Bachelor in Social Work
Siena Heights University
Key Information
Campus location
Adrian, USA
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
4 years
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
USD 28,000 / per year
Application deadline
Request info
Earliest start date
Sep 2024
Introduction
If you enjoy helping others and want to make a difference, consider the social work profession. Social workers assist individuals and families in every stage of life across communities, seeking to address emotional, psychological, physical, and economic needs. They also empower groups, organizations, and communities to employ change on global levels.
If you are looking to find a program with professional faculty, small class sizes, and practical hands-on learning, Siena Heights University Social Work Program is the ideal fit for you.
The Child Welfare Certificate
Expectations – Social work majors who have been accepted into the social work program may elect to pursue to the Child Welfare Certificate. The certificate is structured to make minimal demands on your academic planning and can fit with most students’ schedules without complications. The Child Welfare Certificate is awarded upon graduation from the Bachelor of Social Work Program.
There are three-course requirements:
- *SWK 348: Human Behavior in the Social Environment.
- *SWK 452: Social Work Practice with Families.
- SWK 360: Child Welfare Services. Completion of course with the minimum of a “B-“. Field placement with a child welfare agency for the equivalent of one academic year.
* These are already required courses for your BSW, so it does not add any additional requirements to your academic schedules. No grade below “C” will be allowed in any social work course and/or required cognates for the major. In such case, the course must be retaken and result in a grade of “C” or better. Courses required for the major may be repeated only once.
This certificate is endorsed and regulated by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS)—the agency charged with protecting Michigan’s children. Child welfare certificate graduates will be given preference in hiring at MDHHS and private agencies across the state of Michigan. Graduates may also waive a portion of new worker training. Certificate notation should be added to your resume.
Approved Child Placing Field Placement Sites:
- Catholic Charities of Jackson, Lenawee, and Hillsdale Counties
- Family Services and Children’s Aid
- Fostering Solutions
- Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
Gallery
Scholarships and Funding
Did you know that approximately 90 percent of undergraduate students on the Adrian campus receive some form of financial assistance? Our admissions counselors and financial aid experts are committed to helping you find the best financial solutions for your education. Siena offers a wide range of opportunities that may be right for you, including:
- Academic scholarships
- Arts scholarships
- Athletic scholarships
- Campus Ministry scholarships
- Grants
- Work-study programs
- Federal loans
Your university financial aid package may include some or all of the above, resulting in a customized plan that makes Siena Heights University affordable for your family.
Curriculum
Course Requirements for Major
Program Requirements: 49 credit hours
- SWK 111 Introduction To Social Work And Social Welfare 3 credit hours
- SWK 334 Introduction To Social Work Practice 3 credit hours
- SWK 335 Social Work Practice II 4 credit hours
- SWK 348 Human Behavior And The Social Environment I 3 credit hours
- SWK 358 Human Behavior And The Social Environment II 3 credit hours
- SWK 395 Junior Seminar 3 credit hours
- SWK 440 Social Welfare Policy 3 credit hours
- SWK 452 Social Work With Families 3 credit hours
- SWK 453 Social Work With Groups 3 credit hours
- SWK 455 Social Work Practice With Diverse Populations 3 credit hours
- SWK 460 Macro Social Work Practice 3 credit hours
- SWK 480 Social Work Field Practice I 6 credit hours
- SWK 481 Social Work Field Practice II 6 credit hours
- SWK 495 Senior Seminar 3 credit hours
Cognate Requirements: 12 credit hours
- SOC 111 Introduction To Sociology 3 credit hours
or
- SOC 113 Cultural Anthropology 3 credit hours
- SOC 244 Sociological Perspectives On Race And Ethnicity 3 credit hours
- SOC 341 Research In The Social Sciences 3 credit hours
- SOC 469 Social Justice In Local-Global Contexts 3 credit hours
Total for Major: 61 credit hours
Liberal Arts: 32 credit hours
General Electives: 27 credit hours
Total for Degree: 120 credit hours
Other Requirements
- Recommended Associates or Minor Degree Programs: Criminal Justice, Psychology, Gerontology, Spanish, Political Science, Child Development, Ethnic and Gender Studies.
- Only social work students who have been admitted into the social work program may take social work courses SWK 334, SWK 335, SWK 395, SWK 480, SWK 481, and SWK 495.
- Application to the Program: All students who want to major in social work must have completed SWK 111 and apply and be accepted into the social work program no later than the second session of their sophomore year and prior to registering for SWK 334. Transfer students must apply and be accepted prior to registering for SWK 334.
- Student Portfolio: All students must maintain a portfolio of their academic work which reflects their knowledge and application of the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Core Competencies and Practice Behaviors. The portfolio will be reviewed and evaluated by faculty during the student's senior year.
- Grade Point Average: All students must maintain at least a cumulative 2.5 g.p.a. in the social work major and required cognates and an overall 2.0 g.p.a. to be in the social work program.
- Field Practice: Students are required to complete SWK 480 Social Work Field Practice I and SWK 481 Social Work Field Practice II sequentially in residence at the Adrian Campus. Transferred field practice credits cannot be substituted for these two courses due to the CSWE accreditation requirements. Students are required to complete 225 supervised hours each session for a total of 450 hours. Students are also required to purchase Student Liability Insurance and become members of the National Associate on Social Workers.
- Personal Safety Training: All students will be required to complete Personal Safety Training prior to enrolling in SWK 480. All students enrolled in SWK 335 will be required to complete the training.
- Prior Learning Credit and Transfer Credit: No social work academic credit will be awarded for prior learning experiences. No credits for required social work courses will be accepted from non-accredited social work programs, (with the possible exception of a social work program in candidacy for CSWE accreditation).
- Grades: No grade below “C” will be allowed in any social work course and/or required cognates for the major. In such case, the course must be retaken and result in a grade of “C” or better. Courses required for the major may be repeated only once.
- Legal Status of Candidates for the Social Work degree:
Candidates for the social work program need to be aware that conviction for a felony crime may be grounds for denial of entry into the social work program and for denial of a social work certificate or license. The social work program requires a criminal background check of all applicants to the program.
Program Outcome
Educational Goals:
- Prepare baccalaureate students to become competent, ethical, and purposeful generalist social work practitioners who work with individuals, families, groups, communities, and organizations;
- Provide a social work education program that incorporates content about, and commitment to, social work ethics and values, social justice, and enhancing the well-being of vulnerable and oppressed people;
- Prepare graduates to assume responsibility for continuing their professional development.
The Social Work program curriculum combines liberal arts and sociology courses that include community-based learning experiences with professional social work courses that focus on:
- Human behavior in the social environment
- Social science research
- Social welfare policy
- Social work ethics and values
- Diversity and cultural competence
- Social work practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities
- Field practice
Graduates of the program have proven themselves to be well-prepared for immediate employment in public and private social service positions and contribute to the well-being of individuals, families, groups, and communities, and/or successfully complete work at the master’s degree level.
Core Values:
Service
- Social justice
- Dignity and worth of the person
- Importance of human relationships
- Integrity
- Competence
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
Employers recognize that graduates with a Siena Heights University BSW degree have specific professional training and field practice experience that enables them to work effectively with individuals, families, small groups, communities, and organizations.
Some of the career opportunities include:
- Probation Officers
- Foster Care and Adoption Case Managers
- Treatment Specialists
- Homeless Specialists
- Mental Health Case Managers
- Children’s Service Coordinators
- Supportive Service Counselors
- Group Home Service Coordinators
- Admissions Coordinators
- Migrant Program Service Workers
- Bereavement Coordinators
- Substance Abuse Counselors
- Corrections Officers
- Senior Service Caseworkers
- Parent Aide Workers
- Respite Care Coordinators
- Nursing Home Service Coordinators
- Discharge Planning Coordinators