SHB Body - Governors State University

Welcome from the Director 

Welcome to the Master of Social Work Program at Governors State University 

(GSU M.S.W.). We are delighted that you have chosen our outstanding MSW Program 

and we realize that there are many programs throughout the Chicago Metropolitan area 

you could have chosen. Our University and the Social Work Department can be 

distinguished from the others in four ways: 

1. Governors State University offers demonstrably excellent education particularly 

to students traditionally underserved by higher education. 

2. In keeping with the University’s mission, our MSW program focuses on 

increasing accessibility to a diverse, mature and highly motivated learning 

community. 

3. The MSW program at GSU is committed to educating social workers for the 21 st 

Century, to meet the demand for leadership in our profession and to engage in 

critical practice grounded in a social justice ethic. 

4. To this end the Master of Social Work program extends flexible educational 

opportunities to nontraditional students facing complex life challenges who out of 

necessity must balance their personal, family, work and professional development 

needs. 

These are the distinctive attributes of our University and the Social Work Department. 

With your active engaged participation in this vibrant learning community, you will be 

transformed into a justice driven advanced social work professional, exemplifying the 

attributes of autonomous practice grounded in a social justice ethic. 

The GSU M.S.W. Handbook provides for you an overview of the Master of 

Social Work Program, the policies and procedures that govern the program, your rights 

and responsibilities as students. Please carefully read and consult the contents of this 

handbook for future reference. Again, welcome to the M.S.W. program at Governors 

State University and I wish you an exciting challenging journey of discovery through 

learning. 

Good luck, 

Chair, Social Work Department 

Professor and Director of the MSW Program 

Governors State University 

Master of Social Work Program 

Student Handbook Table of Contents 

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College of Health and Human Services 

Master of Social Work Program Student Handbook

Welcome from Director …………………………………………………………………..............1 

About the Master of Social Work Program ................................................................................ …3 

Program Mission and Goals ........................................................................................................ 3 

Program Objectives ..................................................................................................................... 4 

List of M.S.W. Program Courses .................................................................................................... 6 

Foundation Curricula .................................................................................................................. 6 

Advanced Curricula .................................................................................................................... 6 

Advanced Standing Degree Program .......................................................................................... 6 

Study Plans for Completing the GSU M.S.W. Degree ............................................................... 7 

Description of Curricula ............................................................................................................... 11 

Foundation Curricula ................................................................................................................ 11 

Transition to Advanced Social Work: SOCW 801 ................................................................... 16 

Description of Advanced Curricula .......................................................................................... 17 

Academic Policies ......................................................................................................................... 22 

Relevant University Academic Policies.................................................................................... 22 

M.S.W. Program Academic Policies ........................................................................................ 23 

Student Rights and Responsibilities.............................................................................................. 28 

Statement of Student Rights...................................................................................................... 28 

Advisement ............................................................................................................................... 28 

Procedures for Securing Recognition for Student Organizations ............................................. 28 

Policies and Procedures for Accessing Student Records .......................................................... 28 

Student Grievance Procedures .................................................................................................. 29 

Class Attendance ....................................................................................................................... 29 

Students With Disabilities......................................................................................................... 29 

Student Services ........................................................................................................................ 30 

Appendix A: Faculty Profiles ....................................................................................................... 31 

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Master of Social Work Program Goals 

About the Master of Social Work Program 

The MSW program goals exemplify the mission of the program, to prepare 

advanced professionals, who practice social work grounded in a social justice ethic, 

social workers who uphold and protect human rights as they address the social welfare 

needs of vulnerable, marginalized children, families and communities at risk, particularly 

throughout the southern region served by the University. The1 st and 2 nd program goals 

are clearly tied to our Mission to prepare professionals to effectively address the social 

welfare needs of the region. The 3 rd and 5 th goals support the goal of serving the 

educational needs of non traditional adult learners by preparing generalist practitioners 

grounded in a social justice ethic to serve vulnerable people their communities and the 

oppressive institutional arrangements, while recognizing the role that social and 

economic structures play in the repression of the human agency so necessary to change 

social structures. And the 4 th goal exemplifies the acknowledgement of the complex, 

dynamic and cross cutting relationship between structurally based social economic and 

political disparity and the pervasive and enduring impact on human agency, and 

vulnerable peoples lack of perceived empowerment and the subsequent diminished 

capacity to become the social actors they must be to change and enhance the social 

political and economic structure and quality of their lives. 

Also, consistent with GSU’s mission, the M.S.W. Program is concerned about 

being accessible to nontraditional, adult students who are unable to attend graduate 

school full-time. Preparing highly qualified advanced professionals to serve the growing 

need in the region is embodied in our Social Work Program goals and the objectives that 

follow: 

MSW program goal 1. To provide a professional education that prepares advanced 

practitioners to lead and support social justice action agendas and the development of 

community resources to enhance and sustain the quality of life of the children, families 

and their communities served by Governors State University 

MSW program goal 2. To prepare advanced practitioners to work across service 

delivery systems utilizing an empowerment, strengths-based approach grounded in a 

social justice ethic with ethnically, racially and culturally diverse populations at risk 

MSW program goal 3. To prepare advanced practitioners for social work practice in 

public and not-for-profit agency settings to help vulnerable and marginalized individuals 

and families and their communities in ways that enhance their day to day lives, alleviate 

human suffering, embrace and promote social and economic justice 

MSW program goal 4. To prepare advanced practitioners to foster and promote the 

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development of healthy and just institutions, organizations and communities to enhance, 

development and sustain individuals and families ’human agency capacity in the context 

of their history and culture 

MSW program goal 5. To provide an advanced professional education uniquely suited 

to non-traditional students preparing them to think critically, engage in reflective 

practice, apply social work knowledge, values and skills as advanced practitioners, and to 

utilize evaluative methods and research knowledge to improve their professional practice. 

In addition, we are strongly committed to working collaboratively with the 

communities surrounding Governor State University in order to support the achievement 

of their social action and transformation goals. This mission is consistent with that of 

GSU, which is to provide affordable, high-quality education that is accessible to 

culturally and economically diverse lifelong learners. 

The M.S.W. Program at GSU is an outgrowth of the acute need to expand and 

build a social service infrastructure responding to rapid growth and demographic shifts in 

the south suburban region served by the University. These changes in the social, political 

and economic environment and throughout Illinois’s state system began in 1995. 

Program Objectives 

After completing the foundation curriculum at Governors State University the student 

will: 

1. Apply knowledge of the relationship between individuals, and their environment 

including historical, cultural, biological, psychological, spiritual and social contexts. 

2. Apply critical thinking skills within the context of professional social work practice. 

3. Understand the value base of the profession and its ethical standards and principles 

and practice accordingly. 

4. Practice without discrimination and with respect, knowledge and skills related to 

clients’ age, class, color, culture, disability, ethnicity, family structure, gender, 

marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, and sexual orientation. 

5. Understand the forms and mechanisms of oppression and discrimination and apply 

strategies of advocacy and social change that advance social and economic justice. 

6. Understand and interpret the history of the social work profession and its 

contemporary structures and issues. 

7. Apply the knowledge and skills of a generalist social work perspective to practice 

with systems of all sizes. 

8. Use theoretical frameworks supported by empirical evidence to understand human 

development, behavior and agency across the lifespan and the interactions among 

individuals and between individuals and families, groups, organizations, and 

communities. 

9. Analyze, formulate, and influence social policies. 

10. Evaluate research studies, apply research findings to practice, and evaluate their own 

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practice interventions. 

11. Use communication skills differentially across client populations, colleagues, and 

communities to enhance human well-being and prevent social injustice and alleviate 

human suffering. 

12. Use supervision and consultation appropriate to social work practice. 

13. Function as a positive change agent within the structure of organizations and service 

delivery systems and achieve organizational change. 

14. Be committed to personal growth including the professional use of self. 

The above knowledge-skill-based learning objectives are reflected in the 

academic and field curriculum described in this Student Handbook. 

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List of M.S.W. Program Courses 

Foundation Curricula 

Curriculum 

Course Number: Name CrHrs 

SOCW 601: The Social Work Profession in a Diverse Society 3 

SOCW 605: Human Behavior in the Social Environment I 3 

SOCW 606: Human Behavior in the Social Environment II 3 

SOCW 615: Social Welfare Policies and Provisions 3 

SOCW 665: Social Work Research 3 

SOCW 705: Social Work Practice I 3 

SOCW 706: Social Work Practice II 3 

SOCW 720: Field Practicum I 2 

SOCW 721: Field Practicum I Integrative Seminar 2 

SOCW 725: Field Practicum II 2 

SOCW 726: Field Practicum II Integrative Seminar 2 

SOCW Foundation Elective 3 

Total Foundation Credit Hours: 32 

Advanced Curricula 


SOCW 805: Theoretical Contexts of Practice with Children and Families 3 

SOCW 810: Social Work Practice with Families 3 

SOCW 812: Social Work Practice with Children and Adolescents 3 

SOCW 820: Practice Evaluation 3 

SOCW 837: Policy Practice with Children and Families 3 

SOCW 853: Field Practicum III 3 

SOCW 854: Field Practicum III Integrative Seminar 2 

SOCW 855: Field Practicum IV 3 

SOCW 856: Field Practicum IV Integrative Seminar 2 

SOCW Advanced Elective 3 

Total Advanced Credit Hours: 28 

Total Full Program Degree Credit Hours: 60 

Advanced Standing Degree Program 


SOCW 801: Transition to Advanced Social Work 3 

SOCW 860: Writing for Social Work 1 

Total Advanced Credit Hours 28 

Total Advanced Standing Degree Credit Hours: 32 

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Overview 

Study Plan Options for Completing the GSU M.S.W. Degree 

The master plan for the delivery of the Full Program and the Advanced Standing 

Degree Program on a full-time and part-time basis are shown below and on the next 

page.* 

Full Program – Full Time 

Year 1 

Fall Winter Spring/Summer 

SOCW 601: SW 

3 

Profession in a Diverse 

SOCW 615: Social 

3 

Welfare Policies and SOCW 665: SW 

Society 

SOCW 605: HBSE I 

3 

Provisions 

SOCW 606: HBSE II 

3 

Research 

SOCW 705: SW 

Practice I 

3 

SOCW 720: Field 

Practicum I 

2 

SOCW 721: Integrative 

Seminar I 

2 

SOCW 706: SW 

Practice II 


Practicum II 

SOCW 726: 

Integrative Seminar II 

3 

2 

2 

SOCW elective 

Total Credits 13 Total Credits 13 Total Credits 6 

Year 2 


SOCW 805: Theoretical 

Contexts of Practice 

SOCW 810: SW 

Practice with Families 

SOCW 837: Policy 

Practice with Children 

& Families 


Practicum III 


Practicum III Integrative 

Seminar 

3 

3 

3 

3 

2 

SOCW 812: SW 

Practice with 

Children & 

Adolescents 

SOCW 820: Practice 

Evaluation 

SOCW elective 


Practicum IV 


Practicum IV 

Integrative Seminar 

Total Credits 14 Total Credits 14 

• These course offering may be changed to maintain the optimal faculty-student 

ratio and to insure compliance with CSWE accreditation standards. 

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Master of Social Work Program Student Handbook 

3 

3 

3 

3 

2 

3 

3

Full Program – Part-Time 

Year 1 - Foundation Curriculum 


SOCW 601: SW 

Profession in a Diverse 

Society 

3 

SOCW 615: Social 

Welfare Policies and 

Provisions 

3 

SOCW 665: SW 

Research 

SOCW elective 

SOCW 605: HBSE I 3 SOCW 606: HBSE II 3 


Year 2 - Foundation Curriculum 


SOCW 705: SW Practice I 3 

SOCW 725:Field 

Practicum I 


Practicum II Integrative 

Seminar 

2 

2 

SOCW 706: SW Practice 

II 


Practicum II 


Practicum II Integrative 

Seminar 


Year 3 - Advanced Curriculum 


SOCW 805: Theoretical 

Contexts of Practice 


with Families 

3 

3 


with Children & 

Adolescents 


Evaluation 

3 

2 

2 

3 SOCW Elective** 

3 


Practice w/ Children 

and Families** 


Year 4 - Advanced Curriculum 



Practice w/ Children and 

Families 


Practicum III 


Practicum III Integrative 

Seminar 

3 SOCW Elective 3 

3 

2 


Practicum IV 


Practicum IV Integrative 

Seminar 


** Offering these courses in the S/S Trimester is determined by faculty-student ratio and 

the availability of sufficient faculty coverage. 

Advanced Standing Degree Program – Full-Time 

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3 

2 

3 

3

Spring/Summer Fall Winter 

SOCW 801:Transition to 

Advanced Social Work 

3 

SOCW 805: 

Theoretical Contexts 

of Practice 

SOCW 810: SW 

Practice with 

Families 


Practice w/ Children 

and Families 


Practicum III 


Practicum III 


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3 

3 

SOCW 812: SW 

Practice with 

Children & 

Adolescents 


Evaluation 


3 

2 


Practicum IV 


Practicum IV 


SOCW 860: Writing 

for Social Work 

1 


Advanced Standing Degree Program – Part-Time 

Fall Winter 

SOCW 805: Theoretical Contexts 

of Practice 

3 

SOCW 812: SW Practice with 

Children & Adolescents 

3 

SOCW 810: SW Practice with 

Families 

3 SOCW 820: Practice Evaluation 3 


Fall Winter 

SOCW 837: Policy Practice w/ 

Children and Families 


SOCW 853: Field Practicum III 3 SOCW 855: Field Practicum IV 

SOCW 856: Field Practicum IV 

3 

SOCW 854: Field Practicum III 


2 


SOCW 860: Writing for Social 

Work 

2 

1 


The plan of study provided to you at the orientation for new students is based on 

one of the plans presented above. We have provided you with a form for you to keep 

track of your progress in the program and ask that you maintain this for your records. 

This will be useful to you in the application for graduation. 

3 

3 

3 

2

Plan of Study 

Student Name 

Advisor 

Course CrHr Trimester/ 

Year 

Completed 

SOCW 601: The Social Work Profession in a Diverse Society 3 

SOCW 605: Human Behavior and the Social Environment I 3 

SOCW 606: Human Behavior and the Social Environment II 3 

SOCW 615: Social Welfare Policies and Provisions 3 

SOCW 665: Social Work Research 3 

SOCW 705: Social Work Practice I 3 

SOCW 706: Social Work Practice II 3 

SOCW 720: Field Practicum I 2 

SOCW 721: Field Practicum I Integrative Seminar 2 

SOCW 725: Field Practicum II 2 

SOCW 726: Field Practicum II Integrative Seminar 2 

SOCW _______ Elective 

SOCW 801: Transition to Advanced Social Work 2 

SOCW 805: Contexts and Theories of Practice 3 

SOCW 810: Social Work Practice with Families 3 

SOCW 812: Social Work Practice w/Children & Adolescents 3 

SOCW 820: Practice Evaluation 3 

SOCW 837: Policy Practice w/Children & Families 3 

SOCW 853: Field Practicum III 3 

SOCW 854: Field Practicum III Integrative Seminar 2 

SOCW 855: Field Practicum IV 3 

SOCW 856: Field Practicum IV Integrative Seminar 2 

SOCW _________ Elective 

SOCW _________ Elective 

Student Signature ___________________________ Date: __________________ 

Advisor: ___________________________ Date: __________________ 

Notes: __________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________ 

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Foundation Curricula 

Description of Curricula 

Overview 

The foundation curriculum consists of 32 credit hours of course work that is 

completed in two years on a part-time basis or one year on a full-time basis. This 

curriculum covers the nine foundation areas and culminates in a 420-clock hour field 

experience that spans two terms, Fall and Winter Trimesters. This section describes the 

foundation course work in each of the nine foundation areas, in the following order: 

values and ethics, diversity, populations-at-risk, social and economic justice, human 

behavior in the social environment, social welfare policy, social research, social work 

practice, and field. Except for the introductory course (SOCW 601), no discrete courses 

cover values and ethics, diversity, populations-at-risk, and social and economic justice. 

Rather, this content is infused throughout the HBSE, policy, research, practice, and field 

foundation courses. 

The Governors State University Master of Social Work degree program consists 

of 60 credit hours of foundation and advanced course work that prepares students to 

become advanced professional practitioners working with vulnerable, at-risk children and 

families in the public and private sectors. The foundation curriculum prepares students in 

a generalist perspective, and includes course work in the nine foundation areas: social 

welfare policy, human behavior in the social environment, social work research, practice, 

field, social work values and ethics, diversity, social and economic justice, and 

populations-at-risk. There are nine required courses and one foundation elective for a 

total of 32 credit hours of foundation course work. 

The advanced curriculum prepares students for professional practice with children 

and families, and consists of a concentration in Practice with Children and Families. The 

curriculum on the advanced level includes course work in practice evaluation, policy 

practice, contexts and theories of practice with children and families, advanced practice 

with children and adolescents, advanced practice with families, and a field experience in 

the area of practice with children and families. 

Values and Ethics 

Values and ethics are infused throughout the foundation courses. Students are 

socialized into the social work professional values and ethics in phases, beginning with 

identification and moving to internalization. In the introductory course, SOCW 601: The 

Social Work Profession in a Diverse Society, students are acquainted with the NASW 

Code of Ethics and are asked to explore their own ethical framework in relation to the 

professional code using a race, class and gender analyses. The social welfare policy 

course, SOCW 615: Social Welfare Policies and Provisions, prepares student to 

understand, explore and analyze historical and contemporary tensions between and 

personal, professional and societal value positions. 

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The human behavior in the social environment curriculum, SOCW605 and 606 

helps students to recognize the implications of social work values and ethics for the biopsycho-social 

perspective in understanding human behavior. This is a two-semester 

course sequence within which students study and critically analyze social science theories 

and conceptualizations related to human development across the life span as it occurs in 

interaction with the environment. The emphasis of this course is on knowledge 

acquisition, and also on understanding diversity, empowerment, and the promotion of 

social and economic justice. Students also are expected to assess the congruency 

between personal and professional values related to various human behavior theoretical 

perspectives and address any value conflicts. They also defend a value and ethical 

commitment to the profession’s responsibility to promote social and economic justice. 

In the foundation research course, students are exposed to the ethics guiding 

scientific research, and they are expected to demonstrate commitment to these ethics 

when they conduct their own research. They critique research articles and use the ethical 

codes as one of the criteria for this critique. 

While completing foundation practice courses, students have opportunities to 

apply specific social work core values and ethics to case examples and are expected to 

demonstrate that they can resolve ethical dilemmas. Particular emphasis is given to 

developing students’ appreciation for the need for self-awareness and the acceptance of 

the capacity for change in the client system. 

During the foundation field practicum students demonstrate how their practice is 

formed by the values and ethics of the profession, and they are expected to demonstrate 

their commitment to social work values, including those of respect, acceptance of 

differences, mutual participation, honesty, and regard for the worth and dignity of the 

individual. 

Diversity 

One of the objectives of the GSU M.S.W. Program is to develop or enhance 

students’ understanding and appreciation of human differences. The program provides 

students with a beginning knowledge about diverse groups and assists students in the 

development of practice skills that will enable them to serve client populations from 

diverse backgrounds. 

Content on diversity is infused throughout the curriculum in various ways. In the 

introductory course, SOCW 601: The Social Work Profession in a Diverse Society, 

students apply the concept of difference to the analysis of readings, and they reflect on 

how the dynamics of race, class, gender, and sexual orientation have affected their 

personal development and their commitment to social work. In the foundation policy 

course, SOCW 615: Social Welfare Policies and Provisions, students apply their 

understanding of difference in terms of race, class, gender, sexual orientation, etc., in the 

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Comment [ITS1]: Including age, religion, 

physical and mental ability? This is not consistent 

throughout.

analysis of social welfare policies. Students learn how these policies have differentially 

impacted groups historically, depending on membership categories. 

The human behavior in the social environment curriculum provides students 

knowledge of theoretical underpinnings necessary to understand human development 

and human agency. This applied knowledge is the focal point that helps students to 

identify and anticipate the ways in which social injustice affects marginalized individuals 

groups and communities and their development. In the foundation research course, 

SOCW 665: Social Work Research, students are assisted to see how persons with 

different perspectives will approach a research problem in different ways. They are also 

exposed to issues of diversity in the data collection and data analysis process and are 

required to address these issues in the critique of research. 

In the foundation practice curriculum, students develop skills to engage and relate 

appropriately with clients of diverse backgrounds and are assisted in developing 

culturally competent plans of action. Students are expected to apply their understanding 

of culturally competent social work practice to advance the development of skills when 

working with individuals, families, groups, and communities of diverse backgrounds. 

While in the foundation field practicum students develop their proficiency in 

applying differential assessment and intervention skills in practice situations requiring 

sensitivity to diversity. Emphasis is placed on the development of cultural competency, 

and students are applying their understanding of the characteristics of a culturally 

competent practitioner to their roles in the field practica agencies. 

Social and Economic Justice 

Social justice is one of the core values embraced by the social work profession, 

and the pursuit of social change on behalf of vulnerable and oppressed individuals and 

groups is central to the mission of the social work profession. In SOCW 601: The Social 

Work Profession in a Diverse Society, students critically analyze the macroeconomic and 

political forces that produce greater inequality, and critically analyze the impacts of 

economic restructuring on diverse populations. In the SOCW 615: Social Welfare 

Polices and Provisions course, students are applying principles of social justice in the 

analysis of social welfare policies and programs. When evaluating the effects of these 

policies, they are examining the extent to which these policies address issues of social 

inequality and ameliorate social conditions. 

The HBSE curriculum assists students in acquiring knowledge to promote social 

and economic justice for people and groups in need, at-risk, and oppressed. Students 

critically analyze professional literature attending to the themes of strengths, oppression, 

and social justice, and examine various ways in which social injustice in the form of 

oppression and discrimination impacts on individual and social development. 

In the foundation research course, SOCW 665: Social Work Research, students 

apply their understanding of the effects of social injustices in the critique of empirical 

research. Students speculate on the implications of research findings for advancing 

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practice knowledge that will enhance social justice. In the foundation practice courses, 

students are prepared to take action in situations where social and economic inequities 

interfere with client quality of life and access to resources and services. Students are 

applying their understanding of the effects of oppression and discrimination to develop 

intervention strategies that will promote individual well-being and social and economic 

justice. While in the foundation field practica, students are applying their understanding 

of the special needs of populations-at-risk and the impact of discrimination, oppression, 

and economic deprivation to the development of practice skills in the field practica 

agency. 

Populations-at-risk 

The populations-at-risk that are a focus of the program are racial and cultural 

minorities, vulnerable individuals and families, women, and lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, and 

transgendered persons, the aged, and mentally and physically impaired. The effects of 

discrimination and oppression on these populations and a critical analysis and evaluation 

of “isms” are the focus of the content in this foundation area. 

In SOCW 601: The Social Work Profession in a Diverse Society, students are 

exposed to ways professional social workers have confronted oppression and 

discrimination and will critically analyze the impact of economic restructuring on 

vulnerable women and children. Racism, sexism, and homophobia are also examined in 

the social welfare policy course, SOCW 615: Social Welfare Policies and Provisions. In 

this course students analyze readings on poverty of women and children, housing and 

racial discrimination, gay rights, and equal rights for women and their implications for 

social welfare policies and the delivery of social services. 

In the foundation human behavior and the social environment curriculum, the 

negative aspects of discrimination and oppression are considered, and students learn to 

recognize the various ways in which sexism, racism, ageism, homophobia and other 

forms of oppression and discrimination can lead to dysfunctional behavior and 

psychopathology. The foundation practice curriculum help students apply the generalist 

practice model to specific populations such as children who are maltreated, substance 

abusers, lesbian and gay families, and African American families. The foundation 

research course exposes students to empirical studies on populations-at-risk and enables 

them to critique the contributions and limitations of this research. While in the 

foundation field practicum, students will serve clients who are vulnerable and who have 

experienced discrimination, poverty, and oppression. It is through this field experience 

that students sustain their sensitivity and affirm their commitment to serve to these at-risk 

and vulnerable population groups. 

Human Behavior and the Social Environment 

The Human Behavior and the Social Environment foundation includes two 

courses, SOCW 605: Human Behavior and the Social Environment I and SOCW 606: 

Human Behavior and the Social Environment II. The purpose of the HBSE foundation is 

to prepare students to make informed assessments, practice judgments, and knowledgedriven 

interventions and practice. The courses are organized around theoretical and 

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esearch contributions to understanding human behavior over the life span. The HBSE 

sequence incorporates micro, mezzo, and macro perspectives on the biological, 

psychological, social, and cultural development of the person-in-environment. The 

sequence also focuses on the concepts and experiences of oppressed populations, 

populations-at-risk, and issues of social and economic justice as it relates to human 

growth and development. Additionally, students are challenged to think critically and to 

critically evaluate theories regarding human growth and development, oppression and its 

effects, social and economic justice, and issues for populations-at-risk. 

Social Welfare Policy and Services 

The social welfare policy foundation curriculum includes two courses, SOCW 

601: The Social Work Profession in a Diverse Society and SOCW 615: Social Welfare 

Policies and Provisions. In the SOCW 601 course students engage in critical thinking 

about definitions of social work, the defining features of the profession and its historical 

struggles and accomplishments, and its core values and ethics. 

The SOCW 615: Social Welfare Policies and Provisions course covers the 

historical development of the institution of social welfare, including its policies and 

programs, and provides students with an analytical framework for understanding and 

formulating social welfare policy. Particular attention is given to the political and 

organizational processes that influence and shape social welfare policies. 

Social Work Practice 

Generalist practice incorporates ecosystems and strengths/empowerment 

perspectives to assess and intervene with both the person and the environment to improve 

the interactions between them. The generalist practitioner is guided by the profession’s 

attention to the complex relationship between personal and structural impediments to 

human agency and social justice issues. A problem-solving process is applied to work 

with various size systems, including the individual, family, group, organization, and/or 

community. The generalist practitioner acquires knowledge and skills that prepare to 

intervene, simultaneously or sequentially, with more than one system and will assume a 

variety of roles. A broad base of empirically informed research knowledge, professional 

values, a repertoire of skills and culturally competent practice are utilized to address the 

systemic and individual problems. 

There are two courses included in the social work practice foundation, SOCW 

705: Social Work Practice I, and SOCW 706: Social Work Practice II. The foundation 

practice courses are taught within a generalist perspective incorporating an ecologicalsystems 

model. The strengths perspective and concepts of empowerment are also used to 

guide students in the development of generalist practice skills. 

Research 

The research foundation consists of one course, SOCW 665: Social Work 

Research. The purpose of this course is to provide students with an understanding 

of the scientific research process and enables them to critically evaluate empirical 

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esearch in social work. Students are exposed to both qualitative and quantitative 

research methods, and they become familiar with the process of scientific inquiry 

Foundation Practicum: Application of Foundation Knowledge, Values, And Skills 

Students spend 420 clock-hours in the foundation field. In the first term of the 

Foundation Field Practicum (SOCW 720), students provide direct practice services 

within the agency, as well as engage in indirect learning activities that will enable them to 

learn about the systems in which they are working. It is expected that the field placement 

learning experiences will begin with an orientation to the agency and the program to 

which the students are assigned, and that subsequent assignments become progressively 

more difficult as they build upon proven competencies. 

Students are enrolled in an integrative seminar (SOCW 721) which meets in a 

classroom setting and which is taken concurrently with the field practicum. In this, they 

are assisted with the integration of the knowledge acquired in the foundation. Second, 

they are sharing how they are applying this knowledge to the field experience and what 

they are encountering in the process. Third, the seminar allows students to compare their 

experiences with those of their peers thereby expanding their knowledge. 

In the second term of the foundation Field Practica (SOCW 725), students are 

expected to remain in the same field placement and continue developing and deepening 

their application of what they have already learned. Students will utilize theoretical 

perspectives learned in the HBSE and practice courses to guide them in their assessments 

of client systems. They will demonstrate the incorporation of values and ethics in their 

performance with clients and colleagues in the field agency. Students enter the 

foundation practicum with a theoretical understanding of the special needs of at-risk 

populations and the impact of discrimination, oppression, and economic deprivation and 

apply this understanding to a variety of practice situations in the field agency. 

In the second term of the foundation Integrative Seminar (SOCW 726), in 

conjunction with Field Practicum II, students are expected to deepen their understanding 

of the impact of oppression, discrimination, and economic deprivation and incorporate 

this understanding when engaging in assessments and intervention planning. The course 

assignments and case studies challenge students to think critically about unstated 

assumptions and fallacies in reasoning and think about ways to promote social and 

economic justice. 

Transition to Advanced Social Work: SOCW 801 

To help ensure that advance placement and transfer, students begin the second 

half of the program at the same “starting gate” as students who took the GSU M.S.W. 

Program foundation curriculum, the program requires students completing the advanced 

placement program to take SOCW 801, Transition to Advanced Social Work, the summer 

before the fall trimester. This course integrates the unique aspects of the foundation 

curriculum in the areas of social justice, human behavior in the social environment, social 

welfare policy, practice, and research. Emphasis is placed on critical thinking and how it 

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16 




is addressed within each of the foundation areas. In addition there is a writing for course 

required for students accepted into the advanced standing program. 

Description of Advanced Curricula 

Overview 

The advanced curriculum, Practice with Children and Families, consists of 

28 credit hours of course work, including a 480-clock-hour field experience. This 

concentration prepares students to serve the needs of vulnerable children and 

families in the public and private sectors. The basic tenets that underlie the 

advanced curriculum are the beliefs that a caring family is the best and least 

restrictive environment for raising children and that maintaining families requires 

social supports, including income, affordable housing, accessible health care, 

quality education, and a fair and reasonable justice system. Supporting family 

integrity requires informal community supports, safe neighborhoods, spaces for 

childhood play, peer groups, and so forth. 

In our advance curriculum social justice is both a process and a goal. The desired 

goal is full and equal participation of all members/groups in a society that is mutually 

shaped to meet their needs. It also includes a vision of society where resources are 

distributed equitably, and all members are physically and psychologically safe and 

secure. Individuals in such society, particularly those in social locations shaped by 

scarcity, can be enabled to develop their full capacities, and empower themselves and 

become social actors in their own lives. 

Social justice as process must also be democratic and participatory, inclusive and 

affirming of human agency and human capacities for working together to create change. 

It is this notion of social justice as goal and process that informs our advance curriculum 

as advance practice with children and families, grounded in a social justice ethic. The 

faculty recognize that developing a social justice process as described is a formidable 

undertaken in a society steeped in oppression. Knowing the daunting task before our 

students our foundation and advanced concentration provides concrete ways to define and 

analyze oppression , and how it operates at various individual (including self) cultural, 

and institutional levels. Preparing our students to understand oppression as a very 

complex social phenomena, will enable them to act more effectively against oppressive 

circumstances and conditions as they arise in practice, their own lives and especially the 

lives of vulnerable children and families. 

The GSU MSW Program offers a concentration in the Practice with Children and 

Families that prepares advanced professionals to serve the needs of vulnerable children 

and families in the public and not-for-profit sector. The basic tenets of the advanced 

curriculum is the belief that our first familial community is the best environment for 

nurturing children, strengthening families (biological or constructed) and empowering 

ourselves to acquire the social supports needed, including income, affordable housing, 

accessible health care, quality education, and a fair justice system. Maintaining families 

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also requires informal community supports, safe neighborhoods, spaces for childhood 

play, peer groups, etc. We believe that a wide range of parenting practices, varying as a 

result of race, ethnic, cultural, community and family difference, exist and provide 

adequate care for children. It is our contention that central and urgent concerns of the 

profession include: 1) addressing inequalities and injustices in the distribution of needed 

resources to maintain healthy families; 2) supporting the development of informal 

supports; and, 3) resisting and redressing discrimination and oppression of families and 

children based on “difference” from a dominant, white, heterosexual middle class societal 

norm. 

The goal of the concentration is to prepare advanced professionals to serve the 

needs of vulnerable children and families in the public and private sector. 

Underlying Tenets/Principles 

1. A family is the best environment for raising children. 

2. Maintaining family requires social supports, including income, affordable 

housing, accessible health care, quality education, and a fair and reasonable 

justice system. 

3. Maintaining families requires informal community supports, safe 

neighborhoods, spaces for childhood play, peer groups, etc. 

4. A wide range of parenting practices and beliefs that vary by race, ethnicity, 

culture, class and familial differences do exist and provide the context in which 

children can thrive or deteriorate. 

Practice, the way we think about it, and the conceptual lens we bring to the 

problem at hand is always shaped by theory, formal or informal, tacit or expressed. How 

we approach social work from a social justice stance, serves several important purposes; 

the problems we identify as needing remedy, the solution we entertain as viable, and the 

methods we choose as appropriate for reaching those solutions are all theoretical as well 

as practical questions. Theory and practice are intertwining parts of the interactive and 

historical process which Freire calls praxis (1970). The ideas and conceptual approach 

that shape our understanding of social justice are drawn from a number of critical 

theorists, all of whom embrace the notion that context, history, social location, human 

agency and power are all vital to our understanding and acting to affect change (Finn & 

Jacobson, 2002, 2004;Freire, 1970; Hill Collins, 1991; 2000; Andersen & Hill Collins, 

2007; hooks, 1994). 

Concentration Objectives 

This concentration prepares advanced professionals to serve the needs of 

vulnerable children and families. At the completion of the concentration students will: 

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1. Analyze the differential effects of cultural, historical, political, globalization, 

technological changes, and social-economic influences on children and families; 

2. Integrate knowledge of social work values and ethics into autonomous practice 

with children and families; 

3. Demonstrate effective leadership skills in social and human services 

organizations, including application of leadership theories, interpersonal skills, 

problem-solving skills, and decision-making techniques; 

4. Conduct multidimensional assessments on complex issues with children and 

families that include environmental strengths and stressors such as cultural, 

economic, political, spiritual, and social relationship factors; 

5. Analyze, integrate, and differentially apply various treatment models and 

techniques used in practice with families, children, and adolescents; 

6. Differentially apply theoretical perspectives to child and family practice and to 

assess the impact of these theoretical views on policy, programs, organizations, 

practitioners, and clients; 

7. Appropriately conduct, critically analyze, and utilize qualitative and quantitative 

research to evaluate practice interventions and to inform social welfare policy 

development with children and families; 

8. Apply knowledge of discrimination and social and economic injustice and 

integrate principles of empowerment, advocacy, and a strengths-perspective with 

vulnerable children and families in multicultural communities; 

9. Integrate knowledge of various policy practitioner roles (including legislative, 

administrative, and advocacy activities) to improve services to and promote the 

well-being of children and families 

10. Develop and expand programs and services for children and families in 

communities where resources to meet client needs are scarce 

11. Utilize and provide supervision and consultation in the delivery of advanced 

practice with vulnerable children and families within organizational and 

community contexts. 

SOCW 805: Contexts and Theories in Practice with Children and Families 

The SOCW 805: Context and Theories in Practice with Children and Families 

enables students to demonstrate an increasingly sophisticated grasp of the structures, 

institutions, and ideas that shape and constrain the conditions of family and child life; to 

assess the impact of these contextual factors on particular children and families; and to 

identify the possibilities and prospects for change. Students also learn how to critically 

evaluate the assumptions about families and children that underlie their own beliefs and 

actions and to assess the utility of theories currently at work in the field. The 

philosophical principles shaping the development of this course reflect enduring themes 

and commitments of the social work profession. The focus on the “person-inenvironment” 

has been one of the enduring themes of social work. Central assumptions 

of this course are that the structures, institutions, and ideas that make up the person-in- Comment [ITS2]: 

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environment are historically dynamic and that the social forces affecting diverse children 

and families are different and unequal. 

SOCW 810: Social Work Practice with Families 

The purpose of the SOCW 810: Social Work Practice with Families course is to 

enable students to engage, interview, assess, and intervene with families to aid in 

resolving problems or achieving goals. Special attention is given to strengthening 

students’ ability to share power and to display openness, engage in self-reflection, and 

grow in practice with families who may differ from themselves on dimensions of race, 

ethnicity, class, culture and sexual orientation, age, and physical and mental abilities. 

SOCW 812: Social Work Practice with Children and Adolescents 

The SOCW 812: Social Work Practice with Children and Adolescents course 

enables students to engage, assess, and intervene with children and adolescents in order 

to assist them in solving problems or achieving goals. In this course students 

demonstrate positive valuing of children and youth who are considered “troubled” or 

“troubling” by others. Students also display sensitivity toward dynamics of race, age, 

mental and physical ability, ethnicity, class, gender, and sexual orientation in the 

interaction with children and youth. 

SOCW 820: Practice Evaluation 

The purpose of the SOCW 820: Practice Evaluation course is to provide students 

with the knowledge and skills to evaluate their practice and instill in students the 

appreciation of the value of evaluation and a commitment to continuously engage in this 

practice evaluation. The course familiarizes students with the various approaches to 

evaluation research and enables them to identify appropriate evaluation methods. 

Students build upon the research skills acquired in the foundation research course and 

apply these skills to practice evaluation. 

SOCW 837: Policy Practice with Children and Families 

The SOCW 837: Policy Practice with Children and Families course is designed to 

enable students to understand and analyze policies that impact children and families, to 

demonstrate an ongoing professional interest in policy as integral to their practice, and to 

assume policy roles and originate policy practice activities. Emphasis is given to the 

policy practice roles which include: becoming a policy expert, serving as a conduit for 

policy information, and working for policy change within an organization and outside the 

organization at the local, state, or national level. 

Advanced Practicum 

The advanced field curriculum is intended to prepare students to become critical 

thinkers and reflective practitioners as they launch into the world of social service 

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professionals. The Advanced Field Practicum offers practice experience in the 

concentration of Children and Families. Students are assigned to approved field agencies 

for a minimum of 480 hours over the period of two consecutive trimesters. The emphasis 

is on the critical integration of all course work and practice activities with children and 

families. 

Having students become very knowledgeable about and confident of who they are 

as professionals are goals of the Advanced Field Practica (SOCW 853 and SOCW 855), 

as in the foundation, Integrative Seminars (SOCW 854 and SOCW 856) offered 

concurrently with the Field Practica. They are process-oriented courses designed to 

enable students to synthesize and apply what they have learned in the classroom to their 

practice in the field agency. 

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Academic Policies 

Relevant University Academic Policies 

All students are expected to become familiar with GSU policies and to abide by 

the rules and regulations explicated in these policies. The relevant policies, listed below, 

are summarized here and found in detail in the Governors State University Student 

Handbook in the section Policies and Information. 

Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity Policy 

Governors State University is committed to a program of affirmative 

action and strictly prohibits discrimination “based on race, color, gender, 

religion, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, or veteran 

status…” 

Campus Disturbance or Demonstrations 

When the GSU president believes that unlawful activities occurring 

outside the university disrupt educational functions, he or she is authorized 

by the university board to seek assistance from state agencies to deal “with 

those who break the law.” 

Sexual Harassment Policy and Compliance Procedures 

As with other forms of discrimination, sexual harassment is illegal 

and expressly prohibited at GSU. The university will take whatever 

action is needed to prevent, stop, correct, or discipline behavior 

that violates this policy. (NOTE: The GSU policy on sexual 

harassment is lengthy and should be read in its entirety.) 

Student Access to Records 

Enrolled GSU students have the right to physically review their education 

records in the presence of a designated university representative. The 

student may be required to submit the request in writing to the appropriate 

office and present identification. The appropriate office will comply 

within a reasonable amount of time, “not to exceed forty-five days after 

receipt of the request.” Original records cannot be removed from the office 

in which they are maintained. Students may make copies of their 

education record, upon payment of an appropriate charge, except in certain 

cases specified in the GSU Handbook. There are specified limitations on 

the right to review one’s education record, indicated in the GSU 

Handbook. This summary is a sub-part of Students Record Policy. 

Students are advised to read that section in its entirety. 

Student Right to Know and Campus Security Act 

Annual crime statistics and other important information, as required by the 

act can be found in the Department of Public Safety and on the GSU 

website: http://www.govst.edu/sas/t_police.aspx?id=1720 

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M.S.W. Program Academic Policies 

The policies for the M.S.W. program are consistent with those of the University. 

Students have the responsibility to adhere to university and M.S.W. program policies. 

The policies and procedures for M.S.W. students are presented below. 

Admission 

Admission to the GSU M.S.W. program is made on the assumption that 

applicants have the potential academic ability and personal characteristics suitable for 

completing a graduate professional program in social work. Admission to the M.S.W. 

program occurs once per year in the Fall trimester for Full Program students and the 

Spring/Summer trimester for the Advanced Standing degree students. Academic criteria 

for admission decisions include a minimum GPA of 2.50, liberal arts course work in the 

natural sciences (including human biology and statistics), behavioral and social sciences, 

and the humanities and fine arts, and the potential for graduate study. Professional 

criteria include a commitment to social justice and serving vulnerable populations who 

are socially and economically diverse, values, beliefs, and characteristics congruent with 

those of the social work profession, and a potential for becoming an autonomous 

advanced social work professional. 

Each application is reviewed independently by at least two faculty members in the 

M.S.W. program. Essay responses, letters of recommendation, and academic records are 

reviewed and admission decisions are made based on the extent to which applicants meet 

the criteria. Those admitted to the program are required to attend an orientation session 

in which they meet faculty and become familiar with the M.S.W. program. Students 

admitted on a conditional basis must satisfy academic criteria that can be met in the 

summer or at the end of their first term in the Fall Trimester. When admission has been 

extended to the maximum number of persons who can be accommodated, applicants are 

placed on a waiting list and are notified as spaces become available. The waiting list 

expires at the beginning of the Fall trimester. 

Interviews may be requested of applicants who have submitted a complete 

application but for whom additional information is requested to assist in the admission 

decision. The Admissions Committee will schedule such interviews after all applications 

are reviewed. 

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Grading 

Grades and specific guidelines for grading are specified on every course syllabus 

in the M.S.W. Program. The grading policy for M.S.W. courses is consistent with that of 

GSU and reflects the levels of performance shown below. 

A = Consistently superior performance in meeting course expectations 

B = Consistently above-average performance in meeting course expectations 

C = Minimally meets course expectations 

D = Marginal performance in meeting course expectations 

F = Failure to meet course expectations 

P = Pass 

NC = No Credit 

All courses in the M.S.W. Program are graded A through F, except field practica 

and SOCW 801, which are graded with Pass or No Credit. The field practica courses are 

SOCW 720, SOCW 725, SOCW 853, and SOCW 855. Other grading codes used by the 

university to identify the status of the student in the course are as shown below. 

W = Student initiated withdrawal 

X = Administrative withdrawal 

I = Incomplete 

E = Extended incomplete 

M = Grade missing at time of processing 

R = Repeated course 

V = Visitor* 

*A student may register as a “visitor” to a class during the add/drop period upon 

paying the required fee. The registration will not appear on the transcript. 

Registration requires instructor approval. Attendance and the completion of 

assignments are voluntary. 

An instructor may grant an incomplete if he or she accepts the student’s documented 

reasons for not completing the course work. The time allowed for completing unfinished 

course work will be determined by the instructor but will not exceed 15 weeks. Some 

instructors specify conditions for granting an incomplete in their syllabi. To extend an 

incomplete for another trimester, a student may petition the college in writing. Extended 

incompletes, based on extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control and/or for 

valid academic reasons, may be contracted with the instructor, subject to the dean’s 

approval. An extension shall not exceed 15 weeks. After the deadline for submitting 

work has passed, an incomplete (I) or an extended incomplete (E) will become an "F for 

graded courses and an "NC" (no credit) for pass/no credit courses. To be eligible for 

graduation, all incompletes (I or E) must be removed by the graduation processing date. 

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Transfer 

Students who have completed course work from an M.S.W. Program accredited 

by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) will be given transfer credit for 

foundation course work already completed and for which a student received a grade of B 

or better. With the exception of electives no credit will be given for advanced level 

curriculum. Courses completed more than seven years prior to admission to the GSU 

M.S.W. Program are not considered for transfer credit. 

Students who wish to receive transfer credit for course work completed in an 

accredited M.S.W. Program must be in good standing and must submit a letter of 

recommendation from a faculty person in the previous program. Transfer students must 

undergo the admission process and meet the criteria for admission. 

Transfer credit for course work completed in a program that has not been 

accredited by CSWE generally will not be considered. When exceptions are made, the 

course work will be carefully reviewed and transfer credit extended to course work that is 

equivalent to the GSU M.S.W.. As with those transferring from an accredited M.S.W. 

Program, only foundation course work or electives on the advanced level will be eligible 

for transfer credit. 

The determination of transfer credit takes place with the review of transcripts at 

the time of admission. Students will be informed of the number of courses/credits that 

will be accepted toward the GSU M.S.W. degree in a letter notifying them of their 

admission to the M.S.W. program. 

Educational Requirements for Continuation 

To continue and graduate from the M.S.W. Program students are required to earn 

at least a C in each social work course and maintain an overall B average. A grade of P, 

for Pass, must be earned for all field practica--which includes SOCW 720, SOCW 725, 

SOCW 853, and SOCW 855—and SOCW 801. 

Field Placement 

All students graduating from the M.S.W. Program are required to complete field 

placements. Students who complete the full degree program will spend 420-clock-hours 

at the foundation level and 480-clock-hours at the advanced level. Advanced standing 

students will complete 480-clock-hours of advanced field placement. For more detail, see 

the Field Manual. 

Academic Probation 

Governors State University has five categories of academic standing: Good 

Standing, Probation I, Probation II, Suspension and Probation Extended. 

Graduate students are in good standing when they maintain a minimum 

cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. The first time a student fails 

to meet the minimum GPA, she or he is placed on Probation I during the trimester 

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25 




immediately following that in which the student did not meet the established minimum. 

If the GPA minimum is not achieved by the end of the trimester in which he or she is 

enrolled for credit while on Probation I, the student will be placed on Probation II for the 

next trimester. In the event that the student fails to achieve the minimum GPA by the end 

of the Probation II trimester in which the student is enrolled for credit, the student will be 

academically suspended from the university for one year (three trimesters). Students may 

appeal the suspension by submitting to the GSU Committee on Readmissions and Special 

Admissions documented evidence of extraordinary circumstances beyond their control. 

Students placed on suspension will subsequently be subject to the provisions of the 

Policy on Readmissions and Special Admissions. Probation extended is a status that is 

limited to students who are readmitted to the university after having been suspended. To 

be eligible for graduation, students must remove all grades of incomplete (I or E) by the 

graduation processing date. Consult the M.S.W. Program secretary for the exact date. 

Withdrawal Policy 

The withdrawal process must occur within specific timeframes and limits. 

Students considering withdrawal from course work or the M.S.W. Program are expected 

to meet with faculty advisors to discuss the consequences of withdrawal and to complete 

a revised study plan. Failure to meet with the faculty advisor may prevent a student from 

progressing in the M.S.W. Program. 

Withdrawal from course work must adhere to GSU policies and procedures and 

take place within the specified deadlines. Withdrawing from course work in any term 

affects the student’s ability to complete the M.S.W. Degree Program within the 

timeframe specified at admission. 

Code of Academic and Professional Conduct 

Each student is accountable for her/his actions and to the codes and regulations 

set forth by the university and the M.S.W. Program. Regulations regarding student 

conduct apply to actions on the university premises, as well as university-sponsored 

activities off-campus such as in the field practicum agency. 

Academic misconduct covers all violations of academic honesty related to 

fulfilling academic requirements, including but not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, 

and/or knowingly assisting other students to engage in such conduct. 

Termination and Counseling-Out Policy and Procedures 

Termination from the program and GSU results when students violate the conduct 

codes or regulations of either the M.S.W. Program or GSU. Grounds for termination are 

as follows: 

1. Marginal academic performance, which includes 

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a. maintaining less than a B average (below 3.0 GPA) for two consecutive 

trimesters 

b. accumulating grades of incomplete (I) for two consecutive trimesters 

2. Failure to adhere to practicum agency policies or professional standards 

3. Academic dishonesty, including cheating and plagiarism 

4. Failure to use sound judgment, e.g., failure to seek professional help for 

physical or emotional problems that interfere with professional functioning 

5. Exhibiting behavior that interferes with the student’s functioning or 

jeopardizes those for whom the student is responsible, such as clients and coworkers 

6. Behaviors that have negative effect on other students and faculty 

7. Inability to complete the field practica 

The Performance Review Committee, which is a “committee of the whole,” may 

hold a performance review of a student experiencing difficulties that could lead to his or 

her termination from the M.S.W. Program. Any faculty member who becomes aware of 

a student’s developing problem with academic or professional performance may initiate a 

review. 

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Student Rights and Responsibilities 

Statement of Student Rights 

The exercise of students’ rights falls within the more general university-wide 

policies and the delineation of the students’ rights below does not nullify or limit other 

rights possessed by the students. Students have the right of protection with due process 

against prejudice or capricious academic evaluations, improper disclosure of students’ 

views, and limitations upon freedom of expression. Also, students have the right of equal 

opportunity to enjoy these rights without regard to race, color, gender, age, national 

origin, religious creed, sexual orientation, or political beliefs or disability. 

Students have the right to organize in their own interest, and the recognized 

student organization has the right to use the meeting facilities provided by the university, 

as long as the meeting facilities are used for the purpose contracted, subject only to such 

regulations as are required for scheduling meeting times and places. It is the right of 

recognized student organizations to invite and hear speakers of their choice on subjects of 

their choice. 

Students have the right to have representation on committees established in the 

M.S.W. Program, and the right to request changes in the professional practicum and 

faculty advisor. Students also have the right to petition for changes in grades and to 

petition through channels in cases of grade challenges. 

Advisement 

All students will be assigned a faculty advisor when they enter the M.S.W. 

Program. Students must meet with their advisors at least once every academic year, 

although they are encouraged to meet as frequently as they need. There are two purposes 

of meetings with the advisor. A major purpose is to ensure that students have one-on-one 

time to discuss their progress and concerns with, and ask questions of, someone who 

knows study plans. Advisors also support students to stay on track, and provide direction 

that takes into consideration individual circumstances. 

Procedures for Securing Recognition for Student Organizations 

The M.S.W. Program strongly encourages students to form a student organization 

and will assist students trying to become recognized by assigning a faculty advisor who 

will guide the group in this endeavor. GSU policy dictates that any university-based 

organizations must be open to all students regardless of race, creed, gender, (excluding 

fraternities and sororities), sexual orientation, national origin, or disability. Any group 

interested in starting an organization should contact the program director, who will assign 

the faculty advisor. The faculty advisor will meet with interested students and guide them 

through the process. 

Policies and Procedures for Accessing Student Records 

The chair of the Social Work Department maintains M.S.W. Program student 

records and information. Policies and procedures for accessing M.S.W. student records 

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comply with the rules of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 

(FERPA) and the procedures described in the Governors State University Student 

Handbook (http://www.govst.edu/studenthandbook/). 

The M.S.W. Program maintains student records to use as needed to assist students 

in their educational and professional advancement. Records are maintained for a period 

deemed reasonably necessary and the sharing of such information is done in compliance 

with FERPA regulations. Information contained in student records is available to sources 

outside the university only when authorized by the student except when forced by 

subpoena or covered under provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act 

of 1974. For a fee students shall be immediately notified when disclosure under the 

above conditions is requested. 

Individual student records maintained in the M.S.W. Program office include the 

admission records, field practicum records, and individual records of current students as 

they progress through the program. When the student graduates from the program, each 

of these records becomes part of the alumni file. If the student withdraws from the 

program or is terminated, the record becomes part of the non-continuing student file and 

is maintained for a reasonable period before being discarded. 

Enrolled students have reasonable access to their records, as long as access does 

not violate the rights of others and is in keeping with the GSU policy on access to student 

records. Any student who is or has been enrolled in the GSU M.S.W. Program can 

access his or her educational record by making a written request to the M.S.W. Office. 

According to university policy students have the right to physically review their records 

in the presence of a designated university representative. Students may have copies of 

records except in cases that are restricted by university policy. 

Student Grievance Procedures 

If a student has a concern regarding an assigned grade, the student must first seek 

resolution by discussing the matter with the instructor. The initial attempt at resolution 

must take place within 15 working days (when the university is in session) of the event 

that is being contested. Students must follow the student grievance procedure published 

in the Governors State University Student Handbook 

(http://www.govst.edu/studenthandbook/). 

Class Attendance 

Students are responsible for attending class and adhering to the policy presented 

in course syllabi. The instructor also should be notified prior to the class period of any 

expected absences. Penalties for absences vary among courses and are the prerogative of 

the individual instructors. 

Students with Disabilities 

Students with disabilities or special needs requiring accommodation in order to 

have equal access to the classroom must register with the designated staff member in the 

Division of Student Development. Please go to Room B1201 or call 708-534-4090 and 

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ask for the coordinator of Disability Services. Students will be required to provide 

documentation of any disability when an accommodation is requested. 

Student Services 

Child Care 

The Child Care Center/Family Development Center is open 7:00 a.m. to 10:45 

p.m., Monday through Thursday and 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Friday. The center is 

licensed by DCFS and has a capacity to serve 40 children, ages three to 12 years. The 

director of Child Care Services holds an M.S.W. and is licensed by the state of Illinois. 

Check with the center directly for current programs, capacities, and services. 

Transportation 

Metra provides train service to University Park from downtown Chicago. Metra 

travel information is available by telephone at 836-7000, dialing from Chicago and/or 

Chicago-area suburbs (312, 773, 708, 847 and 630). Information also is available on their 

website at metrarail.com. The Pace Bus provides bus service on weekdays between the 

University Park Metra train station and Governors State University (Route 367). Pace’s 

telephone number is the same as Metra’s (836-7000). The Pace Bus website also displays 

schedules and routes: pacebus.com. Detailed information for Metra and Pace is available 

in Appendix B. 

Locating Information about Other Student Services 

The GSU Student Handbook describes an array of services available to students 

that may not be reflected in full or at all. Please consult that resource or the GSU website 

www.govst.edu) for complete information. 

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Comment [ITS3]: Add child in class policy.

Faculty Profiles 

Gerri Outlaw, Ed.D, M.S.W., Chair of the Social Work Department, 

Professor and Director of the M.S.W. Program. Professor Outlaw assumed the Chair 

of the Department in July, 2004. Professor Outlaw joined the M.S.W. Program in June 

2001 and has more than twenty years of social work education experience teaching in the 

areas of research and social welfare policy. For six years she was a full-time faculty 

member at Loyola University, School of Social Work, teaching in the research and policy 

curricular areas. During her six-year tenure at George Williams College, GWC School of 

Social Work at Aurora University, she taught Social Work with Diverse Populations and 

Social Work Community Practice and chaired the research curriculum area. Immediately 

prior to joining the M.S.W. Program, Dr. Outlaw was an assistant professor in the Social 

Work Program at Northeastern Illinois University. Her primary teaching responsibilities 

were in the Research and the Social Welfare Policy Curricular areas. 

As a social work educator Dr. Outlaw has maintained an ongoing research-based 

collaboration with local west and south side Chicago communities. Dr. Outlaw is 

committed to utilizing her research, program planning and policy practice knowledge to 

help communities build capacity to change the quality of life for marginalized groups in 

Chicago. Her community based volunteer, consultative and leadership development 

work have focused on HIV and AIDS education and prevention in African American 

communities, youth development critical feminist pedagogy, grounded in a social justice 

ethic. She has led a number of local workshops, presented at national conferences and 

published work on collaborative community based research and development work 

carried out primarily in the public health arena. Dr. Outlaw has served two terms as a 

commissioner on the Commission on the Role and Status of Women in Social Work 

Education of the Council on Social Work Education. 

Carol Bruell, MS, MSW, LCSW is the Director of Field and Continuing 

Education for the Combined BSW and MSW program and her principal responsibilities 

in the social work department include screening agencies and field instructors, securing 

field contracts, and placing students in the foundation and advanced field practica. Ms. 

Bruell earned her B.S. degree in elementary education at Northern Illinois University. 

Her graduate education includes an MS in education for Counseling from Purdue 

University Calumet and an MSW from Loyola University of Chicago. She also 

successfully completed the one-year certificate program in Family Systems at the 

Institute for Juvenile Research in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of 

Illinois in Chicago. She began her tenure at GSU in the MSW program in June, 2000. 

Prior to that appointment she had 12 years of administration and counseling experience at 

South Suburban College as Program Coordinator for vocational training programs for 

economically disadvantaged youth and adults. She also taught Sociology for 12 years at 

South Suburban College. Her practice experience includes work in mental health settings 

providing therapy services to children, adults, and families and providing case 

management services to people with chronic mental illness. She currently has over 13 

years additional therapy experience in managed care settings. She worked in inpatient 

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and outpatient units of the Department of Psychiatry at Children’s Memorial Hospital in 

Chicago. Immediately before joining the faculty at GSU, she had been Clinical Manager 

in the foster care program at a child welfare agency. 

Community service includes past membership on the leadership council of the 

Greater Illinois Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association in which one of her numerous 

responsibilities was to serve as chair of the committee for the annual fundraising event. 

In addition, she currently is a board member for PSC Charities which is a non-profit 

agency providing mental health services for low-income, at-risk populations. 

Dr. Elizabeth Essex received her Master of Social Service from the Bryn Mawr 

College Graduate School of Social Work in 1973 and her Ph.D. in Social Welfare from 

the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1998. Prior to her doctoral studies, Dr. Essex 

held both direct practice and administrative social service positions, including executive 

director of a multi-purpose youth center, school social worker, intake/outreach social 

worker for the New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental 

Disabilities, and Program Director for United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Dane County 

Wisconsin. 

Dr. Essex was a faculty member at the University of Illinois at Chicago for seven 

years before joining the faculty at Governors State University in 2005. She has taught 

courses in HBSE, policy, and research. Dr. Essex has conducted research for over ten 

years in the areas of disabilities, gerontology, and family caregiving. She was recipient of 

a Hartford Geriatric Social Work Faculty Scholars award in 2002 and is currently 

Associate Director of the Institute for Aging at Governors State University. 

LORRI GLASS, ABD, ACSW, LCSW 

Degree Information 

Ph.D. University of Illinois at Chicago Anticipated 

Jane Addams College of Social Work 2007 

Council on Social Work Education 2001 - 2004 

Minority Fellowship-Clinical Track 

MSW University of Illinois at Chicago 1980 

Jane Addams College of Social Work 

B.A. Valparaiso University 1978 

Political Science 

Academic appointments: 

Governors State University 2006 – Present 

Instructor/Full Time 

Department of Social Work 

Undergraduate 

Graduate 

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• Generalist Practice 

• Practice with Children and Families 

Valparaiso University 1995 – 2006 

Assistant Professor Full Time (tenured) 2005 

Department Chair 2005 

Director of Field Instruction 

• Practice Methods 

• Family Practice 

• Children and mental health 

• Field case seminar 

University of Chicago/SSA 1993-1995 

Adjunct Professor 

Part Time 

• Diversity 

• Practice 

REASEARCH AND TEACHING INTERESTS 

Dissertation topic: Help Seeking Pathways of African American women who 

have been victims of serious non-sexual violent crime. Chair: Patricia 

O’Brien 

Research interests: feminist methods in practice and research, post traumatic stress, 

mental health, cultural diversity, organizational management, resilience, elder abuse, 

domestic violence, qualitative research methods, intervention research. 

Teaching interests: children’s mental health, adult mental health, practice, crisis 

intervention, family social work, cultural competence, supervision, qualitative research 

methods, program evaluation, group work. 

Practice Interests: mental health, trauma, depression, culturally competent practice, 

Women’s issues, crisis intervention, solution focused brief therapy, cognitive behavioral 

therapy, groups. 

Juan Y. Reed is a 1981 graduate of the School of Social Work of Loyola 

University of Chicago. He served on the counseling staff of Chicago Child Care Society 

and in residential services at Lawrence Hall Youth Services both in Chicago. At 

Lawrence Hall Dr. Reed supervised clinical staff and Social Work Students from Loyola 

as well as the Jane Addams School of Social Work at the University of Illinois at 

Chicago. Dr. Reed also served as Program Director of three Diagnostic units at 

Lawrence Hall. For the past fifteen years Dr. Reed, an Episcopal priest has served as 

pastor of an urban congregation which has as it’s mission a focus on spirituality and 

social justice. 

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Dr. Reed’s undergraduate degree is in Philosophy and he has a Master of Divinity 

from Seabury Western Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry Degree from the 

Catholic Theological Union at Chicago. His D. Min. thesis-project was an ethnographic 

study of African American gay men in predominately African American congregations 

across denominations. He has adjunct teaching experience at Seabury Western 

Theological Seminary in Evanston, IL and the Catholic Theological Union. He extensive 

experience in supervision of field education students from various seminaries. In his 

congregation he has also supervised students from the School of Social Service 

Administration at the University of Chicago. He has served on the board of several 

Chicago area social service agencies. Dr. Reed has been involved with HIV/AIDS 

services for almost twenty-five years. He also has long term involvement with issues 

around GLBT individuals and families. 

Dr. Reed teaches the Integration Seminar for Advanced Field Work Students and 

a course in Spirituality and Social Work Practice. He is a frequent lecturer in issues 

around African American GLBT people in African American communities. 

Robert Rickle, Ph. D., M.S.S.W., holds a Doctorate of Philosophy in Clinical 

Social Work from the Chicago Institute for Clinical Social Work. He completed his 

Master of Science in Social Work at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, with a 

concentration in Administration and Planning. He has worked with Governors State 

University since 2003, first as an adjunct professor and now as a lecturer is social work in 

the College of Health Professions, Department of Social Work. He teaches introduction 

to policy and research courses, as well as Introduction to Social Work, Interprofessional 

Teamwork, and Children and Families. 

Dr. Rickle has worked as a school social worker and clinical director at 

Independence High School and other local area schools for over 35 years. He has also 

served as Executive Director and as a social worker for the Calumet Youth and Family 

Services Agency. Dr. Rickle was in private practice in the local area. He has presented on 

Medications for Treatment of ADHD at the Medication and Psychotherapy Conference. 

Dr. Rickle’s research interest relates to children with ADHD. 

Asabi S. Yakini, Ph.D.,LCSW. Dream big and bring about change…that sounds 

rather idealistic, however life is full of astronomical possibilities. As a child in Chicago I 

dreamed of becoming a social worker. Who was my model? My mother’s patron who 

was a social worker. She told her chilling stories from her chair every two weeks in my 

mother and godmother’s beauty salon. I also observed women and men from various 

walks of life who visited that business establishment. Each had life challenges---some 

made positive changes, some did not. How could I “help people” alter their conditions in 

life? I felt I had received the “call” to do social work. In the next few paragraphs I’ll 

share my past and present social work career and educational contributions. I will also 

discuss research interests, grants, conference presentations, publications and future 

research and creative activities. 

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My elementary and high school instruction took place in Chicago. Undergraduate 

years were spent at Illinois State University and Wheaton College (Wheaton, Illinois). 

From the time I received my master’s degree in social work from Clark Atlanta 

University until my enrollment in the doctoral program at Jane Addams College of Social 

Work at University of Illinois (Chicago) I offered my skills and expertise at various 

organizations. While I resided in Atlanta I was director of follow-up at the Council on 

Battered Women. In Chicago I held the positions of coordinator of prevention-teen 

pregnancy unit at the Hull House agency-Clarence Darrow Center; pediatric social 

worker and lecturer in the Children’s Hospital at Cook County Hospital (now John G. 

Stroger). I was employed as the licensed clinical social worker and coordinator of the 

Drug Free Families with a Future program at Chicago Urban League; and coordinator 

and assistant director of social work at Mile Square Health Center-University of Illinois 

at Chicago. At Habilitative Systems, Incorporated I lent my knowledge and capabilities 

as the clinical coordinator and supervisor of foster care, licensing, the staff nurse and 

adoptions. While at Harold Washington City College my title was program counselor and 

resource director. I gained great insight, learning to dream big as I interacted with 

students. The enormous task was to partner, empower and bring change to these 

developmentally disabled individuals. “Firm yet caring” was a superlative to describe my 

intervention with young teen mothers at the Greer Center—a small state supported home 

for teen mothers in foster care. My title in this facility was clinical coordinator. 

I received my Ph.D. in Social Work and graduated from the University of Illinois 

at Chicago. My dissertation title is “Youth Violence Prevention and After School 

Programs: A Survey of Chicago Public Schools.” From this doctoral journey my research 

interests developed as youth, family and community violence prevention. My first 

position after graduation was Assistant Professor and Chair in the Social Work 

department at the Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU) in Charlotte, North Carolina. 

Courses taught were Community Organization, Social Welfare Policy, Research and 

Social Work Practice. The JCSU Social Work and Counseling Departments collaborated 

on a grant and received funding from the federal government for prevention of sexual 

assault of women on campus. My Charlotte community volunteer involvement included 

being participant in the local Urban League chapter, member of the National Association 

of Black Social Workers and conference presenter at the Association of Social Workers 

Beverly Younger, M.S.W., Ph.D., L.C.S.W., C.E.A.P., received a doctorate in 

philosophy and a master’s degree from Jane Addams College of Social Work at the 

University of Illinois at Chicago. She is a licensed clinical social worker and a certified 

Employee Assistance professional. In addition to four years teaching experience at the 

M.S.W. level, Dr. Younger has extensive experience in training curriculum development, 

delivery, and evaluation in private and public settings. 

With 13 years experience in occupational social work, Dr. Younger has worked 

with corporations to develop, deliver, and evaluate employee assistance services that 

support employees coping with disabilities and personal crises. Earlier experiences in a 

large community mental health agency included both direct service and executive-level 

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administration. For the last seven years, Dr. Younger has worked on a national basis with 

domestic violence organizations and employers to develop best practices in workplace 

domestic violence prevention. 

Dr. Younger’s early research interests focused on corporate responses to the 

personal needs of workers and to federal legislation regulating employer personnel 

practices. More recently, she completed a longitudinal evaluation of a workplace 

domestic violence prevention program. Her publications include three articles in referred 

journals, as well as a book she co-edited. Dr. Younger is a frequent presenter at 

conferences and training workshops across the country. 

Maristela C. Zell, PhD, LCSW received her Masters in Social Work from 

Loyola University, Chicago, and her Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of 

Illinois’ Jane Addams College of Social Work. Her dissertation, Child Welfare 

Caseworkers: Who They Are and How They View the System, was a secondary analysis 

of data collected in a three-year study of case planning for children entering state custody 

in New York and Chicago. In the summer of 2000, Dr. Zell was one of four Ph.D. 

students receiving a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 

Administration for Children, Youth and Families, Office on Child Abuse and Neglect to 

develop her dissertation research. After completing her Ph.D. program in 2002, Dr. Zell 

joined the Department of Social Work at Governors State University, where she teaches 

social work practice courses at foundation and advanced levels. Dr. Zell’s current 

research areas of interest include: social work practice in child welfare settings; 

globalization and its effects on indigenous people and minorities of the global South; 

social movements and activism; issues of recruitment and retention of Latinos in higher 

education institutions. 

Maristela Zell has extensive experience supervising caseworkers and clinicians, 

conducting training, developing curricula, and providing consultation to various public 

and private child welfare agencies. Prior to coming to Governors State University, D. Zell 

provided individual and family therapy to clients involved with the child welfare system 

in Illinois. Maristela Zell’s clinical practice includes work with individuals and families, 

in the areas of sexual abuse and incest, juvenile sex offending, family counseling, and 

group counseling. In addition, Dr. Zell provided consultation to the Illinois Department 

of Children and Family Services from 2000 to 2002, conducting extensive clinical 

reviews of complex, high-profile cases, and making recommendations regarding safety, 

permanency, and well-being of children involved with the department. 

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