Social Work, B.S.W.

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Want to make a difference in the world? Turn your passion into action. Our BSW program combines classroom and field experience to provide you with knowledge and skills to help improve the quality of life of individual clients and impact communities.

Degree Requirements

This degree requires a minimum of 120 credits, 50 of which are upper-division credits.

University Studies Program

This degree requires that The University Studies Program 2015 requirements are met before graduation. Some of the courses required for this major fulfill USP requirements, but not all. Students should check their degree evaluations and consult with their assigned academic advisor to discuss their specific course plan.

C 1 - Communication 1 Credits: 3
C 2 - Communication 2 Credits: 3
C 3 - Communication 3 Credits: 3
Q - - Quantitative Reasoning Credits: 3
PN - - Physical and Natural World (1) Credits: 3
PN - - Physical and Natural World (2) Credits: 3
H - - Human Culture (1) Credits: 3
H - - Human Culture (2) Credits: 3
V - - U.S. & WY Constitution Credits: 3
FYS or USP Elective - - Any 3-credit hour of FYS or 3-credit hours of USP electives Credits: 3

Prerequisites for Admission

Prerequisites for admission into the BSW program includes a C or higher in the following courses:

SOC 1000 - Sociological Principles Credits: 3 (Meets 3 out of 6 credits of Human Culture USP requirement)
PSYC 1000 - General Psychology Credits: 3 (Meets 3 out of 6 credits of Human Culture USP requirement)
POLS 1000 - American and Wyoming Government Credits: 3 (Meets U.S. & Wyoming Constitution USP requirement)
SOWK 2000 - Introduction to Social Work Credits: 3
STAT 2070 - Introductory Statistics for the Social Sciences Credits: 4 (Meets Quantitative USP requirement)
ECON 1010 - Principles of Macroeconomics Credits: 3
Human Biology. Credits: 3. ( PSYC 2080: Biological Psychology or KIN 2040: Human Anatomy)*

*This requires a prerequisite general biology course, usually LIFE 1003: Current Issues in Biology.

Be advised: All applicants must complete a Communication 1 (COM1) and Communication 2 (COM2)/2nd level writing course with a C or higher and have at least 60 credit hours at UW or transferrable to UW.

Required courses after admission into the Social Work program

NOTE: Once admitted, social work students must achieve a C or better in all social work courses and maintain a 2.500 or above UW and SOWK GPA every semester after admittance to Admitted Major. Please view full requirements and expectations for admitted majors on the Division of Social Work catalog page.

SOWK 3530 - Human Behavior and the Social Environment I Credits: 3
SOWK 3630 - Generalist Social Work Practice I, Individual and Families Credits: 3
SOWK 3645 - Ethical Social Work Practice Credits: 3
SOWK 4060 - Diversity and Difference in Social Work Practice Credits: 3
SOWK 3540 - Human Behavior and Social Environment II Credits: 3
SOWK 3640 - Generalist Social Work Practice II, Groups Credits: 3
SOWK 3650 - Generalist Social Work Practice III; Communities and Organizations Credits: 3
SOWK 4850 - Human Rights, Social Justice and Social Policy Credits: 3
SOWK 4560 - Social Work Research Credits: 3
SOWK 4990 - Social Work Practicum Credits: 5-10 (5 credits each semester of final year). For full details of the BSW field practicum, view the Division of Social Work page.
SOWK 4991 - BSW Field Seminar I Credits: 2
SOWK 4570 - Research-Informed Practice Credits: 3 (Meets Communication III USP requirement)
SOWK 4992 - BSW Field Seminar II Credits: 2
Social Work electives Credits: 6 (selected with advisor consultation)

Electives

General Electives (28-29 credits)

Degree must include 120 credits total, at least 42 of which must be upper-division credits. Total number of general elective credit needed may vary per student. Consult with your academic advisor to determine the best electives for your particular interests or needs. It may be worthwhile to add a minor to your degree.

Suggested lower-division electives:

Below are suggested lower-division electives that can be taken before admission into the BSW program. Consult with your academic advisor to determine the best electives for your particular interests or needs. It may be worthwhile to add a minor to your degree.

SPAN1010 - First Year Spanish I Credits: 4
SPAN1020 - First Year Spanish II Credits: 4
RELI1000 - Introduction to Religion Credits: 3
WIND2100 - Introduction to Disability Studies Credits: 3
SOC2350 - Race and Ethnic Relations Credits: 3

Suggested upper-division electives:

FCSC 3110 Personal Finance Credits: 3
FCSC 4112 Family Decision-Making and Resource Management Credits: 3

Additional Requirements

Social work is a professional degree program. Prior to admission to the professional degree program, students who are working to complete program prerequisites and most University Studies courses are “Social Work-Pre-Admit” majors. Students must be accepted into the BSW program as an admitted “Social Work” major in order to proceed in the program and enroll in professional degree courses beginning in the fall semester (usually of the junior year). Acceptance to Admitted Major (professional degree program) is competitive and requires an application. See the Division of Social Work catalog page for full admission requirements.

The program requires 120 credit hours to graduate. Students must have completed all social work requirements, 42 upper-division hours, maintain a 2.500 GPA overall, a 2.500 GPA in social work coursework, and have achieved a grade of C or better in all social work courses. Courses must be taken for a letter grade unless offered for S/U only.