School of
Social Welfare

Online Catalog

The School and Its Programs

The School of Social Welfare

The University of Kansas School of Social Welfare is an excellent place to pursue your interests in professional social work education. It is the oldest school of social welfare in the region and the only one to offer degree preparation from undergraduate through doctoral degrees in social work.

Social work education began at KU in 1937. The Master of Social Work program, established in Lawrence and at the KU Medical Center in Kansas City in 1946, has been continuously accredited since 1948. The Bachelor of Social Work degree has been awarded since 1971. In 1974, the B.S.W. program became one of the first in the nation to receive accredited status. The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), the accrediting body for social work education, most recently reaccredited the B.S.W. and M.S.W. programs in 2002. The doctoral program admitted its first students in 1981.

Graduate programs in KU’s School of Social Welfare were tied for eighth among U.S. national public universities in the 2006 edition of U.S. News’ “America’s Best Graduate Schools.” The School of Social Welfare is recognized internationally as an innovator in social work theory development.

The school is housed on the Lawrence campus in Twente Hall, named for nationally renowned social work educator Esther Twente, who chaired the social work department from 1946 to 1957. The school also offers the complete M.S.W. program at the KU Edwards Campus in Overland Park, a suburb of Kansas City, and an on-site 2+2 B.S.W. degree-completion program at Kansas City Kansas Community College.

Mission and Themes

The school’s mission is to educate students, conduct scholarly inquiry, and perform community service in order to promote an approach to social work practice that advances the empowerment and well-being of individuals and communities. For complete descriptions of the B.S.W. and M.S.W. program goals and objectives, visit the school’s Web site at www.socwel.ku.edu/mission.

This mission is guided by four themes:

• Strengths Perspective. The recognition of the inherent strengths of individuals, families, neighborhoods, and organizations to discover and develop resources and assets in their struggle for a better quality of life.
• Diversity. Understanding, valuing, and engaging the broad range of differences and commonalities based on culture, ethnicity, race, geography, gender, social class, sexual orientation, and physical and mental abilities, particularly when those differences are the cause of discrimination.
• Social Justice. A commitment to greater equality based on a sophisticated understanding of economic, political, and social structures as they affect people’s lives.
• Critical Perspective. The capacity to engage in a deliberate and ongoing examination of the assumptions underlying social work theories, methods, and approaches in understanding and responding to human need.

The Programs

At the University of Kansas, students have the opportunity to prepare for professional careers in social work at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels. The curriculum is carefully laid out to bring students from the introductory level through advanced study in clinical social work practice or social work administrative and advocacy practice. Under the umbrella of a practice orientation, the programs are structured to support the essential themes of the school, which focus on people’s strengths, celebrate human diversity, promote social and economic justice, and provide a critical perspective.

Classroom work is one half of professional preparation; field placements comprise the other half. Placements in social service agencies offer students the opportunity to apply skills learned in the classroom. B.S.W. and M.S.W. students spend time in practicum settings throughout the region. Our students provide more than 220,000 hours of service to underserved populations through practicum experiences.

Professional and Community Education

To help our graduates and other professionals maintain proficiency in practice skills and to expand their capacities, the school offers a wide range of courses through the Professional and Community Education Program.

These offerings are designed specifically for the practicing professional. Courses are developed in conjunction with the local human services community. They range from management skills to sophisticated clinical strategies. Evening and weekend classes are offered with a variety of credit and noncredit options. For information on the program and its offerings, please call Kay Lynne Myers, program director, KU Edwards Campus.

Student Profile

The School of Social Welfare currently has more than 550 students, approximately 150 in the B.S.W. program, 350 in the master’s program, and 40 in the Ph.D. program. More than 350 students are enrolled in field practicum settings that reflect the wide range of practice of professional social work. Many students enter social work as a second career after an extended period away from school.

The Profession

Through the long history of the profession, social workers have understood the desperation of the homeless, the despair of the poor, the ostracism suffered by the mentally ill, the pain of those who are abused and neglected, and the humiliation endured by victims of discrimination. By carrying out this special commitment to helping vulnerable groups and individuals, social workers believe that society as a whole is strengthened. At the same time, social workers celebrate differences among people and believe that respecting those differences — whether of race, culture, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or age — enriches the quality of life for all.

Purpose and Objectives of Social Work

Social work is a vital, evolving profession that changes with the world in which we live. The purpose of social work is to promote or restore a mutually beneficial interaction between individuals and society in order to improve the quality of life for everyone. Social workers hold the following beliefs:

• The environment (social, physical, organizational) should provide the opportunity and resources for the maximum realization of the potential and aspirations of all individuals, and should provide for their common human needs and for the alleviation of distress and suffering.
• Individuals should contribute as effectively as they can to their own well-being and to the social welfare of others in their immediate environment, as well as to the collective society.
• Transactions between individuals and others in their environment should enhance the dignity, individuality, and self-determination of everyone.
• People should be treated humanely and fairly.

Social workers focus on person-and-environment interaction. To carry out their purpose, they work with people to achieve the following objectives:

• Help people increase their competence and problem-solving abilities.
• Help people obtain resources.
• Make organizations responsive to people.
• Facilitate interaction between individuals and others in their environment.
• Influence interactions between organizations and institutions.
• Influence social and environmental policy.

Social workers are educated to provide services to individuals, families, groups, and communities; to develop, administer, and evaluate programs and organizations; and to participate in policy formulation and planning at the local, state, and national levels.

Nondiscrimination, Equal Opportunity, and Affirmative Action Policy

The University of Kansas prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, and disability and veteran status in accordance with state and federal law. The university also prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, marital status, and parental status as a matter of policy. Discrimination is prohibited in employment and all education programs and activities of the university and its affiliates. Sexual, racial, and ethnic harassment are forms of discrimination that are also expressly prohibited by university policy.

The university is committed to taking affirmative action in employment and education programs for underutilized group members and protected-class citizens. The university also is committed to providing equal opportunity in all aspects of education and employment. Full texts of university policies related to nondiscrimination, equal opportunity and affirmative action, sexual harassment, and racial and ethnic harassment are available at www.hreo.ku.edu/policies_procedures/eo_aa_policies.

Inquiries regarding the affirmative action program, equal opportunity policy, nondiscrimination policy, and reports or allegations of discrimination or harassment on the Lawrence campus should be made to the Department of Human Resources and Equal Opportunity, Carruth-O’Leary Hall, 1246 West Campus Rd., Room 101, Lawrence, KS 66045-7505, (785) 864-3686, www.hreo.ku.edu.

On the KU Medical Center campus, contact the Director, Equal Opportunity Office, 1040 Wescoe, Mail Stop 2014, KU Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Blvd., Kansas City, KS 66160, (913) 588-1206 (voice), (913) 588-7963 (TDD), www.kumc.edu/eoo.

Students with Disabilities

Information about KU services for students with disabilities is available from the University of Kansas, Disability Resources, Strong Hall, 1450 Jayhawk Blvd., Room 22, Lawrence, KS 66045-7535, (785) 864-2620 (V/TTY), www.disability.ku.edu.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition and fees are assessed by the Office of the University Registrar. A full description of tuition and fees is available each semester at www.registrar.ku.edu/fees. Rates are set by the Kansas Board of Regents and are subject to change. See www.tuition.ku.edu for current information.

For a copy of the statutes and regulations governing who qualifies for resident tuition, write the Office of the University Registrar, Strong Hall, 1450 Jayhawk Blvd., Room 121, Lawrence, KS 66045-7535. See also www.registrar.ku.edu/residency.

Area Research Offices

The school supports research and policy development in a number of key areas, providing leadership and resources at the local, state, and national levels:

• Office of Child Welfare and Children’s Mental Health.
• Office of Aging and Long-Term Care.
• Office of Adult Mental Health.
• Office of Social Policy and Community Development.

Social Welfare Alumni Society

The Alumni Society, an affiliate of the KU Alumni Association, keeps graduates connected with the school and its programs. Each year, the society sponsors Social Work Day, a conference that brings alumni together for educational programs and social events. The school’s programs are strengthened by the support of its alumni. More than 4,000 social welfare alumni practice in the United States and abroad.

The School’s Advisory Board

The Advisory Board of the School of Social Welfare is composed of individuals from the professional social work and business communities and from the community at large. The board links the school with its constituencies, informs diverse audiences about the school’s mission and programs, collaborates with faculty and students in carrying out special projects, and connects the school with resources essential to its goals. The Advisory Board plays a vital role in enhancing the school’s educational mission.

Contact the University of Kansas Office of University Relations with questions or comments about this site.

© 2003 The University of Kansas Office of University Relations.
Photographs within this site © The University of Kansas Office of University Relations.

If you need assistance, contact:

The University of Kansas School of Social Welfare,
Twente Hall,
1545 Lilac Lane,
Lawrence, KS 66044-3184,
(785) 864-4720,

E-mail: admissionsBSW@ku.edu
E-mail: admissionsMSW@ku.edu
E-mail: admissionsw-PhD@ku.edu

Web: http://www.socwel.ku.edu/default.shtml