Students are assigned to social work faculty by the BSW Program Coordinator based on workload and student preference.  Students may receive a faculty advisor in social work before formal admission to the BSW program. Students may make a request to the BSW Program Coordinator for a change in advisor.  Whenever possible, this request will be honored.   STUDENTS ARE URGED TO SCHEDULE AT LEAST ONE ADVISING CONFERENCE PER SEMESTER WITH THEIR ADVISORS UNTIL THEY GRADUATE. 

The faculty advisor has several specific objectives to accomplish:

·         Explaining requirements for general education and the social work major.

·         Instructing the student to review the Social Work Student Handbook.

·         Discussing prerequisites, corequisites, and the overall relationship of courses to each other in the social work major.

·         Providing academic guidance in the areas of course choice consistent with the objective of preparation for generalist practice and related to student interests.

·         Completing academic degree program forms for student records.

·         Assisting the student in assessing practicum sites suited to the student's interests and educational needs.

·         Providing information and counsel regarding the social work admissions process.

·         Informing advisees about extracurricular activities such as Social Work Club and Alpha Delta Mu.

·         Providing role modeling in the areas of social work values and professionalism.

·         Assisting students in assessing their aptitude and motivation for a career in social work.

·         Providing for regular review of the student's educational performance in all facets of the social work program. 

·         Being available to discuss personal/academic concerns of students and serving as a broker to link students to needed services.

·         Providing information about graduate school opportunities and assisting students interested in pursuing this option.

Advisors will assist students in understanding all university and departmental requirements, but the student is ultimately responsible for completing all requirements and knowing the degree requirements of the major.  

The role of the social work advisor is not a therapeutic one.  Social Work faculty members do not provide personal counseling to social work majors. Instead, when needed, they may refer students needing personal counseling to other resources either inside the University or in the community.

Schedule Planning

Students should see their advisor soon after they declare their major and schedule an appointment with him/her at least once a semester.  The student and advisor have access to University online audit reports that give up-to-date information about the student’s records.  The Social Work Progress Form may be used by the student and advisor to monitor progress in the general education and major requirements. 

In preparation for meeting with advisors to discuss scheduling, students should review courses taken and the course schedule in order to develop a tentative plan for registration. Students should schedule appointments with advisors in advance, considering the   faculty members’ regularly scheduled office hours.

Monitoring Student Performance

During each semester, advisors receive grade reports on all their advisees.  If a student's performance has been inadequate, the advisor will discuss the problem with the student.  In addition, when the student is formally admitted into the BSW Program, the advisor may be given the responsibility of talking with the student about deficits or concerns.  This process serves as an informal check on the growth and progress of social work students.

Difficult Decisions  

In accordance with the Council on Social Work Education guidelines, all social work majors are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner consistent with the 1999 NASW Code of Ethics.  The School of Social Work reserves the right to refuse enrollment or continuation to any student who, in the judgment of a majority of the BSW Admissions Committee, has emotional or personality problems which would be detrimental to the welfare of the clients whom the student would serve or who exhibits such irresponsible behavior as to preclude confidence in his/her ability to complete SWK 490.  This right includes the more difficult problem of counseling out the student who performs well academically but does not relate appropriately to people, or is emotionally or psychologically unstable or immature.  If appropriate, such a student may be referred to the Missouri State University Counseling and Testing Center.  Advisors may also recommend the student consider other alternatives to gain further experience, maturity, and perspective.  The student might be advised that s/he should not continue in the program, with every effort made to help him/her understand and accept this difficult decision.