ISSUED: 24 October 2018
MEDIA CONTACT: Valerie Owens
SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV — Shepherd University social work graduates who took the 2017 Association of Social Work Boards had a 100 percent pass rate on the exam, which is higher than the North American pass rate of 71 percent.
Shepherd’s Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.) exam pass rate has been higher than the North American pass rate for the past 13 years, according the Craig Cline, director of the Social Work Program. Cline said Shepherd’s average pass rate for the past 10 years is 96 percent, which is significantly higher than the average North American pass rate of 71 percent for the same time period.
“As social work faculty, we’re always delighted to see our students excelling in professional practice,” Cline said. “Shepherd social work graduates are well prepared to sit for the B.S.W.-level exam. Their 600-hour senior field placement provides them many opportunities to apply curricular concepts to real-life situations.”
Cline said the practical application of social work skills, knowledge, and values, coupled with the Social Work Program’s emphasis on ethical practice, sets the stage for their success.
“Of course, it is ultimately our students’ determination and dedication to the profession that enables them to achieve success on the licensing exam,” he said.
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