Dalton State College will offer a part-time and weekend Bachelor of Social Work program in Calhoun and Cartersville, beginning this fall, which includes both “onsite” and online classes.
Created for working professionals, Dalton State’s program is designed to provide highly trained, culturally competent, professional social workers who have a working-level knowledge of Spanish to meet the needs of the residents of Northwest Georgia, College officials say.
“One of the biggest advantages of this program is that current employees of the Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS) may be eligible for full funding of their BSW through the IV-E Child Welfare Training Program and the Staff Enrichment and Educational Development (SEED) Program,” says Dr. David Boyle, Associate Professor of Social Work and Director of Dalton State’s program.
“Whether or not a student is employed in the field before entering the program, they should find that they are in high demand with prospective employers, especially with agencies such as DFCS, once they graduate with a BSW degree,” he continues.
Dr. Boyle says that Dalton State’s degree program is designed to equip graduates to work, under professional supervision, as generalists within a range of social science and health care settings and to have the ability to communicate effectively with the Hispanic community, including recently arrived Latino families, and the existing “Appalachian” community.
The program will admit students who have completed an associate of arts degree with a grade point average of 2.0 or higher. All students must apply through Dalton State’s Office of Enrollment Services. Late applications will be processed through September 15. Graduates “pay” for their education by committing to employment with DFCS once they have completed the program.
Jane Wimmer, Coordinator of the part-time IV-E Child Welfare Program at Dalton State, will teach for the program. A graduate of Rutgers University with a Master of Social Work degree, Ms. Wimmer is a doctoral candidate at the University of Georgia.
Classes will be offered on evenings and on Saturdays. This fall, two classes will be offered: a Monday evening class at the Coosa Valley Technical College in Calhoun and one “online” class.
Additional classes will be offered next spring at Coosa Valley and at the Bartow Center in Cartersville.
For more information, please contact Dr. David Boyle at 706-272-2682.
