Program Director’s Message
Welcome to Jarvis Christian College and the Social Work Program. In June 2019, the academic program was granted accreditation by the Council of Social Work Education. The Social Work core course requirements at the junior and senior levels lead to the Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work (BSW).
The primary purpose of the BSW Program is to prepare students for competent and effective generalist social work practice with knowledge, skills, and values to enhance the well-being of human systems to meet the basic needs of all people, with attention placed on the empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty.
The BSW Program at JCC defines generalist social work practice as follows:
Generalist practice serves client systems utilizing an ecological systems approach focusing on persons, families, groups, organizations and communities. It is not confined by a narrow cadre of theories; rather it is versatile enough to allow problems and situations, as well as strengths, capacities, and resources, to determine the practice approach. Generalist practice employs a problem-solving framework and a broad knowledge, value, and skill base which demands ethical practice and on-going self-assessment. Briefly, generalist social work practice:
- Is multi-level to include individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities
- Is mult-theory, allowing for the free selection of theories as appropriate
- Utilizes a problem identificaiton and solving focus that follows a problem-solving framework
- Utilizes multiple interventions at multiple levels, as appropriate
- Addresses the complexity of individual, family, group, organizational, and community system interactions
- Requires an integration of awareness, competence, and professional response to issues of values, ethics, diversity, culture, social justice, and populations-at-risk.
The curriculum is comprised of a liberal arts base, combined with courses addressing the knowledge, skills and values of the profession. Preparation for a career as a generalist practitioner in Social Work is augmented by a supervised field practicum of 450 clock hours.
Janice Toliver-King, MSW
Program Director
Sonya Holmes
Asst. Professor - Social Work/Director of Field Placement
903-730-4890 x2124
sholmes@jarvis.edu
