Social Work

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Browse Program and Course Descriptions
Faculty
Career and Academic Paths
Academic Advising

Honors Program
Evening and Part Time Options
Special Opportunities
The Universities at Shady Grove
Student Organizations

Faculty

Associate Dean and Chair

Shelly Wiechelt

Associate Professor

Jayshree Jani
B.A., St. Mary’s College, Notre Dame, 1997; M.S.W., University of Illinois at Chicago, 1999; Ph.D., University of Maryland, Baltimore, 2008

Nancy Kusmaul
B.A., University of Rochester, 1999; M.S.W., University of Michigan, 2000; Ph D., University at Buffalo, 2013

Marcela Sarmiento Mellinger
B.A., Millersville University, 1998; M.S.W., Temple University, 1999; Ph.D., University of Georgia, 2011

Joshua Okundaye
B.A., University of Oklahoma, Norman, 1984; M.A., 1990; M.S.W. University of Maryland, Baltimore, 1992; Ph.D., 1996

Laura Ting
B.A., Columbia University, 1987; M.S., 1989; Ph.D., University of Maryland, Baltimore, 2003

Shelly Wiechelt
B.A., California University of Pennsylvania, 1982; M.S.W., West Virginia University, 1985; Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh, 1999

Assistant Professor

Kerri Evans
B.A., Elizabethtown College, 2008; M.S.W., University of Maryland, Baltimore, 2009; Ph D., Boston College, 2020

Ashley N. Prowell
B.A., University of Alabama, 2009; M.S.W., University of Georgia, 2011; Ph.D., University of Alabama, 2021

Shady Grove Program

M. Nicole Belfiore
B.A., Oberlin College,1986; M.S.W., University of Maryland at Baltimore,1993; Ph.D., Catholic University of America, 2015

Jeanette Hoover
B.S.W., University of the District of Columbia, 1992; M.S.W., Catholic University of America, 1994

Kathleen Leiser
B.A., University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, 1976; M.S.W., University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 1980

Katherine Morris
B.A., College of the Holy Cross, 1996; M.S.W., University of Pennsylvania, 2000

Natalie Sanchez
B.A., Dominican University, 1995; M.A., University of Chicago, 1997

Assistant Dean for Field Education

Adrienne Ekas-Mueting
B.S., Radford University, 1991; M.S.W., Virginia Commonwealth University, 1994; Ph.D., University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 2012

Professors Emeriti

James Bembry
B.A., College of the Holy Cross, 1974; M.S.W., Temple University, 1978; Ph.D., University of Maryland, Baltimore, 1993

Carolyn Knight
B.A., Goucher College, 1975; M.S.W., University of Maryland, Baltimore, 1977; Ph.D., 1985

Gust Mitchell
B.A., West Liberty State College, 1964; M.S., University of Tennessee, 1966; D.S.W., The Catholic University of America, 1975

Carolyn Tice
B.S.W., West Virginia University, 1973; M.S.W., Temple University, 1976; D.S.W., University of Pennsylvania, 1987

Betsy Vourlekis
B.A., Harvard University, 1964; M.S.W., Columbia University, 1966; Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park, 1984

Courses in this program are listed under SOWK.

The Social Work, B.A. prepares students for generalist social work practice with individuals, families, groups and communities at the beginning level. Students learn a range of skills and helping techniques that enable them to intervene effectively in addressing social problems.

UMBC’s Social Work Program, the baccalaureate component of the University of Maryland School of Social Work, meets the highest professional standards. The program is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), a national organization founded to promote and improve the quality of education in social work.

CSWE uses the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) to accredit baccalaureate social work programs. EPAS supports academic excellence by establishing thresholds for professional competence.
EPAS describes four features of an integrated curriculum design: (1) program missions and goals; (2) explicit curriculum; (3) implicit curriculum; and (4) assessment.

Based on this accreditation, students are assured that the quality of education at UMBC meets national standards and prepares them for employment at the bachelor’s level, for graduate study and for meeting the various state licensing and employment requirements for social work practice. Social work students and graduates are also eligible for membership in the National Association of Social Workers. Graduates qualify to take the state examination to become licensed social work associates in Maryland, and they are qualified for examination in all other states that license baccalaureate practice.

Field Education, Practice Methods, and practice oriented Social Work elective courses will only be considered for transfer from Council on Social Work Education accredited or candidate Social Work programs. Life experience credits are not accepted for Social Work requirements. Other Social Work courses may be submitted for transfer review.

Career and Academic Paths

Graduates of the Social Work Program succeed in the job market, as well as in graduate school. Alumni are employed in various human service positions with federal, state, and local governments, as well as with non-profit agencies, corporations, health care organizations and hospitals. The undergraduate social work major at UMBC is the baccalaureate component of the University of Maryland School of Social Work. As such, students completing the social work major at UMBC may be eligible for consideration for advanced standing in the master’s degree program of the School of Social Work. Completion of the accredited program at UMBC also qualifies graduates for consideration for admission to all accredited master’s degree social work programs in the United States.

Academic Advising

Students enrolled in the social work major are assigned a faculty advisor from the program. Students are encouraged to contact their advisor early in their educational experience and every semester thereafter to plan and monitor their course of study. Advisors in the program are also available to meet with students who anticipate majoring in social work to plan prerequisite courses.

Honors Program

Students may choose to take honors courses in social work through the Honors College.

Evening and Part Time Options

All core courses, with the exception of the senior field education courses, can be taken in the late afternoon or evening on a space-available basis. In addition, the design of the program allows students to complete their course work on a part-time basis. Field education (SOWK 480 /SOWK 482 ) must be taken during the work week. The program does not arrange evening and weekend field placements.

Special Opportunities

The Social Work Program offers educational and community-based opportunities including:

A. Educational

B. Community-Based

The Universities at Shady Grove

UMBC offers the Bachelor of Arts in Social Work at the Universities at Shady Grove in Rockville, MD. Students can complete the last two years of the program at this suburban Washington location. Because only upper-level courses are offered, students must have completed most General Education Program requirements (GEPs) and lower-level major requirements and have a GPA of 2.5 or above. Prospective students are invited to make an appointment with the Shady Grove program director to review their previous courses.

Student Organizations

The Social Work Student Association (SWSA) is the student organization of social work majors at UMBC. The SWSA works to introduce its members to the profession, promote social work through community activities and provide majors with the opportunity to discuss issues and concerns. It also provides them with information and resources related to their educational experience and career planning. Membership is open to all majors. Activities of the SWSA have included food drives, community volunteer activities, career planning conferences, newsletters and student socials. Information on the SWSA is available through the program or on the Social Work department website.

The Social Work Program has established a chapter of Phi Alpha, the social work national honor society. Phi Alpha fosters high standards of education for social workers and invites into membership those who have attained excellence in scholarship and achievement in social work. At present, there are approximately 400 chapters of the honor society in schools nationwide. Students are eligible to join if they have: declared social work as their major; achieved sophomore status; completed nine semester hours of required social work courses; and achieved an overall GPA of 3.0 and a 3.25 GPA in required or elective social work courses. Interested students may obtain an application from the program or from the Social Work department website.

Programs

Major

Social Work, B.A.

Minor

Social Welfare Minor

Courses

Social Work