Social Work
The social work program will be offered onsite and online as a Bachelor of Science in Social Work beginning in fall 2021. Courses in social work are available beginning in spring 2021.
Specific academic program details are forthcoming. Information about the online program is available at Online.NotreDameCollege.edu.
Overview
Notre Dame College will be offering its first social work class in spring 2021 and will introduce a new bachelor’s degree program in the subject area in 2021-2022.
The new course for spring 2021 will introduce students to basic social work generalist practice. The class leads into the College’s new Bachelor of Science in Social Work program, which is scheduled to be available onsite and online. The degree has been approved by the Ohio Department of Higher Education and has received approval from the Higher Learning Commission.
“We wanted to create a program that gives students more hands-on, personal experience in what to expect when they do social work,” said Antoinette Willis, Ph.D., assistant professor of social work and department head of psychology and social work at the College. “Our program will teach students to meet clients where they are, to get to know and help address their specific needs, rather than just make decisions based on paperwork.”
Only two other institutions in the area offer undergraduate social work programs, and both are limited in the number of students they can accept, Willis said. Notre Dame’s social work courses are housed in the College’s Division of Science and Mathematics under the Department of Psychology.
Willis, who is developing the four-year social work curriculum, will teach the course during the spring 2021 semester. More courses are being offered in the fall 2021. She has worked in children and family services for nearly 20 years and has conducted in-depth research with youth involved in the emancipation process.
Students who successfully complete the proposed Notre Dame B.S.S.W. degree will be prepared to take social work licensing exams as well as to work with clinicians and move forward into their master degree to become independently licensed. While not all social work positions require licensure, most employers offer higher salaries for those with the credential, according to Willis.
Notre Dame’s anticipated program also is expected to feature a senior capstone, in which students will work directly with licensed professionals to gain real-world experience in the profession prior to graduation.
Social Work Careers
Careers in social work range from case managers to therapists and may serve children, adults, families or communities. Social workers are employed in a variety of settings, including schools, child welfare agencies, human service organizations, hospitals, community development corporations, mental health clinics and private practices, among others.
The field is expected to grow faster than average, and the median salary for social workers is more than $50,000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
According to Willis, social work is a preferred profession for many because the career path allows students interested in clinical care to become licensed to work with clients faster than psychology majors. Social work also is a “helping career” option for those who may not have an affinity for the clinical or medical facets of related fields, she said.
Entry-Level Courses
The basic generalist practice course will highlight the differences between the disciplines of social work, sociology and psychology and present options in training that can lead to different kinds of employment. This course will open the doors to understanding what social work is about and the guiding principles of working for and advocating on behalf of clients.
Willis said social work involves the application of social welfare policies, advocacy, therapeutics, clinical aspects and resources to encourage and empower clients personally and in their communities. Sociology is more anthropological and environmental, and psychology tends to focus on the mind and body. Social work incorporates both fields on an individual and community level but can deal with how businesses and organizations are impacted, as well.
Additional social work courses for fall 2021 are expected to focus on social work ethics and social welfare policy.
New students interested in social work study at Notre Dame can request admissions information online. Current students can register at the start of each semester. Email studentsuccess@ndc.edu.
September 2020
updated December 2020
The social work program at Notre Dame College provides students with the theoretical, practical, and
professional knowledge in preparation for dynamic fields of employment within the field of social work.
Program Description
The social work program at Notre Dame College is designed to align with the curriculum principles
created by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), this degree program will equip students with
the knowledge and skills needed to become a licensed social worker. The coursework provides hands-on
training and evidence-based practices in the areas of policy, advocacy, diversity, multiculturalism, and
human behavior in the social environment.
Program Student Learning Outcomes
Students completing the Bachelors of Science in Social Work will be able to:
- Engage in social work practice with diverse populations in a variety of settings
- Build practical skills and knowledge needed to be an ethical and competent social worker
- Learn values, knowledge, and skills necessary to meet human needs and improve the
environment - Become aware of their responsibility for continued professional growth and are committed to the
alleviation of poverty, oppression, and discrimination - Employ empirical evidence to inform, evaluate, and improve practice
- Possess knowledge and skills for working effectively with diverse and vulnerable populations
- Gain competencies to become a licensed social work with the ability to further their licensure
through graduate school and become an independent licensed social worker.
COURSE OFFERINGS – Social Work
SW 201 Basic Generalist Practice 3 cr.
The basic principle of generalist practice is that social workers are able to utilize a problem-solving process to intervene with various size systems including individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. They operate within a person-in-environment framework that includes conceptualizing prevention and intervention within a process-oriented systems model in lieu of traditional models that often limit interventions to the individual. Students will receive an Introduction to core concepts, value base and ethical principles of the profession. Emphasis is given to the bio-ecological framework, person in-environment and systems theory. Students begin the process of professional self-awareness to identify how their personal values and beliefs impact their interactions and practice.
Prerequisites: SO 201 and PY 201
