Social Work

Associate Professors J. Kunz, C. Orzolek-Kronner (Department Chair); Lecturer M. Young.

Areas of particular teaching interest: Associate Professor Orzolek-Kronner: clinical practice, human behavior, disabilities and women’s issues; Associate Professor Kunz: social welfare, policy, financial education and macro practice. Instructor Young: research, maternal and child health and family work.

The mission of the Social Work Program at McDaniel College to prepare students for entry level, culturally sensitive, generalist social work practice with individuals, families, small groups, communities, and organizations. Through coursework, field education, and the learning environment we provide, we endeavor to impart to our students the knowledge, skills, and values they need to become competent generalist social work practitioners. The college’s overarching commitment to the liberal arts, interdisciplinary studies, international education, gerontological studies, and service learning provides the ideal context for professional growth and development within a thriving person - environment setting.

The Social Work Department endeavors to have students understand and demonstrate social work values and ethics. The Department respects diversity of client populations and lifestyles. The development of an understanding of bio-psycho-socio-cultural components within the person/environment equation is encouraged throughout Social Work courses. The uniqueness of all students and the growth and development of their professional selves are emphasized within the curriculum, fieldwork and departmental activities.

The foundation social work courses provide an understanding of the theories and dynamics of human behavior, policy development and analysis, helping roles, assessment skills, intervention techniques and research methods and evaluation. In their senior year, students are placed in a human service agency under the supervision of a master’s level social worker two days a week for a two-semester internship. By the completion of the social work major, students are capable of asserting leadership in the establishment, provision, and delivery of human services at the local, state, national, and international levels.

The Social Work Department is nationally accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. Graduates can move directly into social work positions, are eligible for state licensure and qualify for advanced standing at most graduate schools of Social Work.

Students interested in this major should consult with a social work faculty member as early as possible in their academic planning to ensure proper sequencing of courses and eligibility for the field. The criteria for admission to the McDaniel Social Work program are:

A minimum overall GPA of 2.00 for all college courses.
Completion of SWK2214 HBSE I: Infancy through Adolescence and SWK2217: Marginalized Cultures and Macro Interventions with a grade of at least C+ in each.
Submission of an application that includes an essay about the applicant’s interest in social work.
A successful interview with either the Social Work Department Chair or the Social Work Program Director.
Transfer students who are interested in declaring social work as a major must fulfill the same criteria for admission as any other student, with the following exception: those who enter McDaniel with junior status without transfer credit for SWK2214 and SWK2217 will have that requirement waived. Instead, they will be provisionally accepted into the major, with the expectation that those courses will be completed (with a grade of at least C+ in each) during their first semester at McDaniel.

To remain in the major, students are expected to maintain satisfactory grades (an overall GPA of 2.0 and a GPA of 2.5 in required social work courses) as well as demonstrate continual professional growth and development.

To qualify for field education, students must be admitted to the major, achieve at least a grade of “C” in Social Work Practice I, and have earned at least second semester junior status. Students must also complete an application for field and successfully complete an interview with the Director of Field Education.

The Social Work Student Manual contains the social work application, as well as further information about the department, its mission, goals, core competencies, and other information about the major and the social work profession. The Field Education Manual contains more information about the field education component of the major. Both manuals are available from the Department for all prospective and current majors.

Departmental Honors

Students are encouraged to request consideration for departmental honors at the beginning of the fall semester of their senior year. Applicants should have a proven record of academic excellence and scholarly promise. General standards to complete the process along with past honors projects are presented and discussed during the initial three weeks of class in senior seminar. Students are required to request consideration by October 1st.

Student selection is made by faculty consensus. In addition to academic performance, other criteria include a consistent demonstration of emotional and interpersonal intelligence (i.e., effective interpersonal communication, coping and adapting ability, high ethical standards) along with a highly developed sense of social responsibility (i.e., social justice and advocacy). A maximum of two students are selected per academic year.

Once selected, students are assigned to work with a sponsoring Social Work faculty member who has some expertise in the student’s areas of interests. Length, time, and type of project varies significantly depending on each student’s professional goals and ability. All projects, however, are required to reflect core social work theory and models that not only contribute to understanding people and society (assessment) but also those that support practical methods for working with them (intervention). In addition, all approved projects must include fundamental objectives of a liberal arts education including the ability to critically think, demonstrate effective written communication, problem solve, and understand their responsibilities as a citizens in a global world.

Programs

Undergraduate Major

Social Work Major

Social Work

Programs

Courses