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Accredited by CSWE since 1976
St. Scholastica's Social Work Program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Our graduates enter most Master of Social Work programs with advanced standing.
Social Work Major
A career in service, social justice and human relationships
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 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 on 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.
Preparation for graduate 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.
Goals of the Social Work Program
The CSS Social Work Program has three goals and eleven specified educational outcomes that are used to assess program effectiveness. Students who graduate from this program have had courses grounded in the liberal arts and a successively more advanced set of professional learning experiences that lead to readiness for entry-level practice, community service and graduate education. The mission, goals, and outcomes specified by the program are the same for both the main campus and distance sites as follows:
Goal One
The College of St. Scholastica Social Work Program will prepare students for beginning generalist social work practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.
Goal Two
The Social Work Program will foster the mission of the College and the values from the Benedictine heritage: community, hospitality, respect, stewardship, and the love of learning.
Goal Three
The Social Work Program will prepare students for lifelong learning.
The College of St. Scholastica undergraduate social work education program prepares students in the generalist social work practice model, with emphasis on acquisition of basic knowledge, values and skills essential to beginning level professional practice with individuals, families, groups and communities. The College of St. Scholastica Social Work Program is guided by the liberal arts tradition of the College and integrates a humanistic, egalitarian educational philosophy with rigorous, sequential academic programming. Students completing the program are prepared to work in rural, urban, and international areas with diverse populations.
Social Work Licensure
The College of St. Scholastica Social Work Program enables graduates to sit for licensure as a Licensed Social Worker (LSW) by the Minnesota Board of Social Work. Additionally, the curriculum is approved by the Minnesota Board of Teaching for School Social Worker Licensure. Students seeking licensure as a school social worker are required to complete the social work major coursework and 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.
Social Work diversity statement
The Social Work Program encourages all students to learn about the diversity in their communities. Program activities are dedicated to expanding students' experiences with diversity and to assist them in developing cultural competency. The Social Work Program conducts all of its activities without discrimination on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, ethnic or national origin, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, local commission status, or status with regard to public assistance.
Admission to major
All entering students are encouraged to submit their application for the Social Work major with the registrar Office once they are an intended major. Social Work majors apply for formal admission to the Social Work Program during the spring semester of the sophomore year. For fall junior-status priority admission, students transferring from a community college with an A.A. degree should make application to both the College and the Social Work Program by April 15.
Other requirements
Students provide their own transportation to community learning experiences such as their field practicum during the junior and senior years. Students are required to obtain professional liability insurance and submit a criminal background check before beginning field experiences. Students first become members of N.A.S.W. (National Association of Social Workers) at the beginning of their Junior year and maintain membership through graduation. Students planning to attend graduate school (including programs offering advanced standing in social work) are strongly recommended to take PSY 3331 - Statistics.
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