Accreditation

The Xavier Department of Social Work offers the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree. In 1980, Xavier University acquired Edgecliff College which included a social work program. The Social Work Department at Xavier was established from that program and was initially accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) in 1980. Reaffirmation of accreditation occurred in 1987, 1994, 2002, 2010, and again in 2018. All programs accredited by CSWE are required to report their assessment plan and recent summary outcomes program assessment findings.

“Field education is the signature pedagogy for social work” (CSWE, 2022, p. 20).  As the signature pedagogy of BSW programs, field education serve as the central vehicle through which students integrate the classroom curriculum with supervised practice experiences and real client systems and are socialized to the profession. For both semesters in the senior year, students are engaged 14 hours per week in a supervised practicum placement. The Field Director guides students through an extensive matching process during spring semester of the junior year to choose their placement site.

Accreditation is important for licensure and graduate social work programs.  Licensure requirements vary by state but in many states including Ohio, students graduating with a BSW from an accredited program can take the licensure exam as early as spring of their senior year to prepare for employment opportunities or graduate school. In some states, you must have a MSW to be licensed. Additionally, graduates of accredited programs may receive advanced standing for social work graduate programs. Advanced standing means that a student can finish an MSW degree in one year instead of two.