BSW - Social Work

The Baccalaureate Social Work Program at Indiana Wesleyan University prepares students for entry-level generalist social work practice. Generalist social work practice is an approach to social work that emphasizes the relationship between the client system and the environment. It uses the knowledge, values, and skills that are transferable to a wide variety of client systems including individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. The generalist social worker employs a problem solving process using the skills of assessment, planning, contracting, implementation, evaluation, and termination as he/she works with various client systems to enhance social functioning. Students who graduate from the Baccalaureate Social Work Program at Indiana Wesleyan University are employed in a variety of settings including positions working with public agencies, schools, hospitals, mental health facilities, hospice, adoption, foster care, residential care, courts, corrections, and the developmentally disabled. In addition, the social work major prepares students for graduate education.

The mission of the Social Work Program is to prepare students for social work practice through the teaching of the knowledge, values, and skills that equip them to be change agents advocating for the dignity and worth of all people and respect for human diversity. The Social Work program develops world changers by instructing students to utilize scientific inquiry, to integrate worldview, faith, and learning into active service that promotes social justice and growth for individuals, families, groups, communities and organizations.

Upon completion of the Social Work program at Indiana Wesleyan University, students will be able to demonstrate the following core competencies within the framework of the generalist model of social work practice:

• Demonstrate ethical and professional behavior.
• Engage in diversity and difference in practice.
• Advance human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice.
• Engage in practice‐informed research and research‐informed practice.
• Engage in policy practice.
• Engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
• Assess individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
• Intervene with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
• Evaluate practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

In addition, the program integrates the IWU Institutional Learning Outcomes.

The IWU Social Work program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).  Students wishing to continue graduate education may be eligible for advanced standing at many graduate schools of Social Work. Graduates of the Social Work program are eligible to become full members of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and North American Association of Christians in Social Work (NACSW).

Throughout the curriculum, theory and practice are integrated through a variety of educational experiences. Students become active within their community in a variety of capacities as they complete major course assignments. When all major course work is complete students enter the field education component of the program. A minimum of 400 hours in the field are required, averaging 17 hours per week over a 24 week period. According to CSWE, the field placement is the signature pedagogy of Social Work education.