Division Dean: K. Kaelber
Program Faculty: A. Reynolds, E. Patterson Roe, R. Russell

The social work major prepares students for entry-level social work practice. The program is generalist in nature and is designed to prepare students to work with a wide variety of populations and client systems. Social work majors receive a strong grounding in the liberal arts through the completion of the Malone University General Education Curriculum and a number of required support courses in academic disciplines such as biology, political science, psychology, sociology, history, and language. These liberal arts courses serve as a foundation for the social work curriculum, which emphasizes the development of the knowledge, values, and skills necessary to practice effectively with at-risk populations. 

The Malone University Social Work Program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) at the baccalaureate level. Graduation from a CSWE-accredited program is a requirement for social work licensure in Ohio and all other states. (However, please note that some states reserve licensure for individuals with a graduate degree in social work and do not license bachelor’s-level social workers.) Individuals who have completed the Malone University Social Work Program are eligible for Ohio licensure as a Licensed Social Worker (LSW), following completion of a national examination and application to the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board. Because Malone’s Social Work Program is CSWE-accredited, graduates are also eligible for “advanced standing” status in many Master of Social Work (MSW) programs. Advanced standing status allows students to complete the MSW degree in approximately one year of full-time study, instead of the two years usually required to complete the degree.

Program Mission Statement

The Malone University Social Work Program draws on its unique context as an Evangelical Friends institution with access to urban, rural, and international practice opportunities to prepare entry-level social work practitioners who are capable of culturally appropriate practice across diverse populations who promote social justice and who can ethically integrate Christian faith with social work practice. This foundation fosters the growth of practice wisdom and scientific inquiry with an overarching purpose of enhancing the quality of life for micro, mezzo, and macro systems in relation to their environment.

Social Work Program Goals

The goals of the social work program are to:

1. Prepare students for beginning generalist social work practice. This includes developing entry-level competency across system levels, meeting licensure requirements, and developing an awareness of the importance of ongoing professional development. (Assists students to develop competencies 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
2. Assist students to recognize their own heritage and traditions and to gain knowledge and perspective to engage people from cultures, ethnic groups, and religions different from their own. (Assists students to develop competencies 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
3. Assist students to understand the interface between personal faith and social work, and to be able to make appropriate applications of each. (Assists students to develop competencies 1, 2, 3, 7, 11)

Social Work Program Student Learning Competencies

Graduates of the Malone University Social Work Program will:

1. Identify as professional social workers and conduct themselves accordingly.
2. Apply social work ethical principles to guide professional practice.
3. Apply critical thinking to inform and communicate professional judgments.
4. Engage diversity and difference in practice.
5. Advance human rights and social and economic justice.
6. Engage in research-informed practice and practice-informed research.
7. Apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment.
8. Engage in policy practice to advance social and economic well-being and to deliver effective social work services.
9. Respond to contexts that shape practice.
10. Engage, assess, intervene, and evaluate with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
11. Appropriately integrate Christian faith with professional social work practice and recognize the importance of spirituality to the human experience.

Programs

• BA/MAEd Accelerated Program in Social Work and Counseling
• Social Work, BA

Courses

• SWK 211 - Community-Based Cross-Cultural Experience
• SWK 222 - Introduction to the Profession and Practice of Social Work
• SWK 242 - Human Behavior and Social Environment
• SWK 262 - Research and Writing for Social Work Professionals
• SWK 311 - History of Social Welfare
• SWK 312 - Social Welfare Policy Analysis
• SWK 345 - Practice with Individuals
• SWK 347 - Practice with Families and Groups
• SWK 348 - Community and Organizational Development
• SWK 372 - Methods of Social Research
• SWK 401 - Professional Issues in Social Work
• SWK 440 - Field Instruction in Social Work
• SWK 450 - Advanced Topics
• SWK 460 - Field Instruction Seminar
• SWK 470 - Social Work Specialization Seminar
• SWK 476 - Global Practice
• SWK 477 - Global Practice Internship