Department of Social Work and Criminal Justice
Mission
The primary program's mission is to prepare students for beginning practice in the profession of social work. The primary goal of the Bachelor of Arts, Social Work program at Northwest Nazarene University is to prepare students for generalist social work practice in a variety of settings, both domestic and international. Students are required to complete a minimum of 38 credits of core social work courses and 18 credits of support courses included in the 124 credits needed to graduate. In addition, students will complete a minimum of 520 hours of supervised field experience in the community in settings such as child welfare, corrections, developmental disability services, health care, mental health, schools, and other agencies.
Faculty
Maja Ledgerwood, Nikki Bodenstab-Lee, Dean Matlock, Lawanna Pierce, Scott Slater, Janet Stellway, LeAnn Stensgaard (Social Work and Criminal Justice Department Chair and Social Work Program Director), John Stennett (MSW Program Director).
Northwest Nazarene University's social work program is nationally accredited at the undergraduate and graduate level by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
Student Learning Outcomes
- To nurture in students a Christlike worldview which embraces the values and ethics of the profession, including personal integrity, global diversity, a just society, and spiritual enrichment
- To cultivate in students a passion for alleviating discrimination, poverty, oppression, and all other forms of injustice for at-risk populations
- To prepare students for advanced social work practice through the presentation of a comprehensive curriculum [1] for working with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities
- To provide students with a high-quality education and field experience in a creative learning environment that promotes the development and application of the Council on Social Work Education core competencies at the generalist levels (www.cswe.org)
Admission to Methods Courses: To qualify for entrance into upper-division courses applicable for completion of a degree within the Department of Social Work, students must complete the following requirements:
- Be officially admitted to Northwest Nazarene University.
- Have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5.
- Declare a major in Social Work.
- Complete SOWK1720 and SOWK2110.
- Be enrolled in or have taken SOWK2850 and SOWK2851.
- Make application to take methods courses.
- Be interviewed by the Department of Social Work faculty.
- Be accepted by the Department of Social Work faculty to take methods courses.
The student will be placed on probationary status if a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 is not maintained.
Please note: Academic credit is not given for life or work experiences.
Degrees and Certificates
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Criminal Justice, Bachelor of Arts -
Social Work, Bachelor of Arts -
Criminal Justice, Minor -
Social Welfare, Minor
Courses
CRIM1500: Introduction to Criminal Justice
Credits 3CRIM2250: Law Enforcement and Community Policing
Credits 3This course examines the history and roles of police in American society, including the philosophy, policy, structure and methods of law enforcement at the local, state and federal levels. In addition, characteristics of effective police work, as well as contemporary issues facing law enforcement officers and agencies today will be scrutinized. Students will closely examine the two extremely important aspects of addressing crime through the building of partnerships with communities and developing critical thinking/problem solving skills of how to best address the issues and fear in communities where they serve.
CRIM2960: Criminal Justice Practicum
Credits 1This course will prepare students for field experiences and internships in criminal justice settings. All criminal justice students seeking field experiences or internships must satisfactorily complete this course prior to registering for CRIM4960.
CRIM3094: Special Topics in Criminal Justice
Credits 1 3CRIM3150: Corrections
Credits 3CRIM3200: Juvenile Justice
Credits 3CRIM3350: Criminal Law
Credits 3This course provides an introduction to criminal law, including an historical overview and a survey of general legal principles. It covers basic elements of common and statutory law, and discusses specific categories of offenses and defenses used against prosecution for them.
CRIM3400: Written and Interpersonal Communication for Law Enforcement
Credits 3CRIM3550: Criminology
Credits 3CRIM4010: Capstone
Credits 1CRIM4250: Criminal Court Systems
Credits 3CRIM4360: Criminal Procedure
Credits 3CRIM4960: Internship in Criminal Justice
Credits 3 15CRIM4970: Senior Research in Criminal Justice
Credits 1 4SOWK1720: Social Justice and Modern Society
Credits 3SOWK2110: Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare
Credits 3SOWK2850: Human Behavior in the Social Environment I: Theoretical Approaches Throughout the Lifespan
Credits 3SOWK2851: Human Behavior in the Social Environment II: Issues of Diversity
Credits 3SOWK2970: Urban Field Experience
Credits 1This course is a several-day urban immersion experience, including coordinated readings. The foci for this course will be to look at services for the homeless and programs for the development of housing stock for low income people in one major urban area. May be repeated for a maximum of two credits. Fulfills a General Education Cultural Competency (CC) requirement.
SOWK3250: Substance Abuse, Prevention, and Intervention
Credits 3SOWK3350: Child Welfare Services
Credits 3SOWK3450: Social Work in Health Care
Credits 3SOWK3550: Social Work Methods I
Credits 3This course is a presentation of the basic skills, values, and knowledge bases for social work practice. Emphasis will be placed on the systemic contexts for the profession, its clients, and the nation's social welfare policies while introducing the student to an array of beginning social work practices. The ecosystems perspective for social work practice with an emphasis on rural communities and small towns will be used to focus on the individual and family client systems.
SOWK3551: Social Work Methods II
Credits 3Continuation of SOWK3550. Students will develop an understanding of social work intervention with a strengths-based model. The ecosystems perspective for social work practice with an emphasis on rural communities and small towns will be used to focus on the individual and family client systems as well as relational systems in organizations and communities.
SOWK3750: Social Welfare Policy
Credits 3This course offers an investigation of the history, development, and current nature of welfare policies in the United States. Some comparative material with other developed countries will be added for the purposes of teaching and analysis. The dynamic interaction of organizations, rationale, and perspectives behind the policies and programs developed by federal, state, local, and private entities will be reviewed. Strategies for developing, implementing, and influencing the development of policies will be studied.
SOWK3960: Field Practice I
Credits 1SOWK3961: Field Practice II
Credits 1SOWK3962: Field Practice III
Credits 1This course is an in-agency setting for observation of and engagement in social work practice under the supervision of a skilled practitioner. Students will log 40 hours. Attention will be given to identifying the knowledge, skills, and values bases of the social work profession. During this junior year practicum setting, each student shall practice using the change process approach (including assessment, goal setting, development of strategies, action plans, termination, and evaluation). This course is optional.
SOWK3970: Social Work Research and Statistics
Credits 3This course is an introduction to research and statistics as tools for understanding and improving social work practice. This course will include a review of traditional scientific research methodologies and alternative perspectives, such as the feminist approach to research. Attention will be given to evaluating descriptive, exploratory, explanatory, and evaluative research (and supportive statistical tools) to improve one's professional practice and agency programs, specifically in rural and small-town communities.