Social Work

Mission Statement

The mission of the Bradley Social Work Program is to prepare students with a commitment to the Social Work values of service, social justice, the dignity and worth of the person, the importance of human relationships, integrity, competence, human rights and scientific inquiry; and to provide students with the knowledge base and skills necessary for beginning generalist practice in social work settings. The program seeks further to provide an educational foundation for students to pursue graduate study in social work and other helping professions. The program prepares students for competent and effective generalist practice in a globalized environment. The program emphasizes critical thinking and scientific inquiry to prepare students for social work practice in multiple environments with diverse populations and at multiple systems levels (individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities).

The social work major gives you the academic and professional foundation you need to pursue professional licensure in Illinois. It also is an accelerated path to a master's degree in social work and LCSW credentials.

Preparing You For Success

As a social work major, you receive a generalist training to prepare you for graduate school or a career in any social work setting. That means you learn evidence-based practices to work with individuals, families and communities facing challenges. Courses explore how history, culture and environments affect mental health. Learning continues outside the classroom through community-focused projects and internships. It can be paired with another major, such as criminology, sociology, psychology or world languages. Because the Council on Social Work Education accredits Bradley’s degree, you can earn an accelerated MSW through any advanced standing program in the U.S. The MSW is the most established and recognized counseling degree in the country.

By the time you graduate, your experiences include:

• A one-semester internship (420 hours) in a local community agency
• Volunteer service through the introductory social work course
• Networking and career development through the Bradley University Social Service Association and Phi Alpha honor society

Making Your Mark

Social work majors are equipped for careers as case managers, program coordinators, substance abuse counselors, residential counselors and other careers. Recent graduates are working for organizations such as AmeriCorps, Catholic Charities USA, child welfare services, local governmental programs and health care agencies. Most have attended advanced standing MSW programs at institutions such as Case Western Reserve University, the University of Michigan and the University of Wisconsin.

Major Requirements

Required Courses - 21 hrs.

• SOC 100: Introduction to Sociology - 3 hrs.
• PSY 101: Introduction to Psychology - 3 hrs.
• MATH 111: Elementary Statistics - 3 hrs.
• PLS 105: American Government - 3 hrs.
• ECO 100: Introduction to Economics - 3 hrs.
• BIO 101: Introduction to Biology - 3 hrs.
• ETE 280: Exploring Diversity: Learners, Families, And Communities - 3 hrs.
  or S0C 313: Race, Ethnicity, and Power - 3 hrs.

Core Courses - 42 hrs.

• PSY 311: Principles of Abnormal Psychology - 3 hrs.
  or PSY 356: Abnormal Psychology - 3 hrs.
• SW 250: Introduction to Social Welfare - 3 hrs.
• SW 260: Research Methods - 3 hrs.
• SW 350: Foundation for Social Work Practice - 3 hrs.
• SW 351: Social Work Practice I - 3 hrs.
• SW 352: Social Work Practice II - 3 hrs.
• SW 353: Social Work Practice III - 3 hrs.
• SW 354: Human Behavior in the Social Environment I - 3 hrs.
• SW 355: Social Welfare Policy - 3 hrs.
• SW 358: Human Behavior and the Social Environment II - 3 hrs.
• SW 393: Social Work Practicum - 9 hrs.
• SW 395: Social Work Seminar - 3 hrs.

Elective Courses (choose two) - 6 hrs.

• AAS 200: Intro. to African-American Studies - 3 hrs.
• NUR 221: Substance Abuse - 3hrs.
• SOC 211: Contemporary Social Problems - 3 hrs.
• SOC 311: Comparative Family Systems - 3 hrs.
• SOC 312: Social Inequality - 3 hrs.
• SOC 314: Native Americans - 3 hrs.
• SOC 315: Gender and Society - 3 hrs.
• SOC 321: Individual and Society - 3 hrs.
• SOC 332: Juvenile Delinquency - 3 hrs.
• SOC 333: Sociology of Violence - 3 hrs.
• SOC 341: Medical Sociology - 3 hrs.
• SOC 343: Sociology of Mental Health - 3 hrs.
• SW 310: Child Welfare I - 3 hrs.
• SW 320: Child Welfare II - 3 hrs.
• SW 356: Topics in Social Work - 3 hrs.
• SW 490: Individual Study in Social Work - 1-3 hrs.
• SW 499: Honors Colloquium - 3 hrs.