Mission

The Social Work program at LAU seeks to prepare students for generalist social work practice, through the provision of a professional foundation curriculum. The curriculum contains the common body of the profession’s knowledge, values, and skills that is transferable to group settings, and social problem areas. The program endorses a liberal arts perspective, and a professional foundation content, which prepares students for direct services with client systems of vari­ous sizes and types.

Program Objectives

The purpose of the Bachelor of Arts in Social Work is to:

1. Provide students with foundational knowledge in the field and to allow them to use bio- psychosocial development across the life span, with an integrative multidimensional approach;
2. Instill in students the skills for assessing the social functioning of individ­uals and families, and design appropriate intervention strategies;
3. Contextualize the knowledge learned with the issues of practice;
4. Apply social work principles with client systems, including families;
5. Prepare graduates to work with diverse populations;
6. Recognize the social contexts of social work practice and the changing nature of those contexts;
7. Demonstrate the values and ethics that guide the profession social work­ers;
8. Prepare graduates who are aware of their professional responsibility for continued professional growth.

Program Outcomes

Graduates in Bachelor of Arts in Social Work will be able to:

1. Apply critical thinking skills, within the context of professional social work practice;
2. Practice within the values and ethics of the social work profession; and
3. Demonstrate professional attitudes towards diverse populations and value the culture and sub-culture of various groups.

Admission Requirements

To enter the major, students must meet the general university requirements.

Graduation Requirements

A total of 92 credits are required to graduate, based on:

Program Requirements

A Senior Study Project is required for all students in addition to successful completion of the course of study.

Major Core Requirements (21 credits):

• SOC301 / Introduction to Social Work (3 cr.)
• SOC313 / Family and Child Welfare (3 cr.)
• SOC402 / Social Work Intervention I (3 cr.)
• SOC403 / Social Work Intervention II (3 cr.)
• SOC404 / Social Work Practicum I (3 cr.)
• SOC405 / Social Work Practicum II (3 cr.)
• SOC499 / Social Work Senior Study (3 cr.)

Social Science Requirements (18 credits): 

• SOC201 / Introduction to Sociology (3 cr.)
• SOC311 / Social Problems (3 cr.)
• SOC321 / Sociology in the Arab World (3 cr.)
• PSY201 / Introduction to Psychology (3 cr.)
• PSY204 / Social Psychology (3 cr.)
• PSY311 / The Exceptional Child (3 cr.)

Free Electives (19 credits)

Study Plan

Year One

Fall: 14 credits

• SOC201 / Introduction to sociology
• SOC301 / Introduction to Social Work
• ARA2— / Arabic (3 cr.)
• CSC201 / Computer Applications (1 cr.)
• English Course - Based on the EEE Score (3 cr.)
• HLT201 / Basic Health (1 cr.)

Spring: 15 credits

• PSY201 / Introduction to Psychology
• SOC313 / Family & Child Welfare
• ENG102 (3 cr.)
• ETH201 / Moral Reasoning (1 cr.)
• PED— / Physical Education (1 cr.)
• Free Electives (4 cr.)

Year Two

Fall: 15 credits

• SOC 402 / Social Work Intervention I
• SOC 204 / Social Psychology
• SOC 311 / Social Problems
• PSY 311 / Exceptional Child
• ENG 202 / Sophomore Rhetoric (3 cr.)

Spring: 18 credits

• SOC 403 / Social Work Intervention II (3 cr.)
• LAC Elective (3 cr.)
• ENG 203 / Fundamentals of Oral Science (3 cr.)
• LAC Elective (3 cr.)
• Free Elective (6 cr.)

Year Three

Fall: 18 credits

• SOC321 / Sociology of the Arab World (3 cr.)
• SOC404 / Practicum I (3 cr.)
• LAC Electives (6 cr.)
• Free Elective (3 cr.)

Spring: 15 credits

• SOC 499 / Senior Study – Social Work (3 cr.)
• SOC 405 / Practicum II (3 cr.)
• LAC Electives (9 cr.)
• Free Elective (3 cr.)

Extracurricular Activities

The program encourages students to get involved in a large variety of extracurricular activities. LAU offers a variety of student clubs ranging from environmental protection, Red-Cross, UNESCO, cultural and social work clubs.

In addition, many Social Work students have the opportunity to volunteer in any NGO of their choice which are made available through a yearly NGO fair organized on campus.

Furthermore, social work students have the opportunity to participate in lectures, university campaigns and activities organized by the school, department and affiliated institutes and centers, especially the Civic Engagement and Outreach Unit.

Social Work students have also the opportunity to spend two semesters in field organizations of their choice to hone their skills in social work practice and prepare themselves for employment.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the program can pursue a career in the following areas:

• Local and International NGOs
• Government ministries or departments
• Schools
• Entry-level health & mental health facilities
•  Humanitarian and community agencies