Welcome to Point University’s College of Social and Behavioral Science! Our college houses criminal justice, psychology, counseling, sociology, and social work. Thanks for your interest in the bachelor of social work degree. Point University has been in existence for nearly 100 years. Throughout our evolution we have developed numerous stellar programs from which our graduates have launched a multitude of careers and the BSW is our most recent addition.

At Point University, our mission is bigger than just academics. While we provide an exceptional education, our faculty and staff also focus on the same primary goal – helping our students succeed in a personal and caring environment. At Point University, regardless of in-seat or on-line learning, you will interact personally with your faculty and your faculty will take a personal interest in you.

Graduates from the College of Social and Behavioral Science pursue work in social work, education, law enforcement, counseling, and a variety of other careers. Many of our students go on to graduate school and all of our programs are structured to prepare students to be accepted and to succeed as graduate students. In fact, between the beginning of our college’s first social sciences degree in 1991 until 2017, 100% of our students who applied to graduate school were admitted and 100% completed.

Thanks again for considering Point University. Our friendly admissions staff as well as our SABS faculty are here to answer your questions and to help you pursue future successes. Start your future today.

Gregory K. Moffatt, Ph.D., LPC, CPCS

Dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Science

greg.moffatt@point.edu

Mission and Purpose. The Social Work Major prepares students for Christ-centered generalist social work practice that effects positive change within individuals, groups, organizations, and communities.

This major builds on the mission and goals of Point University and the liberal arts foundation of the General Education Core in order to attain Point’s general education competencies and accomplish the following program goals and student learning objectives:

Goal 1:  The program will equip students with theoretical and philosophical foundations for generalist social work practice, including a legal, ethical, and theological framework for service.

Objective 1.1:   Students explain major elements of the physiological, psychological, sociological, and spiritual development of human beings. [CSWE Core Competencies 6a, 7b, 8b, 9b]

Objective 1.2:   Drawing upon major theories and research into human behavior in their social environment, students distinguish between healthy and unhealthy patterns of life that contribute to social problems and community success. [CSWE Core Competencies 6a, 7b, 8b, 9b]

Objective 1.3:   Students demonstrate a foundational working knowledge of major theories undergirding the social work profession, including person-in-environment and other multidisciplinary frameworks, theories of human need and human rights, and concepts of social and economic justice. [CSWE Core Competencies 3a-b, 8b, 9b]

Objective 1.4:   Students demonstrate a foundational working knowledge of the legal and regulatory environment for social work, including scope of practice and licensure issues, relationship to other disciplines, and social welfare structures and policies at the federal, state, and local levels. [CSWE Core Competencies 5a-b]

Objective 1.5:   Students demonstrate a foundational working knowledge of models for ethical decision-making in social work, including the NASW (National Association of Social Workers) Code of Ethics. [CSWE Core Competencies 1a, d]

Objective 1.6:   Students develop their personal philosophy of generalist social work practice, integrating faith and vocation. (Alongside the Social Work Major, the Biblical Studies Minor also supports this learning objective—particularly THEO 405 Christ, Culture & Career.) [CSWE Core Competencies 1b-c]

Goal 2:  The program will develop professional skills, attitudes, and behaviors essential for effective generalist social work practice.

Objective 2.1:   Students practice reflection and self-regulation to manage personal values and maintain professionalism in practice situations. [CSWE Core Competency 1b-c, 2c]

Objective 2.2:  Students demonstrate effective engagement skills—such as listening, reflection, interviewing, counseling, group facilitation, and relationship-building—in serving diverse individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities. [CSWE Core Competencies 6b, 7a]

Objective 2.3:  Students demonstrate effective assessment and case management skills by designing appropriate packages of services to meet the needs of diverse individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities. [CSWE Core Competencies 7b-d, 8a-b, e]

Objective 2.4:  Students implement effective evidence-informed intervention strategies for positive change in diverse individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities. [CSWE Core Competencies 7c]

Objective 2.5:  Students evaluate processes and outcomes to advance practice, policy, and service delivery to diverse individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities. [CSWE Core Competencies 9a-d]

Objective 2.6:  Students critically evaluate and apply quantitative and qualitative research methods and findings, including statistical analyses, to inform and improve generalist theory, practice, policy and service. [CSWE Core Competencies 4a-c]

Objective 2.7:   Students use supervision and consultation to guide their professional judgment and behavior, and they actively engage in appropriate inter-professional collaboration to address human needs and achieve the most beneficial outcomes. [CSWE Core Competencies 1e, 6a, 7b, 8c]

Objective 2.8:  Students advocate for the vulnerable and actively engage in practical strategies for promoting human rights and social and economic justice. [CSWE Core Competencies 3a-b, 5c, 8d]

Objective 2.9:  Students consistently conduct themselves in a legal and ethical manner in accordance with Christian values, the NASW (National Association of Social Workers) Code of Ethics, and other standards appropriate for the context. [CSWE Core Competencies 1a, d]

Admission to the University. Admission requirements for entering Point University appear in the CGPS Academic Catalog (https://point.edu/academics/catalogs). How-ever, acceptance into the University does not automatically guarantee acceptance into the Social Work Major and the BSW program. The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) requires that all social work programs have a gatekeeping process to ensure that students have a thorough understanding of the profession of social work and will be a good fit for the program and profession.

Admission to the Social Work Major. New students may declare their intent to earn the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree and begin the process of earning General Education, Biblical Studies, and General Elective credits. They may also complete the first four courses in the Social Work Major—namely, PSYC 204 Develop-mental Psychology, SOWK 301 Introduction to Social Work, SOCI 355 Human Behavior & the Social Environment, and SOWK 306 Research Methodologies for Social Work. However, at this point, the faculty will assess their work ethic and their commitment to education and the profession before granting admission to the remainder of the Social Work Major. Assessment criteria include:

• Satisfactory academic progress and a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.50 for the overall baccalaureate program and 3.00 for the four Social Work courses mentioned above;
• Good citizenship and ethical behavior;
• Demonstrated commitment to the values of the social work profession, including integrity, service, the value of human relationships, dignity and worth of a person, competence, and social justice (evidenced, for example in volunteer work and letters of recommendation);
• Disposition, character, and readiness to move forward and engage with supervisors and clients in the field; and
• Overall potential for developing into a competent social workers for generalist practice.

Dr. Shirley Thompson-Lewis, field director

Dr. Aisha Williams, chair of social work and sociology

In accordance with Point University’s Christian ethos, the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program is committed to upholding the dignity of all human beings as fellow creatures in the image of God. The faculty and staff therefore encourage students to treat others with respect, to live harmoniously in community, and to display active concern for the poor, for social justice, and for racial reconciliation. Accordingly,

• The online BSW program recognizes the value of human diversity and is committed to recruiting and admitting students who represent the cultural make-up of the region, the state, and beyond. Students are selected for admission based not only on academic preparation and aptitude for the study of social work, but also based on individual qualifications such as personal background, professional experience, and motivation to study and serve.
• Learning to appreciate other people and cultures enriches each student’s experience at Point University. For that reason, the program is committed to nurturing a diverse faculty, staff, and student body in an atmosphere of mutual respect and Christian kindness and tolerance.
• Point University provides an academic community for students, faculty, and staff to teach and learn from the experiences of others and to submit personal values and assumptions for critical examination and reflection. Student learning, professional development, and personal growth best occur in a climate that encourages a deep appreciate for human differences. The program therefore does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, color, race, nationality, national or ethnic origin, or disability as specified by federal law and regulations. Point admits qualified students whose openness to spiritual formation is compatible with the purpose of the University. It hires qualified faculty and staff who support the mission and goals of the University.

Throughout the Social Work Program, students are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with Point University policies, agency policies, and the NASW Code of Ethics developed by the National Association of Social Workers and available online at https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics. The Code articulates key values, principles, and standards that guide the conduct of faculty, staff, students, and affiliated professionals involved in Point University’s Social Work Program. The Code is relevant to all social workers and social work students, regardless of their professional functions, the settings in which they work, or the populations they serve. As described on the NASW website, the Code of Ethics serves six purposes:

1. The Code identifies core values on which social work’s mission is based.

2. The Code summarizes broad ethical principles that reflect the profession’s core values and establishes a set of specific ethical standards that should be used to guide social work practice.
3. The Code is designed to help social workers identify relevant considerations when professional obligations conflict or ethical uncertainties arise.
4. The Code provides ethical standards to which the general public can hold the social work profession accountable.
5. The Code socializes practitioners new to the field to social work’s mission, values, ethical principles, and ethical standards.
6. The Code articulates standards that the social work profession itself can use to assess whether social workers have engaged in unethical conduct. NASW has formal procedures to adjudicate ethics complaints filed against its members.

In subscribing to this Code, social workers are required to cooperate in its imple-mentation, participate in NASW adjudication proceedings, and abide by any NASW disciplinary rulings or sanctions based on it.

Competency 1 – Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior

Competency 2 – Engage Diversity and Difference in Practice

Competency 3 – Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental

Justice Competency 4 – Engage In Practice-informed Research and Research-informed

Practice Competency 5 – Engage in Policy Practice

Competency 6 – Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

Competency 7 – Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

Competency 8 – Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

Competency 9 – Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

Required Courses. The Social Work Major consists of the following courses:

Prerequisites (6 credits)

PSYC 103 Introduction to Psychology (3)

SOCI 103 Introduction to Sociology (3)

[These courses may also fulfil Social & Behavioral Sciences requirements in the General Education Core. Students must complete both courses before beginning the Social Work Major.]

Social Work Major (54 credits)

PSYC 204      Developmental Psychology                                                          3

SOWK 301     Introduction to Social Work                                                        3

HREL 301      Introduction to Counseling                                                          3

SOWK 308    Social Work Ethics                                                                        3

SOWK 306    Research Methodologies for Social Workers [WE-QEP*]       3

SOWK 304    Social Work Statistics                                                                   3

SOCI 350       Social Problems                                                                             3

SOWK 401     Social Welfare Theory [WE*]                                                      3

SOWK 402    Social Welfare Policy                                                                     3

HREL 445     Case Assessment & Management                                                3

SOWK 440    Social Work Practice I: Individuals & Families                        3

SOWK 412     Social Work & Diversity [WE*]                                                   3

SOWK 450    Social Work Practice II: Groups & Organizations                    3

SOCI 355       Human Behavior & the Social Environment [WE-QEP*]       3

SOWK 460    Social Work Practice III: Communities                                     3

SOWK 497     Social Work Field Seminar                                                           3

SOWK 498A  Social Work Internship I: Fieldwork                                          3

SOWK 498B  Social Work Internship II: Fieldwork                                         3

TOTAL CREDITS IN MAJOR:                                                                          54

*Writing Emphasis courses

Bachelor of Social Work Degree. To earn the Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.), students must complete the following degree components:

General Education Core                                     31 credits

Biblical Studies Minor                                        15 credits

Social Work Major                                              54 credits

General Electives                                                20 credits

TOTAL:                                                              120 credits

View Outcomes here

View Outcome here

CSWE

NASW