The University of Akron Wayne College will offer six upper level social work courses for the first time this spring to provide greater educational access to area residents pursuing bachelor's degrees. Plans are in place to offer the entire bachelor's degree in social work on the Wayne campus beginning in fall 2013.
The spring classes will be taught by University of Akron professors and will be held on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The classes are open to students who have completed their associate degree in social service technology and to students who have completed the first two years of courses leading to a bachelor's degree in social work.
"This will allow local students who have completed two years of social work education to finish their bachelor's degree without leaving the area," said Dan Deckler, interim associate dean of Wayne College.
Distance learning makes access easier
The courses for spring will be offered through distance learning (DL) technology, a two-way interactive video system that enables students and professors to interact in real-time regardless of their location. Professors will be on the Akron campus teaching classes to students there and at the Wayne College campus simultaneously. The courses to be offered are Social Work Practice I, Social Work Practice I Skills Lab, Social Work Ethics, Human Behavior and Social Environment II, Social Policy Analysis for Social Workers, and Social Work in Health Services.
Dr. Timothy McCarragher, director of The University of Akron School of Social Work, said the partnership provides a practical approach to higher education.
"I am very pleased that we are offering these upper-level courses at UA Wayne College," he said. "Local pathways to four-year programs make sense, especially for working adults who find it difficult to commute to main campus."
UA Wayne College is a regional campus of The University of Akron, and is located at 1901 Smucker Road in Orrville. In addition to the new social work curriculum, it also offers business-related bachelor’s degrees, the first two years of coursework for most four-year degrees, associate degrees, and continuing education and certificate programs.
Media contact: Regina Schwartz,330-684-8786 or reginas@uakron.edu.