The Judson College Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program has received accreditation from the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Accreditation by CSWE is an essential educational stamp of approval, assuring students that Judson College offers a credentialed professional degree program in social work.
“This is an exciting time for Judson’s BSW program,” said Dr. Allen Stata, Director of the Social Work program at Judson. “Accreditation not only garners recognition but also has practical benefits for our students. First, our graduates are able to sit for the Board of Social Work Examiners (LBSW) licensing exam. Second, our graduates become eligible for advanced standing in a Master of Social Work (MSW) program. Advanced standing means that MSW students who have graduated from an accredited BSW program essentially skip the first year of an MSW program with substantial savings of time and money.”
The mission of Judson’s Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program is to advance social and economic justice by providing a high quality generalist social work education to its students. The BSW program seeks to prepare students for knowledgeable, competent, and values-driven generalist social work practice. Given its geographical context in the Black Belt of Alabama and the great need for social workers in under-served areas, Judson’s BSW program also offers a special focus on rural social work practice.
Preparation of BSW students includes a focus on social work skills, values, and knowledge competencies using a strengths-and-empowerment intervention strategy within a human ecological systems perspective. The program uniquely prepares its students for helping and empowering those in need, a commitment that is a natural outgrowth of a Judson education and the choice of the social work profession. Echoing the Judson College Core Values, the program affirms the core social work professional values of the need to advance social and economic justice, the inherent dignity and worth of every person, and the central importance of human relationships, competence, integrity, and service.
Angela Dennison, Assistant Professor and Field Education Director of Social Work at Judson, shared stories of Judson BSW program graduates who are now enrolled in Master of Social Work programs. “Hardy Ernest Tyler, Class of 2012, began her MSW studies this summer at the University of Alabama School Of Social Work. Hardy has interests in medical social work settings. Elizabeth Velazquez, Class of 2013, is a second year MSW student at Baylor University School of Social Work. She has been named a Hogg Foundation Scholar as a bilingual social work student with the ability to serve Hispanic populations. She will be completing her internship with Catholic Charities of Houston, Texas, this upcoming year.”
CSWE’s Commission of Accreditation (COA) is responsible for developing accreditation standards that define competent preparation and ensuring that social work programs meet them. In accordance with the requirements of CSWE’s recognition body, the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, the CSWE Office of Social Work Accreditation (OSWA) administers a multistep accreditation process that involves program self-studies, site visits, and COA reviews.