The social work minor is strongly congruent with Xavier University's Jesuit mission and values through its emphasis on the "whole person" and solidarity. A social work minor helps students analyze and address some of the most complex social issues of contemporary society through a lens that examines values, oppression, privilege, poverty, abuse, and social justice at individual, family, group, organization, and community levels by advocating for empowerment and social change. A social work lens operates from a person-in-environment framework, a global perspective, respect for human diversity, and knowledge based scientific inquiry. Open to all undergraduates with any major, a social work minor provides a complementary foundation for many majors. The minor can help prepare:

  • theology majors going into pastoral/parish work
  • criminal justice majors going into probation or parole work or law school
  • business majors who are interested in the non-profit world
  • psychology majors who decide they may want to get a MSW, master's degree in social work
  • majors from any discipline who are interested in population health
  • majors from any discipline who may become employed in social service jobs that do not require licensed social workers or a BSW degree (some caseworkers, child welfare workers, and care coordinators working with older adults)
  • students who are deciding about the major

[NOTE: In the state of Ohio, only persons with a social work license may legally call themselves social workers. Completing a social work minor will not make a student eligible for social work licensure in Ohio or in most states. Completion of a social work minor will not make students eligible for advanced placement in MSW graduate school programs. A social work minor is not considered adequate preparation for entry-level social work employment nor for competent social work practice.]

Course Requirements for the 18 Credit Hour Minor:

  • SOCW 167 Survey of Society in Social Work (3 credit hours)
  • SOCW 316 Social Policy and Contemporary Society (3 credit hours)
  • Any three of the following five (9 credit hours):
    • SOCW 206 Introduction to Gender and Diversity Studies (3 credit hours)
    • SOCW 208 Economics of Society (3 credit hours)
    • SOCW 299 Child Welfare and Development (3 credit hours)
    • SOCW 300 Adolescent to Older Adulthood (3 credit hours)
    • SOCW 315 Values, Poverty, and Society (3 credit hours)
  • Any one of the following two (3 credit hours):
    • SOCW 392 Practice I: Individuals (pre-requisites SOCW 167 and SOCW 299)
    • SOCW/THEO 404 Religion, Ethics, and Professional Practice (pre-requisites THEO 111 and PHIL 100)

Several of the required courses for the minor currently satisfy core curriculum requirements (see chart below).

 

Social Science

ER/S

DCR

WRITING

SOCW 167 Survey Society Social Work

X

 

X

 

SOCW 206 Intro Gender and Diversity Studies

X

X

X

 

SOCW 299 Child Welfare and Development

X

 

X

 

SOCW 315 Values, Poverty and Society

 

X

X

 

SOCW 316 Social Policy

 

 

 

X

SOCW 404 Religion, Ethics and Professional Practice

 

X

X