Social Work

TCU's Department of Social Work does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, handicap, veteran status, political beliefs or sexual orientation.

Social work is one of the human service professions. Social workers help individuals, groups or communities solve or relieve life problems using a variety of professional skills. The educational program integrates liberal arts courses with preparation for professional practice. The primary objective of the department is to prepare students as generalists for entry to beginning social work practice. An additional objective is to prepare students for admission to graduate schools of social work (eligible for advanced standing in most master's degree programs).

The curriculum includes content in social welfare policy and services, human behavior and the social environment, social work practice, research and field education. It focuses on values and ethics, populations at risk and diversity. Concurrent with their academic work, students are provided service-learning opportunities in several classes. During the senior year, students complete a block placement (12 academic hours) of field education ("internship" in one semester in a public or private social agency selected in accord with the student's area of social work interest and educational needs.) Graduation with a BSSW requires a "C" or better in all social work courses.

The Department of Social Work and the social work major (not the minor) are fully accredited at the baccalaureate level by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE.).

Gatekeeping

The academic arm of the social work profession has the legal and ethical responsibility to protect both society and the profession by assessing students' readiness to work with clients. This gatekeeping responsibility is outlined and enforced through the Department of Social Work's Professional Code of Ethics. One way the department meets this objective is, as a faculty team, discussing students' professional development and readiness to interact with clients.

Admission to Advanced Standing and Field Education

Students may declare the social work major at any time. Admission to advanced standing in the Department of Social Work and field education requires that students:

  • Have attained junior status;
  • Have a 2.25 or higher overall GPA;
  • Complete a minimum of nine hours of social work courses, including 10833,
  • Have a 2.5 GPA in social work and a "C" or better in all social work (SOWO) courses; and
  • Make written application and receive faculty approval based on the application and a student-faculty conference (Junior Evaluation) to evaluate readiness for field education. Field Education may be postponed or denied if the faculty finds the student insufficiently prepared or lacking required knowledge, skills or values.

Honors Program

Social Work majors who plan to pursue Departmental Honors must be members of the University Honors Program and should enroll in SOWO 30003 during the spring semester of their junior year and SOWO 40003 during the fall semester of their senior year.

Interdisciplinary Studies

Students may undertake an interdisciplinary program with a double major in Social Work and another major, even when different degrees are involved (e.g., B.A. and B.S.). Programs such as Social Work and Religion Studies, Social Work and Psychology, and others require faculty advisers in both fields to coordinate course and degree planning.

Transfer Credit

Most core curriculum and related coursework from accredited universities will transfer. However, all courses used to satisfy the cultural awareness, global awareness, or citizenship and social values components of the TCU Core Curriculum must be taken at TCU. Social work courses from CSWE- accredited social work programs will be accepted toward the social work degree.

Study Abroad

Students are encouraged to study abroad. The Department of Social Work requires that students take SOWO 30883 in the spring semester prior to entering Field Education (SOWO 40886) at TCU, so students need to schedule study abroad accordingly.





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