Social Work is . . .
the professional
activity of
helping individuals,
groups, or communities
enhance or restore their
capacity for social
functioning and creating
societal conditions
favorable to that goal.
Helping in the place
where the individual and
society reach out for
each other.
Social Work
203 Wyman Education Building
(715) 425-3655
Undergraduate Catalog
Goals
The primary mission of the Social Work Program at UW-River Falls is to provide a
learning environment conducive to developing appropriate skills, knowledge, and values
necessary to prepare students who are enlightened as citizens, appreciative of diversity,
committed to social justice, prepared to be life long learners, and able to serve as entry level
generalist social work practitioners.
Program and/or curriculum
The UWRF BSW program is accredited by the Council
on Social Work Education (CSWE), the nationally recognized accrediting organization in
professional social work. The BSW is a professional course of study grounded in a liberal arts
foundation. Students pursue a broad area major of course work and engage in a 450-hour
internship supervised by accredited social work field instructors. All students conduct
individual research as part of their curriculum and may be eligible for advanced standing at
graduate programs in social work.
Faculty
The Social Work Program consists of three full-time professors who teach and
advise within the academic program. Each department member comes from a direct practice
background from a wide array of social work experiences. They are committed to helping
students become skilled professionals.
The Profession of Social Work
Social Work is an active "doing" profession with a
long history of caring for persons and social change. Social workers are involved in wideranging
tasks in many different public and private services. Some of the kinds career paths
include:
- child protection, school social work, family welfare services, youth social recreation
- health care practice in hospitals, long term care facilities, community clinics
- counseling and mental health services, developmental disabilities, crisis and violence
intervention
- criminal justice practice in probation and parole, juvenile justice diversion and pre-trial
forensics
- international practice with public or international humanitarian organizations such as Peace
Corps, Red Cross or others
- business or industry practice in employee assistance programs, substance abuse, organizing
- social action or social change practice with community organizations, religious work,
political advocacy and policy change groups.
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