houses faculty offices, a student lounge and ... students for practice in many different kinds of social agencies .... To graduate with honors in social work, students ...
School of Social Work 1001 West Franklin Street P.O. Box 842027 Richmond, Virginia 23284-2027 (804) 828-0703 • Fax (804) 828-0716 http://www.vcu.edu/slwweb Frank R. Baskind
Professor of Social Work and Dean (1992) A.B. 1967 Fordham University M.S.W. 1971 University of Connecticut Ph.D. 1978 University of Connecticut
Ann M. Nichols-Casebolt
Professor of Social Work and Associate Dean (1993) B.A. 1971 University of Wisconsin M.S.S.W. 1978 University of Wisconsin Ph.D. 1984 University of Wisconsin
Kia J. Bentley
Professor and Director, Ph.D. Program (1989) B.A. 1978 Auburn University M.S.S.W. 1979 University of Tennessee Ph.D. 1987 Florida State University
Humberto E. Fabelo
Associate Professor and Director of Baccalaureate Social Work Program (1995) B.S. 1981 Florida State University M.S.W. 1989 Florida International University Ph.D. 1995 Florida International University
Marcia P. Harrigan
Associate Professor of Social Work and Director of the Master of Social Work Program (1979) B.A. Muskingum College M.S.W. 1974 Virginia Commonwealth University Ph.D. 1989 Virginia Commonwealth University
The oldest of its kind in the South, Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Social Work was established in 1917 as the Richmond School of Social Economy. Later renamed the School of Social Work and Public Health, it became the first unit of Richmond Professional Institute. The school was created initially in response to community needs in working with World War I veterans and their social and health problems. Subsequent development of the school has expanded activity into all areas of human service. With the creation of VCU in 1968, the School of Social Work became a unit of what is now the university’s Monroe Park Campus.
The Raleigh Building at 1001 W. Franklin St. houses faculty offices, a student lounge and conference rooms. Social workers are committed to the enhancement of social functioning and the promotion of social justice. To achieve these goals, social workers provide services to individuals, families, groups, communities and organizations. They also plan and administer the delivery of social services and advocate positive social and institutional change. Social work education provides the knowledge, skills and value base for these professional activities. Social work education at VCU is highly individualized and is characterized by a close relationship between faculty and students. Faculty members help students learn the form and method of social work practice, and students are encouraged to discover their own unique style of helping others. The school’s educational programs are designed to prepare students for practice in many different kinds of social agencies. A combination of classroom courses and concurrent fieldwork experiences facilitates integration of knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary for professional practice. The integrated class and fieldwork curriculum offers students the opportunity to acquire a substantial base in social work practice, patterns of human behavior and development, organization and operation of social welfare programs and policies, the methods of scientific inquiry in social work, and the needs of special populations.
Accreditation VCU’s Bachelor of Social Work program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the Council on Social Work Education — the accrediting body for all schools of social work at both the baccalaureate and master’s levels. Copies of the Accreditation Standards and Curriculum Policy Statement are available in the Office of the Dean.
VCU Undergraduate Bulletin 2005 – 06
Bachelor of Social Work program Guided by the principle of promoting social justice, the goals of the B.S.W. program are: 1. to provide an integrated curriculum based on the knowledge, skills, ethics and values essential for beginning generalist social work practice. 2. to offer an educational experience that facilitates the critical analysis of social work knowledge and practice. 3. to provide classroom and field instruction experiences designed to promote culturally sensitive practice with diverse and oppressed groups. 4. to provide an environment that encourages lifelong learning and prepares students for professional growth and development. Degree requirements The Bachelor of Social Work requires completion of 121 credits, including 45 credits in the major. The curriculum of the baccalaureate program is specifically designed to prepare students for beginning-level generalist social work practice. This practice model requires a broad base of knowledge about individuals, families, groups, communities and organizations and an appreciation of cultural diversity. General education courses provide an essential foundation for the upperlevel professional curriculum and are required for admission to junior and senior social work courses.
Freshman and sophomore year curricula Course credits ANTH 103 Introduction to Anthropology 3 BIOL 101 and BIOZ 101L Biological Concepts and Laboratory 4 ENGL 101 and ENGL 200 Writing and Rhetoric Workshop I and II 6 MATH 131 Introduction to Contemporary Mathematics or higher 3
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School of Social Work PHIL 211 History of Ethics, PHIL 212 Ethics and Applications, PHIL 213 Ethics and Health Care, PHIL 221 Critical Thinking or PHIL 222 Logic PSYC 101 Introduction to Psychology and PSYC 304 Life Span Developmental Psychology SLWK 201 Introduction to Social Work and SLWK 230 Communication in the Helping Process SOCY 101 General Sociology General requirements and electives
Academic policies 3 7 6 3 26
Junior year: first semester (fall or spring) SLWK 311 Social Work and Oppressed Groups SLWK 313 Person in Society I SLWK 380 Foundations of Social Work Research I General requirements or electives
3 3 3 6
Junior year: second semester (fall, spring, summer) SLWK 330 Person in Society II SLWK 332 Social Work Practice: Fundamentals SLWK 381 Foundations of Social Work Research II SLWK 393 Junior Field Instruction General requirements or electives
3 3 3 3 3
Senior year: fall semester only SLWK 441 Social Work Practice I and SLWK 494 Senior Field Instruction I SLWK 422 Social Welfare Legislation and Services or SLWK 431 Person in Society III General requirements or electives
6 3 6
Senior year: spring semester only SLWK 442 Social Work Practice II and SLWK 495 Senior Field Instruction II SLWK 422 Social Welfare Legislation and Services or SLWK 431 Person in Society III General requirements or electives Total credits
6 3 6 ______ 121
General requirements and electives Course Art* (minimum) Biology** Foreign language (101-102 level) minimum General electives*** (minimum) Humanities** Social-behavioral sciences**
credits 2 3 8 13 6 12
* From the College of Humanities and Sciences approved list of art courses for non-School of the Arts majors. ** From the School of Social Work approved list for these requirements. Students should consult with their academic adviser to make appropriate choice. *** General electives are courses of the student’s choosing.
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Admission requirements For admission to the professional preparation program (300- and 400-level social work courses) offered in the junior and senior years, students must complete at a minimum 54 credits, including the specified requirements in the freshman and sophomore curriculum above. In addition, to gain admission to the professional preparation program, students must achieve a minimum grade of “C” in ENGL 101-200 and “B” in SLWK 201 and SLWK 230, and must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 in all course work completed. Application process Students eligible to register for upperlevel social work courses need to make an appointment with their adviser to review and complete the “Application for Admission to the B.S.W. Professional Preparation Program” form. This form is available from the Office of Student Services, Room 107, Raleigh Building. Although the Bachelor of Social Work program can be completed on a parttime basis, it cannot be completed exclusively in the evening because of field practicum requirements and the scheduling of some classes. Transfer students may be granted provisional admission contingent on their meeting the above requirements and completion of 15 credits at VCU. Continuing in the program and graduation All students must successfully complete the following courses. Students must earn a “C” or better in all 300-level social work courses before entering the 400-level courses. Students must have a “C” or better in all required social work courses before graduation. A student who earns a grade of “D” or “F” in any 300- or 400-level social work course may repeat the course once. If a grade of “D” or “F” is earned in the repeated course, the student will be terminated from the B.S.W. program. Transfer of credits from other colleges or universities or from other programs at VCU is determined on an individual basis. Credit is not given for life experiences. A minimum of 121 credits is required for the Bachelor of Social Work.
Application for the field practicum must be made through the School of Social Work Field Department and must be received by the eighth week of the spring or fall semester. Field placements require students to spend 14 hours a week in an agency and cannot be completed on nights and weekends. Students may request a placement with some evening and/or weekend hours. These placements are scarce and the granting of such a request depends on the availability of appropriate agencies and resources. As a condition for graduation, students must submit in the spring term of their senior year a portfolio of selected assignments. Assignments are to be selected according to the specific instructions in each 200-, 300and 400-level social work course syllabus. Portfolios are reviewed by B.S.W. program to assess the degree to which the B.S.W. program outcomes have been achieved and not to assess the individual student’s performance, although students may request feedback from their academic adviser as to the quality and completeness of their portfolio. Prior to graduation all students must pass the Computer Proficiency Examination. There are additional policies that affect students’ progression in the professional degree program. Students are responsible for compliance with these policies. They are listed in the B.S.W. Handbook, which is available on the School of Social Work Web site at http://www.vcu.edu/slwweb. Course restrictions Practice (SLWK 332, 441 and 442) and field education (SLWK 393, 494-495) courses are restricted to majors only. Students minoring in social welfare, or other students with permission of program director or course instructor, may take SLWK 311, 313, 330, 380, 381, 422 and 431. In all cases, however, prerequisites must be satisfied.
Minor in social welfare A minor in social welfare is available to nonsocial work majors. This minor consists of 18 credits, including SLWK 201 Introduction to Social Work and SLWK 422 Social Welfare Legislation and Services. The remaining 12 credits can be fulfilled by completing SLWK 230 Communication in the Helping Process, SLWK 311 Social Work and Oppressed Groups, SLWK 313 Person in Society I, SLWK 330 Person in Society II, SLWK 380 Founda-
School of Social Work tions of Social Work Research I, SLWK 381 Foundations of Social Work Research II or SLWK 431 Person in Society III. Practice and field courses are restricted to majors.
Honors in social work Undergraduate social work majors may earn honors in social work. Eligible students may apply in the second semester of their junior year. Students must have completed at least 12 credits in social work at VCU and have earned a 3.3 overall GPA and a 3.6 GPA in social work courses. To graduate with honors in social work, students must have earned three credits of approved honors modules with a grade of “B” or better. Students who meet these requirements and all other graduation requirements of the university will have honors in social work noted on their transcripts.
Student association The Baccalaureate Social Work Student Association, an organization of students in the Bachelor of Social Work Program, was established to facilitate communication among students and between the student body and the school faculty and staff. This organization plays a vital role in the educational process. Through student representation on committees within the school, BSWSA members participate in decision-making processes. In addition, the association enables students to conduct a variety of social and professional activities throughout the year.
Graduate social work programs The school offers a Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work and a two-year, full-time or fouryear, structured part-time professional program in social work leading to the Master of Social Work. For a detailed description of the master’s and doctoral programs, see the Graduate Bulletin on the Web at http://www.vcu.edu /bulletins.
Advanced Standing Program Open to a selected group of students, this program leads to a Master of Social Work degree upon completion of at least 39 credits, which must be completed in a summer session followed by an academic year.
For admission to this program, each applicant must hold a bachelor’s degree from an undergraduate social work program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the Council on Social Work Education. The Bachelor of Social Work degree must have been conferred no more than five years prior to application for the Advanced Standing Program. The program begins in early June, continues through the summer and culminates in graduation the following May. Successful candidates for this program must earn a minimum GPA of 3.2 for the last 60 hours of academic work and go through a structured interview on campus. Deadline for application is Dec. 1.
Courses in social work (SLWK) SLWK 201 Introduction to Social Work Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Systematic overview of the social work profession. Begins the process of professional socialization, both through class content and required service experience. Knowledge of the nature of social work, the fields of social work practice, target populations, overview of social work methods. SLWK 230 Communication in the Helping Process Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. The study of the knowledge, skills and values of effective human communication and interpersonal relations. Includes observation, collection and description of data, verbal and nonverbal communication and the relevance of the above to social work practice. Integrates issues of human diversity in all course content. Emphasizes the demonstration and practice of communication through structured exercises. SLWK 311 Social Work and Oppressed Groups Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Open only to majors or minors in social welfare with junior status or by permission of program director or course instructor. Examines forces leading to individual prejudice and institutional oppression. Focuses on impact of oppression. Provides students with an understanding of diversity and a general knowledge of social work strategies to alleviate oppression and to empower the oppressed. SLWK 313 Person in Society I Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: ANTH 103, BIOL 101, PSYC 304 and SOCY 101. Open only to majors or minors in social welfare with junior status or by permission of program director or course instructor. First of a three-semester sequence on human behavior and the social environment. Uses theoretical concepts and research findings from the behavioral sciences as background for understanding and assessing the functioning of individuals and families in their social environment. Facilitates integration of theory and research with assessment skills associated with basic social work practice. Emphasizes the social systems approach for analyzing the impact of various social problems on individual and family dynamics.
VCU Undergraduate Bulletin 2005 – 06
SLWK 330 Person in Society II Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: SLWK 313. Open only to majors or minors in social welfare with junior status or by permission of program director or course instructor. Second of three courses on human behavior in the social environment. Uses theoretical concepts from the behavioral sciences to understand the family and small groups as social institutions and social groups as context for human behavior over the life cycle. Designed to provide a theoretical foundation for practice with families and small groups. SLWK 332 Social Work Practice: Fundamentals Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: SLWK 313. Corequisite: SLWK 393. Open only to social work majors with junior status. First of three semester practice sequence. Introduces students to basic concepts and skills of beginning-level professional generalist social work practice. Emphasizes application of concepts to the concurrent fieldwork experience. SLWK 380 Foundations of Social Work Research I Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Open only to majors or minors in social welfare with junior status or by permission of program director or course instructor. First of two semester research sequence. Designed to provide an understanding and appreciation of a scientific, analytic approach to building knowledge for practice and for evaluating multilevel service delivery. Provides an overview of the research process, including problem formulation, sampling, design, measurement, data collection, data analysis and dissemination of findings. Presents ethical standards of scientific inquiry with special attention to research with vulnerable and oppressed populations. SLWK 381 Foundations of Social Work Research II Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: SLWK 380. Open only to social work majors or minors in social welfare with junior status or by permission of program director or course instructor. The content includes a review of basic statistical univariate and bivariate descriptive and inferential tools for analyzing, interpreting and presenting data for decision making in generalist social work practice. It also introduces methods for analysis of quantitative and qualitative data and further develops critical thinking skills in translating empirical research findings into generalist social work practice principles. SLWK 391 Topics in Social Work Semester course; variable hours. 1-3 credits. An indepth study of a selected topic relevant for professional social work practice. See the Schedule of Classes for the specific topic to be offered each semester. SLWK 393 Junior Field Instruction Semester course; 3 credits. Prerequisite: SLWK 313. Corequisite: SLWK 332. Open only to majors with junior status. Fourteen hours per week (spring semester) or 20 hours per week (summer session) in a community agency under the supervision of an agencybased field instructor. Intended to facilitate student’s understanding of agency structure and community context, ability to engage in professional relationships, to assess strengths, define problems, set goals and utilize beginning-level practice skills with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities. Promotes identification as a professional social worker.
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School of Social Work SLWK 422 Social Welfare Legislation and Services Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Open only to majors or minors in social welfare with junior status or by permission of program director or course instructor. Analyzes social welfare policy as related to social values, social problems, and social structures. Examines frameworks for policy analysis and for evaluation of programmatic outcomes of policy, with application to contemporary social service and income maintenance policies and delivery systems. Considers the economic, political and ideological factors and processes that affect social welfare legislation, financing and implementation. SLWK 431 Person in Society III Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: SLWK 313. Open only to majors or minors in social welfare with junior status or by permission of program director or course instructor. Third of three courses on human behavior in the social environment. Builds on the theoretical concepts from the behavioral sciences discussed in SLWK 230 and 313. Focus on understanding organizations and how their purposes, auspices, structure, processes and environment affect the delivery of social services to diverse groups. The community context of social services, including that of the consumer, is emphasized from an open systems theoretical perspective. Students will be expected to integrate course content with their field experience or other agency with which they are familiar. Required of all undergraduate social work majors.
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SLWK 441 Social Work Practice I Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: SLWK 332, 381 and 393. Open only to majors with senior standing. Second of a three-semester practice sequence. Review of interviewing and problem solving for generalist social work practice with diverse populations. Emphasis on agency structure and function, skills of engagement and problem definition, assessment, planning for intervention, and evaluation. Use of material from concurrent fieldwork practice to facilitate integration of learning. SLWK 442 Social Work Practice II 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: SLWK 441 and SLWK 494. Open only to majors with senior standing. Third of a three-semester practice sequence. Emphasizes planning and implementing change with diverse populations, professional ethics, professional development, termination and evaluation of generalist social work practice. Use of case material from concurrent fieldwork practice to facilitate integration of learning.
SLWK 492 Independent Study Semester course; 1, 2 or 3 lecture hours. 1, 2 or 3 credits. Prerequisites: junior or senior standing, and permission of instructor. Under supervision of a faculty adviser, whose consent is required to register, study of a topic of concern to the student. Each student must present his or her findings in writing or pass an oral examination. SLWK 494-495 Senior Field Instruction I and II Continuous courses; 3-3 credits. Corequisites: SLWK 441, 442. Open only to majors with senior status. Fourteen hours per week in a community agency under the supervision of an agency based field instructor. Intended to develop knowledge, values and social work practice skills appropriate to entry-level generalist practice in human service agencies.
