Social Work at Xavier
Social work at Xavier is a four-year undergraduate program grounded in the liberal arts which grants the student a bachelor of social work degree (BSW). Students graduate with the knowledge, values, and skills necessary to practice as a generalist social worker.
Mission/Vision
The Department of Social Work at Xavier University has developed the vision and mission statements, they are:
Vision Statement
The vision of Xavier University's program in Social Work in the College of Social Sciences, Health, and Education is to be a leader in collaborative, interdisciplinary, social justice oriented undergraduate social work education locally and nationally through innovative educational partnerships and a strong adherence to diversity and the values of Jesuit and Social Work education.
Mission Statement
Xavier University's Department of Social Work seeks to empower students for beginning level generalist practice through collaboration and community engagement with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities. The department fosters an academic environment of critical thinking with specific attention to diversity, social justice, and the values and ethics of the social work profession.
The Program
To be an effective generalist practitioner, the student must acquire knowledge of social work theory and develop his or her skills as a practitioner under professional supervision. The social work student invests over 50 credit hours in related classroom courses and over 460 clock hours (eight credit hours) in the field doing social work.
In order to complete this course of study, the student devotes nearly the entire third and fourth years of study to social work classes, field education and supporting courses in the social sciences.
Students must fulfill required social work courses including Survey of Society and Social Work, Research Methodology, Social Institutions as a System, and Race Relations to name a few. In addition, nine credit hours in related electives are taken. The Xavier core curriculum rounds out the program with approximately 64 required hours in areas such as mathematics, science, history, foreign language, fine arts, philosophy and theology.
Social work at Xavier is grounded in both the mission and values of the institution and the profession. This is seen in the shared values of service and social justice. Thus at Xavier, you will not only learn to be an effective and competent professional social worker but you will also have the opportunity to develop as a "whole person", ready and passionate about engaging in the world to solve real problems challenging all of us.
