The College of St. Scholastica


The Social Work Profession

The mission of the social work profession is "to enhance human well-being and help meet the basic needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed and living in poverty." (Preamble of the Social Work 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. If you care about people and want to make a difference, social work may be the major for you!

Career Opportunities

Graduates with a B.A. in Social Work are employed in a variety of settings that may include:

  • Family service agencies
  • Hospitals
  • Community action agencies
  • Schools (elementary and secondary)
  • Child and adult protection
  • Residential treatment
  • Homeless shelters
  • Tribal social service agencies
  • Substance abuse programs
  • Mental health services
  • Developmental disabilities services
  • Public health agencies
  • Child and youth service agencies
  • Aging services
  • Domestic violence programs
  • Community organizing

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The Social Work Program at St. Scholastica

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 is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) that requires graduates be well prepared for beginning professional social work practice. Because this is an accredited undergraduate program, our graduates also enter most MSW programs with advanced standing. The goals of the Social Work Program are as follows:

  • The Social Work Program will provide students with the analytical and substantive knowledge essential for beginning generalist social work practice.
  • The Social Work Program will foster the mission of the college and the values from our Benedictine heritage - community, hospitality, respect, stewardship, and love of learning.
  • The Social Work Program will provide continued preparation of students for graduate education.

The College of St. Scholastica Social Work Program prepares students in the generalist social work method emphasizing beginning practice with individuals, families, groups and communities. The Social Work Program is guided by the liberal arts tradition of the college and integrates a humanistic, equalitarian philosophy with rigorous, sequential academic programming.

Sample Social Work Course Schedule

Freshman year: Basic Concepts and Principles of Sociology or Cultural Anthropology; Human Biology; First-Year-Composition or Argumentative and Research Writing; First-Year-Communication or Human Communication, Philosophy and electives.

Sophomore year: Introduction to Professional Social Work, General Psychology, Marginality and Diversity or Human Behavior of American Indians or other diversity classes; Religious Studies and electives.

Junior year: General Social Work Practice, Human Behavior, American Social Welfare Policy, Research Methods, Statistics; Social Work with Individuals and Families, Child Welfare or Psychosocial Aspects of Aging; Junior Field Placement and electives.

Senior year: Social Work with Groups; Social Work with Community Systems; Independent Professional Projects, Social Work Field Practicum; Contemporary Economic Issues or American Government; advanced writing course; and electives.

Opportunities for Practical Experience

Intended social work majors in their freshman or sophomore year have the opportunity to experience what social workers do by enrolling in the Introduction to Social Work course, which includes community agency presentations, 15 hours of agency site visits and 40 hours of volunteer experience.

In the junior year, students participate in a 120 hour community agency internship. This unique feature of the CSS Social Work Program focuses on skill building and is designed to complement the required junior social work courses.

In the senior year, students complete a 400 hour field practicum that is more advanced than the junior internship. The senior field practicum integrates the skills, knowledge, theory and professional ethics and values necessary for beginning social work practice.

Professional Licensing

Students graduating from our CSWE accredited program are eligible to take state licensing exams at the LSW level.

The College of St. Scholastica Social Work Program is approved by the Minnesota Board of Teaching for School Social Worker I Licensure. Students are required to take SWK 4555 Senior Field Practicum in a school setting under the supervision of a licensed school social worker, consisting of at least 400 contact hours during one school year.

Graduate School Preparation

Students obtaining their Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Work at CSS are eligible for advanced academic standing in many graduate schools of social work within the U.S. This often reduces graduate school curriculum requirements to one year.

ATHENS Project

 As the healthcare industry is being transformed by health information technologies of this type, students must be prepared to effectively use these tools in their future healthcare workplaces. Students in the Social Work program at The College of St. Scholastica have significant levels of hands-on experience using a state-of-the-art electronic medical record system to gain confidence and competence in using this type of information technology as a tool to enhance the quality of their professional practice. For more information about this unique aspect of health professions' education at St. Scholastica, visit the ATHENS project Web site.

How to Reach Us

Faculty are available to meet with students to discuss the field of social work and their interest in the program. The Program Director can be reached at (218) 723-7048. We encourage students to explore St. Scholastica's website at www.css.edu for more information on the program or current email information for faculty in the program.

For Further Information

If you would like more information about our program or financial aid contact:

Admissions Office
The College of St. Scholastica
1200 Kenwood Avenue
Duluth, Minnesota 55811
(218) 723-6046 or 1-800-447-5444
TTY/TDD (218) 723-6790
e-mail: admissions@css.edu

Visitors are always welcome! To help us best plan for your visit, please call us in advance.

The College of St. Scholastica is an equal opportunity educator and employer.