The Department of Social Work offers a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program which trains students for direct practice positions in social work and is in candidacy for accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education. The program has a multicultural focus, preparing graduates to work in both nonprofit and public agencies and to be proficient in serving diverse populations in urban communities. The mission of the BSW program is to graduate generalist practice-level, culturally responsive urban social workers in community mental health
Social work graduates are well prepared to attend to individual, family, group, and community needs caused by inequalities of class and identity, including race, ethnicity, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, immigration status, religion, caste, and other forms of social injustice. Advocacy and social change to address these injustices form the core of the BSW program. Our vision is to create a cadre of diverse leaders to be catalysts for social change and transform oppressive systems in partnership with the communities we serve.
Activities Director • Care Coordinator • Case Manager • Client Advocate • Child Welfare Specialist • Community Health Worker • Family Advocate • Family Service Worker • Geriatric Social Worker • Probation Officer or Corrections Specialist • Social Services Manager • Training and Development Specialist
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An introduction to social, political, and cultural understandings of disability. Topics include models of disability, the social process of disablement, and representations of disability in popular culture.
Overview of public health and policy issues in aging and long term care. Implications of chronic illnesses and disability in the aging population. Impact of economic, political and social conditions in the provision of health care services to the elderly.
The application of ethical theories and philosophical perspectives to the study and analysis of ethical decision-making in the criminal justice system.
Learn about the ecology of health, traditional practices, and medicine; public health and medical problems as affected by cultural differences; the effects of acculturation upon mental and physical health.
Analyzes contemporary American penal politics and punishment. Emphasizes the state’s role in criminalization and modern forms of social control. Examines issues of inequality and alternative policies promoting social justice and freedom.
An interdisciplinary exploration of theories, methods, and research findings on children in families and communities.