Division of Education, Social Work and Child Development

Department Purpose:

The purpose of the Division of Education, Social Work and Child Development is to prepare students to function as competent and effective professionals who are critical thinkers and problem solvers.

The broad content knowledge of the University core courses provides the knowledge base of the students curricula. The breadth of this foundation includes content knowledge in communications, mathematics, science, history, philosophy, literature, and the arts. Courses in these disciplines introduce students to traditional forms of scholarly inquiry such as the research paper, the oral and written report, and scientific methods in a laboratory setting.

The professional education component provides additional breadth as students are engaged in: 1) the investigation of topics using technology skills, 2) reviewing and critiquing print and digital content, and 3) attending seminars to enhance their exposure to current trends and issues in education.

Social Work is the main profession that provides services to individuals, families, groups, communities, and organizations within our nation’s social welfare system. Among all of the human service professions, Social Work, more than any other, addresses client’s concerns from a holistic, psychosocial, economic, and environmental framework. According to the National Association of Social Workers, “the primary mission of the Social Work profession is to enhance human well-being and help meet the basic human needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty.”

The Shaw University Social Work major places emphasis on addressing social and economic justice issues. The Social Work major equips students with Social Work values, knowledge, skills, abilities, and supervised practice to enter the profession as competent beginning professionals or to attend graduate school. The demand for Social Workers at the baccalaureate level has remained consistently high, particularly in the areas of mental health, child welfare, health, corrections, and geriatrics.

Social Work majors cannot earn a second major within the usual four-year academic program because of the number of hours required for the major. However, individuals with a bachelor’s degree in another discipline may earn a Bachelor of Social Work degree by completing all of the course requirements.

Students may minor in Social Work by completing 18 semester hours within the Social Work major core curriculum. Students may only minor in Social Work at locations where it is offered as a major.

Students may earn credit by examination for only the following courses in the Social Work major core, upon approval of the academic adviser and the appropriate Division Head: BUS 260 and PSY 304.

Students must earn a final grade of C or better in all departmental core (CRJ 200, PSY 201, SOW 210, SOC 211, and SOW 342) and Social Work major core courses in order to pass the course and receive credit toward the Bachelor of Social Work degree.

The Shaw University Social Work Program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, and the Bachelor of Social Work program is accredited through 2020.

The major in Early Child Development is for students who seek a degree to teach infant, toddler and preschool children in non-school settings. This degree does not lead to teacher lucensure in North Carolina.

The Division of Education, Social Work and Child Development’s emphasis on critical thinking makes questioning an integral part of the Unit’s approach to scholarship. Through exposure to theory and theory development in professional studies courses in concert with clinical and practicum experiences, students develop their own theory and philosophy and are able to make effective application to practical settings.

The entering freshman and transfer students majoring in Education must have a minimum GPA of 2.5. Students must maintain at least a 2.5 GPA as they continue through their course of study. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required in the courses of their major.

Professional Educational Program

Bachelor of Arts in Birth through Kindergarten (BK-Licensure)
Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education (K-6 Licensure)

(Subject to change if the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s standards and indicators change.)

Shaw University students who seek a career as a public school teacher must select from the following areas: Birth-Kindergarten Education and Elementary Education: General Curriculum.

The professional educational program leads to initial certification in North Carolina after satisfactory completion of all course and test requirements. All students must apply for formal admission to the Teacher Education Program. The admission process is outlined in the departmental handbook. All education courses are web-enhanced. Many of the courses are delivered online. All education majors must take the courses below. They must also pass Praxis I or be exempt from the exam before they are eligible to apply for formal admission to the Teacher Education Program. Students are exempt if they have high SAT or ACT scores (see department for actual scores).

Test Requirements

All elementary and birth-kindergarten majors must successfully pass Praxis I based on the current North Carolina state criteria or have an exemption based on their SAT or ACT scores, before they will be eligible to apply for formal admission to the Teacher Education Program in the major area selected. All Elementary Ed and Birth-Kindergarten majors must complete required coursework and successfully pass Praxis II in order to earn a North Carolina Teaching License.

Majors Offered

Majors are offered in specialty areas that lead to the standard professional 1 license as a teacher. Each student who is accepted into the program is required to select a major after the completion of the common professional studies courses. Listed below are majors that are offered in the teacher preparation area.

Birth-Kindergarten Education-B.A. (B-K Licensure Preparation)

Elementary Education-B.A. (K-6 Licensure Preparation)

Certification Only and Lateral Entry Candidates

This category consists of individuals who have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher, are enrolled in courses to meet state certification requirements only, and in the case of lateral entry students, are already employed in the public schools and need to complete a course of study to meet State requirements that will qualify them as teachers. These candidates must also be formally admitted to the Teacher Education Program.

Programs

Bachelor of Arts

Bachelor of Social Work

Social Work, BSW

Other Programs

Teacher Certification/Lateral Entry

Courses

Birth Through Kindergarten Education

Education

Psychology

Social Work

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