Baccalaureate Program

Mission of the BA Program in Social Work

The mission of the baccalaureate social work program of Fordham University is to prepare undergraduate students as agency-based, generalist social workers who can provide services that promote the well being of individuals, families, groups and communities, and who are committed to working toward a just, equitable, and caring society, free from violence, oppression and discrimination.

Program Purpose and Structure

The Baccalaureate Program in Social Work (social work major) is designed to prepare students for positions as generalist social work practitioners in human service agencies such as hospitals, community centers, child welfare and mental health agencies.

The program builds on students’ solid liberal arts experience and combines classroom and field education with a strong student advising and support system. Following admission into the major, students participate in classes and activities of the Graduate School of Social Service. The baccalaureate program is accredited by the Council of Social Work Education. Students completing the social work program are eligible to apply for Advanced Standing at Graduate Schools of Social Work. If accepted, Advanced Standing will substantially shorten the time needed to complete a Master of Social Work degree.

Program Admission

The core curriculum of Fordham University provides students with a strong liberal arts platform from which to pursue upper-level study in social work. Students are expected to complete a substantial portion of the core curriculum before seeking admission to the social work program. Students may apply for program admission following completion of approximately 50 credit hours and most prerequisites. The program encourages applicants who demonstrate both academic competency and characteristics that will serve as a sound base for professional development. Therefore , a combination of admission criteria are used. Full descriptions of admission policies, procedures and applications are available in the program office.

Program Prerequisites

·         one sociology course

·         one psychology course

·         one biology course

·         one American pluralism course

·         one course related to contemporary American government or social policy in the United States

·         Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare

 
Overview of the BA Program in Social Work

Fordham’s social work program builds on students’ broad liberal arts experience at Fordham University and combines high quality classroom and field education with an extensive student advising and support system. The social work program is administered and staffed by the Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service.

Fordham University Graduate School ofSocial Service.

Students are expected to complete the 33 credits of the major within a two-year period either on a full or part-time basis.    The major consists of eight required and sequenced courses of three credits each (meeting weekly at Lincoln Center on Mondays, Thursdays or Saturdays as well as the Tarrytown campus on Thursdays and Saturdays), and a 600-hour, year-long field practicum All students are enrolled in the program for two years.    Students may enter the first year of the program in the fall or spring semester and all begin the second year in the fall. 

Fordham College at Lincoln Center students are expected to complete another major in the University, as well as the major in social work. Fordham College of LiberalStudies and Marymount College of Fordham University students are not required to complete another major but are welcome to do so.    Various departments or majors in the University accept particular social work courses in lieu of a required course or courses in the major.    Details of these arrangements are available from the social work program and faculty advisors. 

Fordham University offers a financial aid program to help students attend the undergraduate colleges.  Some aid is available to both full-time students, taking 12 or more credits, and part-time students, taking six to 11 credits.  Some aid is available to full-time students only, and scholarships and awards are also available.  The University’s Financial Aid Offices will answer questions and provide further information to prospective students.  In addition to these services, the social work program has prepared a supplementary booklet: “Financial Assistance and Scholarship Information,” a collection of resources that appear particularly suited to students interested in social work and related fields.  This booklet is available to students already involved in the social work program and those considering making an application.

Social Work Course Descriptions

SWLU 6208-Human Behavior and the Social Environment I (3 credits)

This course presents from the behavioral sciences and various professions those theoretical constructs and insights most relevant for social work practice. It uses an ecosystems perspective to coordinate and synthesize a broad range of knowledge pertinent to practice concerning the transactional and interactional aspects of large and small systems.

SWLU 6209-Human Behavior and the Social Environment II (3 credits)

This course discusses human development over the life course. Similarities and variations in personal and social functioning; in social, cultural and physical environments; in complex organizations and social institutions are examined for insights concerning the interplay between people and their environments.

SWLU 6801-Social Work Practice in Research I (3 credits)

This course introduces students to social work research. It focuses on various phases of the scientific method from the development of researchable hypotheses to the point of data collection. Approaches to problems in practice and theory development are incorporated.

SWLU 6802-Social Work Practice in Research II (3 credits.)

In this course, the class implements a research project of its own design. Students review earlier material as the class project is developed. The course then goes on to cover data collection and analysis, how to interpret the theoretical and practical meaning of findings for social work practice, and how to report on and present data. Basic computer skills and statistical concepts (SPSS) are covered through “hands on” training in the computer lab.

SWLU    6319-Social Justice: Practice with Organizations and Communities (3 credits.)

This practice course examines how organizational settings and communities serve as a lens for understanding structural oppression, unequal access to resources, and theories of economic and social justice. This course focuses on how systemic oppression and social justice emerge in agency, organizational and community settings. The course facilitates the development of practice skills that reflect an understanding or organizations and communities within a larger structural context of achieving social justice.

SWLU 6321-Generalist S. W. Practice with Individuals, Families and Groups I (3 credits)

This course focuses onbuilding generalist practice skills of engagement, assessment and contracting. Particular attention is devoted to the initial phase of the helping process with individuals and families and the middle phase with individuals. It focuses on building generalist practice skills in communication, interviewing, engagement, individual and family assessment, intervention planning, contracting and case documentation.

SWLU 6322-Generalist S. W. Practice with Individuals, Families and Groups II   (3 credits.)

This course continues to build skills of generalist practice attending in greater detail to the processes on intervention, evaluation and termination. Particular attention is paid to the beginning and middle phases of work with families and groups and the end phase with all levels of client systems

SWLU 6006-Social Welfare Policy and Services (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the ways American society has provided for human needs and addressed social problems through the social welfare institution. It introduces students to the underlying values, assumptions and philosophical perspectives that explain the historical development of this country’s social welfare system. The impact of social welfare policies, both past and current, on clients, agencies, service delivery, and social work practice are examined. The past and current role of social workers and the social work profession in influencing social welfare is emphasized. 

            SWLU 6901-Field Practicum and Integrative Seminar (9 credits)

This year-long field practicum, for a total of 570 hours in an agency setting, provides for actual social work practice with a limited work load and close supervision. It is designed to assist students in applying theory and classroom content to practice, and to enable students to master fundamentals of generalist social work practice. There is a required, bi-weekly seminar required of BASW students enrolled in the field practicum. Its 30 hours count towards the total 600 hours of field instruction.  It is designed to assist students to integrate what they learn in the classroom with what they learn in the field, and to prepare for employment as direct social work practitioners and/or future graduate study.

Field Options

The student, in consultation with his/her faculty advisor, has the choice of three field education curriculum models: 21-hour, 14-hour, or work study. The curriculum models are as follows:

              21-hour field education -- This curriculum model consists of 21 hours three days per week in field education, for a total of 570 hours in the agency and 30 hours in the integrative seminar for the academic year.   Placement begins in September and ends in early May. 

              14-hour field education-- This curriculum model consists of 14 hours two days per week for a total of 570 hours in the agency and 30 hours in the integrative seminar for the academic year. Placement begins in September and ends in July.

              Work Study -- Some students are able to meet their field education requirement through the social service agency where they are employed in a social work capacity. 

Dr. David E. Koch, BA Program Director

Room 716