Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)
Social work is a human service profession that assists the needs of society in several areas, including gerontology, health care, mental retardation, child welfare, correctional rehabilitation, mental health, income maintenance, home health, hospice, domestic violence, homelessness, and alcoholism/substance abuse. The BSW Program is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education and prepares students as generalist practitioners for entry-level professional practice with individuals, marital couples, families, small groups, organizations, practitioners, and entire communities.
Admission Requirements and Procedures
The BSW Program has a selective admission procedure.
- Application Procedure.
- Be unconditionally admitted to MSU through the University's Office of Enrollment Services.
- Declare social work as an area of concentration.
- Meet with assigned faculty advisor.
- While enrolled in SWK 320 and 324, obtain and complete the application and checksheet and obtain two references: one from a social work faculty member other than the student's advisor, and one from a non-social work faculty member.
- File the application, transcript, checksheet, and autobiographical sketch with advisor one week prior to the interview with the faculty advisor.
- Social Work Faculty Committee will meet to discuss each application after all material has been handed in and the advanced advising interview with the advisor or off-site coordinator is completed.
Admission Criteria
Applicants to the BSW Program are selected based upon the following criteria:
- Completion of 64 credit hours of the required pre-social work courses as listed on the curriculum sequence;
- Completion of, or enrollment in SWK 210 — Orientation to Social Work, SWK 230 — Social Welfare History and Ethics, SWK 320 — Human Behavior in the Social Environment, Conception to Young Adulthood, and SWK 324 — Social Work Research; and
- Achievement of an overall GPA of 2.5 and grade of "C" or above in all Social Work Core courses.
Program Requirements
BIOL 105 — Introduction to Biological Sciences, or |
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BIOL 155 — Introduction to Environmental Science |
3 |
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3 |
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SWK 345 — Law and Social Work |
3 |
MATH 123, or higher |
3 |
PHIL 200 — Introduction to Philosophy, or |
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PHIL 203 — Social Ethics |
3 |
PSY 154 — Introduction to Psychology |
3 |
SOC 101 — General Sociology |
3 |
SOC 200 or above |
3 |
SOC 374 — American Minority Relations |
3 |
SWK 210 — Orientation to Social Work |
4 |
SWK 230 — Social Welfare History and Ethics |
3 |
SWK 320 — Human Behavior in the Social Environment Conception to Young Adulthood |
3 |
SWK 321 — Human Behavior in the Social Environment Middle Adulthood to Death |
3 |
SWK 324 — Social Work Research |
3 |
SWK 325 — Generalist Social Work Practice |
3 |
SWK 326 — Generalist Practice |
3 |
SWK 424 — Social Work Micro Practice |
3 |
SWK 426 — Social Work Mezzo Skills |
3 |
SWK 430 — Social Policy and Planning |
3 |
SWK 451 — Social Science Data Analysis |
3 |
SWK 497 — Practicum in Social Work |
8 |
SWK 498 — Social Work Macro Practice |
3 |
SWK 499C — Senior Seminar |
1 |
Social Work Electives (only courses taught by someone with SWK degree will be accepted) |
12 |
General Electives |
16 |
Other General Education Requirements |
30 |