School of Social Work

Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (120 units)

The School of Social Work offers, in conjunction with the general education requirements, a professional program leading to a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW). The goals of the BASW program are to prepare students for entry level, professional, generalist social work practice and for graduate social work education, including advanced standing. Students learn to practice as professional social workers with persons and groups representing the range of human diversity and with systems of all sizes (individuals, families, groups, communities, and institutions). Students have the option to take the major courses in a daytime sequence or an evening sequence.

Social Work majors should consider taking courses as electives or for fulfillment of general education requirements in any of the ethnic studies disciplines, women's studies, sociology, anthropology, human development, and gerontology programs in the Colleges of Health and Human Services and Liberal Arts. The School of Social Work can make recommendations concerning those courses which would be most useful to students interested in acquiring broader information closely allied to professional social work practice.

Admission Requirements

Admission Under Impaction - Fall Only

Social Work is now considered to be a highly impacted major. Admission to the Social Work program takes place in the fall semester only. Refer to the following website for additional criteria: http://www.csulb.edu/depts/enrollment/admissions/index.html or the department webpage http://www.csulb.edu/social-work.

Admission Under Impaction for Continuing Students

Students who indicate an interest in the Social Work major when they enter as freshmen will be assigned a pre-social work major code. Acceptance into the pre-major by the University does not imply or assure subsequent acceptance into the major by the School of Social Work. Students who are not accepted into the major cannot continue as pre-social work majors. Social Work is now considered to be a "highly impacted major" (see above).

Admission Under Impaction for Transfer Students

Students must be eligible for admission to the University as transfer students and must apply for admission to the University no later than November 30 for admission the following fall. Students who are not admitted to the major will not be admitted to the University. Social Work is now considered to be a "highly impacted major" (see above).

Additional Application Procedures

Applicants to the BASW program must submit a separate program application packet to the School of Social Work by the beginning of March for the upcoming fall semester. The application includes statements of biographical and educational background and a description of community and/or social work experience. In addition, each applicant must submit two reference forms (one academic and one professional reference). Eligible applicants will be selected for admission on a space-available basis based on review of the entire application packet. Download the BASW Information Booklet for detailed admissions information.

Explore the School of Social Work BASW Admissions website (http://www.csulb.edu/colleges/chhs/departments/social-work/bachelor-of-arts/) for more information on this major.

Prerequisite Requirements

To be considered for admission to the Social Work major, all applicants must demonstrate the following:

Minimum lower division preparation (grade of C or better required):

• Major preparation courses (with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5):
  • BIOL 205 - Human Biology
  • PSY 100 - Introductory Psychology
  • HDEV 190 - Elementary Statistics in Social and Behavioral Sciences; or STAT 108 - Statistics for Everyday Life; or PSY 110 - Introductory Statistics; or SOC 170 - Elementary Statistics; or another course in elementary statistics
• Required General Education courses not covered by major preparation courses:
  • Written Communication
  • Oral Communication
  • Critical Thinking
  • Mathematics if Statistics course taken above is not GE approved

It is highly recommended that students who are interested in the social work major focus on additional social science courses in their GE preparation. These courses can include but are not limited to: Sociology courses (such as SOC 100, SOC 142), Anthropology courses (such as ANTH 120), and Human Development courses.

Graduation Requirements

1. Complete the requirements for General Education

2. Complete the prerequisite requirements (see above)

3. Complete the major course requirements by taking each of the following courses:

• SW 220 Introduction to Social Welfare (3)
  Prerequisites: GE Foundation requirements.
• SW 221 Introduction to Social Welfare Practicum (3)
  Prerequisites: Consent of instructor. Corequisites: SW 220.
• SW 330 Human Behavior and Social Environment: Birth Through Adolescence (3)
  Prerequisites: GE Foundation requirements.
• SW 331 Human Behavior and Social Environment: Young Adulthood Through Old Age (3)
  Prerequisites: GE Foundation requirements.
• SW 340 Generalist Social Work Practice (3)
  Prerequisites: SW 220, SW 221, SW 330, and SW 351. Corequisites: SW 341.
• SW 341 Social Work Practicum (3)
  Corequisites: SW 331, SW 340, and SW 350. Supervised practicum in an applied social service agency or allied setting for a minimum of 80 hours (8 hours per week for 10 weeks).
• SW 350 Law, Court Decisions, and Policy Practice (3)
  Prerequisites: GE Foundation requirements and SW 351.
• SW 351 Social Policy: Formulation and Analysis (3)
  Prerequisites: GE Foundation requirements.
• SW 440 Generalist SW Practice with Groups (3)
  Prerequisites: SW 331, SW 340, SW 341. Corequisites: SW 495A.
• SW 441 Generalist SW Practice with Communities and Institutions (3)
  Prerequisites: SW 331, SW 340, SW 341, SW 351. Corequisites: SW 495B.
• SW 442 Generalist Social Work Practice with Individuals/Families (3)
  Prerequisites: SW 331, SW 340, SW 341. Corequisites: SW 495A.
• SW 465 Research Methods in Social Work (3)
  Prerequisites: SW 440, SW 442 and one course in elementary statistics.
• SW 495A Field Experience in Social Work I (3)
  Prerequisites: SW 330, SW 331, SW 340, SW 341, SW 350, SW 351. Corequisites: SW 440 and SW 442.
• SW 495B Field Experience in Social Work II (3)
  Prerequisites: SW 442 and SW 495A. Corequisites: SW 441.

4. Complete the required major courses in the following sequence:

• First Level (fall): SW 220, SW 221, SW 330, SW 351
• Second Level (spring): SW 331, SW 340, SW 341, SW 350
• Third Level (fall): SW 440, SW 442, SW 495A
• Fourth Level (spring): SW 441, SW 465, SW 495B

5. Complete Field Education requirements:

• The field sequence has an integral role in the BASW curriculum, providing an opportunity for students to apply social work knowledge and practice skills in an agency-based educationally-focused internship. In the junior year, students complete an 80-hour practicum (SW 341) at a community agency (8 hours/week for 10 weeks). Students complete 450 hours of field placement (SW 495A/B) in their senior year for which they earn 6 academic units. Students complete 16 hours per week in an assigned agency placement and attend a weekly seminar on campus.. This must include either two 8-hour weekdays or one 8-hour weekday and two 4-hour weekday blocks (Monday - Friday daytime hours). Students are placed in a variety of agencies in the surrounding communities, and the School of Social Work's field faculty selects the most appropriate field placement site for students. Criminal background checks and health screenings may be required for field placements.

6. Fulfill the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR)

7. Complete Abnormal Psychology by the end of the junior year

8. Meet all grade requirements:

• All Social Work courses must be completed with a grade no lower than a "C" in classroom courses or a "CR" for practicum or field experience courses. If a student earns a grade lower than a "C" in a classroom course or an "NC" in a practicum or field experience course, the student must repeat the course. All courses must be taken in sequence, therefore, a student cannot move forward in the Social Work program until each course has been successfully completed. All practicum or field experience courses must be taken concurrently with direct generalist practice courses.