Department of Social Work, Sociology & Justice Studies

Return to: School of Social, Political and Educational Studies

Department Purpose:

The purpose of the Department of Social Work, Sociology & Justice Studies 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.

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.

A candidate for the Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, or, Political Science with a concentration in International Relations, must complete a minimum of 120 credit hours. There is also a minor in Political Science available requiring 15 hours (five courses) as determined by area advisors. 

A candidate for the Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology, or Sociology with a concentration in Criminal Justice must also complete a minimum of 120 credit hours. Total credits include between 34-54 credit hours of General Education courses. Additional courses may be required to build fundamental concepts. A candidate must earn the grade of “C” or better in all major courses. TheSchool of Social, Political and Education Studies offers a minor in Sociology. The course requirement for the Sociology minor is 15 hours (five courses) as determined by area advisors. 

Programs

• Political Science, BA
• Political Science: Concentration International Relations, BA
• Sociology, BA
• Sociology: Concentration Criminal Justice, BA

• Social Work, BSW

Courses

• CRJ 150 Survey of Crime and Delinquency (3)
• CRJ 200 Introduction to Criminal Justice (3)
• CRJ 201 Comparative Criminal Justice Systems (3)
• CRJ 203 Criminology (3)
• CRJ 300 Introduction to Law Enforcement (3)
• CRJ 301 Court Administration (3)
• CRJ 302 Juvenile Justice (3)
• CRJ 305 Constitutional Law (3)
• CRJ 307 Probation and Parole (3)
• CRJ 310 Corrections in America (3)
• CRJ 311 Evidence in Law Enforcement (3)
• CRJ 313 Basic Criminal Procedure (3)
• CRJ 315 Community Policing (3)
• CRJ 317 Sociology of Crime (3)
• CRJ 320 Court Procedure (3)
• CRJ 325 Sociology of Law (3)
• CRJ 350 Basic Legal Research (3)
• CRJ 400 Criminal Law (3)
• CRJ 401 Law and Corrections (3)
• CRJ 402 Community Based Corrections (3)
• CRJ 403 Basic Criminal Investigation (3)
• CRJ 404 Major Works in Corrections (3)
• CRJ 407 Middle Management for Law Enforcement Personnel (3)
• CRJ 408 Law Enforcement Planning and Research (3)
• CRJ 410 Seminar in Terrorism (3)
• CRJ 431 Seminar in Criminal Justice (3)
• CRJ 432 Individual Studies (1-3)
• CRJ 434 Internship (3)

• INT 121 Introduction to World Politics (3)
• INT 226 Contemporary Middle East and North Africa (3)
• INT 252 International Relations (3)
• INT 390 International Political Economy (3)
• INT 411 U.S. Foreign Policy (3)

• POL 150 Introduction to Political Science (3)
• POL 201 U.S. Government (3)
• POL 205 Multiculturalism and Globalization (3)
• POL 210 Comparative Politics (3)
• POL 220 Introduction to Public Policy (3)
• POL 305 Constitutional Law (3)
• POL 320 African Americans in American Politics (3)
• POL 330 American State and Local Government (3)
• POL 340 Mass Media, Public Opinion and Politics (3)
• POL 350 American Political Parties (3)
• POL 360 Introduction to Political Sociology (3)
• POL 365 International Organizations and Global Issues (3)
• POL 420 Urban Politics (3)
• POL 430 Modern Political Thought (3)
• POL 480 Internship (3 - 12)
• POL 492 Seminar (3)

• SOC 150 Fundamentals of Sociology (3)
• SOC 202 Introduction to Gerontology (3)
• SOC 211 Introduction to Sociology (3)
• SOC 215 Marriage and Family (3)
• SOC 220 Sociology of Sport (3)
• SOC 230 Sociology of Women (3)
• SOC 300 Social Problems (3)
• SOC 308 Social Change (3)
• SOC 310 Medical Sociology (3)
• SOC 312 Social Stratification (3)
• SOC 315 Race and Ethnic Relations (3)
• SOC 325 Sociology of Law (3)
• SOC 335 The Sociology of African-Americans (3)
• SOC 341 Social Psychology (3)
• SOC 344 History of Sociology (3)
• SOC 360 Introduction to Political Sociology (Elective) (3)
• SOC 362 Sociology of Religion (3)
• SOC 450 Sociological Theory (3)
• SOC 472 Internship (3)
• SOC 485 Death and Dying (3)
• SOC 491 Seminar in Sociology (3)

• SOW 210 Introduction To Social Work (3)
• SOW 235 American Social Welfare Policy (3)
• SOW 301 Human Behavior and The Social Environment I (3)
• SOW 302 Human Behavior and The Social Environment II (3)
• SOW 303 Human Diversity (3)
• SOW 305 Communication and Writing for Social Workers (3)
• SOW 342 Introduction to Social Work Research Methods (3)
• SOW 371 Introduction to Generalist Practice (3)
• SOW 373 Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families (3)
• SOW 375 Social Work Practice with Groups (3)
• SOW 377 Social Work Practice with Organizations and Communities (3)
• SOW 379 Child Welfare (3)
• SOW 465 Advanced Social Work Research Methods (3)
• SOW 472 Field Practice I (5)
• SOW 473 Field Practice Seminar I (1)
• SOW 474 Field Practice II (5)
• SOW 475 Field Practice Seminar II (1)
• SOW 493 Seminar in Social Work (3)
• SOW 495 Substance Abuse: Issues and Treatment (3)

• SSC 115 Introduction to Social Science (3)
• SSC 200 Elementary Statistics (3)
• SSC 322 Introduction to Research (3)

Return to: School of Social, Political and Educational Studies