February 15, 2013
Northwestern Oklahoma State University has been granted reaffirmation of accreditation for its social work program by the Commission on Accreditation of the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Accreditation was granted until February 2021.
To remain accredited, Kylene Rehder, social work program director and department chair, worked with faculty to prepare documentation and a written self-study that covered the program’s mission and goals, implicit curriculum, explicit curriculum and assessment. In October 2012, Dr. Tina Hancock, a site visitor from CSWE, visited the program and interviewed faculty, administration, advisory board members and students.
“Reaffirmation of accreditation assures the highest quality of education to our students and prepares them for the professional practice of social work,” Rehder said.
CSWE is a national association preserving and enhancing the quality of social work education for practice and promoting the goals of individual and community well-being and social justice. The profession of social work in the United States looks to CSWE-accredited programs to produce social workers with the knowledge and skills to be professional social workers.
“Trained with the professional foundation of social work, graduates are prepared to address complex psychosocial functioning in individuals, families and groups, as well as create change in society to enhance the welfare of all people,” Rehder said.
Dr. Janet Cunningham, president of Northwestern, praised the work of Rehder and the department’s faculty.
“Preparing for an accreditation visit requires many, many hours of additional work to ensure success,” she said. “Ms. Rehder and her staff have built a very successful program and we are proud of them for bringing national recognition to the program and to Northwestern.”
An accredited social work program means students become professional social workers post-graduation, become license eligible, and are able to apply for advanced standing placement to an entity that offers a Master of Social Work degree. Typically, the master’s program is a two-year program, but is reduced to one year for students who have a Bachelor of Social Work degree from an accredited institution.
To learn more about Northwestern’s social work program, contact Rehder at kdrehder@nwosu.edu or (580) 327-8135.
-NW-