University at Albany School of Social Welfare Continuing Education Program
Becoming a Social Welfare Major at UAlbany
The undergraduate social welfare program at the University at Albany is designed for outstanding students who want to pursue careers in which they can improve social conditions and enact social justice.
Current UAlbany students must submit applications for admission to the social welfare major during February of your sophomore year. If you're admitted, you can start taking advanced social welfare courses in the fall of your junior year.
Admitted students are selected based on their application essay, grade point average, social welfare and/or human service experience, academic and/or professional references, performance in elementary base courses, and the number of general education courses completed at the time of application. Application deadline is March 15. Late applications will only be reviewed if seats are available. Many prospective students gain human service experience by taking a course in our Community and Public Service Program.
Can I transfer to UAlbany's social welfare program from another school?
Yes! If you plan to transfer to UAlbany from another school, first apply for admission to the University, then submit your application for admission to the undergraduate social work program. Do this in February of the year in which you seek fall admission.
For more information, contact Robert L. Miller, Jr. at [email protected].
Program of Study
programofstudy
Social Welfare Elementary Base (15-16 credits)
- Introduction to Psychology
- Introduction to Sociologyor Social Problems
- American Politics
- Social Welfare in the U.S.
- Human Biology (choose one): General Biological Sciences, Nutrition, General Biology: Molecular and Cell Biology, Human Population Biology, Human Population Genetics, Physical Growth and Development
Social Welfare Advanced Base (15 credits)
- Abnormal Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Perspectives on GlobalizationorWorld Cities: Geographies of Globalization
- Elementary Statistics (choose one): Elementary Statistics, Statistical Methods in Psychology, Statistics for Sociologists, Introduction to Statistics in Criminal Justice
- Elective
Core Requirements (32 credits)
- Social Work Practice I and II
- Social Work Practice III and IV
- Human Behavior and the Social Environment
- Introduction to Research Methods in Social Welfare
- Field Instruction in Social Welfare I and II
- Integrative Field Seminar
- Organization and Community Theory
- Introduction to Social Policy Analysis
Social Work Practice I and II
Learn about the roles of social work in helping processes of engagement and assessment with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities, and the effects of oppression and injustice when intervening with populations at risk.
Human Behavior and Social Environment
Discover the biological, psychological, social, and environmental influences on human behavior within individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Special attention is given to the elderly, women, people of color, people with disabilities, and the LGBTQ+ community.
Research Methods in Social Welfare
Gather and analyze information presented in professional journals, learn how to evaluate the effectiveness of your own practice, and think critically about how to use scientific evidence to ameliorate social problems and improve social work practice.
Social Work Practice III and IV
Learn social work and professional skills in intervention, evaluation and termination with diverse clients.
Field Instruction in Social Welfare I and II
Apply, integrate and extend the social work practice theory learned in the classroom at an internship in a social welfare agency.
Integrative Field Seminar
Compare practice experiences, integrate classroom learning with practice, and increase critical thinking skills.
Organizational and Community Theory
Study the practice of social work among oppressed populations and within communities and organizations.
Introduction to Social Policy Analysis
Examine the strengths, limitations, and alternatives to governmental intervention in social welfare and study the differential impact of social welfare policies on at-risk and oppressed groups.
Social Welfare Electives
Work with your advisor to choose elective courses of interest that address gender, ethnic, racial, or religious issues which differ from those you may encounter based on your own background.
The UAlbany Intern Experience: Natalie Turner '17
Gain Knowledge and Field Experience
Study the Practice of Social Work
In your initial coursework for the social welfare major, you study the generalist intervention model of social work in a systems framework, and gain an understanding of the ways that oppression and injustice affect at-risk populations.
As you move through the program, you learn how to professionally engage with diverse individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities through the phases of engagement, intervention, evaluation, and termination with your client(s) and client systems.
By the end of your senior year, you will be fully prepared to practice social work in a variety of settings, including government agencies, nonprofit agencies, hospitals, schools, correctional facilities, mental health agencies and substance use agencies.
Develop Skills through Internship
During your final year in the program, you complete a structured internship, 16 hours a week with an agency that provides social work learning opportunities with clients and client systems. The two-semester field education practicum enables you to develop valuable, practical skills in a supportive and supervised setting. Sites used for the field practicum are varied. They include public and voluntary agencies, such as children and family services, health care, aging, mental health, substance abuse, homelessness, and schools.
By the end of your field placement, you'll know how to apply what you've learned in ways that lead to positive outcomes with real clients and client systems.
Accelerated Undergraduate/Graduate Option
You can save time and money by beginning your graduate degree coursework while still enrolled as an undergraduate student. Up to 12 academic credits, billed at the undergraduate rate, will count towards both degrees – so you'll complete your combined program in only 5 years and spend less than you would if you completed each program separately.
Combine your Social Welfare degree with the MS in Information Science program. This ALA-accredited master's program covers a broad range of interdisciplinary topics related to library science, information processing, information management and data analysis.
combined
Social Welfare Studies Minor
The Social Welfare Studies Minor compliments study in a variety of fields for which a broader perspective on human development, the structure and development of social systems, and the impact of both on individuals, families and communities are relevant. You will be required to complete at least one Community and Public Service course giving you agency based experience in an area of interest. Students in Community and Public Service courses complete volunteer work hours at a public or nonprofit organization in the community, and complete reflection and other written assignments related to the service experience.
Students majoring in Human Development, Sociology, Psychology, Criminal Justice, and Education may find the Social Welfare Studies minor relevant. If you're interested in careers in health care, journalism and communications, and politics you will also find the courses particularly helpful to your long-term career interests.
Required Courses (18 credits)
- Community and Public Service Program
- American Social Welfare System
- Human Development Life Cycle OR Life Span Development*
- Organizational and Community Theory (prerequisite RSSW 210)
- Introductory Research Methods in Social Welfare OR Introduction to Social Research**
- Introduction to Social Policy Analysis (prerequisite RSSW 408)
*Students majoring in Human Development who complete Life Span Development in the major may substitute RSSW 390 for the human development course in the social welfare studies minor.
**Students majoring in Sociology who complete Introduction to Social Research in the major may substitute RSSW 390 for the Research Methods course in the social welfare studies minor.
Source: https://www.albany.edu/ssw/programs/bs-social-welfare
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