 Student entering the social work program often describe themselves as "people persons."
When they leave, they are "professional people persons," ready to pursue meaningful
careers that often reflect work they've already performed as volunteers.
This transformation is due in large measure to each student's passion. But just as
crucial is Southern's outstanding program -- a program that helps student's define
their individual goals and realize their full potential.
Southern's challenging coursework and innovative internships prepare students for
the flexibility of a career in social work. Most social workers play many roles during
the course of their careers. Sometimes they are teachers, consultants, or political
organizers. At other times they are managers or administrators working in childcare,
adult daycare, nursing homes, clinics, school systems, or hospitals.
In every social work setting, there is a myriad of responsibilities to juggle. Running
a group home for at-risk youth, for example, means handling the dozens of issues that
clients need help with between therapy sessions -- things like job skills, communication,
academics, and anger management. It falls to the case managers to implement the programs
that help clients with such important issues.
The social work department at Southern offers an undergraduate degree that prepares
students for entry-level case manager positions. They learn the communication, problem-solving,
interviewing, evaluation, and writing skills necessary to develop and carry out useful
programming in local community agencies.
Many social work graduates remain lifelong students, going on to graduate programs
that prepare them for careers as counselors and therapists. Southern undergraduates
leave campus both "job ready" and with a foundation for challenging graduate study.
The most exciting part of undergraduate study in social work is the direct contact
with clients that students have through their 400 hours of internship training. And
because Southern is in an urban center, the program offers vast opportunity for a
wide variety of real-world experience. Students at Southern realize the goal of applying
their classroom studies to practical situations.
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