University of St. Thomas

When asked what one word best describes the social work major at St. Thomas, a faculty member responded, “eye-opening.”

A real student asks:

 

I like working with people, is social work right for me?

A social work faculty member responds: “Yes, since social work is all about creating helping relationships for planned change. To be a successful social worker, one must be able to build trust and develop relationships with people from all walks of life. Giving a voice to those who are often not heard is essential in working effectively with individuals, couples, families and small communities. This calls for someone who likes working with people. But liking people is just the beginning, as social work needs professionals who have the skills, knowledge and values necessary to make individual and community change happen.”

It also is worth noting that to perform clinical work, you will need a master’s degree in therapy. The B.S.W. degree at St. Thomas enables graduates to pursue counseling opportunities. Undergraduate social work also provides graduates with advanced standing, so if they decide to pursue a master’s degree in social work, they can graduate in one year.

What jobs are possible with a Social Work major?

What are recent graduates doing now?

John Etzell ’00 is the residential program director of Girls and Boys Town of New England in Rhode Island. Etzell is fulfilling his commitment to disenfranchised youth by creating safe environments for them to change the course of their lives.
 
Teresa Anderson is pursuing a career working with teen mothers who are attempting to finish their education. She understands the many challenges young single mothers face and is dedicated to securing resources and counseling to assist them in reaching their full potential. She recently was awarded the Minnesota National Association of Social Workers Chapter BSW Social Work Student Award for 2007 for this work and her ongoing commitment to young women.

Jackie Powell finished her degree in the CSC weekend program, working full time as well as going to classes and internship. Her work in women's shelters and in schools have led her to an exciting job as a school social worker, reflecting her commitment to helping families succeed against very difficult odds.

What opportunities are there to bolster my resume while I'm in the program?

Internships. The CSC/UST social work program has two internships that provide different experiences in the field of social work. A large percentage of our graduates are offered jobs from their internship sites.

Study abroad. There are numerous opportunities to become involved in global study and the faculty work with students to facilitate this process. The CSC/UST School of Social Work is part of an eight-member consortium working with Augsburg College's Center for Global Education to provide a semester in Cuernavaca, Mexico. Students in their junior year study group work on comparative policy, Mexican culture and Spanish in a residential program. The students live with families, travel to villages to study the impact of immigration on the family structure and learn how this enhances the economy both in Mexico and in Minnesota. Part of the semester is an exchange with the School of Social Work in Mexico City, so that students can learn first-hand about Mexican social work. Past participants have stated that their semester was a life-changing experience that enhanced their global perspective and immersed them in the Spanish language.

The School of Social Work also works with individual students to pursue J-Term abroad study in a variety of courses related to social work. For example, in J-Term 2008, the school will sponsor a four-week trip to Australia to examine the Australian culture and its social service institutions. Students also can create their own research topics; one student studied German social services in Germany with the University of Illinois.

Faculty at work

The faculty at the School of Social Work are involved in a variety of leadership positions in vibrant social service agencies and are pursuing specific research in urgently needed areas. Our faculty includes a trauma specialist who is examining how trauma affects people according to age and how social workers can assist these clients based on their age; a professor who has researched the impact of oppression on the GLBT community; a professor who actively advocates for social justice principles in education and the practice of social work; and a professor who studies the skills essential to social work supervisors in training their staff.