Welcome to the Virginia Union University Social Work Program! We are the only social work program in Virginia offering a Bachelor of Social Work at an private, faith-based HBCU. We offer small class sizes and direct, quality relationships with your faculty.
The mission of the VUU Department of Social Work is to produce generalist social work practitioners who have professional experience and academic training in social justice and discrimination, and who are competent in working with at-risk populations. Graduates will have client advocacy skills, a strong sense of self, adaptability and a sense of responsibility for their profession. Throughout the curriculum, the Department prepares students for professional employment and graduate study in social work.
The VUU Social Work Program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and is scheduled for re-affirmation in 2019.
Students who receive a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) from VUU are expected to:
The Department also offers a Social Work Minor Degree, and a Sociology Minor Degree. See the links below. Sociology courses include: Principles of Sociology, Social Problems, Race Relations, and Development of Social Thought.
To contact the Department Chairperson:
Vernita A. Elliott, EdD, MSW
Chair, Associate Professor of Social Work
Office: Martin E. Gray, 217
Office Phone: 804-257-5769
Sequence of Social Work Program Courses for Social Work Students
Sequence of All Courses Required for B.S.W. Including General Education Requirements
Literature: Hum 225 or 226 (World Lit) OR Eng 323, 324, 328, 329, 354 |
|||
SWK 260 (Sophomore Field Placement and Seminar)* 100 hrs of field, 1 hour in classroom |
|||
In order to receive a Social Work Minor Degree at VUU, a student must identify this intention with the VUU Registrar, and successfully complete the following courses:
Social Work Minor 18 hours
SWK 255 Introduction to Social Work 3
SWK 302 Human Behavior I 3
SWK 309 Research I* 3
SWK 311 Social Policy I 3
SWK 314 Ethics 3
Social Work Elective 3
*or the equivalent in PSY or CCJ
In addition, for every semester the student is enrolled in a Social Work course, he or she is required to complete 50 hours of community service.
In order to receive a Sociology Minor Degree at VUU, a student must identify this intention with the VUU Registrar, and successfully complete the following courses:
Sociology Minor 18 credit hours
SOC 200 Principles of Sociology 3 credit hours
SOC 301 The Development of Social Thought 3 credit hours
SOC 305 Modern Social Problems 3 credit hours
SWK 309 Research Methods I* 3 credit hours
Sociology Electives* 6 credit hours
*Or the equivalent approved by the Department Chairperson
Social Work Student Organizations at VUU
Social work students at VUU have many opportunities to participate in campus student organizations. Three organizations are led by social work students and address issues related to social work practice and social justice. The social work elective Leadership Seminar is a special leadership development service learning course designed to give students practical training and experience in leadership for these three organizations. Click on the links below to learn more about the organizations:
Phi Alpha Academic Honor Society
Leadership Seminar (3 credit independent study course for leadership development)
Application to the Social Work Program
Students may declare an intended major or minor in social work at the time they begin at VUU, or at any time while at VUU. Transfer students may also declare social work as their intended major or minor. The student will remain an intended social work major until the completion of the freshman and sophomore years. At this point, students must be formally admitted to the Social Work Program in order to enroll in upper division social work courses. Students who are not admitted to the Social Work Program may not be permitted to take upper division social work courses.
For acceptance into the Social Work Program, the following criteria must be met:
Typically, applicants will complete the application for admission to the Social Work Program during the spring of their sophomore year or at the beginning of the semester in which they transfer to VUU, if it is later. If the student has not met the criteria by that time, the student may apply in a subsequent fall or spring semester.
VUU Social Work Faculty 2017-2018
Sandra Flynn, Ph.D
Dr. Flynn teaches Human Behavior and the Social Environment, Ethics, Health and Aging, and is the Director of our Field Program.
Jacqueline White, M.S.W.
Ms. White teaches Introduction to Social Work, Oral Communication, social Work with At-Risk Populations, and the Practice sequence.
Jeffrey Harlow, Ph.D
Dr. Harlow is the Chair of the Department and teaches Written Communication, Policy, Research, Social Discrimination, Child Welfare Policy, and Leadership Seminar.
Adjunct Faculty
Ms. Kathryn Bentley, M.S.W. teaches Social Work with School-Age Children and Leadership Seminar
Mr. Keith Preston, M.A. teaches Principles of Sociology
Ms. Cynthia Martin, M.A., teaches Principles of Sociology, Race Relations, Social Problems, and Development of Social Thought
CSWE Accreditation: What does it mean?
Click here to view the CSWE Student Learning Outcomes Assessment Data for 2016-2017 and 2017-2018
The VUU Social Work Program is accredited through 2019 and is scheduled for re-affirmation in 2019.
Competency 1: Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior
1.d. - use technology ethically and appropriately to facilitate practice outcomes; and
1.e. - use supervision and consultation to guide professional judgment and behavior.
Competency 2: Engage Diversity and Difference in Practice
Competency 3: Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice
3.b. - engage in practices that advance social, economic, and environmental justice.
Competency 4: Engage In Practice-informed Research and Research-informed Practice
4.a. - use practice experience and theory to inform scientific inquiry and research;
Competency 5: Engage in Policy Practice
Competency 6: Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Competency 7: Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Competency 8: Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
8.c. - use inter-professional collaboration as appropriate to achieve beneficial practice outcomes;
8.e. - facilitate effective transitions and endings that advance mutually agreed-on goals.
Competency 9: Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
9.a. - select and use appropriate methods for evaluation of outcomes;