V.  Advancement

If you wish to enter the Junior year Methods sequence, you must apply for Advancement in the Sophomore year.  The process begins in the Spring semester when application forms are made available.  The process ends prior to the beginning of the Fall semester when all pre-requisites have been met.  If you complete this process, you will receive one of four decisions: advanced, conditionally advanced, deferred, or denied.  If given conditional Advancement, you will meet with your advisor throughout the next semester to address issues identified during the process (i.e. improving your g.p.a.).  If you do not complete the conditions of your Advancement, you can be dismissed from the program.

Criteria for Advancement:

1.  You must be a Sophomore who will have Junior standing by the next Fall semester.

2.  You must file a completed application by the deadline date for first consideration (see Appendix B).

3.  You must write typed responses to questions posed on the application.

4.  You must have a 2.5 average for the prerequisites course work

5.  You must have a grade of “B-” or better in SOC 218: Introduction to Social Work and SOC 272: Exploring Community-Based Social Work.  Transfer students can establish equivalency for SOC 272 two ways: (1) through a supervised Human Services Internship or (2) through a Social Work faculty supervised Independent Study requiring 120 volunteer hours completed in a human services agency plus an assigned term paper in which the student discusses how the agency responds to social problems and reflects upon the meaning of the experience using the generalist social work perspective.  The average paper length is 20 pages.  Volunteer hours will be verified and the paper will be graded.  Students given this option must achieve a grade of “B-” or better on the paper.

6.  You must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or higher.

7.  Three (3) letters of recommendation must be filed. 

8.  You must participate in an interview with the social work faculty.

9.  Incoming transfer students must provide a transcript of previous course work when making application.

10.  You have demonstrated behavior, qualities, and characteristics expected of a professional social worker.

Please Note: If you do not complete this process by the start of Fall semester classes, you will not be admitted into the upper level social work courses until the following year.  A history of disruptive or unstable behavioral problems, a questionable work history, non-acceptance of social work values and practices, and any unethical/unprofessional actions are all grounds for non-acceptance into the program even if the objective criteria are met.  If you are denied Advancement, you have a right to appeal the decision (see Section IX).

Admission to the major, Advancement, and progression through the curriculum are based upon the published criteria (catalogs, Handbook, Field Manual, course syllabi).  Race, color, religion, creed, gender, ethnic or national origin, disability, age, political orientation, veteran status, or sexual orientation play no role in any program decision.  It is not only against the law and the policies of this university but it also violates the social work ethic of non-discrimination and the social work mission to promote social justice.  (Please refer to the abbreviated Code of Ethics and the NASW Social Work Code in this Handbook).  If any you feel you have been a victim of discrimination, you are strongly encouraged to read the Student Rights section of this Handbook and pages 203-221 of the Undergraduate Catalog which outline academic policies, student rights, and grievance procedures.  

A.  Transfer Students

As a transfer student, you can only be approved for Advancement when you:

            a.  Are formally accepted into SUNY Fredonia for the Fall semester. 

            b.  Transfer 55-60 credit hours.

            c.  Have finished the pre-requisite courses and experiences.

d.  Establish equivalency for Introduction to Human Services and Exploring Community-Based Social Work, if requested.

            e.  Successfully complete the Social Work Advancement process.

You should begin your career at Fredonia with an intensive advising session with a social work faculty member.  In this way, you can be guided to the appropriate courses, increase your understanding of the program and, hopefully, begin a meaningful relationship with your advisor. 

If you start classes at Fredonia in the Spring semester of what would be your Junior year and you have completed the prerequisite courses, you cannot begin the upper-level methods/human behavior courses until the following Fall semester.  You will be advised to complete general education requirements and to take appropriate electives.  When the Advancement process begins in the Spring semester, you may complete the application and go through the process with other eligible students.  If you transfer with less than Junior standing, you are admitted as a social work major and advised accordingly.

1.  Establishing Transfer Approval/Equivalency

Courses transferred for social work credit from other colleges must be approved for credit.  Pre-requisite and required courses must also have equivalency determined.  This means that the social work program must determine that the purpose, content, and scope of the course is the same or similar enough to the SUNY Fredonia course that it can stand in the place of the SUNY Fredonia course.  To accept the course and/or to determine equivalency, the Program Director will ask you to provide the syllabus from the course needing approval.  The Program Director may contact the college/university to gather more information to make a determination.  If approved, a Transfer Credit Approval form must be filed with the SUNY Fredonia Registrar.  Forms are available through the Department Secretary (W363 Thompson Hall).

Please note:  Not all students will be asked to provide information for approval/equivalency.  The social work program has reviewed many, but not all, 2 year human service degree programs and has established transfer credit approval/equivalency for many courses.  These listings are filed with the SUNY Fredonia Admission’s Office.  Upon transfer, the Admission’s Office will give credit for these courses.  

Joint Admissions: SUNY Fredonia and JCC have a joint admissions agreement.  Students enrolled in this option do not have to establish equivalency but they do have to go through the Advancement process with all other students.

Transfer from a CSWE Accredited Program:  Social work courses transferred from a CSWE Accredited program will be approved for credit but may not be judged exactly equivalent to the SUNY Fredonia social work courses.  This occurs because of differences in curriculum and course sequencing among programs.  If you are a transfer student from an accredited program, you will need to meet with the Program Director to determine equivalency.  No equivalency will be granted for the Field Practicum unless placed in an international placement.  Students earning a B.S. degree in Social Work from SUNY Fredonia must complete their 500 practicum hours through the SUNY Fredonia program.      

B.  After Advancement

You must stay in sequence after Advancement if you are to graduate in a timely manner.  If you drop/fail a course or earn a grade of “C-” or less in a course, you will wait one year to retake it.  Some students choose to take a year out-of-sequence to catch-up in hours or earn a dual major.  If you choose to do this, please consult with your advisor so that you can avoid going through the Advancement process again.  If you decide to change your major in the middle of your sequence and you have filed the official paperwork, you must reapply for Advancement into the practice courses if you later change your mind.  (Students who apply for an official leave of absence do not have to reapply for entry back into the social work program, see the Catalog, p. 200 for the Leave of Absence policy.)

The social work faculty can also choose to initiate dismissal proceedings for any student who has a documented pattern of disruptive behavior or unstable behavioral problems, non-acceptance of social work values and practices, and unethical/unprofessional actions.