Department Information

and
Typical Discipline-Specific Academic Degree and Qualifications1
of faculty within

Social Work

 

General Description of the Department

The School of Social Work offers programs of professional study which prepares graduates to work effectively in complex human service organizations. These organizations may be located in governmental or voluntary settings, in community, regional, state, and national systems. Emphasis is placed on achieving a comprehensive, developmental, and community oriented understanding of problems, issues, alternatives, and needs of an urban society faced with rapidly changing social, political, economic, and cultural conditions.

 

Degrees offered

The Social Work Department offers these programs:

BS in Social Work

MS in Social Work

JD/MS in Social Work (joint degree)

Ph.D. in Social Welfare

 

Terminal Degree2 for each discipline taught in Social Work 

Ph.D. in Social Work/Welfare

 

Related Disciplines3

Clinical Psychology (42.2801) - all courses

Counseling Psychology (42.2803) - all courses

 

Related Disciplines3 for specific courses

None Applicable

 

Other Teaching Qualifications (Description of Required Academic Degree and Justifications4 for the programs in Social Work)

Consideration of other teaching qualifications in lieu of academic credentials is made on a case-by-case basis and accepted in special cases where evidence of exceptional experience, research or other qualifications can be documented and are directly applicable to the course being taught. Special consideration will be given to maintenance of professional licensure and the continuing education courses necessary to maintain that license.  

 

 

 1

Whenever instructors are not credentialed by their advanced degree or by an approved CIP relationship, they must be credentialed through a narrative justification of the instructor’s qualifications to teach this/these course(s).  Such credentialing is based on the proposed instructor’s academic and professional preparation; diplomas, certificates, or relevant licensures; publications and presentations in the field; honors, awards, and professional recognitions; and other demonstrated competencies, skills, and experiences which the instructor brings to the University.  These must be clearly tied to the specific courses to be taught and should establish beyond doubt that the instructor is qualified to teach the specific courses they are to be assigned. 

The Office of the Provost reviews all such justifications and where the justifications warrant the instructor’s teaching the courses proposed, it will either approve the justification for the appropriate period (seven years for full-time faculty members, or four years for part-time faculty members) or employ one of two additional clearance categories beyond the advanced degree and related-discipline categories which it may use to credential some instructors where their accomplishments warrant this:

Active Research Clearance in the Discipline or Active Artistic/Special Talent Clearance in the Discipline

 

 

 2

The level and discipline of the terminal degree (e.g., Ph.D., MS, MFA, doctorate) that is required to teach graduate courses in the discipline

 

 

 3

For each discipline, all strongly-related degree(s) and/or equivalent names for the discipline (include level) that would also be appropriate for teaching at the graduate level

 

 

 4

(1)The appropriate academic degrees and justifications for each related degree above if not obvious; (2) the justification for why the terminal degree is not a doctorate in a discipline, e.g., specific examples of best practice in the discipline and accrediting association language; and (3) any other criteria used to determine appropriate academic qualifications to teach specialty courses in the program.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current as of 3/11/11