Social Work

Mission

The mission of the Dominican University New York Social Work Program, in service to and collaboration with its multiple communities, is to develop generalist social work professionals committed to excellence, leadership and service by:

  • promoting social justice;
  • engaging in ethical practice;
  • engaging in research-informed practice and practice-informed research;
  • advocating for social policies responsive to diverse human needs;
  • and advancing knowledge through reflective understanding of self and compassionate involvement with others.

Goals

The Bachelor of Social Work Program is an upper-division undergraduate program which has as its primary goals:

  • To prepare students to qualify as beginning-level, generalist social work professionals;
  • To promote an environment which honors diversity and advances social justice;
  • To provide the foundation for an appreciation of lifelong learning and advancement in graduate level social work education.

The Social Work Program is fully accredited at the undergraduate level by The Council on Social Work Education (C.S.W.E.). CSWE, 333 John Carlyle Street, Suite 400, Alexandria, VA 22314.

Program of Study

The curriculum design provides a foundation in the liberal arts, a core of knowledge from the social and behavioral sciences, combined with the special body of knowledge that forms the base of professional generalist social work practice. The program is designed to meet the requirements of a Bachelor of Social Work degree and includes a minimum of 60 semester hours in liberal arts. The Social Work Program requires 36 semester hours in the Social Sciences. The student completes 18 semester hours in one area of emphasis in the social sciences (namely, Sociology, Political Science, History, Economics, Criminal Justice, Psychology), and nine semester hours in each of two supporting areas elected out of the remaining social sciences. The student graduates from the program with 126 credits.

A student may choose to complete the Bachelor of Social Work degree with a focus on criminal justice, child welfare, gender studies, ethnic studies, gerontology, as well as a number of liberal arts areas. Further information and program planning may be obtained from the Social Work faculty.

The following content areas in the humanities and social sciences are recommended as foundations for social work training.

  • American History
  • Introduction to Physiology (required)
  • English (Writing Placement Examination required of all students)
  • Foreign Language
  • General Psychology II (prerequisite for SW 451)
  • Introduction to Sociology (prerequisite for SW 451)
  • Speech
  • Political Science
  • Statistics
  • MA113 OR Introduction to Critical Thinking OR Logic is required (Math Placement Examination required for all students)

Phi Alpha Honor Society

Phi Alpha Honor Society provides a closer bond among students of social work and promotes humanitarian goals and ideals. Phi Alpha fosters high standards of education for social workers and invites into membership those who have attained excellence in scholarship and achievement in social work.

Eligibility: To be eligible for membership a student must have completed a minimum of nine (9) credits in the Social Work core and have maintained an overall cum of 3.0 and earned a minimum cum of 3.25 in the Social Work core courses. Students can be invited in the spring semester of their junior or senior year.

Each Phi Alpha chapter is free to develop a program to meet local needs. The National Council is the policymaking body and meets each year at the time and place of the annual program meeting of the Council of Social Work Education (CSWE). Each chapter has one voting representative on the National Council.

Admission to the Program

The Social Work Program is an upper-division program available in the day session. Preadmission counseling and advisement are provided. Admission to the program occurs in a series of planned stages as a necessary part of the advisement process. Freshmen interested in preparing for a career in social work consult with a social work faculty advisor. Students indicating an interest in declaring social work as a major program of study may begin to take social work electives in the sophomore year. In the junior year, students have a further opportunity to test their interest and capacity for continued study in social work through foundation courses and participation in an individualized field instruction course in a social service delivery system. In the fall of their junior year, all students must complete an Admission to Junior Field Work Application and meet with a Social Work advisor. Admission to the senior-level practice courses and field instruction is based on the student’s ability to maintain a 2.3 cumulative index, demonstration of professional standards, and the recommendation of the social work faculty advisor. No grade lower than "C" in the Social Work core or Social Sciences concentration is accepted. Social Work core courses may only be taken over once and must be taken on campus, even though it may mean postponing graduation to complete the requirement. If a student receives less than a "C" in three Social Work courses, they must step out of Program for one year.

Transfer Students

All students transferring to the University with an interest in social work must contact the University Admissions Office first and be accepted by the University.

A prompt appointment with the social work faculty for a personal interview provides an opportunity for clarification regarding courses to be taken and acceptance into the program.

Credits earned at the community college level are accepted toward the baccalaureate degree in accordance with the admissions policy of Dominican University New York. Academic credit for life experience and previous work experience will not be given, in whole or in part, in lieu of the field practicum or of courses in the professional foundation.

To standardize evidence of competence in written communication and math, the Writing and Math placement examinations are required. Students whose performance on a University-administered placement examination is below an acceptable standard are required to take and pass the English and Math courses specified (see English curriculum, “University English Requirements” and Mathematics curriculum). Administration dates for the placement examinations are posted, and it is the responsibility of the student to arrange for taking the examination before the second semester of the junior year.

Degrees and Certificates

Courses

SW 200: Introduction to Social Work

Credits 3
This course is intended to introduce the evolution and present status of social welfare institutions and the profession of social work framed through the lenses of social justice. The course will focus on the development and status of social welfare institutions; the history of social work and social welfare; the purposes, values, ethics, and skills of the profession; the organization and functions of public and private social agencies; and the social service delivery system. While this course is required as a foundation course for social work majors, it is open to students from all disciplines.

SW 230: Death, Society and Human Experience

Credits 3
Death, dying, and bereavement are fundamental and pervasive aspects of the human experience. The aim of this course is to examine how individuals and societies understand and appreciate these realities. Students will examine and understand selected theories on grief, loss and end-of-life issues and use these to develop and describe their own personal philosophies about life and death.

SW 244: Gender and Justice

Credits 3
This course studies and evaluates the treatment of women and men in the criminal justice system. Additionally, it examines the diversity of crime and victimization experiences among men and women, the conditions under which crimes are committed and enforced, the relationship of gendered experiences to issues of social inequality, and the alternatives that can be made available using a social justice framework. This course also provides a comprehensive overview of the experiences of women and men working in the three primary areas of the criminal justice system (cops, courts, and corrections).

SW 248: Perspectives on Chemical Dependency

Perspectives on Chemical Dependency provides a basic introduction to the study of substance use, abuse, and dependency. This course will familiarize students with the fundamentals of drug-specific information. In addition, the course will outline the theories and models of why individuals abuse substances. Environmental factors and their impact on substance usage will be examined. These factors include economic, social, cultural, and family systems. Prevention, intervention, and treatment programs for substance usage will be analyzed.

SW 250: Topics in Social Work: Social Welfare and Social Justice

Credits 1
This introductory level course in social work focuses on social processes, social institutions, and social change. The student will introduced to the ethics, values, knowledge, and policy base, principles and purposes of the profession, including an examination of methods of practice. Traditional and innovative social work settings are discussed. Socio-historical development of Social Work and its influence on contemporary practice are reviewed. Topical discussions of social welfare include social interaction, various roles in the social work professions, and multiple experiences of vulnerable populations as it relates to the quest for social justice. This course will address the contemporary social problems in our society.

SW 251: Topics in Social Work: Introduction to Eating Disorders

Credits 1
Eating Disorders are complex mental health conditions that are often misunderstood. This introductory course will focus on the bio-psycho-social nature of eating disorders while providing students with a basic understanding of the causes and effects of eating disorders on individuals, their families, and the community. Students will become familiar with eating disorder diagnoses and assessment tools, and will examine a general overview of treatment approaches and modalities used by professionals in the treatment of eating disorders.

SW 252: Topics in Social Work: Scholarly Writing and APA for Social Sciences and Helping Professionals

Credits 1
This course provides professional development for social workers and others in the helping professions in professional writing skills. Students will examine the principles of various modes of professional writing required for the profession to include research papers, case notes, etc.. Students learn the ability to communicate clearly and concisely to a specific audience through purposive writing. The course will familiarize students with APA, a style of writing that is commonly used in the field of social work and similar disciplines for coursework and professional development, and various other forms of professional writing.

SW 253: Topics in Social Work: Counseling Adolescents

Credits 1
Adolescents can be separated into three separate sub-phases; early, middle and late. Each phase has its own specific physiological, cognitive, social and emotional component. Students will become familiar with the stages and specific tasks adolescents need to accomplish and the impact this has on their identity. Students will be exposed to factors that contribute to healthy and unhealthy adolescent development, including cultural differences. Mental disorders such as: Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Depression, and Reactive Attachment Disorder will be reviewed with an overview of evidence based treatment approaches and modalities used for these disorders.

SW 254: Topics in Social Work: Play Therapy

Credits 1
Play Therapy is a therapeutic treatment model that uses the power of play to help children resolve psychosocial problems. This course will give an overview of play therapy theory and will demonstrate techniques for use with preschoolers, school-age children, and special populations in clinical settings.

SW 255: Topics in Social Work: Understanding Autism and Neurodiversity

Credits 1
The course employs a social-justice-oriented critical approach that encourages students to question dominant cultural paradigms and systemic social inequalities. The course will explore the history of the autism diagnosis, current theoretical perspectives, symptoms, interventions, and current systems of care. The course approaches understanding autism and other neurodiverse communities from a strengths perspective in order to set in motion some positive change in the realm of autism-related discourse.

SW 330: Ethnic Group Interaction

Credits 3
This course will focus on personal, institutional, and cultural levels of ethnic group formation, development, and maintenance in the United States. Several theoretical perspectives and current empirical studies with regard to ethnicity, ethnic group salience, prejudice, and discrimination will be discussed and examined in relation to behavior toward ethnic group members. Personal value positions and priorities will be discussed. Topics include immigration, intermarriage, social programs and affirmative action, civil rights movements and countermovements.

SW 331: Child Welfare and the Law

Credits 3
An inquiry into the field of child welfare, a term used broadly to include activities which promote the welfare of children. Specific attention is given to the actual services provided in the contemporary United States. These services are examined in view of their historical, political, socio-economic, and particularly legal contexts and are compared to child welfare systems in other countries.

SW 334: Deviance: Changing Sociological Perspectives on Race, Class, and Gender

Credits 3
Deviant behavior is often defined as an act that violates a social norm while social control is a reaction to deviant behavior that seeks to regulate or punish this behavior. This course examines what constitutes deviant behavior in our society. Then, several major theoretical perspectives on deviance are introduced to explore specific areas of deviant behavior and social control such as interpersonal violence, self-destructive deviance, diverse lifestyles, and substance use and abuse.

SW 335: Theories of Social Movements and Social Justice

Credits 3
This course examines how social movements, denoting a wide variety of collective attempts to bring about a change in certain social institutions or to create an entirely new order, re-shape social attitudes, influence social policies, and generate social programs to respond to human needs and need for civic engagement. Framed in the historical perspective of social movement, the principles and practice of social justice and human rights will be explored within a global perspective. In particular, the course explores issues of social diversity and social justice in the United States to provide students with: 1) a theoretical framework for understanding the dynamics of oppression and social exclusion and 2) a process to explore how the specific forms of oppression and rights-based activism affect their personal and professional lives.

SW 342: Perspectives on Aging

Credits 3

An inquiry into psychological, sociological, cultural, biological, and spiritual aspects of aging. A major focus of the course is on the needs of the elderly and the government’s response to those needs. 

Students may have opportunities to perform community service.

SW 440: Perspectives on the Health Care System

Credits 3
An investigation of a variety of aspects of the delivery of health care in the United States. Attention will be given to the socio-cultural influences upon health and illness. Ethical issues raised by medical and technological advances will be discussed.

SW 451: Person in Environment I

Credits 3
The first of a two-course sequence addressing human behavior in the context of the social environment. The primary focus is on introducing critical thinking and analytic skills by promoting an appreciation of differing points of view and by fostering the ability to identify those theories which enable us to understand human behavior and the social environment. Special attention is given to systems theory, the ecological model, role theory, and the strengths perspective as explanatory frameworks for understanding how individuals, families, and communities function. Particular emphasis is placed upon the influence of diversity–including culture, race, spirituality, gender, sexual orientation, and physical or cognitive ability. Those theories which enable a systems perspective to be applied to mezzo and macro systems are explored.

SW 452: Person in Environment II

Credits 3
The second of a two-course sequence on human behavior in the context of the social environment. The primary focus is on assessment using evidence-informed theoretical frameworks to understand individuals as social systems. Particular emphasis is placed on the influence of diversity–including culture, sexual orientation, race, gender, spirituality, physical or cognitive ability–in the development of the person and in the clarification of values.

SW 454: Social Work Practice I

Credits 3

The purpose of this course is to help students develop social work knowledge and skills in translating social work practice philosophy into sustainable, ethical social work in diverse situations. The course considers knowledge and skills necessary for generalist practice with an emphasis on work with individuals. A systematic approach to social work concepts, including an appreciation of social work values guiding ethical practice and the promotion of social justice is provided.

This is the first of a three-semester practice sequence. 

SW 455: Social Work Junior Field Education I and Field Seminar

Credits 3

Students are placed in a variety of social agencies under the supervision of professional social workers and attend a once per week integrated seminar.. The focus of field assignments is the initial socialization of students to the profession. Simple, brief tasks involving active participation in the service delivery system introduce the role of the social worker as a part of a complex interdisciplinary team. 

Open to Social Work students only. 

Open to juniors during the spring semester. 

One day per week for a total of 100 hours is required.

SW 461: Methods of Social Research I

Credits 3

This course is the first of two research courses introducing students to research methodology as applied to systematic inquiry of social work problems. This course covers quantitative research methods and examines the scientific method from the development of a researchable hypothesis to the point of data collection. It focuses on social work problem formulation and provides an introduction to methodology. The course content and material cover the following areas: understanding theory development, stating a tenable research problem, developing a researchable question; the values, ethical, political, and social effects involved in developing the question; narrowing and specifying the question; sampling; design; data collection; and measurement techniques. Each topic is addressed through readings, lecture material, real-life experiences. 

Students will demonstrate their learning competencies in the development of a research proposal.

SW 462: Social Policy

Credits 3
This course examines social welfare policies and practices in the U.S., as well as in developing countries, within the context of globalization, it focuses on policy analysis, knowledge of the political and economic processes underlying social development, and the skills, values, and ethics related to advocacy practice. The course examines diverse methods of sociological analysis and addresses policy issues important to women, people of color, and populations that are vulnerable to oppression in American society.

SW 463: Social Work Practice II

Credits 3

These senior-level courses are designed to continue the development and application of generalist social work practice. Specifically, students examine the techniques and guidelines for both direct and indirect practice organized around the five phases of a planned change process. Both indirect and direct applications based on field experiences are examined with a particular emphasis on vulnerable populations. 

Open to Social Work students only.

SW 464: Social Work Practice III

Credits 3

The course is designed to continue the process of generalist practice as it integrates theory, research, policy and practice with micro, mezzo, and macro systems. Content of the Practice III course expands techniques for intervention and practice research with individual, group and community systems, with a specific focus on organizational and community change theory and practice. 

Open to Social Work students only.

SW 465: Senior Field Education and Seminar IIa

Credits 3

These courses provide a professionally supervised practice experience within the context of service in selected field settings. The experiences include direct and indirect practice with individuals, families, groups, communities and organizations. The goal of preparation as general practitioners of professional social work acts as a guide in selecting and structuring the field assignments. 

Open to social work students only.

Field assignments are scheduled to include fall, winter session and spring for all the students enrolled.

SW 465b: Senior Field Education and Seminar IIb

Credits 3

These courses provide a professionally supervised practice experience within the context of service in selected field settings. The experiences include direct and indirect practice with individuals, families, groups, communities and organizations. The goal of preparation as general practitioners of professional social work acts as a guide in selecting and structuring the field assignments.

Open to social work students only.

Field assignments are scheduled to include fall, winter session and spring for all the students enrolled.

SW 466b: Senior Field Education and Seminar IIIb

Credits 3

These courses provide a professionally supervised practice experience within the context of service in selected field settings. The experiences include direct and indirect practice with individuals, families, groups, communities and organizations. The goal of preparation as general practitioners of professional social work acts as a guide in selecting and structuring the field assignments.

Open to social work students only.

Field assignments are scheduled to include fall, winter session and spring for all the students enrolled.

SW 467: Methods of Social Research II

Credits 3
In this course, students continue to learn social work research through a combination of didactic and experiential methods focusing on advocacy research to advance social justice. This is the second of a two-course sequence covering foundation content in social work research. It guides students toward evaluating social work research to understand practice effectiveness. Students work on the Advocacy Research Project, with an emphasis on the analysis and interpretation of the data collected (qualitative or quantitative) or utilized (archival or publicly available). This project is presented at an annual spring conference. Ultimately, students learn how research informs practice and practice informs research.