Admission and Curriculum
Overview
The social work program has policies and procedures for admission that are consistent with the goals of our national accrediting agency, the Council on Social Work Education. The policies and procedures ensure that students have a liberal arts base, demonstrate a beginning knowledge of social work and identification with the profession, have content in diversity, populations-at-risk, social and economic justice, and can demonstrate effective communication skills prior to entry into the professional program.
Students must first enroll as social work pre-professional majors, where they will
work to complete the required prerequisite courses and achieve the minimum GPA required
for admission to the social work major. Then, pre-professional students can begin
the process of applying to the social work major. Once accepted into the major, social
work students develop skills and techniques for generalist practice with individuals,
families, groups, and communities. During their senior year, social work majors participate
in Field Instruction, where they take part in on-site learning in social service agencies
across the Gulf Region, under supervision from professional social workers. Upon graduation
from the Bachelor of Social Work program, graduates have the opportunity to apply
for a social work license in Alabama and other states, and are also eligible to apply
to social work master's programs across the country.
Pre-Professional Social Work Major (Freshman & Sophomore Years)
Students who want to major in social work are admitted to the pre-professional social work major and remain in the pre-professional major until they meet requirements to be admitted into the social work major. Prior to entering the major, please consider consulting with a pre-professional social work advisor from Academic Advising and Transfer Services at the earliest opportunity. The admission policy is applicable to all students: new freshmen, transfer students, students seeking a second bachelor's degree, and students changing their major. In order to be admitted into the social work major, students must meet certain criteria. Below, you will find these criteria, along with tips and suggestions to help you navigate the social work pre-professional major:
Social Work Pre-Professional Advising
Social work pre-professional (SWPP) majors are assigned an advisor through Academic Advising and Transfer Services (AATS), and remain advised by AATS until they are accepted into the social work major. These advisors provide guidance to SWPP majors, helping them set goals and make informed decisions to be prepared for the social work major application process.
- You can find your assigned advisor through PAWS or Navigate South.
- We strongly recommend students meet with their advisor each semester prior to class registration, but are encouraged to meet with them as often as needed.
- Transfer students are also encouraged to meet with an academic advisor to ensure that they are prepared for the social work major application process.
Before applying to the BSW Program, Social Work Pre-Professional Majors should work on completing the following prerequisite requirements:
- Maintain a minimum 2.60 overall GPA in courses taken at USA.
- Complete a minimum of 56 credit hours during your freshman and sophomore years.
- Complete these prerequisite courses:
- SW 200, SW 214, and SW 220 with minimum grade of C.
- BLY101 with BLY 101L earning a minimum grade of C.
- Take a second natural science course with the corresponding lab, earning a minimum grade of C.
- EH 101 and EH 102 with minimum grade of C.
- SY 109 with minimum grade of C.
- PSY 120 with minimum grade of C.
- MA 110 or MA 112 (or higher).
To help better prepare you for admission into the social work major, it's important to understand that there are certain expectations of ethical and professional conduct for social work students, as it relates to our program accreditation and licensure preparation.
Students preparing to apply to the social work major should familiarize themselves with the USA Bachelor of Social Work Program Student Handbook. Additionally, to maintain accreditation through the Council of Social Work Education, social work students are expected maintain certain legal, professional, and ethical behaviors that align with the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics and applicable state of Alabama laws pertaining to legal, professional, and ethical conduct.
For additional information on admission procedures and requirements, please visit the Apply page on our website.
Once the specified requirements are complete, the student must submit an application for admission to the social work major, which includes a personal statement, unofficial transcript(s), resume, and list of references. Students who meet the minimum prerequisite requirements are not guaranteed admission into the social work major. The application process is competitive and admission is dependent upon available space. Students are encouraged to consult with their advisor prior to submitting this application.
The student's application for admission to the major will be reviewed by the BSW program faculty and a determination will be made on whether or not the student will be admitted to the major. Following this determination, students will be notified in writing concerning the faculty decision.
| Social Work Pre-Professional (SWPP) | Credit Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| FRESHMAN YEAR | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| EH 101 | English Composition I | 3 |
| MA 110 (or higher) | Finite Mathematics | 3 |
| SY 109 | Introductory Sociology | 3 |
| CAS 100 | First Yr Exp - | 2 |
| BLY 101 / BLY 101L | Life Science I / Lab (Area III) | 4 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| EH 102 | English Composition II | 3 |
| PSY 120 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| CA 110 | Public Speaking | 3 |
| Humanities/Fine Arts Elective | Area II | 3 |
| Fine Art | Area II | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| SOPHOMORE YEAR | ||
| Fall Semester |
||
| SW 200 | Intro to SocWork-SocWelfare | 3 |
| SW 214 | Exploring Social Work Practice | 3 |
| SW 220 | Power, Privilege, & Oppression | 3 |
| Natural Science with Lab | Area III | 4 |
| Foreign Language I | Area II | 3 |
| Hours |
16 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| SY 220 | Marriage and the Family | 3 |
| History | Area IV 1 | 3 |
| Foreign Language II | Area II | 3 |
| Literature | Area II 1 | 3 |
| Math / Science with Lab | Area III | 3-4 |
| Hours | 15-16 | |
| TOTAL HOURS | 61-62 | |
|
1 Must have one history elective and one literature elective. In addition, students must choose a second history or literature to complete a two-part sequence. *Students who have not been admitted to the major may not enroll in SW 201, SW 301, SW 302, SW 310, SW 401, SW 402, SW 412 or SW 414. |
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Bachelor of Social Work Major (Junior and Senior Year)
Students who have completed the specified requirements must apply for admission to the social work major. The application will be reviewed by the Bachelor of Social Work program faculty and the student will be notified in writing regarding the admission decision. Once admitted to the major, the social work program will administratively change the student’s major from pre-social work major to social work major. The student will be assigned a new academic advisor within the BSW program and will need to meet with that advisor to sign a form indicating his/her understanding and acceptance of the criteria for continuing as a social work major. Those criteria include:
Students who have been admitted to the BSW major are expected to maintain and complete the following:
- Maintain a minimum 2.60 overall GPA at USA.
- Receive a grade of C or better and a 2.50 overall GPA in social work courses.
- Follow the Bachelor of Social Work Degree Requirements, including:
- Complete two designated writing credit (W) courses, at least one of which must be in the student's major or minor.
- Complete a minor of 18-24 hours.
- Complete a minimum of 120 hours required for a degree.
To maintain accreditation through the Council of Social Work Education and to be prepared for licensure, social work majors are expected maintain certain legal, professional, and ethical behaviors that align with the NASW Code of Ethics and rules and regulations set forth by the Alabama State Board of Social Examiners. Social work majors are expected to:
- Demonstrate acceptable professional, ethical, and legal conduct, personal integrity, and emotional stability requisite for effective social work practice.
- Demonstrate identification with the profession of social work.
- Demonstrate behavior consistent with the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics.
- Follow all guidelines and maintain behavior consistent with the USA BSW Student Handbook.
| Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) | Credit Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| JUNIOR YEAR | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| SW 201 | Human Behav/Social Environ I | 3 |
| SW 300 | Ethical Decision-Making - W | 3 |
| SW 401 | Generalist Practice I | 3 |
| SY 381 | Research Methods (Fall ONLY) | 3 |
| Humanities / Fine Arts | Elective OR Literature Sequence Part II (Area II) 1 | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| SW 301 | Social Welfare Policy | 3 |
| SW 302 | Human Behav/Social Environ II | 3 |
| SW 402 | Generalist Practice II | 3 |
| SY 382 | Research Analysis (Spring ONLY) | 3 |
| Hum /Soc Sci /Behav. Sci | Elective OR History Sequence Part II (Area IV) 1 | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| SENIOR YEAR | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| Sociology Minor Elective | Lower Level 2 | 3 |
| Sociology Minor Elective | Upper Level 2 | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Select 1st SW Elective from the following: | ||
| SW 310 | Community Context | 3 |
| SW 340 | Family Violence | 3 |
| SW 350 | Child Welfare Services | 3 |
| SW 360 | SW Practice in Mental Health | 3 |
| SW 380 | International SW Practice | 3 |
| SW 420 | Social Work in Health Care | 3 |
| SW 490 | Special Topics - | 3 |
| SY 372 | Social Gerontology - W | 3 |
| SY 494 | Directed Studies | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| SW 412 | Field Instruction 3 | 9 |
| SW 414 | Senior Seminar - W 3 | 3 |
| Select 2nd SW Elective from the following: | ||
| SW 310 | Community Context | 3 |
| SW 340 | Family Violence | 3 |
| SW 350 | Child Welfare Services | 3 |
| SW 360 | SW Practice in Mental Health | 3 |
| SW 380 | International SW Practice | 3 |
| SW 420 | Social Work in Health Care | 3 |
| SW 490 | Special Topics - | 3 |
| SY 372 | Social Gerontology - W | 3 |
| SY 494 | Directed Studies | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 60 | |
| TOTAL HOURS (Including Social Work Pre-Professional years) | 121-122 | |
|
1 Must have one history elective and one literature elective. In addition, students must choose a second history or literature to complete a two-part sequence. 2 All majors in the College of Arts and Sciences are required to complete a minor between 18-24 credit hours. This suggested plan of study incorporates a Sociology minor (18 credit hours); however, students may choose any minor offered at USA. 3 SW 412 and SW 414 must be taken concurrently. |
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Transfer Students
Social work course credit will only be granted for courses transferred from programs accredited by the Council on Social Work Education or in CSWE Candidacy. In order to receive a degree in social work (BSW) from the University of South Alabama, students must complete SW 401, SW 402, SW 412, and SW 414, and meet the university residency requirements. The Director of Social Work will evaluate social work transfer credits to determine equivalency. No credit will be given for life or prior work experience.
