Social Work, B.S.W.

The Social Work Program has been fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education since 1987. The primary objective of the Department of Social Work is preparation for entry-level professional social work practice. Courses are offered in social work practice; social policy and social justice; human diversity and populations-at-risk; human behavior and the social environment; social work values and ethics; research, and field work. In order to declare a Social Work Major, students are required to:

1. submit an application for admission to the BSW Program (while enrolled in SWK 3050);
2. complete 40 hours of volunteer experience (while enrolled in SWK 3050)
3. demonstrate and maintain a minimum overall GPA of 2.50;
4. submit two reference letters (while enrolled in SWK 3050);
5. be accepted by the BSW Program Committee; 

6. complete all the foundation year or Junior Year Semester I courses with a minimum grade of C or a QPA of 2.0 in each course;
7. complete with a passing grade, all general education courses that are prerequisites for core social work courses. These include ENG 3700, BIO 1030 or EXPH 2100 or equivalent; PSY 1010; SOC 1020, 1050 or 2090; PLS 1000 or 1010; ECN 1000, 2020, 2030, 2410 or ECN (GGY) 2060, and MAT 1050 or MAT 1070;
8. complete at least 13 of the 17 general education courses.  

Note: Students must read The BSW Student Handbook and BSW Advisement Guide for more details about the BSW admission and curriculum policies or requirements.

Students cannot be accepted in the Social Work Program until they have completed ENG 3700, SWK 2000, SWK 3800, SWK 2450, and SWK 3050 with a minimum grade of C or QPA 2.0.

If a student is denied admission by the BSW Program Committee, the student has the right to appeal to the Social Work Department’s BSW Program Committee. Prior to enrolling in SWK 3050 students must successfully complete  SWK 2000 Introduction to Social Work, SWK 2450 Human Diversity and Populations At Risk, ENG 1050, ENG 1060, ENG 3700, and 75 percent of their General Education requirements with a minimum GPA of 2.5. Students who are accepted into the program and fail to maintain an overall GPA of 2.5 in General Education or the major are placed on academic probation. In addition, students are required to complete ENG 3700, SWK 2000, SWK 2450, SWK 3050, SWK 3450, SWK 3480, SWK 3800, SWK 3810, SWK 3850, SWK 3910, SWK 4450, SWK 4600, SWK 4800, SWK 4900,  SWK 4910, and 2 Social Work electives with a minimum grade of C or QPA 2.0 in each course. Students need to read The BSW Student Handbook for information regarding curriculum policy. All students who declare social work as their major are encouraged to join the Campus Association of Social Workers, attend majors’ meetings, and meet regularly with their academic advisor. In addition, eligible students can join the Department of Social Work’s Chapter of Phi Alpha Honor Society 

An integral and required part of the program is the successful completion of field work with a minimum of 400 clock hours in a semester. The Department of Social Work will not accept past social work practice experience for academic credit (see The BSW Student Handbook for more details).