Department of Social Work and Criminal Justice

Faculty

Houston Thompson (2006)
Associate Professor of Social Work; Chair, Department of Social Work and Criminal Justice; Director, Social Work Program

B.A., 1980, MidAmerica Nazarene University

M.C.M., 1997, Olivet Nazarene University

M.S.W., 1999, Spalding University

Ed.D., 2007, Trevecca Nazarene University

Jan Hockensmith (1993)
Associate Professor of Social Work; Field Coordinator, Social Work Program

B.S., 1974, Olivet Nazarene University

M.S.W., 1982, University of Illinois

M.S., 1994, University of Illinois

Brian Woodworth (2006)
Associate Professor of Criminal Justice

B.S., 1996, Olivet Nazarene University

J.D., 1999, Thomas M. Cooley Law School

Barry Lee (2008)
Associate Professor of Social Work

B.A., 1982, Coe College

M.S.W., 1993, University of Illinois at Chicago

Rachel Guimond (2010)
Assistant Professor of Social Work

B.A., 2002, Point Loma Nazarene University

M.A., 2004, University of Chicago

The Department of Social Work and Criminal Justice operates within the School of Professional Studies. Its mission is to prepare students for a life of service to others through God's call into the social work and criminal justice fields. The goal is to prepare students to work in a variety of social work and criminal justice work settings while living their Christian faith. The department offers two distinct majors: social work and criminal justice. Students may also choose a minor in either of these fields.

The Social Work major consists of 38 credit hours of core social work courses, plus 20 hours of required supporting course work. Students are prepared for generalist, not specialist, social work practice. This means emphasis is placed on developing foundational social work skills that are needed in a wide variety of professional social work environments. Utilizing the person-in-environment (ecological) and strengths-based perspectives, students learn about social work with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

Students must formally apply for the social work major after they have completed 45 credit hours of undergraduate work. In order to be accepted into the major, an applicant must have a 2.3 cumulative grade point average or higher, complete an application packet, provide two character references, and interview with the social work program faculty members.

The social work major carries with it substantial applied learning components in specific courses, as well as a required 450-hour field placement program during the student's final semester of her or his senior year at ONU. The field placement program involves professionally supervised exposure to social work practice in a variety of agency environments. Decisions about where to serve the field placement components are made by the ONU Social Work Program Field Education Director in partnership with the social work student.

The degree conferred, upon successful completion of all requirements, is a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW). The B.S.W. degree prepares students for professional employment in a variety of social work settings as well as for advanced standing admission to many Master of Social Work (MSW) programs. The social work program is accredited by the Council of Social Work Education (CSWE).

The Criminal Justice major consists of 40 hours of core coursework, plus 9 hours of required supporting courses. Social problems, deviant behavior, crime, public safety, and methods of social control are all emphasized in this major. The major seeks to balance theoretical concepts with practical experience. Students will be exposed to a variety of community, legal and police environments.

Seniors are required to successfully complete a 270-hour field placement program in one of four criminal justice fields: police, probation, corrections, or law. Students who successfully complete the criminal justice major will receive the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree. This degree is excellent preparation for careers in law enforcement, probation, the courts, and corrections.

Both majors within the Department of Social Work and Criminal Justice share the same purposes: 1) to increase the student's overall awareness of and sensitivity to the diversity, complexity, and sometimes hazardous nature of social life; and 2) to encourage application of Christian and professional values and ethics in serving human needs throughout society.