Welcome to the Social Work Department

At Southern Connecticut State University

 

101 Farnham Avenue
New Haven, CT 06515
Office: Lang House
Main Number: (203) 392-6573 or     (203) 392-6551 
Fax: (203) 392-6580

 

Field Education Office:
(203) 392-6571
 

Master of Social Work (MSW) 
Admissions Office
Phone: (203) 392-6624
E-mail: mswadmissions@southernct.edu 

 

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Todd Rofuth, 
Department Chairperson
Phone: (203) 392-6557
E-mail: rofutht1@southernct.edu

Patricia Robertson, 
Department Secretary
Phone: (203) 392-6559
E-mail: robertsonp1@southernct.edu

 

Mission and goals

The mission of the Department of Social Work is to provide quality social work education to undergraduate and graduate students and to advance knowledge through study, practice, and research.  The purpose of undergraduate education is to prepare students to work in BSW level agency-based social work positions and to enter graduate social work programs. The purpose of graduate education is to prepare students for direct clinical practice at generalist and advanced levels. 

The Department is committed to

• educating social workers to be effective practitioners and leaders in the public and private sectors.
  preparing social workers to promote economic and social justice and human rights through policy practice.
• preparing social workers to evaluate their practice and be an informed consumer of research and scholarship.
• creating and strengthening community partnerships to further the Department and university's shared commitments to scholarship, professional preparation, and advocacy.

 

CURRICULUM MISSION

The program curriculum is built on the assumption that people have the capacity to change and adapt while in continuous and reciprocal interchange with all elements of their environment.  The academic and field practicum components are designed to enhance student competencies in social work knowledge, skills, and values.  The curriculum guides the development of students' professional identity and prepares them for leadership roles in the field.

The Program operates within a multidimensional context.  Southern Connecticut State University has the largest number of graduate students in the Connecticut State University System.  More than half of all CSUS graduate students are enrolled at Southern in one of the 50 areas of study offered by the university.  Southern is also a leader in serving the state of Connecticut in degree programs.  For example, last year, the university awarded more degrees in health/lfe sciences and social/public services than the other three CSUS institutions combined.  In Connecticut students are in close proximity to our state capital, and also have the opportunity to work with diverse public and private agencies and organizational settings.  These factors provide students and faculty with extensive opportunities to engage in education and training programs for current and prospective state workers, and to bring about social change

The Department of Social Work is the only program in this system and state that offers both undergraduate and graduate programs in social work.  The program optimizes the faculty's extensive clinical and policy practice experience in developing experiential learning of knowledge, skills and values.  The program continues to develop state of the art educational learning models and curricular delivery systems in response to technological changes and the needs of students.

 

GOALS

Goal 1:  Drawing upon the faculty's extensive clinical and practice experience, and utilizing state of the art educational learning models and curricular delivery systems, we will provide quality social work education to undergraduate and graduate students.

Objectives:

1.1    Prepare students to be effective practitioners in BSW level agency-based social work positions.

1.2    Prepare BSW students to enter graduate social work programs.

1.3    Prepare MSW students to be effective practitioners at generalist and advanced levels.

1.4    Prepare both BSW and MSW students to be leaders in the public and private sectors.

1.5    Prepare BSW and MSW students to promote economic and social justice and human rights through policy practice.

1.6    Prepare BSW and MSW students to evaluate their practice and be an informed consumer of research and scholarship.

Goal 2:  Advance knowledge through study, practice, and research

Objectives:

2.1    Faculty and graduate students will contribute to the development of professional knowledge and disseminate that knowledge in the profession and the community.

2.2    Faculty will develop and apply knowledge and skills to formulate and implement policies, services and programs in the university and community that advance social and economic justice and support the development of human capacities.

Goal 3:  Create and strengthen community partnerships to further the Department and university's shared commitments to scholarship, professional preparation and advocacy.

Objectives:

3.1    Faculty will promote and participate in partnerships between the university and community that enrich the qulaity of community life and enhance professional opportunities for students.

3.2    Enhance collaboration with community-based agencies for field work partnerships including

    3.2.1    educational contracts,

    3.2.2    field liaisons and visits,

    3.2.3    discussion of cases in classes (clinical classroom assignment from

                the field).       

    3.2.4    process recordings,

    3.2.5    affiliation contracts,

    3.2.6    student and supervisor feedback, and

    3.2.7    three-way meetings

3.3    Strengthen and expand formal relationships with external agencies including DMHAS, DCF, HPPAE and the Netherlands.