Bachelor of Science in Social Work

at Pittsburg State University USA

The Kelce College of Business offers a Master of Business Administration MBA degree with emphasis in International Business. The International Business MBA is a professional program designed to prepare future business executives for the global workforce.

Pittsburg State University’s Department of History, Philosophy, and Social Sciences consists of those specialties that have emerged as so desirable in the 21st century labor force. Students use the tools from Geography, History, Philosophy, Political Science, Criminal Justice, Sociology and Social Work programs and coursework to examine issues and to find sustainable solutions to complex problems affecting individuals, families, and society.

The mission of the History, Philosophy, and Social Sciences department’s programs is to provide high quality instruction to students in ways that emphasize active learning, problem solving, and critical thinking through transformative experiences. Through our efforts, we aim to increase everyone’s awareness of how the ethnic, cultural, and other forms of diversity affect society. We invite you to visit the individual program areas to learn more about each field of study.

Diversity and Inclusion: We are committed to collaboration, respect, understanding for all students, staff, and faculty. The programs of History, Philosophy, and Social Sciences department at Pittsburg State University embraces a commitment to diversity as a community of individuals and programs which seek to reduce prejudice, disparities, discrimination and build a supportive environment for all.  

Social Work is a practice-based profession which seeks to meet the basic needs of all people. Social workers help people at the individual, family, group, and community levels.  Social workers practice in a wide variety of settings, with licensed positions at the bachelor level, master level, and clinical level.

The Bachelor of Science Degree with a Major in Social Work (BSW) prepares students for generalist practice in settings such as (but not limited to) child welfare, mental health, addictions, probation/parole, disability, health care, older adults/end of life, schools, and more. The BSW also prepares students for graduate school. Students who have a BSW from an accredited program are generally eligible for advanced standing in master of social work (MSW) programs. This means that after earning a BSW, a student may achieve an MSW in one additional calendar year.

A minor is not required for the social work major, but students frequently choose minors in Psychology, Public Health, Criminology, or Youth and Adolescence.

Social Work
The Bachelor of Science Degree with a Major in Social Work (BSW) prepares students for generalist practice in a variety of settings. It also prepares students for graduate school. Students who have a BSW from an accredited program are generally eligible for advanced standing in master of social work (MSW) programs. This means that after earning a BSW, a student may achieve an MSW in one additional calendar year.

The mission of PSU’s Social Work Program is to prepare bachelor level social workers to utilize the knowledge, skills, and values of the social work profession in order to enhance the lives of individuals, families, groups, and communities and to promote social and economic justice locally, nationally, and globally.  

To that end, the PSU Social Work Program aims to prepare students for:

• Generalist practice at all levels of the social environment and across the lifespan
• Utilization of the professional self which includes adherence to the Code of Ethics, professional demeanor, effective communication skills, self-awareness, and self-care
• Critical examination of and contribution to research, policies, and practices
• Living and working in a diverse environment
• Promoting human rights and social justice
• Graduate education
• Licensure

The Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation (HHPR) is located in the new Student Recreation Center. The HHPR faculty possess a wide array of specializations. The department offers undergraduate degree programs in Exercise Science, Recreation Services, Sport and Hospitality Management, and Physical Education, five minors and certificates in Dance, Coaching, and Hospitality Management, as well as a graduate program in HHPR. Within each of the degree programs, there are emphases/concentration areas from which students select the professional paths that best fit their needs.

Therapeutic Recreation - Emphasis
The Therapeutic Recreation emphasis prepares students for supervisory and leadership positions in various hospital, private and community-based organizations delivering care as recreation therapists to individuals with various disabilities and ability levels.  Recreational therapists work with a variety of individuals requiring health services such as: physical medicine and rehabilitation, pediatrics, geriatrics, mental and behavioral health, addictions, veterans and developmental disabilities.  Students completing the Therapeutic Recreation emphasis allows them to sit for the National Council on Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) Exam.

The Department of English and Modern Languages offers baccalaureate degrees and a master’s degree program. Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) programs are offered in English and in Modern Languages. A Bachelor of Science in Education and a master’s program are also offered in English. The department offers minors in English, English Teaching, Creative Writing, French, Professional Writing, and Spanish.

French Language and Culture - Emphasis
We live in a world that is more interconnected than at any time in history. A Bachelor of Arts Degree in Modern Languages will enhance any career path and allow you to become a more productive citizen of the world. Pittsburg State’s French program provides you with two degree options:

• Language and Culture
• Teacher Certification

The Language and Culture emphasis delves into the Francophone culture, providing students with a deeper understanding of French society. It’s the program of choice for students who wish to achieve fluency in the language and is often paired with business or communication majors and/or minors.

The Department of Music offers a Master of Music degree, with a variety of emphasis areas, including performance, conducting, and music education. Within the area of conducting, students may select a choral emphasis. This degree is designed to prepare individuals for professional advancement or for entry into further study at the doctoral level.  

Awards for graduate assistantships are available on a competitive basis. Recipients of these awards will assist with teaching as well as the administration of ensembles or other areas of the program.

The Master of Arts Degree in English with an Emphasis in Professional Writing began in the fall of 2017. The program features classes in writing for the public, such as grant writing; writing for electronic environments, such as digital literacies and news media writing; writing for publication, such as editing and document design; and theories of writing. This degree will help you develop the flexibility necessary for a wide variety of writing occupations.

The Department of Family & Consumer Sciences offers baccalaureate degrees and a cooperative master’s degree program. B.S. programs are offered in Nutrition and Wellness, Community and Family Services, and two tracks in Child Development. A B.S.E. program is offered in Family and Consumer Sciences Education. The department has an Early Childhood Unified: Birth - Kindergarten program. The department offers minors in Child Development, Family and Consumer Sciences, Human Ecology, Nutrition and Wellness, and Youth and Adolescent Development. The department also contributes to minors in Women’s Studies and Public Health. 

Nutrition and Wellness - Emphasis
The Nutrition and Wellness concentration appeals to students who want to work in settings where they would apply knowledge about nutrition in the community setting. (This is not a dietetics program.) This concentration builds upon the Family and Consumer Sciences focus, which is the application of the sciences to the betterment of individuals, families, and communities.

The Department of Psychology and Counseling has placed its graduates in schools, businesses, agencies and hospitals throughout the region, as well as provided teachers for two and four year colleges. The department enjoys a strong relationship with area mental health agencies, with many private and governmental establishments acting as training sites for students, and using department faculty and advanced graduate students as consultants. PSU is the only school within a 100 mile radius that provides graduate training in counseling, psychology and school psychology. Additionally, no other university in Kansas has an integrated psychology and counseling department, allowing the department to offer comprehensive, in-depth programs in each area and providing students with the opportunity to experience the best in both disciplines.

Psychology, Human Resource Development - Emphasis
As a part of the Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology, the Human Resource Development (HRD) concentration area helps prepare students for graduate training in HRD and for careers in business and industry as human resource planners, personnel directors, or employee selection specialists. Individuals trained to assist individuals in the workplace become the most effective and motivated workers who have their skills, abilities, and knowledge suitably utilized and recognized.

The Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology was designed for students who want to pursue a career in a psychology-related field immediately after graduation. Historically, most careers in psychology and counseling require graduate training. However, there are a number of careers that do not.

The Department of Engineering Technology is housed in the Kansas Technology Center on the Pittsburg State University  campus. Engineering Technology Programs are comprised of elements of the technological spectrum requiring scientific and engineering knowledge plus the operational methods and skills devoted to achieving practical purpose in support of product producing industries.