BSW in Social Work
About the program:
The degree grants a license to work in this profession in a variety of roles, as defined in Israel’s 1996 legislation on social work.
Letter from the head of the department:
As the head of the Department of Social Work, I believe that social workers possess knowledge that is of great value to society regarding forging frameworks for social affiliation as well as of treatment and organizational processes that help people change and have an impact on their lives. Assisting and treating individuals and families, developing social networks, and organizing systemic processes to engage people to take care of themselves and their surroundings – all these are practices that only are studied by social workers.
The Department of Social Work is built on the world view that people cope with different life issues that are influenced by social issues that are expressions, for example, of unfair division of resources, power relations between groups, and marginalization. Therefore, as the head of the Department of Social Work and as an educator in the field of social work, I believe that the educational and training processes for social work must involve exposure to social dialogue and social criticism as well as an introduction to therapeutic processes and training in interpersonal skills and group interventions that facilitate coping with the implications of this social dialogue. I see the program in social work as an opportunity to: convey and develop the advanced theoretical and practical knowledge needed to assist and treat individuals, families, and communities; increase the number of therapists who specialize in specific populations and of expert professionals who serve in senior positions in social service organizations; and educate social workers who facilitate personal and social change.
Dr. Ronit Reuven Even Zahav
About the field:
Global Definition of the Social Work Profession (International Federation of Social Work):
“Social work is a practice-based profession and an academic discipline that promotes social change and development, social cohesion, and the empowerment and liberation of people. Principles of social justice, human rights, collective responsibility and respect for diversities are central to social work. Underpinned by theories of social work, social sciences, humanities and indigenous knowledge, social work engages people and structures to address life challenges and enhance wellbeing. The above definition may be amplified at national and/or regional levels” (IFSW, 2014).
Social work is an academic, therapeutic profession that addresses social problems such as poverty and violence and their sources and seeks to advance individuals, families, and communities beyond the limitations and difficulties with which they are coping. Social work deals with change and relies on a systemic view of individuals in their surroundings. It draws on knowledge from the disciplines of psychology, law, ethics, and public policy and adopts a variety of therapeutic methods that relate to the individual, family, group, and community level.
The Department of Social Work’s goal is to educate students to be professionals who possess personal and social awareness plus the ability to observe, initiate, and think critically. The program seeks to endow its alumni with a professional and academic education in social work, enable them to develop their professional identity, knowledge, values, and ability to identify social problems, and instill them with sensitivity to the multicultural environment in Israel and the changes that are occurring in the regional and national sphere.
Since its establishment, the Department of Social Work has worked diligently to develop and deepen ties between academia and the community in order to serve as a center for knowledge and enrichment for residents of the region. The program in social work at the Ruppin Academic Center combines theoretical and practical content that is tailored to the distinctive needs of the community in which it operates: developing theory for working with small communities at moshavim and kibbutzim; therapeutic methods sensitive to multiculturalism for working in communities that are marginalized or under-represented (Ethiopian immigrants, Arab society); workshops on how to successfully adapt to studies at institutions of higher education for students in the program; and distinctive seminars in which Social work clients participate.