About the Social Work Department

What is Service Learning?

The idea of "service learning" has been at the core of Taylor's social work department. By integrating this concept of learning by experience into the curriculum, students see themselves as contributing to the community in more significant ways at each level of the program.

The social work program initiates students into this system of learning in their first introductory course, Explorations in Social Work, and builds on this concept with electives and a senior-level practice methods course.

History

Taylor became an affiliate member of the Council of Social Work Education (CSWE) in the 1970s. The first students to earn social work degrees from Taylor graduated in 1971. The curriculum was revised in 1976 to reflect the CSWE requirements for baccalaureate social work programs.

By 1977, students could graduate with BA or BS degrees in social work. The CSWE granted initial accreditation status to the program in 1980, and reaffirmed accreditation in 1988, 1994 and 2003. Although the social work program was formerly part of the sociology department, it now functions as a separate department within the Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

Taylor University's social work program is currently offered at both Taylor and Taylor University Fort Wayne, and the programs are nearly identical. The entire social work faculty teaches at both locations and students may transfer between campuses for either a single term or permanently. The program is intentionally designed to bring students from the two campuses together for field trips, social events, service projects and professional development.