The College of St. Scholastica

 MISSION OF THE SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM

The mission of the social work profession is “to  enhance human well-being and help meet the basic
human needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed and living in poverty” (from the Preamble of the N.A.S.W. Code of Ethics). Social work addresses the needs of individuals, families, groups and communities. The core values of the profession are service, social justice, dignity and worth of the individual, importance of human relationships, integrity and competence. The College of St. Scholastica’s Social Work Program embraces the mission of the social work profession in the context of  the College’s Benedictine tradition. The program, accredited by the Council of Social Work Education, requires graduates to be well prepared for beginning generalist professional practice. Graduates find employment in a variety of settings, some of which include: child and family service agencies, hospitals and other health care facilities, community action agencies, schools, child and adult protection, residential treatment programs, tribal social service agencies, gerontological services, mental health settings, criminal justice, developmental/mental disabilities, and international social work.

St. Scholastica graduates also may enter most MSW programs with advanced standing, requiring only 12 months of graduate study. For students who care about people and want to make a difference, social work may be the appropriate major.