By Heather Calhoun
UHCLIDIAN STAFF

In December, the UH-Clear Lake Social Work Program will have its first graduating class. Four students are expected to graduate this semester with a bachelor's degree in social work.

Social work instructors Dana Smith, Needha Boutte-Queen anmd Stephen Erich prepare to graduate the first four students from the social work program.
photo by Angela Stone



"The idea of starting a social work program at the university began 10 years ago," said Stephen Erich, bachelor of social work program director. "Key people in the community thought that having a social work program was a great idea, since the Houston area is under represented."

Aside from Texas Southern University, Houston area colleges were lacking a social work program for students wanting to receive their bachelor's degree. Four years ago, Provost Edward Hayes awarded the School of Human Sciences and Humanities new initiative funds to pay for the social work program's maintenance and operations.

Human service agencies, community colleges and members of the community were all contacted to see if they were willing to support a social work program.

The community and human service agencies gave their support and soon money was used to hire faculty to get the program up and running. Students officially began taking classes in the social work program in summer 2001.

"There are approximately 30 students in various stages of the program as of now," said Needha Boutte-Queen, director of field education. "Most of those students come from Galveston and the greater Houston area."

The BSW program differs from other programs in a number of ways. For example, it is different from psychology or sociology in that the program looks at clients from a strength based perspective.

"This generalist perspective is taught on the bachelor level, meaning that social workers use a broad knowledge base, using different perspectives, working with diverse clients and taking into account that the client exists within systems that interact with one another," said Eva Cavazos, co-director of the social work program. "This means that the individuals, families, groups and organizations interact and are part of those systems."

The social work program requires that, along with the required coursework, students complete 480 hours of unpaid internships to receive their degree. The students complete their internships over two semesters at approximately 16 hours per week.

"The internships allow the students to work with clients, families, groups and organizations," Boutte-Queen said. "Some of the fields the students complete their internships in are child welfare, probation, school systems, mental health and mental retardation, hospice, domestic violence and sexual abuse. We try to find internships in the Galveston and Houston area to better accommodate students who live in those areas." Erich said students in the social work program have many opportunities once they graduate from the program.

"Students in the program may sit for licensure of the state of Texas to become a licensed social worker," Erich said. "That adds credibility to the profession and supports students in their job search."

For those interested in gaining a bachelor's degree in social work at UH-Clear Lake, a separate admissions application must be completed along with the standard admission application that all students must submit. The application consists of three professional letters of recommendation, a statement of interest to be completed by the student and transcripts from previously attended colleges.

"The full-time faculty then sit down together to evaluate all of the student's grades and applications to see if the student is appropriate for the program," Erich said. "Our first obligation in this case is to use professional judgment to protect those folks in the community."

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