SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK

The School of Social Work, successor to the Division of Social Work in the Department of Sociology of the University, was founded in September 1938.

The mission of the School of Social Work is to advance knowledge and to apply that knowledge for the fulfillment of human potential through the prevention and amelioration of social problems. The school is committed to promoting the values of social and economic justice. Recognizing the complexities of contemporary society, the school dedicates itself through its educational, research, and public service activities to advocating for a society that respects the dignity and achievement of all individuals, families, and communities.

In furtherance of its mission, the School of Social Work strives to

1. Educate professional social workers with the knowledge, skills, and values needed to engage in culturally competent practice with diverse populations and communities; to critically analyze personal, familial, and environmental factors affecting practice settings and practice techniques; and to advocate for those who confront barriers to maximizing the achievement of their fullest potential.
2. Engage in scholarly activities that contribute to professional knowledge about complex social problems and innovative approaches to ameliorate those problems.
3. Provide service to local, national, and international communities through the development of and participation in collaborations with social agencies, community-based organizations, government, and foundations.

The school offers a full continuum of social work educational programs at the undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral levels (as well as a continuing education program for practicing social workers). The social worker with a bachelor’s degree is trained to provide direct services to various populations who seek help from a variety of public and private social agencies and institutions. The school endeavors to individualize programs so that students may achieve their fullest potential for professional practice.

The school’s bachelor’s and master’s programs in social work are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, and graduates are eligible for full membership in the National Association of Social Workers.

The Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW) program goals are:

• The undergraduate social work program prepares graduates to engage in entry-level generalist social work practice with individuals, families, groups, communities and organizations within a multicultural society.
• The undergraduate social work program prepares students for continuing formal education in either graduate social work education or other graduate disciplines.

The BASW educational objectives are for students to

• Engage in generalist social work practice that upholds professional standards, values and ethics;
• Demonstrate knowledge of the problem solving approach, including engagement, data collection, assessment, intervention, evaluation and termination leading to effective interventions with systems of varying sizes;
• Engage in culturally sensitive generalist practice with diverse and oppressed populations;
• Demonstrate knowledge and skills in critically analyzing theories of human behavior, including the ability to identify and assess interactions of people within their social environments;
• Use a bio-psycho-social-spiritual theoretical framework to understand individual development and behavior across the life span and the interactions among individuals and families, groups, organizations, and communities;
• Utilize ethical generalist practice techniques to help client/consumers to increase their abilities to problem solve, cope, and network;
• Demonstrate the ability to link and assist clients/consumers with resources, services, and opportunities;
• Demonstrate knowledge about and the skills to critically analyze the historical evolution of social welfare and social work as a profession, including alternative models of social welfare that have evolved in different ethnic, racial, and cultural communities;
• Evidence the ability to describe, assess, and critically analyze social policies and the impact of social welfare policy on client/consumer systems as well as different population groups;
• Develop a professional commitment to and skill in advocacy to create and promote responsible and effective services and resources that promote social and economic justice;
• Evaluate and apply research methods, research findings, and related tools to evaluate practice interventions;
• Demonstrate an understanding of and ability to use information technologies for social work practice;
• Evidence proficiency in verbal and written communication relevant to beginning generalist practice; and
• Demonstrate commitment to ongoing professional growth and development.

Contact Information

University of Pittsburgh
School of Social Work Office of Admissions
Room 2108 Cathedral of Learning
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
412-624-6348
Fax: 412-624-6323
elhattab@pitt.edu
www.pitt.edu/~pittssw

Special Opportunities

The Child Welfare Education for Baccalaureates Program provides an educational opportunity for students interested in public child welfare services. Qualified students who are enrolled as social work majors may receive substantial financial support in return for a contractual obligation to accept employment in a Pennsylvania public child welfare agency following completion of their social work degree. Students interested in the program should contact Dr. Lynn Adkins, CWEB coordinator, School of Social Work, at lfadkins@pitt.edu or 412-624-2830.

Admission Requirements

For admission to the Bachelor of Arts in Social Work program (BASW), a student must meet the following requirements:

• Completion of 60 transferable credits from an accredited undergraduate institution and/or completion of an accredited associate degree program.
• A minimum of 2.50 GPA on a 4.00 scale. Applicants with a GPA below 2.5 may be considered for provisional status

The distribution of liberal arts credits should be as follows:

1. Humanities—9 credits
2. Natural Sciences—9 credits
3. Social Sciences—9 credits
4. Other courses (preferably a computer skills course and courses in the humanities and behavioral and social sciences)—33 credits

Credits awarded from the College Level Examination Program [CLEP] by the College of General Studies are counted toward the 60 credits. Academic and field education credits are not granted in the BASW program for life, volunteer, or employment experience.

Application Procedures

Students may only apply for the fall term. Students currently enrolled within the University of Pittsburgh system should submit applications and all credentials to the School of Social Work Office of Admissions. Students applying from outside the University of Pittsburgh should send all application materials and credentials directly to the University Office of Admissions and Financial Aid (see Pittsburgh Campus Freshman Admissions for address). The application form and all application materials and credentials listed below must be received by May 31:

• The application fee of $35 (only if applying from another institution; current University of Pittsburgh students do not have to pay this fee).
• A complete transcript from the registrar of each college attended. If course work is still in progress at the time the application is filed, the student should request a supplemental transcript at the end of each term. Although a decision for acceptance may be made while academic work is still in progress, an up-to-date transcript must be received before the applicant can register for course work. Persons seeking a transfer to the University of Pittsburgh from another college or university must also submit a high school transcript or its equivalent.
• A three-part typewritten statement (of no more than eight pages) discussing the following concerns in depth:

1. the influence in the student’s life experience that made him/her select social work as a profession,
2. what the student believes social work education can contribute to his/her professional competence, and
3. what the student believes to be one of the most important contemporary social issues and why.

• The application supplement sheet, which requests information on the student’s employment background, a list of the names and addresses of the people who will be completing reference forms on the applicant’s behalf, and academic credit requirement questions.
• Five letters of reference. Required references include college advisors, an instructor at the college level, and the current (or last) employer/volunteer supervisor. The other references might include such persons as the leader or sponsor of an organization in which the applicant participated as a member or volunteer. Applicants should send the blank reference forms received with the application materials to each of the reference persons. The School of Social Work admissions office will periodically notify the applicant of the status of the application materials, and the applicant will be expected to follow through with each reference to ensure receipt of the letter. Reference persons should mail the completed form directly to the School of Social Work Office of Admissions.

Other Supporting Application Materials

The School of Social Work does not require the submission of scores from an examination for admission consideration. However, applicants wishing to submit such exam scores or other materials (publications, major papers, etc.) in support of their application may do so. In no instance will an applicant not submitting these be penalized in determining acceptance for the program.

Admission Interviews

Interviews may be initiated by the admissions personnel of the School of Social Work. Applicants who feel they would like to discuss special circumstances surrounding their applications are encouraged to seek admission interviews. The interview, if requested, should be scheduled after all application materials have been received. Usually, decisions on applications for admission are made without an interview.

Grading Standards Policy for the BASW Program

This policy covers the following areas in regard to grading:

Good Academic Standing

In order to remain in good academic standing and to graduate from the BASW program, all students must

• Obtain a grade of C- or better in all courses required for the major (including Practicum 1 and 2),
• Maintain a minimum 2.50 on a 4.00 scale in their social work major
• Conform to the standards of professional conduct as specified in the NASW Code of Ethics (see below), and
• Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00 on a 4.00 scale.

Honors

The program honors those students whose academic performance (cumulative GPA) places them in the upper two percent of their graduating class. These students are considered for honors recognition at the annual Honors Convocation conducted by the University in the spring of each year.

National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics

Professional ethics are at the core of social work. The profession has an obligation to articulate its basic values, ethical principles, and ethical standards. The NASW Code of Ethics sets forth these values, principles, and standards to guide social workers’ conduct. 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. The NASW 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 conflicting professional obligations 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 implementation, participate in NASW adjudication proceedings, and abide by any NASW disciplinary rulings or sanctions based on it.

The code offers a set of values, principles, and standards to guide decision making and conduct when ethical issues arise. It does not provide a set of rules that prescribe how social workers should act in all situations. Specific applications of the code must take into account the context in which it is being considered and the possibility of conflicts among the code’s values, principles, and standards. Ethical responsibilities flow from all human relationships, from the personal and familial to the social and professional. Social work students are required to comply with the NASW Code of Ethics. Copies can be obtained from the NASW Web page at www.socialworkers.org.

Statute of Limitations

There is a seven-year limitation on the earning of the BASW degree with the seven-year period beginning from the date of entry into the program. Under the following extenuating circumstances, the advisor may recommend an extension of time to the program director and the associate dean:

• Extended illness of the student,
• Death of a close family member or extended personal emergency, or
• Academic probation in the last term of the student’s program.

Undergraduate Advising

Each student will be assigned a faculty advisor at the beginning of each academic year. Juniors will generally be assigned to those faculty who teach first-term junior courses. Seniors will be assigned to the faculty instructor for the particular section of practicum seminar and lab for which they are registered. The purposes of advising are to assist the student with the academic program and to interpret the policies of the school and the goals and objectives of the profession. In addition, the advising process offers students and faculty an opportunity to discuss and share concerns and to offer suggestions for the program.

Degree Requirements

The School of Social Work requires a minimum of 120 credits for graduation. The courses listed below are required of all students working toward the Bachelor of Arts in Social Work:

• Social work courses: a total of 48 credits in the social work major:

• Social and behavioral sciences requirements: 24 credits**

• Other course requirements: 12 credits**

*Course of equivalent content may have been taken at another institution.
**These courses/credits (in part or in whole) may have been taken as part of the 60 credits required for admission. Any of these courses/credits not taken prior to admission must be completed prior to graduation.

School of Social Work Course Offerings

The following courses are offered by the School of Social Work:

*offered by the Department of Africana Studies but cross listed with the School of Social Work