School of Social Work

Kirk Foster, Director

The School of Social Work offers the bachelor of social work (BSW), two minors, as well as educational opportunities for students seeking school social work licensure or training in child welfare practice. At the graduate level, the School of Social Work offers the master of social work (MSW) and two graduate certificates. (Click here to go to the graduate catalog.)

Bachelor of Social Work

Social work is a helping profession which focuses on providing skilled intervention in the prevention and amelioration of individual and societal problems. It is a challenging and rewarding career involving the application of knowledge, skills, and professional values to assist individuals, families, groups, communities, and organizations in reaching their full potential. The program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). The principal educational objective of the bachelor of social work (BSW) is to prepare students for beginning professional generalist social work practice from a strengths-based perspective. To prepare for this level of practice, students will develop practice competencies in: ethical and professional behavior; diversity and difference in practice; human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice; practice-informed research and research-informed practice; policy practice; and practice, assessment, intervention, and practice evaluation with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. The BSW degree program provides graduates a competitive advantage in many human services jobs and eligibility to apply for advanced standing master of social work (MSW) degree programs.

School Social Work Licensure

Students seeking licensure as a school social worker must complete a course sequence that includes courses in the upper division of teacher education. The College of Education and the School of Social Work will maintain a record to help track the student’s completion of licensure requirements. Upon completion of appropriate social work courses and education courses, and the required field hours in a public school setting, the student may apply with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) for School Social Work licensure. The School of Social Work and the College of Education will recommend licensure upon request from NCDPI.

Training in Child Welfare Practice

The School of Social Work partners with the North Carolina Child Welfare Education Collaborative to provide training in child welfare practice. This is a unique, statewide partnership focused on improving public child welfare services in North Carolina by increasing the number and diversity of well-trained and highly committed BSWs employed in local Department of Social Services (DSS). This program offers educational and training opportunities emphasizing public child welfare practice for students interested in working in public child welfare in North Carolina upon graduation.

Minors

The Gerontology Minor augments major fields of study with an overview of issues confronting older adults, their families, and service providers. In recognition that aging can be viewed from a variety of perspectives, students can choose courses from several academic disciplines. Courses with aging as their primary content that are not listed as electives may be counted toward the program with approval of the program coordinator. Social work majors may use 3 s.h. of SOCW 4990 if their placement is in an aging-related setting.

The Promoting Equity in Health and Human Services Minor is an examination of inequality as it has existed and persists in the United States, particularly in the areas of health and human services. Apart from 9 s.h. of required College of Health and Human Performance courses, students can choose from a number of multi-disciplinary classes. The minor provides students with a comprehensive learning experience about (1) the meaning and demonstration of equity in different contexts; (2) the institutional structures that continue to perpetuate inequity in the United States and among vulnerable and historically repressed populations in particular; and (3) the interdisciplinary frameworks of change for achieving equity. The main objective of this program is to provide students with the tools needed to enhance professional proficiency for readiness to participate in local and global efforts that build and maintain justice through equity realization. The minor requires 18 s.h.

Faculty

https://hhp.ecu.edu/socw/directory/

Programs

Bachelor’s

Social Work, BSW

Minor

Courses

Gerontology

Social Work