About Social Work

Social work majors share an interest in helping others, influencing policy and developing programs that meet human needs, and a desire to resolve conflict and promote justice. These students also benefit from the educational experience integral to the social work program at Goshen College. Social work at GC is active, and our social work majors are putting their education to the test through a wide variety of on-site learning opportunities. In addition to practical experience GC students experience these advantages:

• engaging in classroom interaction with professors and fellow students
• off-campus learning experiences, association with working professionals in a spectrum of social service settings and a curriculum plan designed to integrate study of the liberal arts
• expertise in a career-oriented program and the perspective of Christian values

We invite you to consider the social work education program at GC.

Program faculty, field instructors and consultants – with evaluations from students and alumni – have carefully designed the curriculum of GC’s social work program. The aim of the program is to prepare you for an entry-level professional position in social work and to qualify you for admission to graduate school.

Since the program’s beginning in the 1950s, GC social work alumni have entered a broad array of professional positions. In a recent survey of our alumni since 1990, we learned that more than 60 percent are employed in social work professions and many others are employed in human-service related professions. The same survey indicated that more than 43 percent of our alumni have entered and completed degrees in graduate school, and a significant number intend to complete graduate studies. More than 90 percent of our alumni in graduate schools have been granted advanced standing in their graduate programs.

Applying the liberal arts to professional practice

In keeping with the academic mission of the college, the foundation of your studies will be based on the exploration of the liberal arts. The general education curriculum is planned to develop your communication skills, resourcefulness, strategic thinking skills and intercultural awareness. These critical capabilities are essential to personal and professional growth.

Specifically, the social work program emphasizes four areas of professional development in the curriculum:

Human behavior and social environment

At GC, we approach the study of social work from a holistic perspective of human beings and their relationships and interactions in the social systems. In your studies, you will explore the multidisciplinary facets of human development as well as the range of human needs and social programs designed to meet those needs.

Social welfare policy and service

Further, you will examine social problems and their impact upon individuals, groups and societies in a historical context. You will also evaluate the multitude of current policies and programs in relation to their success in achieving goals of service, and form skills in program development. Social justice serves as an organizing principle for our policy curriculum.

Social research

As a GC social work major, you will work to identify and understand the role of scientific methodology in gathering knowledge about people, social welfare programs and social work practice. One of our goals is your developing an appreciation for scientific inquiry, individual creativity and a questioning mind in social work practice.

Social work practice theory

Finally, you will develop the skills necessary in communication, organization, problem solving and evaluating for professional practice. Throughout the program, we will offer many opportunities to examine your personal values and appreciation for ethical practice in social work settings.

Diverse opportunities for practice close to campus

Goshen College offers you a great advantage when it comes to applying your studies to practical experience. Our area is rich in social service agencies and our proximity to these agencies makes it possible to explore many interesting alternatives for your professional future.

Typically during your second year, you will explore a variety of agencies, both local and regional. Approximately 50 clock hours of study are spent in an agency context in the Social Service Field Experience. As a senior, you will participate in a Chicago field trip to examine specific social service agencies and their programs as well as to discuss the broader picture of social action in a metropolitan urban environment.

Also, in your fourth year, you will engage in 400 hours of field instruction gaining on-site practice in an agency related to your professional interests. Recent graduates have chosen involvement in settings such as mental heath, child welfare, developmental disabilities, school systems, medical services, family services, services to the aging, court services and youth services.

Integrating instruction and experience

The capstone of your studies in social work at GC is a senior seminar in which you and your peers assess your preparation for professional employment. Contemporary issues in social work are discussed and you will examine your personal response to ethical dilemmas through values clarification. At the conclusion of the seminar, you will complete an oral and written examination to assist in evaluating your integrative understanding of the profession.

Professors demonstrate expertise and personal interest

GC social work faculty and field instructors reflect the character, quality and balance of the program. The men and women who serve as your mentors represent diverse cultural backgrounds and professional achievements. Your interaction with professors on both instructional and personal levels provides the benefit of counsel from social work experts in the areas of child welfare services, developmental disabilities and mental health services.

GC faculty members take a personal interest in your success by making time for students. Faculty members serve as academic advisers to help plan your program and class choices. They offer career advice and work in conjunction with the career office to assist you in seeking your first job placement.

In addition to their instructional and advising responsibilities, GC social work program department faculty members are role models personally and professionally. Professors are writers, lecturers and consultants in a number of professional organizations. They are active in the National Association of Social Workers and the Council on Social Work Education. Your professors also use personal time for active community volunteer assignments and agency board memberships.