BSW Program Director Patty Gibbs-Wahlberg

• Do you see yourself as a “people person”?
• Do your friends tend to turn to you when they need help in thinking through a problem they are having?
• Do you want to help people better their lives and improve their circumstances?
• Do you care about issues like preserving people’s human dignity and effecting social justice to protect those who are most vulnerable to injustice?

Then you are in the right place. Welcome to the exciting and challenging field of social work and to ETSU’s undergraduate social work program!

Social work is a unique helping profession with vast opportunities in many fields of practice, and a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree will prepare you for employment as an entry-level professional practitioner. With a social work degree, you can work

• with children, families, or the elderly in various settings.
• with people who have disabilities and/or are medically needy.
• with criminal offenders or with crime victims.
• to impact social policy affecting large groups of people.
• as an advocate to help those most discriminated against in our society.

A BSW degree will allow you to step into a diverse array of practice settings and to work with people from every age group and every walk of life.

ETSU’s undergraduate social work program will help you to realize your goals to become a professional helper. Our program was amongst the first in the entire country to be accredited by the CSWE when CSWE began accrediting BSW programs in 1974, so we have a longstanding and positive history of preparing social work practitioners who have served our locale and region with distinction.

Just as social workers empower people to meet their needs and to resolve their problems, faculty members empower students to shape an educational experience that meets their interests and career goals. The program builds upon a liberal arts base, drawing from such fields as sociology, psychology, and political science. Students gain knowledge of human behavior, practice methods, social welfare policy, and research tools; they gain skills in interviewing, problem-solving, advocacy, critical thinking, and professional use of self. At the heart of our curriculum is an affirmation and validation of human diversity, of respect for people, and of basic human dignity, coupled with a commitment to the professional values essential to ethical practice.

The education of a professional social worker involves more than knowledge and skill acquisition. It involves a process of professional socialization and personal growth that will enable you, the student, to evolve into a highly effective and compassionate helper. Our well-qualified faculty invites you to join us on this journey of knowledge and growth.

Best wishes as you engage in our educational program in social work. It will change your life and the lives of the many people you will help. YOU can make a difference, and we can help you do it!!

Patty Gibbs-Wahlberg, MSW, EdD
BSW Program Director