Degree in Social Work offered at Huntington College

Huntington, Ind.-Starting in the fall semester of 2005, Huntington College will offer a bachelor's degree in social work. The professional degree program will prepare students to enter private and public social service agencies.

With the implementation of the new program, Twyla Lee will join the Huntington College faculty this fall as Associate Professor of Social Work/Director of Social Work. Lee holds a master of social work degree from George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology with concentrations in social work and biblical studies from Bethel College in St. Paul, Minn. Lee has taught at Taylor University, University of Saint Francis, Tabor College and Freeman Junior College.

The College will seek accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), a necessary ingredient to a successful social work program. CSWE guidelines require at least 400 hours of field placement for each student in the major.

Huntington, a Christian college, views the new program as closely tied to its mission "to educate men and women to impact the world for Christ."

"Social workers are face to face with people who suffer from some of the most troubling issues in society, including poverty, abuse, hunger, management, illness, educational depravation, and more," said Dr. Norris Friesen, Vice President and Dean of Huntington College. "A bachelor's degree in social work is designed to prepare students to serve others and is increasingly viewed as necessary for employment in the field."

A bachelor's degree in social work is depicted as the entry-level degree in the social work field and is a prerequisite for those who wish to pursue state licensure as social workers. Programs in social work are common on college campuses which profess a mission of service to others.

Nationally, the largest undergraduate fields of study are business, social science and education. At Huntington College, courses in the social sciences are among the most heavily enrolled courses on campus by majors and non-majors.

"We have strong programs in psychology and sociology that would work in tandem with a social work program," Friesen said. "A number of our recent graduates already seek employment in social service organizations where a degree in social work is preferred."

Upon graduation with a degree in social work, students will be qualified for employment in the field, and they will be prepared to pursue licensure. They will be able to serve in a variety of private and public social service agencies and will have the content knowledge of the field, including the interpersonal skills necessary to have a positive impact upon people whom they serve and with whom they work.

With the development of the Huntington College Enterprise Resource Center, students in the social work program will have opportunities to be placed in field experiences and internship opportunities. These opportunities will offer hands-on training at social work agencies throughout the region.

Huntington College is a comprehensive Christian college of the liberal arts offering graduate and undergraduate programs in more than 60 academic concentrations. USNews & World Report ranks Huntington among the top comprehensive colleges in the Midwest. Founded in 1897 by the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, Huntington College is located on a contemporary, lakeside campus in Huntington, Indiana. The College is a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU).