Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work
What is social work?
Social work is concerned with human behavior in the social environment. The study of this discipline provides the knowledge, values and skills needed to support people who are vulnerable because of need, crisis, health status, structural violence or other factors. Social workers provide services to abused and neglected children, older adults, families in conflict and communities experiencing challenges. They practice in medical, criminal justice, industrial, mental health and other settings. The minor in social work at UD prepares students for entry level positions in these fields as well as for entry into master’s programs.
Requirements for the minor
To earn a minor in social work, students are required to take a minimum of 15 semester hours in social work, at least 12 of which are at the 300-400 level. No more than 6 semester hours of field-experience credit can be accepted toward the minor. A student choosing a social work minor is encouraged to consult with the department chair or a social work faculty member to plan selection of courses.
Opportunities
Opportunities for social work minors include presentation of research at student symposia as well as attendance at conferences/symposia with nationally-recognized speakers and community leaders. Our minors volunteer in a wide range of community service projects and gain direct field experience through internship placement.
Our students enjoy individual academic and career mentoring from faculty and can add this minor to a major in any discipline.
- Many juniors and seniors participate in internships which provide the opportunity to relate course material to practical problems of community agencies and businesses.
- Students also have the opportunity to conduct independent research or assist in faculty research projects.
- Students work with faculty on graduate school preparation and job placement.
The internship in social work is designed for students interested in graduate school, and for students who desire future employment in the social services field. Both clinical and community practice placements are possible. The internship is a supervised field experience with individuals and/or families in an agency setting. Students spend 200 hours in the agency field assignment and a concurrent seminar focuses on basic social work knowledge, values, skills, application to graduate school (MSW) and guides to entry-level employment in human services.
What can you do with this minor?
With the minor, students can go on to graduate study in social work. Graduate social work departments do not require an undergraduate degree in social work. Many of our students who complete the social work minor apply to and are accepted into MSW programs throughout the country. Our faculty work closely with students throughout their studies to help them prepare for graduate school.