College of Social Work

University of Kentucky Undergraduate Bulletin

2002-2003

Visit the UK College of Social Work Web site.

"Deciding to transfer to the College of Social Work was a very difficult decision for me. I felt a strong pull toward the profession, yet I wondered if I would be emotionally equipped to handle the demands a social worker necessarily must face every day. While there are many avenues available for a social worker educated by an accredited institution, such as the University of Kentucky, none is easy. In addition to handling the stress of working with oppressed populations, there is the constant challenge of evaluating ethics, both personal and professional. However, the rewards of the profession far outweigh the costs: seeing the relief of a woman who realizes she is safe from an abusive husband, or the smile of a teenager when he understands that someone really does care about him. These are the things that keep a social worker going. While the faculty at UK have never claimed that the profession would be easy, they have prepared me, based on their practice experience, research, support, and dedication, to face the challenges of the social work profession."

                                             - - Krista Drescher-Burke
                                                 Class of 2002       
                                                 and Recipient of
                                                 the Wethington Fellowship

Kay S. Hoffman, Ph.D., is Dean of the College of Social Work; David D. Royse, Ph.D., is Director of Graduate Studies; Martin B. Tracy, Ph.D., is Associate Dean for Research; Elizabeth L. Rompf, Ph.D., is Director of Field Education; Melanie D. Otis, Ph.D., is Director of the Undergraduate Program.

Social work is a profession with a two-fold mission: to help people function as well as they can within their environment and to work for improved social conditions. Social workers are involved in providing services to people in such areas as education, health, mental health, housing, public welfare, counseling, services to the aging, care for the retarded, recreation, corrections and criminal justice, family services, child welfare services, services for the physically and mentally handicapped, vocational rehabilitation and the like. This includes services designed to protect, promote or restore the well-being of people. Both universal services and services for special-needs groups are included.

Social work is not only restorative in nature, responding to human problems after the fact; there is also a strong commitment towards preventive measures. An emphasis upon institutional change within society is predicated upon the principle that society has a responsibility to protect the most vulnerable groups in its midst from falling prey to damage and injury. This expresses itself in the central thrust of the social work profession towards social justice.

The origins of social work are rooted in the ancient human impulse of altruism, the desire to care for one another's needs. Social work became a profession around the beginning of the twentieth century through the efforts of social reformers to meet the needs of the poor, of neglected children and of exploited workers through the better organization of charities and the first "friendly visitors." Social workers led the fight for child labor laws, more humane industrial conditions, voting rights for women and other progressive causes.

Today, professional social work as described in a publication of the National Association of Social Workers, is a "dynamic, growing profession based on knowledge drawn from the social sciences and its own research and practice. It has a code of ethics, standards for practice, and a nationwide system of accredited educational programs designed to merge the impulse to help others with the skill and knowledge needed to provide that help."

Program Accreditation

Both the Bachelor of Arts in Social Work and the Master of Social Work degree programs are fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

Licensing

Social work graduates are eligible for licensing from the State Board of Examiners of Social Work of Kentucky, PO Box 456, Frankfort, KY 40602, as follows:

BASW graduates for license as "social workers"
MSW graduates for license as "certified social workers"

Undergraduate Program in Social Work

The University of Kentucky grants the following degree in the College of Social Work:

Bachelor of Arts in Social Work

THE UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM OF EDUCATION FOR SOCIAL WORK

The undergraduate program in social work was inaugurated in 1944. Effective July 1, 1969, its administration was transferred from the College of Arts and Sciences to the newly established College of Social Professions, which is now the College of Social Work. Freshmen and transfer students who elect social work as a major should arrange to register in the College of Social Work. Each student will be assigned a member of the faculty of the college as an advisor who will assist in the selection of appropriate courses and ensure that the requirements for the B.A. degree are met. Students who wish special information or a personal interview prior to registration may make an appointment through the Office of the Director of the Undergraduate Program of the College of Social Work.

The principal objective of the undergraduate program is to prepare students for beginning social work practice. Additionally, it prepares students for graduate professional education.

All social work majors have actual experience in the field under faculty direction. These experiences are provided in teaching-learning centers in a variety of agencies located in or adjacent to Lexington.

Courses in social work contribute to the liberal education of all students and help prepare them to be more effective citizens in a complex society in which welfare issues and programs are of increasing importance to everyone.These courses may serve one or more of the following purposes:

To enrich and broaden the knowledge of social problems and social issues.
To help develop effective interpersonal relations.
To provide basic knowledge of social services to students who are preparing for careers in other helping professions (i.e., special education, rehabilitation, nursing, law, medicine).

Financial Aid

For financial aid and scholarship information, contact the Student Services Coordinator, 602 Patterson Office Tower, (859) 257-6650.

Advising

Every student is assigned an academic advisor who assists them in preparing for registration each semester. Undergraduate advisors are assigned by the Director of the Undergraduate Program, 651 Patterson Office Tower, (859) 257-1574.

Undergraduate Admission Policy

Admission to the University of Kentucky is sufficient for admission to the College of Social Work as a premajor. Social work students receive academic advising from the College of Social Work faculty and must successfully complete the premajor course requirements before applying to the BASW degree program. The premajor course requirements are: (SW 124 and SW 222) or SW 322; an introductory psychology course; an introductory sociology course; and BIO 102 and BIO 103 or BIO 110.

An application must be filed with the College of Social Work in order for a student to be considered for admission as a major. In general, admission as a major depends upon the qualifications and preparation of the applicant, as well as the availability of resources for maintaining quality instruction.

Admission Criteria to the Bachelor of Arts in Social Work Degree Program

In order to be admitted to the BASW degree program as a major, applicants must fulfill the following requirements:

Admission to the University of Kentucky (students are considered for acceptance by the College only after acceptance by the University);
A grade of B or better in both SW 124 and SW 222, or equivalent (or a grade of B or better in SW 322);
Submission of an application form;
Minimum of a 2.5 cumulative grade-point average on all college work attempted as computed by the Registrar's Office;
Ability to articulate reasons for choosing social work as a career, as evidenced in an essay;
A passing grade in the introductory psychology course, sociology course, and in the required biology courses.

Applications for admission to the College of Social Work must be received by the Records Office of the College of Social Work no later than May 1 for summer sessions, August 1 for the fall semester, and December 1 for the spring semester.

Individuals who do not meet the admissions criteria may submit additional materials to the College's Admissions Committee. Admission may be granted if there is persuasive evidence of both the capability and motivation to undertake successfully the BASW degree program.

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN SOCIAL WORK

Degree Requirements

The College of Social Work requires students to earn a minimum of 120 hours for the B.A. in Social Work with a minimum grade-point average of 2.0. Students may take additional hours in accordance with stated University policy.

In addition to fulfilling University Studies requirements, students must complete the program requirements listed below.

Premajor Requirements

Anthropology -- Three hours, normally chosen from the following: ANT 201, ANT 220, ANT 333

Biology -- Three or six hours: BIO 102 and BIO 103; or BIO 110

Economics -- Three hours, normally ECO 101

Political Science -- Three hours, normally chosen from the following: PS 101, PS 240, PS 245, PS 255, PS 271, PS 280

Psychology -- Three or four hours, normally chosen from the following: PSY 100, PSY 223

Sociology -- Three hours, normally chosen from the following: SOC 101, SOC 151, SOC 152, SOC 220

Statistics -- Three hours: STA 292, STA 293, and STA 294 or STA 200 or STA 291

Preprofessional Requirements	Hours
SW 124 Introduction to Social Services	3
SW 222 Development of Social Welfare	3
SW 322 Social Work and Social Welfare (for junior transfers only; substitutes for SW 124, SW 222)	4

Professional Requirements	Hours
SW 300 Social Work Practice I	4
SW 400 Social Work Practice II	4
SW 420 Human Behavior and the Social Environment	3
SW 430 Social Welfare Policy: Theory and Implementation	3
SW 444 Educational Practicum I	8
SW 445 Educational Practicum II	8
SW 450 Social Work Research	3
SW 470 Senior Seminar	3

Social and Behavioral Sciences and Social Work Electives

Students must complete 15 hours of upper-division courses from any of the following: anthropology, economics, family studies, political science, psychology, social work, sociology.

Electives

Students must complete at least six hours of upper-division free elective courses.

COURSES FOR NONMAJORS

Students from other departments are eligible to take certain social work courses offered to enrich the content of their basic major and/or to increase their knowledge and understanding of the society of which they are a part. They may take SW 124, Introduction to Social Services; SW 222, Development of Social Welfare; SW 322, Social Work and Social Welfare; and elective social work courses.

GRADUATE PROGRAMS

The College of Social Work offers graduate curricula leading to the Master of Social Work degree and to the Ph.D. in Social Work. The Ph.D. program is offered jointly with the University of Louisville. An MSW is a prerequisite to Ph.D. admission.

Master's applicants holding the baccalaureate degree in social work are eligible for the 38-credit advanced standing option. Others will be considered for the regular 60-credit MSW program.

For further information, see The Graduate School Bulletin or the College of Social Work Bulletin.