Social Work
The social work program in the Honors Tutorial College prepares students to fulfill their potential to positively impact society including the lives of vulnerable people. This Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited program offers high achieving and motivated students the chance to explore evidence-based clinical practices and social welfare issues and policies within an interdisciplinary framework.
Thesis topics investigated by our students include: strategies for addressing rural food insecurity, an assessment of child well-being in orphanages in India, outcomes for children who were raised by lesbian parents, descriptive analysis of treatment in shelters of people who identify as transgender, and impacts of the opiod epidemic on child welfare in Appalachian and non-Appalachian µÛÍõ»áËù counties.
Students complete a 4-year program resulting in a degree of Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW) from the Honors Tutorial College. If eligible, these graduates may apply for advanced standing status allowing them to finish the Master of Science in Social Work (MSW) degree in a minimum of one additional year. The BASW degree qualifies students to take the LSW licensure exam; then, the MSW degree qualifies students to take the LISW licensure exam. These licenses are vital keys for career opportunities in the profession.
The program provides students with: 1) a core of social work knowledge through a series of courses and tutorials; 2) the requisite skills to critically analyze social problems from a theoretical perspective; 3) the opportunity to apply theory to practice in social service internships; and 4) guidance through the process of conducting a research study on a topic of their interest that will lead to the completion of a thesis.
Program Overview
Students are required to complete at least six tutorials with the approval of the Director of Studies (DOS). Because social work is inherently an interdisciplinary field, some tutorials can be taken in Colleges other than the College of Health Sciences and Professions. In the first year, students will take a freshman seminar to introduce them to professional concepts, theories, ethics and provide them with an overview of the program.
During subsequent tutorials designed to enrich required social work courses through the junior sequence, students will meet weekly with the designated professor to learn advanced concepts, read challenging materials, and produce a course-related literature review, project or report. Opportunities for international academic experiences are encouraged. During their junior and senior years, tutorials will focus on research endeavors that culminate in a thesis. The DOS will guide and advise throughout students' college career including during the completion of the thesis and the BASW curriculum requirements.
Social Work Curriculum and Field Practicum
The tutorial program offers students the opportunity to design a curriculum tailored to their own needs and interests while preparing them for graduate education and a career in the multi-faceted profession of social work. To fulfill the BASW accreditation requirements that will enable them to take the LSW licensing exam and qualify for Advanced Standing (1 year program) in an MSW program, students will take a supplemented core social work curriculum. Plus, they will receive a liberal arts education that includes courses in English, statistics, social and physical sciences, arts, humanities, foreign language, and electives. During their junior year, students will work in a 120 hour internship during the fall semester and 160 hours during the spring semester. Students are expected to take at least 15 credit hours each semester, except under special circumstances.
The Honors Thesis
The Honors Thesis is a reflection of the student's unique interests. This major paper will constitute work of the highest quality in investigating a significant social welfare problem of concern to both scholars and practitioners. The thesis should entail an in-depth review of the relevant theoretical, practice, policy and research literatures, data collection and analysis, as part of a complete research study using a qualitative and/or quantitative design. International learning and data collection experiences may be arranged depending upon a student's interests. The DOS along with a tutor can work with students to create a paper for submission to a peer-reviewed professional journal for publication as part of preparation for graduate school.
Eligibility
Students are selected by the Honors Tutorial College and the Social Work Director of Studies on the basis of superior academic ability and the potential for self-motivated academic study, practice and research.
Director of Studies
Associate Professor and Social Work Department Chair, Dr. Jenny Shadik
Education
Ph.D., Social Work, Virginia Commonwealth University, 2014
MSW, Social Work, Western Michigan University, 1995
BA, Psychology, Kalamazoo College, 1993
Scholarly Interests
- Fathering
- Parenting Interventions for Child Maltreatment
- Parenting Education
- Sibling Violence
Clinical Experience
- LISW in µÛÍõ»áËù
- LCSW in Virginia
Selected Publications
Perkins, N. H., Shadik, J.A., & Reiter, J. (2024). Parental witnessing of physical and emotional sibling violence in their children: Associations with parental experiences of physical and emotional sibling violence and ACEs in childhood. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma.
Shadik, J. A., Harris, E., & McDonald, E. (2023). Learning from child welfare staff experiences during the pandemic: Practices to maintain and discontinue. Child Abuse & Neglect, 146. Advance online publication.
Shadik, J.A., Perkins, N.P., & Heller, N. (2023). Child welfare workers satisfaction and wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic: Perspectives of agency staff in µÛÍõ»áËù. Child Abuse & Neglect, 136.
Shadik, J. A., Perkins, N. H., & Kim, R. (2023). Understanding physical and emotional sibling violence: Perspectives from group facilitators of parent intervention groups for child maltreatment. Journal of Family Issues, 44(2), 475-497.
Perkins, N. H., Shadik, J. A., & Chaffee, J. (2022). Parental experiences and witnessing of physical and emotional sibling violence: Associations with community type, adverse childhood events, and attitudes on sibling relationships. Journal of Family Trauma, Child Custody, & Child Development, 20(2), 157-176.
Shadik, J.A., Garlington, S.B., Cales, M.A., & Turner, E. (2022). Fathers’ experiences of intimate partner violence: Examining the perspectives of fathers in urban and rural locations. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 33(8), 1131-1148.
Shadik, J.A. (2020). Fathering and child maltreatment: Understanding the impact of fluidity in fathers’ lives. Journal of Family Social Work, 23(3), 257-276.
Shadik, J.A., & O’Connor, M.K. (2016). Fathering and child maltreatment: Building theory to enhance treatment interventions. Social Work Research, 40(4), 213-224.