2022-2023 Catalog With Addendum [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
School of Social Work
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Undergraduate
Rachel Slaymaker, Director, School of Social Work
Stephanie Hamm, BSSW Program Director
Katelin East, Director of Field Education and BSSW Field Coordinator
ACU Box 27866
Abilene, Texas 79699-7866
Hardin Administration Building, Room 108
Phone: 325-674-2072
Fax: 325-674-6525
Email: socialwork@acu.edu
Web: www.acu.edu/socialwork
Faculty
Katelin East, Assistant Professor
Stephanie Hamm, Associate Professor
Kyeonghee (Kay) Jang, Associate Professor
Alan Lipps, Professor
Malcolm Scott, Assistant Professor
Rachel Slaymaker, Associate Professor
Erica Vasquez, Assistant Professor
Thomas L. Winter, Professor
The School of Social Work offers the Bachelor of Science in Social Work (BSSW) and the Master of Science in Social Work (MSSW) degrees. A graduate-level certificate in social services administration is also available.
The school offers qualified undergraduate students the opportunity to complete the Bachelor of Science and the Master of Science in Social Work degrees in five years.
Introduction
Social work majors study the interaction of biological, psychological and social aspects of life that affect human behavior and problems. Students gain experience in the application of social work methods by working directly with human service programs through the program’s field education curriculum.
Graduates of the ACU BSSW Program presently work in a variety of settings, including health and mental health programs, disability and developmental services, juvenile and adult justice systems, child, youth, and family programs (including foster care and adoptions), gerontological programs, schools, human trafficking and assault prevention, and policy making positions.
Goals of the BSSW Program are to: educate students for generalist social work practice with diverse populations in diverse settings; prepare students with a knowledge of social work values and ethics that influence practice behaviors; prepare students for roles in the social work profession and in social welfare organizations on multiple levels; instill in students an appreciation of human diversity and human rights within the context of human behavior in the social environment; and, appropriately analyze and contribute to the knowledge base for evidence-informed generalist social work practice.
The Bachelor of Science degree in social work is granted only to those students who have completed the social work program’s curriculum in its entirety. The degree indicates that the student is prepared for beginning generalist social work practice.
BSSW graduates are prepared both personally and professionally for either immediate entry into the field of social work or for entry into a graduate school to pursue the Master of Science in Social Work degree. The principal objective of the program, however, is to prepare the student for entry-level generalist social work practice. A complete articulation of the educational outcomes of the program is contained in the social work program’s Student Handbook, which can be obtained from the School of Social Work office.
ACU’s BSSW program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education to offer the baccalaureate degree in social work. This accreditation enables students who have completed their work at ACU to qualify for licensure as a social worker in Texas and other states and to have “advanced standing” in many graduate schools of social work throughout the nation.
Formal Admission Requirements
The declaration of social work as a major does not ensure admission to the social work program. In addition to the requirements for all degrees (see the University Requirements section of this catalog), the student must apply for and be granted admission to the social work program before taking most upper-level courses.
The following accomplishments are required for admission:
- Junior standing (60 credit hours).
- Completion of application to the program designated by the school.
- Satisfactory completion of SOCW 230 , SOCW 250 , and SOCW 327 or SOCW 329 .
- Approval for admission by program faculty after an interview and consideration of various criteria.
Complete information on applying for admission to the program is given to all students when they declare their major. The deadline for application is the last full week of courses of the semester prior to the anticipated beginning of upper-level practice and field course work. Students are notified of the decision of the faculty by the end of the 16th week (i.e., finals week) of the semester.
Experiential Learning
The university provides several opportunities for students to engage in experiential learning. Among them, BSSW students are expected to consider study abroad and undergrad research. Academic advisors can assist students in planning their study abroad experience to ensure all courses are completed in the timeline needed to complete all requirements of the BSSW degree. Additionally, students are expected to consider independent research through the undergraduate research process or McNair Scholars. Students can request a mentor to walk them through the research process studying an area of social work of interest to the student.
Accelerated Advanced Standing Master of Science in Social Work
For BSSW majors who are committed to obtaining a graduate degree in social work, the School of Social Work offers an integrated degree plan with pre-admission into the advanced standing Masters of Science in Social Work program. BSSW students who meet the admission requirements for the Accelerated Advanced Standing MSSW program may take up to 8 hours of graduate coursework within their final 38 hours of the undergraduate program.
The graduate coursework will be chosen in consultation with the undergraduate academic advisor and the graduate advisor in the School of Social Work. Students must have taken a minimum of 90 semester hours with an undergraduate GPA of 3.4 or higher to be considered for the program. Application can be made at any point after the student meets the minimum requirements as described above.
Interested students are encouraged to apply during the fall/spring of their junior year after consultation with their academic advisor. After filling out the application document, they will meet with the Director of the MSSW in the School of Social Work to determine which courses to take and enroll in the Accelerated Advanced Standing MSSW program. A special application to the MSSW program is required to enroll in the Accelerated Advanced Standing MSSW program. Students must apply to the ACU Graduate School for full admission to the ACU MSSW program upon graduating with their BSSW. All policies and procedures for full admission to MSSW program are still applicable despite enrollment in the Accelerated Advanced Standing MSSW program. Admission to the Accelerated Advanced Standing MSSW program does not guarantee full admission to the MSSW program.
Graduate courses will count as general elective or electives (Major Course Requirements) in the School of Social Work and may not be substituted for required courses in any other undergraduate major or department. In order to maintain admitted status to the Accelerated Advanced Standing MSSW program, students must make no grade lower than B in the graduate courses and maintain a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.4 or higher.
Students enrolled in the program will be awarded their BSSW degree upon successful completion of 128 undergraduate hours as identified in the BSSW undergraduate requirements, including up to 8 hours of graduate coursework taken as part of the Accelerated Advanced Standing MSSW program.
Courses BSSW students enrolled in Accelerated Advanced Standing MSSW are eligible to take, during their final 38 hours include:
SOCW 700-799.
Accelerated Master of Science in Social Work
For students not majoring in social work but who are committed to becoming a social work practitioner, the School of Social Work offers an integrated degree plan-the Accelerated Master of Science in Social Work Plan (AMSSWP)-that permits qualified students to count up to 24 hours of graduate study toward both the Bachelor’s degree and the Master of Science in Social Work. Students who meet the admission requirements for the AMSSWP may take up to 24 hours of graduate course work in their junior and senior years.
The 24 hours of graduate course work will be chosen from required courses in the Master of Science in Social Work (MSSW) curriculum. Students who participate in this degree plan may take up to 6 semester hours of graduate work in the summer and up to 9 semester hours of graduate work in the fall and spring semesters after they have achieved 90 undergraduate semester hours with a cumulative GPA of 3.5. Students will be advised to take no more than 12 hours, including the graduate courses, in a regular semester. Students will be awarded their Bachelor’s degree upon completion of their current program’s undergraduate degree requirements.
Interested students are encouraged to seek pre-admission to the AMSSWP after they have completed 30 semester hours by applying to the Graduate Program Director in the School of Social Work. Students must apply for full admission to the ACU MSSW program in the fall semester after they have completed 60 hours and have a GPA of 3.5.
Graduate courses will count as general electives or electives in the student’s undergraduate major and may not be substituted for required courses in their undergraduate degree.
In order to continue in the AMSSWP, students must make no grade lower than B in the graduate courses and maintain a cumulative 3.5 GPA. Individual students’ academic programs must be approved by the Graduate Program Director each semester a student participates in the AMSSWP. Final admission to the MSSW program will be based on the student’s satisfaction of all graduate admission requirements.
Peace and Social Justice Minor
Kari White, Advisor
ACU Box 27866
Abilene, Texas 79699-7866
Hardin Administration Building, Room 108
Phone: 325-674-2072
Email: kah07b@acu.edu
Introduction
The Peace and Social Justice minor is an eighteen-credit hour, liberal arts, interdisciplinary program available to all students as a complement to any major. It focuses on the question of how humans resolve conflicts and how disputes can give way to peace and justice rather than ruin. Because conflict may be international, within a given society, or personal, peace and social justice studies necessarily draw upon a wide variety of disciplines, including philosophy, political science, history, psychology, theology, economics, sociology, and literature.
This minor is unique in three ways. First, its focus is on peace and social justice, and it integrates these topics from among several disciplines. Second, it is grounded in a Christian worldview and is, in part, inspired by the particular history of Churches of Christ. Finally, it is scholarly, but not disinterested. It freely admits that peace is better than war, as those studying medicine favor health over disease. Its bias is that peace is not just the absence of war, but must include values and structures that support human flourishing. In other words, this minor urges not only deep thought but also thoughtful action.
Within this minor, philosophers and theologians will ask about the nature of human beings and the meaning of justice and prod us to think about how religion has been a barrier to as well as a motive for peace. Historians and sociologists will point to the causes of war and injustice and help us understand their short- and long-term effects.
Psychologists will deepen our understanding of human behavior and give us tools for more peaceful relationships, while political scientists and economists will ask us to think about differing notions of power and will advance our understanding of international sources of conflict and their structural or organizational solutions.
The study of peace is both idealistic and practical, and this minor is designed to address both dimensions. If we cannot figure out a way to live peaceably in our daily relationships or in our international politics, we are doomed to continued conflict in our homes, workplaces, and world. As philosopher Hannah Arendt has said, “Violence, like all action, changes the world, but the most probable change is to a more violent world.” Thus, having understanding and skills to take an active role in peacemaking is utterly practical. At the same time, a dose of idealism is what motivates peace and social justice action. To quote sociologist Elise Boulding, “We cannot achieve what we cannot imagine.”
Mission of the Program
The mission of Peace and Social Justice Studies is to motivate and prepare students to be active peacemakers in their homes, churches, workplaces, local communities, nations, and world.
Students who complete the Peace and Social Justice Studies minor will be exposed to ways of thinking, skills, and experiences which will motivate and enable them to contribute to the resolution of conflict so that these conflicts result in justice and creative development rather than violence, and be prepared to engage in graduate-level peace and social justice studies.
Graduate
Rachel Slaymaker, Director, School of Social Work
Thomas L. Winter, Interim MSSW Program Director
Katelin East, Director of Field Education
ACU Box 27866
Abilene, Texas 79699-7866
Hardin Administration Building, Room 108
Phone: 325-674-2072
Fax: 325-674-6525
Email: socialwork@acu.edu
Web: www.acu.edu/socialwork
Faculty
Katelin East, Assistant Professor
Stephanie Hamm, Associate Professor
Kyeonghee (Kay) Jang, Associate Professor
Alan Lipps, Professor
Malcolm Scott, Assistant Professor
Rachel Slaymaker, Associate Professor
Erica Vasquez, Assistant Professor
Thomas L. Winter, Professor
Mission
The mission of Abilene Christian University is to educate students for Christian leadership throughout the world.
The Abilene Christian University School of Social Work seeks, within the context of a Christian higher education institution, to: prepare graduates as effective and ethical professionals who incorporate best evidence in practice; promote social justice for vulnerable persons everywhere through service and leadership roles; and, advance social work knowledge through research and other scholarly activities.
The School of Social Work’s MSSW Program goals are to: educate students for advanced evidence based practice; prepare graduates for leadership in the social work profession and in social welfare organizations; instill in students an appreciation of human diversity that inform their practice behaviors; contribute to the knowledge base for evidence-informed social welfare programs and social work practice; and collaborate with community partners to promote social justice and evidence-based practice.
Graduate Programs
The School of Social Work offers a Master of Science in Social Work (MSSW) degree and a Graduate Certificate in Social Services Administration, which may be completed while in the MSSW program of study.
The ACU MSSW program offers an innovative curriculum aimed at preparing leading edge social work practitioners. It is designed to produce versatile social work leaders who are aware of their clients’ and their own spirituality and faith perspectives. They employ technology in ethical and appropriate ways and are capable of selecting and applying current research to identify and use evidence-based interventions. This produces practitioners who employ the most forward-thinking programs and policies to empower and instill hope in their clients and to promote positive social change.
There are two programs of study leading toward the MSSW: Standard and Advanced Standing. Both the Standard and Advanced Standing programs may be completed through part-time enrollment. The Standard Program requires two years of full-time study (64 hours). The first year introduces important ideas and concepts that are at the heart of what it means to be a social worker and to engage in advanced evidence-based practice. The second year of the program concentrates on evidence-based social interventions with systems of various sizes. The standard program may be completed in four years of half-time enrollment status. The advanced standing program may be completed in two years of part-time enrollment status.
The Advanced Standing Program is for students who have completed a BSW from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. Full-time Advanced Standing students must enroll in the 6-hour summer seminar and move directly into the 32-hour second year of study. Part-time students must complete the 6-hour summer seminar prior to enrolling in SOCW 751 , SOCW 781 , or SOCW 799 .
Both programs combine classroom study with supervised field practica in social service agencies and include an agency-based thesis.
In cooperation with the Graduate School of Theology, the School of Social Work has developed plans whereby students can pursue the MSSW degree concurrently with the Master of Arts in Christian Ministry (MACM) degree.
The MSSW program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
Admission Requirements
While the Standard Program accepts students with a bachelor’s degree in any field, students are expected to demonstrate a broad liberal arts background, including two courses from each of the following areas: science/math, social/behavioral sciences, humanities/fine arts, and communication/language. To see if a specific course qualifies for the liberal arts background requirement, please contact the School of Social Work office. A course in statistics is highly desirable.
Admission requirements for any graduate program in the school of Social Work are:
- A completed application for admission with a nonrefundable application fee;
- An official transcript(s) in English (or translated to English) of all previous colleges attended. The transcript must indicate an earned bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university or equivalent;
- A cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. If undergraduate GPA is below 3.0, the GRE or MAT entrance exam is required;
- Two letters of recommendation;
- A writing sample, which must be a personal statement addressing your motivation for graduate studies and entering the social work profession, and reflections on the following social work-related themes: evidence-based practice, diversity, spirituality and holistic well-being, and social justice.
- A second writing sample in the form of a formal graded (returned with feedback) upper-level assignment of at least five pages from the student’s undergraduate work (or acceptable alternative). Questions on this assignment may be directed to the School of Social Work if additional information is needed.
- A field practicum assessment must be submitted by students who have graduated from a CSWE accredited BSW/BSSW program and are applying for Advanced Standing status (1 year program).
Applications for the Standard Program are accepted for fall admission. Advanced Standing students with a recent BSW degree from a program accredited by the CSWE are admitted in June. Applications received by February 16 will receive early review, priority for scholarships, graduate assistantships and field practicum sites. Part-time students may be accepted on a rolling basis.
Applicants who completed the BSW more than five years ago are eligible for Advanced Standing only if they are employed in the field of social services or hold current social work licensure.
Certificate in Social Services Administration
ACU Box 27866
Abilene, Texas 79699-7866
Hardin Administration Building, Room 108
Phone: 325-674-2072
Fax: 325-674-6525
Web: www.acu.edu/socialwork
Faculty
Thomas L. Winter, Professor
Kyeonghee (Kay) Jang, Associate Professor
The Certificate in Social Services Administration requires 18 hours, and course work may apply toward the Master of Science in Social Work degree.
Competencies
Students who complete the certificate program will:
- Have an understanding of the major managerial functions in nonprofit and governmental programs, including planning, organizing, staffing, directing, controlling, communicating and decision making;
- Have experience with the procedures and techniques of developing and receiving grants, contracts and/or appropriations, and be able to research, select and cultivate funding sources, including actual grant or contract preparation;
- Be familiar with fiscal processes commonly used in human service agencies, including the ability to read, comprehend, and prepare budgets in formats commonly used in nonprofit and governmental agencies;
- Understand management strategies for change in human service organizations, and be able to select change in strategies based on situational assessments;
- Be able to conduct sound, research-based evaluation of nonprofit programs; and,
- Be able to influence political and organizational processes and actions to impact policymaking through policy analysis, advocacy, and human empowerment.
ProgramsMaster of Science in Social WorkBachelor of ScienceMinorCertificateCoursesInterprofessional EducationSocial Work
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