1981-1982 Senate Document #59 APC Document #56 Sociology: Program Concentration in Social Welfare PROGRAM RATIONALE As many sociology majors are oriented toward entry level positions in the social services, the department proposes a program option in social welfare. Sociology majors with the social welfare program concentration will be more attractive entry level applicants than general sociology majors, as the undergraduate social welfare degree has become an increasingly popular preparation for entry level positions. With government funding cutbacks, it appears that the undergraduate social welfare candidate will be more attractive in some cases than the masters level candidate; the trend toward requiring the master's degree (MSW) should be slowed by more limited agency resources. A Social welfare program option at UNCA would enable us to meet the career needs of students while requiring only minimal additions to department resources. (See below). Locally, student demand for an undergraduate social welfare program is reflected in frequent inquiries concerning such a program. Moreover, several students have designed their own programs (formally, through the individual degree format and informally, through a planned electives approach), while other students have transferred from the UNCA sociology program to schools offering an undergraduate social welfare program. PROGRAM OVERVIEW The proposed social welfare concentration would meet all but two of the standards for undergraduate social work accreditation delineated by the National Council on Social Work Education. (Accredited programs typically confer a bachelors in social work (BSW). The two standards which are not appropriate for this program at UNCA are: 1) a full-time masters in social work (MSW) direct the program; and 2) the field placement component comprise from one-third to one-half of the total credit hours for the program. The department feels that it can offer our students a quality program, which while not fulfilling the above standards for accreditation, will more effectively prepare undergraduate for entry level positions than the general sociology major. (Currently, most entry level positions do not require the formal BSW). The proposed program would prepare the student for beginning social welfare practice in case work, group work, or community organization. In compliance with Council on Social Work Education standards, the curriculum would include 1) dynamics of human behavior and the social environment; 2) social research methods; 3) Page 2 social welfare legislation, policy, and services; and 4) social work practice. The program would enable the student, in accordance with Council standards, to engage in 1) problem analysis; 2) problem treatment and prevention; and 3) research and planning. Moreover, the program would serve as excellent background for pursuit of an MSW or MPA (Masters in Public Administration.) RESOURCES Department faculty will assume responsibility for one of the two new courses that would be required (Sociology 235). A social work methods course would be taught by part-time personnel (Sociology 351). Practicing social workers would work with department faculty in supervising an internship experience (Sociology 451). Undergraduate social work programs draw heavily from the liberal arts curriculum including a number of courses already offered by sociology and the social sciences. The Council on Social Work Education argues for a broadbased program including the humanities and biological sciences as well as the social sciences. PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS Social welfare program students would complete the sociology core course requirements, totaling 21 hours. Sociology Core Soc 100 Sociological Inquiry Soc 210 Modern Social Problems Soc 225 Humanity and Modern Social Thought Soc 355-356 Research Methods I and II Soc 420 Social Stratification Soc 450 Modern Social Theory Soc 210 and Soc 420 are particularly relevant to the social welfare concentration. The research methods sequence is typically required in social work programs as well. Relevant skills developed in the methods sequence include interviewing, survey research, and evaluation research as well as statistical analysis. Program Concentration The social welfare concentration would include the following special courses for a total of 36 hours. *Sociology 235 ------------------ Social Welfare Systems Sociology 312 ------------------ Society, Culture, and Poverty Sociology 461 ------------------ The Welfare State Page 3 Professional Sequence: *Sociology 351 ------------------ Social Work Practice & Methods Sociology 451 ------------------ Directed Research (Professional Internship) * New Courses; see description below. In addition, the social welfare concentration would require 24 hours in correlate course work, selected from the departments of economics, management, philosophy, political science, and psychology. Correlate courses should be selected in view of students' particular professional goals, perhaps in terms of an individual and group, or community orientation, or in terms of a client group such as children or the elderly. Correlate courses should be chosen through consultation with the social welfare faculty advisor. Correlate Course Options Economics Economics 200 -------------- Principles of Economics-Micro Approach Economics 310 -------------- Public Finance Economics 330 -------------- Labor Economics Economics 341 -------------- Cost-Benefit Analysis Economics 415 -------------- Comparative Economic Systems Management Management 200 ------------- Philosophy & Concepts of Management Management 304 ------------- Principles of Public Administration Philosophy Philosophy 200 ------------- Introduction to Ethics Philosophy 304 ------------- Social & Political Philosophy Political Science Political Science 325 ------ Urban Politics Political Science 326 ------ The Legislative Process Psychology Psychology 100 ------------- Introduction to Psychology Psychology 205 ------------- Child Development Psychology 210 ------------- Adolescent Behavior Psychology 225 ------------- Personality Dynamics Psychology 305 ------------- Principles of Guidance Psychology 308 ------------- Psychopathology Psychology 312 ------------- Psychology of Exceptional Children Psychology 314 ------------- Learning Disabilities Psychology 330 ------------- Group Processes Page 4 Psychology 345 ------------- Behavior Disorders in Children Psychology xxx ------------- Interviewing (Course to be Developed) PROGRAM DESCRIPTION AND CATALOG REVISIONS Delete, p. 141: Program C - Public Affairs Add: Program C: Social Welfare I. Required courses in the major: 36 hours, including 100, 210, 225, 355, 356, 420, 450, 451, and 12 hours of special career- oriented courses consisting of 235, 312, 351, 461. II. Required courses outside the major: 24 hours of correlate courses from the departments of Psychology, Economics, Philosophy, Political Science, and/or Management. Correlate courses should be chosen from the following alternatives in consultation with the social welfare program faculty advisor. Economics: 200, 310, 330, 341, 415. Management: 200, 304. Philosophy: 200, 314. Political Science: 325, 326. Psychology: 100, 205, 210, 225, 305, 308, 312, 314, 330, 345. III. Foreign Language Requirements: Foreign language options are allowed (See All-University Requirements). IV. Special departmental requirements - Senior paper to be completed in conjunction with a directed internship in a social service agency (Soc 451). Delete, p. 140, paragraph 3, sentence 1. Add: The student may elect one of four programs - general; criminal justice and administration; social welfare; and gerontology. Add: p. 142, between Sociology 230 and 251: Sociology 235 - Social Welfare Systems. (3) The emergence and institutionalization of social welfare programs and the social work profession, historical and contemporary perspectives. Government's role in income maintenance, family support, education and skills training, public housing, health care, child welfare, etc. Prerequisite - Soc. 100. Page 5 Add: p. 143, between Sociology 343 and 355: Sociology 351 - Social Work Practice and Methods. (3) Models of social work practice and service delivery. Emphasis on needs assessment, interaction with individuals and client groups. Prerequisite - Soc. 100.