Social Welfare/Social Work Program
Social Work Information:
UNF Bachelor of Social Work Fall 2013 Application Process & Timeline
UNF’s new Bachelor of Social Work program is accepting applications for fall 2013 admission. The BSW will be a limited access program, admitting up to 40 students each year, in fall only. Because the program is new, we will not be able to process applications in time for students to participate in Advance Term Registration this year (April 8-12, 2013). However, because registration for BSW courses is limited to students admitted to the BSW program you will not have trouble securing a place in your required BSW classes when registration re-opens (beginning by time ticket on July 29, 2013). The following steps outline the application process, including key dates.
UPDATE: UNF’s BSW Program will be accepting applications
through July 1, 2013.
Students who applied by the initial May 1
deadline will be contacted by Monday, May 20, regarding their application
status. Qualified applicants who met the May 1 deadline will be interviewed
between 1:00 and 4:00 p.m. on May 31. Additional applicants should refer to the
timeline and process below. All admitted students must be available for the
program orientation on August 22.
Step 1: Apply (Applications will be accepted through July 1, 2013)
Applicants must have a minimum 2.5 GPA, 60 hours of college/university credit, (junior standing), and the required prerequisites completed by the beginning of fall 2013. If you are a current UNF student who meets these requirements, you will need to meet with your advisor to change your major to Social Work. Click here for more information about admission criteria. Students who are transferring to UNF and will meet these requirements should declare Social Work as their intended major when they apply to UNF. Upon doing so, a referral will be forwarded to the Admissions Committee by UNF Enrollment Services. Declaring Social Work as one’s major does not admit a student to the program; this will generate a referral that the BSW Admissions Committee will review.
Step 2: Initial Review of Applications (July 1-12, 2013)
The BSW Admissions Committee will review applications with an eye to completion of the program prerequisites and the strength of students’ academic records (as indicated by GPA). Students who meet the minimum requirements and prerequisites (or will have met them by Fall 2013) and whose academic records show sufficient merit will be given the opportunity to continue through the application process. Please note that the determination of a competitive GPA will depend on the pool of applicants; applicants meeting the minimum GPA may not be invited to interview for the program. All applicants will be emailed their application status by Friday, May 17.
Step 3: Admission Interview and Writing Assessment (July 19, 2013, Time TBA)
The second step of the application process is a mandatory interview and writing assessment, conducted on the UNF campus. These allow us to gain insight into students’ preparation and suitability for social work as a profession, and their oral and written communication skills. Invited applicants must schedule their required interview and writing assessment during one of two sessions: May 31 or June 14 (both are Fridays). Please note that we may not be able to accommodate everyone’s first choice of date. The session will include a group interview with up to six applicants and at least two faculty and/or professional social workers, and a writing assessment conducted in a computer lab. Applicants who require reasonable accommodation due to a documented disability must let us know this when scheduling the interview.
Step 4: Notification of Admission (July 26, 2013)
Applicants who interviewed for BSW program admission will be notified of decisions via email by June 21, 2013. Applicants will be admitted, declined, or placed on a wait list and informed of their wait list rank. Admitted students must confirm their intent to enroll in the BSW program for fall 2013 via email by August 2, 2013 and must commit to attend the BSW New Student Orientation on August 22, 2013 (August 26 is the first day of classes). Failure to do either may result in forfeiture of one’s place in the program.
Step 5: Wait List Admissions (through August 20, 2013)
Wait-listed applicants will be admitted as space becomes available through August 20, 2013. Applicants who are wait-listed and do not wish to be considered for admission should let us know that as soon as possible.
Step 6: Mandatory BSW New Student Orientation (August 22, 2013)
All students admitted to the UNF BSW program must attend a half-day orientation. This is an important opportunity to learn about courses, discuss program expectations and policies, and meet faculty and fellow students.
Social Welfare Information:
We
are also making changes to the existing Social Welfare Minor and
Concentration.Click here
for additional details. If you
have questions about your program of study, please contact Dr. Spaulding-Givens
at (904) 620-1640 or j.spaulding-givens@unf.edu.
In keeping with the Sociology program's mission to
serve diverse communities, the Social Welfare program affords students the
opportunity to acquire a foundation in social welfare policy and service
provision in preparation for a career or graduate studies in a social services
field. The UNF Department of Sociology
& Anthropology offers two Social Welfare programs of study: a Social Welfare concentration for
Sociology Majors and a Social
Welfare Minor for students majoring in other disciplines, such as
Psychology or Criminal Justice. Students who successfully complete either
program will be eligible to receive a Certificate of Social Welfare upon
graduation.
With the implementation of the new Bachelor of Social
Work (BSW) program in fall 2013, the Social Welfare concentration and minor
will be changing as well so as to distinguish those programs from social
work. The Social Welfare programs will
continue to provide students with background in social welfare institutions,
policies, and service provision, but will no longer require the 150-hour
practicum. Instead Social Welfare students will have greater choice and
flexibility in selecting from a variety of courses that best suit their
academic interests and career aspirations. Students may still complete a
practicum, but would do so by working independently with a faculty sponsor
rather than as part of a required course.
Click here to
learn more about the new Social Welfare curriculum and how changes in course
offerings may affect you.
Practicum
A unique feature of the existing Social Welfare
program is the opportunity for students to obtain experience working in the
social services setting. The Community Agency Practicum (SOW 4511) is a 3
credit course in which students are required to complete 150 hours of unpaid
service at a designated community provider of social services. Check out the Agency Placement Directory to learn about local social
services agencies that regularly host UNF Social Welfare practicum students.
While completing their practicum,
students are also required to participate in the Practicum Seminar (SOW 4510).
The purpose of the seminar is to provide students with a structured environment
in which to engage in self-assessment regarding their ability to apply
knowledge and skills acquired in the classroom to practice with clients.
Students will also examine personal values and biases as they impact
interactions with clients and co-workers and apply critical thinking and
problem-solving skills to experiences and ethical dilemmas encountered in the
practice setting.
Prior to enrolling in SOW 4511, students must first complete SOW 3203, SOW
4302, and SOW 4322 in order to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to
prepare them for their practicum experience. More information about the
practicum application and placement process can be found in the Social Welfare Program Practicum Handbook.
Students who wish to enroll in SOW 4511 and SOW 4510 during the upcoming
semester should complete a Practicum Application. Please note that the final sections of
SOW4511 (Community Agency Practicum) and SOW4510 (Practicum Seminar) will be
offered in spring 2014. If you will have successfully completed your practicum
prerequisites (i.e., SOW3203, SOW4302, SOW4322) by the end of fall 2013, and
you complete the practicum and seminar the following term, the changes to the Social
Welfare curriculum will not affect you. If taking the practicum course is
important to you, please be sure that you successfully complete your
prerequisites by the end of fall 2013.
For More Information:
If you have any questions regarding the Social Welfare
or Social Work programs, please contact:
Jennifer Spaulding-Givens, Ph.D., MSW
BSW Program Director
Department of Sociology & Anthropology
1 UNF Drive
Jacksonville, FL 32224-2645(904) 620-1640
j.spaulding-givens@unf.edu
