Sakarya University Faculty of Arts and Sciences Department of Social Work conducts scientific studies for social change, empowerment, and solving problems between individuals in order to increase the well-being of them, families, groups, communities and societies. These studies consist of human rights, social justice, social welfare, behavior of individuals and their environment, respect for differences, social integration, social change and social development. Education and researches of this department are carried out in line with these studies.
Since social problems are getting more complex throughout the history, solution strategies that are shaped within the context of modern education perspective based on systematic and academic basis provided opportunities for presenting social work in higher education level and making the social work as an occupation in a professional manner. For that reason, our academic program was established as one of first programs in day time education in 2006 at Sakarya University Faculty of Art and Sciences and it was started first degree education with academics having experience in multidisciplinary background in social work. Thereafter, because of rising demand and necessity in the field, our evening education was opened in 2012 and still students are actively participating in this program. In 2013 our Master Degree program with thesis started to accept students. In 2022 our Ph.D. program started and, we aim to educate qualified academics in the social work field. In coming future, it is planned to open Master Degree program without thesis which will be aimed at having an education with holistic approach. The faculty members of the department consist of academics who have a direct relationship with social work, and have worked in this field with a multidisciplinary perspective, and benefit from different disciplines.
Since 2010 our students are graduated from our faculty, and throughout the four-year education period, our students have been able to develop their skills in social change, respect for differences, cultural competence, sensitivity towards the psycho-social needs of individuals, intellectual capacity, reading existing problems in a different way, observation ability, dynamism rather than stasis, and the opportunities that are provided for them to have the right communication skills. The courses of the department are aimed at working in many different fields at the level of children, youth, women, elderly, disabled, family, group and society, in accordance with the knowledge, skills and values of social work to equip individuals who will work and practice in the field of social work.
In order to contribute to the development of our students, our department has opportunities to study via Erasmus, Farabi, Mevlana, Double- Major, and Minor programs. For example, it is possible to make a Double Major with 10 different departments from our university.
Fields of social work include disability, elderliness, child, youth, violence, poverty, family, women, refugees, homelessness, addiction, racism, mental health, gender, and the same issues in a wide range of areas. The social workers are graduating with minimum knowledge in theory and practice for every problem area. When analyzed for employment opportunities, students graduated from social work has a chance for work both public and private sector institutions that serve with these fields.
