Program Overview

This is a Chinese-foreign cooperative education program adopting the "4+0" dual-degree training model, integrating high-quality educational resources from both Chinese and foreign partners. The curriculum fully introduces core courses from the University of Salamanca. Core courses are delivered in English by professors from the University of Salamanca, assisted by Chinese instructors, forming a "dual-teacher collaborative" teaching mechanism. Students complete their four-year studies at Shandong Jianzhu University. Upon fulfilling the credits specified in the training program, graduates will obtain both the undergraduate graduation certificate and bachelor’s degree certificate from Shandong Jianzhu University, as well as the bachelor’s degree certificate from the University of Salamanca.

The Social Work program at Shandong Jianzhu University takes "emphasizing practical skills and highlighting individuality" as its training objective, and adopts a training model of "dual-wheel drive and triple support". It has built a disciplinary platform featuring coordinated development among universities, governments, social organizations and enterprises, and has formed teaching and research advantages in age-friendly community construction, urban-rural integration and community governance, social organization management, social assistance and other fields. The program is committed to serving urban-rural social development and governance, and actively responding to the demand for social work professionals under the innovative social governance system of joint construction, governance and sharing.

The program has established theoretical and practical research strengths in "social construction and urban-rural community governance". It hosts the first street-level social work station in Shandong Province, has built a demonstrative internship and training base for general higher education in Shandong Province, and initiated the establishment of Jinan Jianda Social Work Service Center, making Shandong Jianzhu University one of the earliest universities in the province with a professional institution and frontline social work services.

Training Objectives

Adhering to the socialist orientation of education, the program focuses on "cultivating interdisciplinary social work professionals with global service capacity and localized practical wisdom". Through the "major + English" training model, it nurtures well-rounded individuals of moral, intellectual, physical, aesthetic and labor development who meet the development needs of smart cities in the new era. Students will develop a solid English foundation, broad international vision, systematic mastery of social work theories and practical skills, and competence in social work services and social policy analysis.

Graduates will be able to proficiently apply professional knowledge, methods and skills to conduct social work services, and undertake urban social services, social governance and social policy research in government departments, mass organizations, international organizations and social service institutions. Based on "rooted in China and serving China", the program cultivates high-quality application-oriented professionals who promote the international development of localized social work.

Graduates are expected to achieve the following objectives:

• Possess a correct worldview, outlook on life and values, as well as sound ideological and political qualities. Love the motherland and the people, support the principles and policies of the Communist Party of China and the state, behave ethically, abide by laws and regulations, and demonstrate compassion, public welfare awareness and dedication. Master the abilities of direct and indirect social work services and social policy analysis; be able to establish professional relationships with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities, assess needs, formulate intervention plans and promote social inclusion.

• Have human care and cultural sensitivity, possess good attainments in literature, history, philosophy, law, art and science, inherit the excellent traditional Chinese culture, and understand and respect cultural diversity. Have certain artistic cultivation and aesthetic taste, with the ability to perceive, distinguish, appreciate and create beauty.

• Master basic knowledge of physical education, develop good exercise habits and health practices, receive necessary military training, maintain physical health in compliance with national physical fitness standards, and maintain mental health with optimism and effective self-adjustment ability.

• Integrate international theories with China’s realities, understand the "universal global characteristics" and "regional particularities" of social work, grasp national conditions, be adept at analyzing various social phenomena and issues, and possess basic thesis writing, language expression and research capabilities. Collaborate with industries and relevant sectors, practice professional social work values in social practice, understand social realities, and carry out social services to improve public welfare. Reflect on the localization experience of social work to promote its mature development in China.

• Understand the current status and trends of social work development at home and abroad, have awareness of lifelong learning and abilities of self-management and independent learning. Enhance cross-linguistic and international communication skills through English-taught courses and joint teaching by foreign faculty. Be capable of working in international social work organizations and conducting cross-border research, and adapt to social and personal sustainable development through continuous learning.

Main Courses

The curriculum integrates teaching resources from both Chinese and foreign partners, with sociology, psychology and management as core disciplines, and adopts a course structure that attaches equal importance to theory and practice.

Core courses include: Introduction to Sociology (★), Fundamentals of Social Work (★), Statistics and Social Research Techniques, Life-Span Developmental Psychology (★), Social Anthropology (★), Contemporary Social Structure (▲), Social Work Theories, Thoughts on Social Welfare, History and Developmental Context of Social Work (★), Social Psychology (★), Social Research Methods, Social Policy, Social Work Methods (★), Leadership and Management in Social Services (★), Social Work Laws and Policies, Adult Development and Aging (★), Community Psychosocial Intervention (▲), Information and Communication Technologies in Social Work (★), etc.

(Note: Courses marked with ★ are core professional courses introduced from the foreign partner and taught by foreign instructors; courses marked with ▲ are core professional courses introduced from the foreign partner and taught by Chinese instructors.)

In addition, distinctive and expanded courses such as Professional English for Social Work and Interdisciplinary Project Practice reflect the integration of international social work education concepts with localized practices in China.

Employment Directions

Graduates may engage in social work management and services in government and public institutions including civil affairs, labor and social security, housing and urban-rural development, health and education; social service organizations such as Communist Youth League committees, women’s federations, trade unions, social work agencies and community service organizations; and social welfare institutions including sub-district offices and communities. Specific fields include:

• Social assistance, social welfare services and employment support;

• Community governance, urban-rural community building and community development;

• Elderly services and age-friendly community construction;

• Child and youth protection, family services and mental health support;

• Social organization management and project operation;

• Social policy research and policy advocacy;

• Specialized fields such as judicial correction, medical social work and school social work.

Meanwhile, relying on the international recognition of dual degrees in the global education system and their wide acceptance in transnational non-profit organizations and international development agencies, graduates may enter the overseas job market and work for the United Nations and related international organizations, transnational humanitarian aid agencies, overseas Chinese community service institutions, international development cooperation organizations, CSR departments of overseas Chinese-funded enterprises, international social work service networks, and social service departments of transnational medical and educational institutions.

They can be engaged in the design and implementation of international development projects, cross-border social policy research, case and community services in multicultural contexts, overseas humanitarian aid project management, service evaluation and compliance management under international social work standards, cross-border social work talent training and technical consulting, as well as cutting-edge research and innovative practice in social welfare and social policy in international academic institutions and research organizations.

Graduates may also pursue postgraduate studies in disciplines such as Social Work, Sociology, Psychology and Public Administration.