social work faculty.

Current Board Members

Mission Statement: Compassion in Action exists as a group of social work students who meet regularly to plan and implement service opportunities and events that promote professional and spiritual growth as well as the well being of others and a sense of community among social work students at Cornerstone University. It also exists to advocate for the needs and concerns of social work students to the social work program.

Goals

1. To plan, facilitate and implement events that promote community awareness of a particular social issue/problem.

2. To plan, facilitate and implement events that promote professional development.

3. To plan, facilitate and implement annual events that promote a sense of community and solidarity among social work students

Bylaws

1. Membership consists of declared social work majors.

2. Nonmembers may participate in CIA sponsored events at the request of CIA members.

3. CIA officers consists of a president, vice-president and secretary/treasurer and must be at least junior/sophomore status. Officers may serve for up to two years, if they wish.

4. Officer elections will be held at the end of each academic school year.

5. President responsibilities include: 1) facilitating officer and group meetings, 2) spearheading efforts at developing a yearly agenda for CIA, and 3) attending the Social Work Program Advisory Committee meeting twice a year as a representative of the social work student body.

6. Vice-president responsibilities include: 1) assuming the responsibilities of the President when needed.

7. Secretary/treasurer: 1) document minutes for all meetings and submit those minutes electronically to all members and the Social Work Program Director, and 2) keep track of group funds and documentation of funds raised and expenditures.

8. Officers are elected annually at the end of each academic year.