Kent School of Social Work & Family Science

About the Kent School

The Kent School of Social Work & Family Science is comprised of five, degree awarding programs (BSW, MSSW, MSCFT, PHD, DSW), the Field Education Program, & the Center for Family & Community Well-Being. The Kent School  is a community in which faculty, students and staff collaborate to promote excellence in professional social work and couple and family therapy (MFT) by addressing complex social problems through education, research and service. As part of its mission to be an anti-oppressive School, the Kent School of Social Work and Family Science  is dedicated to promoting anti-racism in all its endeavors, including service, research, teaching, practice, policies, and climate. 

Structure

The Kent School administrative, faculty, staff  and programmatic offices are located in several buildings across the Belknap and Shelby campuses.  Kent School Administration, the Business Center, as well as the BSW and MSSW Program offices are located in Oppenheimer Hall, the Field Education Program is located in Strickler Hall, while the doctoral Programs (Ph.D., DSW) are located in Patterson Hall.  The MSCFT Program is located on Shelby campus in Burhans Hall. 

Kent School Administration

The complete and up-to-date list of Kent School leadership is located on the Kent School website.

Faculty and Departmental Information

The complete and up-to-date list of Kent School faculty is located on the Kent School website.

BSW Program Information

BSW Program Mission:

The mission of the Kent School of Social Work & Family Science BSW program is to prepare students for generalist social work practice with diverse, vulnerable and marginalized individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.  We take an anti-oppressive stance in educating students to intervene at the micro, mezzo and macro levels through the application of critical thinking and the incorporation of available evidence to inform practice that responds to complex social problems. The program contributes to the mission of the University as a great place to learn, by providing engaged service and outreach that improves the quality of life for local and global communities. The educational part of our mission is accomplished through theoretically and empirically driven approach to pedagogy in our on campus and on-line instruction and transformative learning experiences.

BSW Program Goals:

• Prepare graduates for generalist social work practice with vulnerable and marginalized individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities through the acquisition and demonstration of social work practice behaviors consistent with CSWE educational standards and policies and the NASW Code of Ethics.
• Prepare graduates to understand bio-psycho-social, spiritual, and cultural functioning and apply it to all client systems.
• Prepare graduates to promote social and economic justice through their practice with diverse client systems. 
• Prepare graduates who continue to develop professionally throughout their careers to meet new challenges and opportunities.

Academic Integrity Statement

A primary goal of the Kent School of Social Work & Family Science is to educate students who will serve society with competence and integrity—both are key to meeting the needs of vulnerable populations and to promoting social justice. Both the National Association for Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics (www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English) and the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) Code of Ethics (www.aamft.org/Legal_Ethics/Code_of_Ethics.aspx) list integrity as a core value of our work. Thus, we practitioners behave in a trustworthy manner. In accordance with the NASW and AAMFT Code of Ethics and the University of Louisville, we at the Kent School of Social Work expressly forbid cheating, fabrication, falsification, multiple submission of the same work, plagiarism and complicity in academic dishonesty. Several explicit examples are provided below. However, these examples are not exhaustive. All students are to be familiar with the various forms of academic dishonesty as explained in the University of Louisville Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities (louisville.edu/dos/students/studentrightsandresponsibilities).

Plagiarism describes the use of someone else’s work without giving specific credit for those words to the original author. It is acceptable to use someone else’s words in our compositions. When we do so, however, rules of credit/citation must be observed (unless otherwise directed by the instructor, written assignments must conform to APA format, per the most recent edition of the APA manual). Plagiarism may include, but is not limited to:

• Copying someone else’s work and claiming it as your own without proper credit/citation regardless of the source (e.g., someone else’s computer files, or from the internet);
• Paraphrasing someone else’s work and claiming it as your own;
• Collaborating with someone else and claiming the work as your own; or,
• The use of a substantial portion of a graded paper from one course, as a submitted assignment to obtain credit in another course, without instructor permission.

Cheating and complicity in academic dishonesty may include, but are not limited to:

• Capturing of course materials by any means and using any device (e.g., camera, screenshot) with the intent to distribute.This relates to all course materials including assignment requirements, quizzes, tests, and the like, with or without incorrect/correct answers, and no matter the point allocation (e.g., 2-point open-book quiz vs. 20-point exam).
• Intent to distribute may relate to students who are enrolled or planning to enroll at the University of Louisville, or who are enrolled or planning to enroll at any another institution of higher education.
• Completing work collaboratively that is meant to be individual work (e.g., taking an online exam in the presence of other students and “helping” each other in any way).
• Acquiring direct knowledge of academic dishonesty of other students (e.g., being copied on an email with other students engaged in dishonest academic activities) and failing to report it. While we recognize the discomfort and challenges associated with notifying appropriate authorities, reporting academic dishonesty aligns with the NASW Code of Ethics Ethical Responsibilities as Professionals regarding dishonesty, fraud, and deception. It also aligns with the AAMFT Code of Ethics regarding the avoidance of deceptive, fraudulent, misleading, or exploitative practices.
• Paying for any material (e.g., a paper, exam) and submitting it as your own.

All of these offenses are serious breaches of academic conduct. A plea of ignorance is not an acceptable defense against violation of our academic integrity statement. Evidence of violation of academic integrity may lead to a failing grade for the assignment or course, referral for academic review, expulsion from the Kent School of Social Work, and/or other consequences as determined by appropriate authorities. The decision regarding penalties for violating academic integrity is at the discretion of the instructor(s) and/or an academic review committee.

Student Conduct Policies

Students entering the Kent School BSW Program, by their formal acceptance into the School, agree to abide by The Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers and the Code of Student Conduct of the University of Louisville. The NASW Code of Ethics provides guidelines for the professional conduct of social workers. Since the profession is directed by a commitment to core values, the Code provides for conduct related to principles of service, social justice, dignity and worth of the individual, the importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence. These values and the standards inherent in them provide a context for expected behavior during the period of enrollment in the educational programs of the Kent School of Social Work, and for the development of lifelong professional standards.

Lower Division: A cumulative GPA of 2.0 or above is required to remain in Good Standing. If a student’s cumulative GPA falls below 2.0, then the student will be given a warning and will be required to meet with the BSW Advising Team for planning and oversight. If in the following semester the student’s cumulative GPA remains less than a 2.0, the student will be placed on probation. A cumulative GPA of 2.0 or above in the following semester will be required to return to Good Standing.

Students will be placed on suspension following probation if the cumulative GPA remains below 2.0.  Students must sit out at least one semester excluding summer when suspended. Students will not be reinstated more than twice; the third suspension is an academic dismissal. Students academically dismissed can only return through special permission from the enrollment unit.

Upper Division: If a student gets a failing grade in an upper division social work foundation/core course they will need to meet with their BSW Advisor. Students may also be referred for an academic review if they are in jeopardy of dismissal from the program for any other reason (e.g., professional performance). 

A cumulative GPA of 2.5 or above is required to remain in Good Standing.  If a student's cumulative GPA falls below 2.5, then the student will be given a warning and will be required to meet with the BSW Advising Team for planning and oversight.  If in the following semester the student's cumulative GPA remains less than a 2.5, the student will be placed on probation. A cumulative GPA of 2.5 or above in the following semester will be required to return to Good Standing.

Students will be placed on suspension following probation if cumulative GPA remains below 2.5 for three consecutive semesters.  Students must sit out at least one semester excluding summer when suspended.  Students may apply to another unit.  Students will not be reinstated more than twice; the third suspension is an academic dismissal. Students academically dismissed can only return through special permission from the enrollment unit.

Academic and Professional Standards Review Committee is intended to ensure that the context surrounding the incidents that lead to the academic review are well understood before any recommendations are made.

The BSW Program will notify students at the end of each semester if academic reviews are needed. Any faculty person may recommend a review for any students who appear to have engaged in inappropriate conduct in violation of the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics, or the Code of Students Rights and Responsibilities.

Dismissed Students

If the Academic and Professional Standards Review Committee decide to recommend dismissal for a student from Kent School and if this dismissal is approved by the Dean (or designee), students will only be allowed to return to Kent School in rare cases. Students who wish to return must write an appeal letter to the BSW Director, stating their reasons why they think they can return to Kent School to complete their studies.

Advising Services

The Kent School of Social Work Advising and Student Services strives to provide students with excellent academic advising, consistent and accurate program information, and services related to registration, financial aid, and admissions.

BSW advising offices are located in Oppenheimer Hall.  For more information regarding scheduling an undergraduate advising appointment, questions concerning enrollment and student services, or the application to the BSW program, you can reach us by email at bswkent@louisville.edu.