BSW Program Objectives
Generalist Practice
Curriculum Sequences
BSW Course Descriptions
BSW Field Education Program
Social Work Career Opportunities
Our School’s contribution to premier undergraduate education in Illinois is well established. The baccalaureate curriculum is well developed and integrated with the curricular objectives and standards of CSWE. Social work education at Illinois State is built on a strong liberal arts base and a generalist perspective grounded in the social, biological and behavioral sciences. The Baccalaureate Social Work (BSW) Program seeks to: (1) graduate highly qualified social work practitioners for beginning generalist practice with and on behalf of vulnerable populations, (2) prepare students for graduate school and (3) contribute to the development of a more socially just society.
The baccalaureate social work curriculum at Illinois State University is based in the professional foundation and liberal arts preparation as outlined by the CSWE in its Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards statement.
The baccalaureate curriculum prepares beginning level, generalist practitioners with fundamental skills for assessment and case planning, linking clients to resources and coordinating social services for clients in need.
The Baccalaureate Social Work Program provides the academic and experiential education for beginning generalist practice. The curriculum is articulated through five curriculum sequences: Human Behavior in the Social Environment, Social Welfare Policy and Services, Practice, Research and Field. The sequences permit clear differentiation of course content across sequences as well as differentiation of courses within each sequence. The sequences are strengthened by the infusion of content on values and ethics, diversity, social and economic justice, populations-at-risk and research.
The Social Work major courses progress from beginning to more advanced within each sequence and from classroom courses to application in the field instruction courses and the field seminar. The major culminates with the two Integrative Paper Assignments which fulfills the exit requirement.
By the completion of the field placement and the integrative seminar papers, students must have demonstrated that they have acquired beginning level generalist knowledge and practice skills and have integrated the values and ethics of the profession into their practice and professional behavior. The sequences are briefly described below:
The Human Behavior in the Social Environment (HBSE) Sequence provides the social science base for generalist social work practice at all system levels including: individual, family, group, community, nation and world. Micro and macro theory introduce students to an ecological framework for understanding human behavior in diverse social contexts. The ecological framework of the HBSE curriculum prepares beginning practitioners to:
The goal of the Social Welfare Policy and Services Sequence is to prepare beginning level generalist practitioners with the knowledge and skills to engage in policy related practice. As a result of their preparation, they gain an understanding of the historical development of social work, contemporary social problems, the social welfare response to social problems and the fit between social work values and the contemporary social welfare institution. The impact of social welfare policies and programs on populations-at-risk is emphasized throughout the policy sequence curriculum. Students are prepared as generalist practitioners to use the knowledge gained through the policy curriculum to engage in activities that promote social and economic justice on behalf of client systems.
Students are made aware of the historical traditions and the key values, skills and knowledge of the profession in order to clarify and reinforce their career choices. Many students enter the program with limited exposure to the diversity of social work practice settings beyond direct practice with individuals, groups and families (i.e., practice with small systems). Moreover, few students enter the School with an awareness of the significance of social policy for affecting change in larger systems. Thus, the perspectives presented in the policy sequence provide a wider lens through which to view the social, political and economic conditions that significantly influence the problems faced by social work clients. This broadens the students' conceptualization of their professional practice choices.
The fundamental skills taught in the policy curriculum include identifying and gaining access to policy relevant literature and legislative reports, analysis of current social welfare programs and policies, determining the relationships among funding, legislation, programs and services and social advocacy. These skills gained in the Policy Sequence are enhanced within the Research Sequence as students are taught to be consumers and beginning producers of research. Additionally, the Practice Sequence course, SWK 345 (Generalist Practice with Communities), supplements the policy curriculum through its focus on applied community-based projects and grant writing skills that enable students to recognize the proactive role expected of them as entry level social work professionals.
The goal of the Baccalaureate Practice Sequence is to develop student competence and skills for generalist social work practice. The four required courses of the Practice Sequence prepare students for beginning level generalist social work practice within a framework of responsive and ethical service delivery. The unifying core that runs through the courses is the problem-solving method that is appropriate to all generalist practice. Students who have successfully completed the practice sequence are equipped to enter the field practicum and be placed in a broad range of community agencies. The social work Practice Sequence consists of three content courses and a practice skills laboratory.
The Baccalaureate Practice Sequence grounds students preparing for generalist practice in traditional and current approaches to social work. The sequence assists students in becoming culturally competent, generalist practitioners who work with individuals, families, groups and communities to achieve and maintain greater competence, higher functioning, self-sufficiency and reduced institutionalization.
The overall aim of the Research Sequence is to develop student confidence and competence in critically reviewing and conducting research that informs social work practice. The sequence is comprised of one course which introduces research methods. Students also take a course in social statistics as a pre-requisite to admission to the major. Both courses develop students' basic knowledge and skills in research and statistics in order to enhance their capacities as generalist practitioners.
Specifically, students obtain knowledge and beginning skills necessary for proficient performance in consuming, conducting and assisting with research projects in social service agencies. Students learn to consume research by developing skills in accessing, reading and critiquing published research studies. Additionally, students learn the core elements of the research process so they can capably assist with the research and evaluation efforts that are becoming increasingly more common in social service programs. To this end, students also gain experience in designing and implementing research projects.
The research methodology course provides students with a foundation for empirically investigating social work practice. The statistics course complements the knowledge and skills gained in research methodology by emphasizing statistical reasoning. Both courses utilize applicable microcomputer technology to assist with organizing, analyzing and displaying data gathered via sound, ethical research procedures.
The application of research and statistical concepts is emphasized through use of real-life examples of social problems. The research methodology course, in particular, highlights the role and importance of research in all phases and types of social work practice. Given that baccalaureate students are studying to be practitioners (and not researchers), the Research Sequence primarily focuses on teaching students how to use research as a tool to improve their proficiency as generalist practitioners.
Field Education is central to the achievement of the Baccalaureate Social Work Program objectives. The primary goal of the field sequence is to prepare students for generalist practice with individuals, families, groups and communities. To achieve this end, the field education curriculum is designed to facilitate integration of the knowledge, values and skills of the baccalaureate social work curriculum through practice in an agency setting and a concurrent seminar at the University.
Through educationally-direct experience in a social work setting overseen by a faculty liaison and faculty guidance with related academic assignments, students' understanding of previously learned course content is deepened and further knowledge acquired.
BSW field instruction focuses on generalist competencies. Students must demonstrate entry-level proficiency in the following areas:
The field instruction seminar, in conjunction with the educationally directed field instruction courses, facilitates integration of the sequence curricula. Seminar assignments require application of knowledge to generalist practice and further development of generalist practice skills. Students complete weekly field logs and an integrative paper that integrates foundation social work knowledge from the human behavior, policy, research and practice sequences. Guided by social work faculty, students also serve as peer consultants to each other to resolve practice dilemmas encountered in their placement agencies.
The curriculum of the School of Social Work is under continual review through the collaboration of faculty, students and administrators. A particular course, though listed in the Undergraduate Catalog, may not be offered each year. Insufficient enrollment in a particular class may result in its cancellation. Students are responsible for reading notices that contain additional information relative to curriculum and policies.
To read the specific course descriptions, please see the Undergraduate Catalog located at http://www.ilstu.edu/home/catalog/undergraduate/.
The Baccalaureate Social Work Program at Illinois State University has an established field education program. The program utilizes over 50 field sites in Bloomington/Normal and a number of surrounding communities (e.g., Peoria, Pekin, Decatur, Clinton, Pontiac, LaSalle/Peru, Lincoln, Springfield and others). Many of these agencies have a range of programs, some of which are open to baccalaureate field students and others that accept only master's level interns. Some programs can accommodate placements at more than one level, (i.e., BSW, MSW foundation, MSW concentration). To find our more about our field education program, please see the Field Manual located online at http://www.socialwork.ilstu.edu/bsw/field_education/index.shtml.
Students are given as much information as possible about the profession and the social work curriculum. Students are given information on typical social work positions, salaries and employment projections. Students are encouraged to contact alumni and all students are encouraged to join the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and to attend professional meetings and conferences for further information. Please see our Web site for more information at http://www.socialwork.ilstu.edu/bsw/careers.shtml.
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