Program of Study
The curriculum reflects a liberal arts perspective, emphasizing the acquisition of knowledge, attitudes, and ways of thinking about people within a societal, cultural context.
All SAS students are required to fulfill the requirements of Sciences the SAS core curriculum (24-42 credits)
Social work majors are required to take:
- Liberal Arts courses in disciplines related to social work (27 credits)
- Students must take one course in each of these areas:
- Human Biology (BIO110 or equivalent)
- History
- Economics
- American Government (POS)
- Introductory Sociology (SOC 100)
- Racial and Ethnic Minorities (SOC210)
- General Psychology (PSY 111)
- Social Psychology (PSY351) or Dynamics of Group Process (PSY366)
- Computers (BUS105 or equivalent)
- Social Work Professional Foundation Courses (43 credits)
These social work courses are required of all majors and are sequenced over a two-year period during the student’s junior and senior years:
- SOW220 Social Science Research 3cr.
- SOW311 Social Welfare as a Social Institution 3 cr.
- SOW316 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I 3 cr
- SOW317 Human Behavior and the Social Environment II 3cr.
- SOW315 Foundations of Social Work Practice 3cr.
- SOW322 Social Work Processes I 4 cr.
- SOW413 Social Welfare Policy 3 cr.
- SOW423 Social Work Processes II 3 cr.
- SOW424 Social Work Processes III 3 cr.
- SOW491 Senior Seminar 3 cr.
- SOW495 Field Instruction in Social Work I 6 cr.
- SOW496 Field Instruction in Social Work II 6 cr.
Electives
The Social Work Department offers elective courses in areas of specialization not covered in depth by required courses. Some of the elective courses offered included child welfare, substance abuse, HIV/AIDS, international social work, social needs and societal responses, social work practice with multi-cultural families, and interdisciplinary team building. Intensive, short-term specialized courses are often offered during summer school and intersession.
Degree Requirements
A total of 120 credits are required to earn the Bachelor of Science degree with a major in social work. Graduates’ transcripts reflect the social work major and qualify them to use the B.S.W. designation in agency practice and/or on applications for admission to a graduate social work program.
Upon completing the major, students are eligible to apply for advanced standing in graduate schools of social work, and, if accepted, may earn the M.S.W. degree in one year instead of the two generally required.
The Social Work Minor
Students who want to minor in social work are required to take 18 credits of social work courses including the following 12 credits from the social work foundation courses:
- SOW220 Social Science Research 3cr.
- SOW311 Social Welfare as a Social Institution 3 cr. or SOW 110 Social Needs and Societal Responses 3 cr.
- SOW315 Foundations of Social Work Practice 3cr.
- SOW316 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I 3 cr or Human Behavior and the Social Environment II 3 cr.
The remaining 6 credits are chosen from elective social work course offerings.