Department of Sociology and Social Work

The focus of the major is on understanding how people function in relation to their environment and on developing problem-solving skills. The course of study is based on the generalist approach to social work and seeks to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and values consistent with generalist practice in a variety of settings. Specific courses in social work are offered as well as supportive courses in sociology and psychology. Courses in criminal justice, religious studies, women's studies, and African-American studies are highly recommended by the Social Work Program to broaden the student's knowledge and understanding. Practicum courses combine theory with experiential learning. Two field practicum placements provide a minimum of 400 hours of experience in Peoria area agencies, with concurrent seminars to integrate classroom learning with field experience.

HISTORY OF THE PROGRAM AT BRADLEY UNIVERSITY

The Social Work Program has a well-established history at Bradley University. The Department of Sociology, one of the first established in the nation, has offered courses in social services since 1922. These courses have been taught by professional social workers in the Peoria community. In 1994, the social services concentration became a major under the Sociology Department and a full-time faculty position was established to direct the Social Work Program. A second full-time faculty position was added in 1997. In addition to offering an accredited academic degree in social work, the Program is also actively pursuing professional accreditation from the Council on Social Work Education.

MISSION OF THE SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM

The purpose of the Social Work Program is to prepare students for beginning practice in social work and to provide an educational foundation for students planning to pursue graduate study in social work or other helping professions. The program provides a well-rounded academic and practice background in the Generalist Social Work Practice Model.

The goals of the program are:

To provide a liberal arts perspective and a professional foundation base to prepare students for direct services with diverse client systems of various types and sizes.
To prepare students for generalist social work practice.
To enable students to integrate into competent practice the knowledge, values, and skills that is critical to the social work profession.

The educational objectives of the program are to produce graduates who will be able to:

Apply critical thinking skills within the context of professional social work practice.
Practice within the values and ethics of the social work profession and with an understanding of and respect for the positive value of diversity.
Demonstrate the professional use of self.
Understand the forms and mechanisms of oppression and discrimination and the strategies of change that advance social and economic justice.
Understand the history of the social work profession and its current structures and issues.
Apply the knowledge and skills of generalist social work to practice with systems of all sizes.
Apply knowledge of bio-psycho-social variables that affect individual development and behavior, and use theoretical frameworks to understand the interactions among individuals and between individuals and social systems (i.e. families, groups, organizations, and communities).
Analyze the impact of social policies on client systems, workers, and agencies.
Evaluate research studies and apply findings to practice, and, under supervision, to evaluate their own practice interventions and those of other relevant systems.
Use communication skills differentially with a variety of client populations, colleagues, and members of the community.
Use supervision appropriate to generalist practice.
Function within the structure of organizations and service delivery systems, and under supervision, seek necessary organizational change.

NON-DISCRIMINATION AND DIVERSITY

Bradley University is committed to non-discrimination and equal opportunity to employment, programs, activities, and treatment for all job applicants and members of its student body, faculty, and staff. The Social Work Program maintains a non-discrimination policy regarding race, color, religion, creed, ethnic or national origin, age, veteran status, disability, socioeconomic status, gender, sexual orientation, or political orientation. Further, Bradley University is committed to provide and promote equal opportunity to all persons through positive, on-going affirmative action efforts.

SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR

Students may declare a social work major at any time. Majors should possess good relationship skills, emotional stability, and a genuine interest in helping people while respecting their unique characteristics of race, color, religion, creed, ethnic or national origin, age, veteran status, disability, socioeconomic status, gender, sexual orientation, or political orientation.

Students may apply for formal admission to the Social Work Program and continuation into the professional practice curriculum during the semester they anticipate completing the admission requirements. Acceptance will be based upon fulfillment of the following requirements:

Completion of 56 credit hours (junior standing)
Completion of SW 250 and SW 350 with a grade of "C" or above
Minimum overall GPA of 2.0
Completion of an application including a personal statement and acceptance of the Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers.
Personal interview by faculty to review personal attributes and career goals.

TERMINATION FROM THE PROGRAM

A student may be placed on program probation or terminated from the program at any time they are found to not meet the admission requirements. Determinations will be made by the Program Admissions Committee who will meet with the student and review the situation. The level of action and future reinstatement will be based on the severity of the requirement violation. The student will be notified in writing of the determination and the student's available options.

GRIEVANCE POLICY

Any student, who is dissatisfied with a denied admission, program probation or termination, or other faculty action, may use the University Student Grievance Policy process as described in the Bradley University Student Handbook.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR - PRE 1997-1998 (For students declaring major prior to Fall 1997)

A. Social Work Policy and Practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 hours

^{SW 240 Research Methods}
^{SW 250 Introduction to Social Welfare}
^{SW 350 Social Work and Social Services}
^{SW 351 Social Work Practice I}
^{SW 352 Social Work Practice II}
^{SW 393 Social Work Practicum and Seminar I (4 hrs)}
^{SW 393 Social Work Practicum and Seminar II (4
hrs)}

B. Human Behavior and the Social Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 hours

^{SW 354 Social Context of Social Work Practice}
^{SOC 310 Marriage and the Family}
^{SOC 313 Race, Ethnicity, and Minority Relations}
^{PSY 304 Developmental Psychology}
^{PSY 445 Abnormal Psychology}

C. Social Problems and Issues (Select 3 hours) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 hours

^{SW 356 Topics in Social Work}
^{SW 490 Individual Study in Social Work (1-3 hrs)}
^{SW 499 Honors Colloquium}
^{SOC 312 Social Inequality}
^{SOC 333 Victims of Violence & Sexual Assault}
^{SOC 342 Social Policy}
^{SOC 343 Sociology of Mental Health}

D. Psychology (Select 3 hours) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 hours

^{PSY 302 Psychology of Learning}
^{PSY 314 Adult Development and Aging}
^{PSY 402 Human Sexuality}

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR 1997-1998 (For students declaring major beginning Fall 1997)

LIBERAL ARTS - 21 hrs

^{MTH 111 Elementary Statistics (Basic Skills) or
PSY 205 Quantitative Methods}
^{ECO 100 Introduction to Economics (SF) or ECO 221
Microeconomics and ECO 222 Macroeconomics}
^{PLS 105 Introduction to American Government (SF)}
^{SOC 313 Race, Ethnicity, and Minority Relations
(SF) or ETE 219 Multicultural Education}
^{SOC 100 The Sociological Perspective (SF)}
^{BIO 121 Life Science I (FS)}
^{PSY 103 Principles of Psychology}

SOCIAL WORK CORE REQUIREMENTS - 45 hrs

Social Welfare Policy and Services (6 hrs)

^{SW 250 Introduction to Social Welfare}
^{SOC 342 Social Policy (Prereq SOC 100)}

Human Behavior and the Social Environment (15 hrs)

^{SOC 310 Marriage and the Family}
^{PSY 304 Developmental Psychology (Prereq PSY 103)}
^{PSY 314 Adult Development and Aging (Prereq PSY
103 or 104)}
^{PSY 445 Abnormal Psychology (Prereq 6 hrs. PSY)}
^{SW 354 Human Behavior in the Social Environment}

Research (3 hrs)

^{SW 240 Research Methods}

Practice (9 hrs)

^{SW 350 Foundation for Social Work Practice}
^{SW 351 Social Work Practice I (Prereq SW 350)}
^{SW 352 Social Work Practice II (Prereq SW 351)}

Field (12 hrs)

^{SW 393 Social Work Practicum I (Prereq SW 351,
Coreq SW 493)}
^{SW 394 Social Work Practicum II (Prereq SW 393,
Coreq SW 494)}
^{SW 395 Social Work Seminar I (Prereq SW 351, Coreq
SW 393)}
^{SW 396 Social Work Seminar II (Prereq SW 493,
Coreq SW 394)}

Electives (At least 6 hrs)

^{SW 356 Topics in Social Work}
^{SW 490 Individual Study in Social Work}
^{SW 499 Honors Colloquium}
^{SOC 211 Contemporary Social Problems (Prereq SOC
100)}
^{SOC 311 Comparative Family Systems (Prereq SOC
100) (NW)}
^{SOC 312 Social Inequality (SF)}
^{SOC 314 Native Americans (NW)}
^{SOC 315 Gender and Society}
^{SOC 321 Individuality in the Modern World (HP)}
^{SOC 332 Juvenile Delinquency (Prereq SOC 100)}
^{SOC 333 Victims of Violence and Sexual Assault
(Prereq SOC 100)}
^{SOC 341 Applied Medical Sociology (Prereq SOC 100)}
^{SOC 343 Sociology of Mental Health}
^{PSY 402 Human Sexuality (Prereq 6 hrs PSY)}

SAMPLE COURSE PLANS FOR SOCIAL WORK MAJOR

These plans are sample schedules. Please note the following circumstances which may alter any tentative schedule:

Equivalent courses may have been taken at other schools which might substitute for a Bradley course.
Any given course may not be offered during a specific semester. The department and/or the semester handbook must be consulted to confirm scheduling.
Some classes or sections may be filled early during registration and not be open to the student during a given semester.
Some courses have prerequisites or must be taken in a sequential order. Students should consult the catalog for course descriptions and requirements.
Additional sessions during the January Interim, May interim, and two summer sessions are also available for selected courses; handbooks will indicate which courses are to be offered during these sessions.

Students should consult with their advisor each semester to review their course plan for their major.

Sample Four Year Plan - Pre 1997-1998 Curriculum

Freshman

First Semester (15 hrs)

^{Gen Ed Requirements}

Second Semester (15 hrs)

^{Gen Ed Requirements}
^{SW 250 Introduction to Social Welfare}

Sophomore

First Semester (16 hrs)

^{Gen Ed Requirements}
^{SW 240 Research Methods}
^{SW 350 Foundations for Social Work Practice}

Second Semester (16 hrs)

^{Gen Ed Requirements}
^{SOC 310 Marriage and the Family}

Junior

First Semester (15 hrs)

^{PSY 304 Developmental Psychology}
^{SOC 313 Race, Ethnicity and Minority Relations}
^Elective
^Elective
^Elective

Second Semester (15 hrs)

^{SW 351 Social Work Practice I}
^Elective
^Elective
^Elective
^Elective