Social Work

THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY & SOCIAL WORK
The mission of the Gordon College Social Work Program is the education of men and women for entry level, generalist practice in social work within the context of a Christian liberal arts institution. The program maintains a commitment to the value and dignity of every person and the mandate to enhance human well-being and to alleviate poverty and oppression. Graduates are prepared to act in systems at all levels to help bring about peace, justice, and transformation.

COURSE OF STUDY
The curriculum seeks to:

• Emphasize the Christian liberal arts foundation and perspective.
• Provide an introductory course that builds upon the Christian liberal arts foundation and gives a theoretical base for social work skills, as well as a framework for understanding social justice and social responsibility.  
• Provide intermediate courses which build upon and extend the introductory-level concepts and theories into the following areas: human behavior and the social environment; social policy and political institutions; diversity; research methods and skills; and work with individuals, family, groups, organizations and communities.
• Provide advanced courses and supervised field practicum that serve to both integrate and contextualize prior coursework, consequently preparing graduates to practice social work at the beginning level, and/or pursue graduate studies.

COMPREHENSIVE INTERNSHIPS
The senior practicum (SW425/426) provides the opportunity for students to increase their understanding of social work practice by interning at a social service agency. This practicum requires the student to serve a minimum of 400 hours at an agency, completed over the course of one academic semester. Students may complete the senior practicum in a variety of settings. A practicum seminar (SW420) is taken concurrently with the practicum. 

ACCREDITATION & LICENSURE
The social work program is fully accredited at the baccalaureate level by the Council on Social Work Education, qualifying graduates to apply for licensure at the BSW level in all states with licensure laws, and to apply for advanced standing in graduate programs. In many cases, this enables graduates to complete a traditional two-year master's program in social work in a single year.

WHERE GRADS GO
Our students prepare for graduate and professional programs and for the workplace. Graduates have been placed in many areas that make use of their acquired skills that include, but are not limited to:

• Adoption / foster care
• Community development
• Community organizing
• Court systems
• Drug and alcohol programs
• Facilities for persons with mental illness
• Government agencies
• Hospitals
• Juvenile detention centers
• Labor organizations
• Nursing homes
• Policy advocacy
• Public schools
• Social services
• Sustainable development agencies

CONTACT INFORMATION
Sybil W. Coleman, Program Director
Department of Social Work
Gordon College
Wenham, MA 01984 USA

e: sybil.colemangordon.edu