At A Glance

Carthage’s professional social work curriculum equips students with knowledge, values, and skills necessary for generalist practice. Through required field experiences, the department provides students with supervised opportunities to master the requisite competencies in actual practice situations.

Major

  • Social Work

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Special Programs

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Viewing the profession through a social justice lens, Carthage social work majors learn to work with individuals, families, communities, and organizations. Each senior then completes a community-based, two-semester internship to demonstrate the competencies needed in practice. The Carthage program allows many social work majors to enter graduate school with advanced standing.

The Carthage Social Work Department is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, an international agency that assures a program meets the standards established for a bachelor’s degree in social work.

  • <div class="lw_widget lw_widget_type_blockquote"><blockquote class="blockquote"><div class="blockquote__image"><picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/115/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/288,300,2195,2208/38785_10815_163701665847155.rev.1699841410.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/115/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/288,300,2195,2208/38785_10815_163701665847155.rev.1699841410.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/115/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/288,300,2195,2208/38785_10815_163701665847155.rev.1699841410.webp 3x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/115/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/288,300,2195,2208/38785_10815_163701665847155.rev.1699841410.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/115/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/288,300,2195,2208/38785_10815_163701665847155.rev.1699841410.jpg 3x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/115/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/288,300,2195,2208/38785_10815_163701665847155.rev.1699841410.jpg" alt="Emily Van Dixhorn" width="183" height="183" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/115/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/288,300,2195,2208/38785_10815_163701665847155.rev.1699841410.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/115/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/288,300,2195,2208/38785_10815_163701665847155.rev.1699841410.jpg 3x" data-max-w="1907" data-max-h="1908" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div><div class="blockquote__content"><div class="blockquote__quote"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="icon icon-round-left-quote" width="48" height="33"><use xlink:href="#icon-round-left-quote"/></svg><p> “All the social work classes I have taken are so interesting, and the professors really want the students to learn and grow.”</p></div><footer class="blockquote__footer"><span class="blockquote__author"><a href="/live/profiles/2566-emily-van-dixhorn">Emily Van Dixhorn</a> ’26</span></footer></div></blockquote></div>
  • <div class="lw_widget lw_widget_type_blockquote"><blockquote class="blockquote"><div class="blockquote__image"><picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/115/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2400,3200/38604_10501_163701665847155.rev.1697131974.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/115/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2400,3200/38604_10501_163701665847155.rev.1697131974.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/115/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2400,3200/38604_10501_163701665847155.rev.1697131974.webp 3x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/115/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2400,3200/38604_10501_163701665847155.rev.1697131974.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/115/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2400,3200/38604_10501_163701665847155.rev.1697131974.jpg 3x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/115/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2400,3200/38604_10501_163701665847155.rev.1697131974.jpg" alt="Gabriella Tanguay" width="183" height="183" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/115/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2400,3200/38604_10501_163701665847155.rev.1697131974.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/115/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2400,3200/38604_10501_163701665847155.rev.1697131974.jpg 3x" data-max-w="2400" data-max-h="3200" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div><div class="blockquote__content"><div class="blockquote__quote"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="icon icon-round-left-quote" width="48" height="33"><use xlink:href="#icon-round-left-quote"/></svg><p> “Students should consider social work because it is an eye-opening major that completely changes how people view the world. It is a major that aims at being the groundwork for helping people.”</p></div><footer class="blockquote__footer"><span class="blockquote__author"><a href="/live/profiles/2528-gabriella-tanguay">Gabriella Tanguay</a> ’25</span></footer></div></blockquote></div>
  • <div class="lw_widget lw_widget_type_blockquote"><blockquote class="blockquote"><div class="blockquote__image"><picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/115/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,827,826/38984_11301_163701665847155.rev.1704825483.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/115/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,827,826/38984_11301_163701665847155.rev.1704825483.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/115/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,827,826/38984_11301_163701665847155.rev.1704825483.webp 3x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/115/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,827,826/38984_11301_163701665847155.rev.1704825483.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/115/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,827,826/38984_11301_163701665847155.rev.1704825483.jpg 3x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/115/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,827,826/38984_11301_163701665847155.rev.1704825483.jpg" alt="Yadalia De Leon" width="183" height="183" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/115/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,827,826/38984_11301_163701665847155.rev.1704825483.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/115/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,827,826/38984_11301_163701665847155.rev.1704825483.jpg 3x" data-max-w="827" data-max-h="826" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div><div class="blockquote__content"><div class="blockquote__quote"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="icon icon-round-left-quote" width="48" height="33"><use xlink:href="#icon-round-left-quote"/></svg><p> “I chose Carthage because of the programs it has to offer! No matter how I want to spend my time at Carthage, I feel there will always be something for me.”</p></div><footer class="blockquote__footer"><span class="blockquote__author"><a href="/live/profiles/2595-ydalia-de-leon">Ydalia De Leon</a> ’25</span></footer></div></blockquote></div>

Social Work Major

Social work is an undergraduate major that prepares students to be competent and effective professionals, educated to provide leadership in the development of critical social service delivery systems. Based on a belief in the intrinsic value of all humankind and the advancement of social justice and human rights, we are committed to educating students to become anti-racist, anti-oppressive, generalist critical social work practitioners. Our program is committed to an interdisciplinary approach that integrates the liberal arts with critical social work knowledge and values to serve those most marginalized in the U.S. and the world by advancing social justice through courageous ideas and actions.

The Carthage Social Work Department follows academic standards for professional preparation set forth by the Council on Social Work Education. All aspects of the department are developed within the history, philosophy, and values of the profession.

Department Goals

  • Social work majors participated in a lunch and discussion with former Maine governor John Baldacc... To educate students in applying professional values, ethics, and knowledge grounded in anti-oppressive theories and social work practice.
  • To educate students in the values and knowledge of critical social work and social justice in collaboration with other disciplines.
  • To graduate anti-racist BSW generalist practitioners who will become courageous social change agents in their community.
  • The Social Work Department recognizes the insidiousness of institutional racism and is committed to being a leader at the College toward becoming an anti-racist institution.

Social Work Major Competencies

Carthage College abides by the Council of Social Work Education accreditation standards. The education competencies are as follows:

  • Social work degree class of 2019 after the senior banquet. Competency 1: Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior
  • Competency 2: Engage Diversity and Difference in Practice
  • Competency 3: Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice
  • Competency 4: Engage In Practice-informed Research and Research-informed Practice
  • Competency 5: Engage in Policy Practice
  • Competency 6: Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
  • Competency 7: Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
  • Competency 8: Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
  • Competency 9: Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

For the complete accreditation standards from the Council of Social Work Education, please see the EPAS 2015 Report.

CSWE Accreditation Report on Competency Standard