Social Work (BSW)
Bachelor of Social Work
This program offers basic courses designed to provide students with concentrated and in-depth educational experience combining social work knowledge and practice skills. The requirements are designed to give the student an opportunity for integrated, nonrepetitive learning. The prescribed work provides the liberal arts base for the social work curriculum.
The fieldwork component of the program allows to students to develop the professional skills needed for entry-level social work positions as generalist practitioners. Adequate time is built into this professional program to provide students with opportunities to test their developing skills in social services agencies and programs. At the same time, faculty members evaluate the student’s professional development within the context of the educational objectives established for the experience. The goals are for the student to learn real-life practice, to develop skills, to relate concepts to skill development, to remain motivated to continue to learn, and to evaluate personal performance.
Admission
The School of Social Work supports social work majors in the entry-level foundation sequence and social work majors approved to advance to the practice sequence. Social work majors typically spend their first and second year completing the foundation sequence. After completing the requirements below, social work majors may apply for approval to advance to the practice sequence. Students who are approved to advance to the practice sequence complete at least three semesters of social work coursework and any other remaining degree requirements. Social work majors that advance to the practice sequence and fulfill all degree requirements receive a Bachelor of Social Work degree.
The professional practice of social work requires individuals who demonstrate strong academic ability, emotional maturity appropriate for supporting others in challenging circumstances, and a commitment to the ethical and professional standards of the discipline. Students are encouraged to use the advising services in the School of Social Work early in their college careers in anticipation of meeting requirements for advancement to the practice sequence.
Advancement to the Practice Sequence
After completing a specified set of entry-level social work courses required for the degree with a grade of at least C- in each course, students are considered to advance to the practice sequence.
All students are evaluated under the policies outlined in the editions of the General Information and Undergraduate catalogs that are in effect at the time of their application. The School of Social Work maintains a high standard of professional education by ensuring that students admitted to the practice sequence are well prepared for advanced coursework and practicum experience. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.
Advancement to the practice sequence is considered on the basis of academic performance and the student’s commitment to and suitability for generalist social work practice. The committee also assesses the student's emotional readiness to work with clients on the basis of such factors as their work in courses already taken, previous meetings with social work advisors, and the interview, if any, that is part of the application process. All students approved to advance to the practice sequence are reviewed and recommended by the BSW Curriculum Committee and approved by the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs. The School of Social Work considers students for advancement to the practice sequence twice a year, during the fall and spring semesters.
- The student must have completed at least 45 semester hours of coursework, including at least 30 hours chosen from the following requirements:
- All requirements of the University’s Core Curriculum
- SOC 302
- PSY 301
- One three-semester-hour course in human biology: BIO 301E, BIO 302D, BIO 302E, BIO 302F, BIO 302G, BIO 311C
- Second-semester-level proficiency, or the equivalent, in a single foreign language
- A three-semester-hour course in economics
- The student must have completed the following courses with a grade of at least C in each course: S W 310, S W 312, S W 313, S W 318, and S W 331. The student must also have a University grade point average of at least 2.50 in courses that are part of the social work major requirements. S W 310 must be completed at least a semester before applying for advancement to the practice sequence.
- The student must have a University grade point average of at least 2.00.
- Students may be asked to appear for a personal interview.
The applicant is considered on the basis of academic performance and their commitment to and suitability for generalist social work practice. The committee also assesses the applicant’s emotional readiness to work with clients on the basis of such factors as their work in courses already taken, previous meetings with social work advisors, application essay answers, and the interview, if any, that is part of the application process.
As a general guide, the committee also refers to the Student Standards for Social Work Education which outlines expectations in four areas: acquisition of professional skills, mental and emotional abilities, professional performance, and scholastic achievement. The standards are available at https://socialwork.utexas.edu/academics/practicum/ and in the appendix of the BSW Handbook.
A student who is unable to attend in the semester for which the student is approved to advance or has been advanced to the practice sequence and enrolls, withdraws, and then wishes to return must apply for readmission/advancement based on the curriculum in effect at the time of the return. A student who has been out of the University for a semester or more must also submit an application for readmission to the University.
Total Hours Required: 122
Plan of Study
The Plan of Study is a suggested four-year course sequence to support academic planning and serves as a helpful guide. Currently enrolled students should meet with their academic advisor to tailor their course selections and timelines to their individual goals and circumstances.
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Hours | |
| RHE 306 | Rhetoric and Writing | 3 |
| S W 310 | Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare | 3 |
| PSY 301 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| SOC 302 | Introduction to the Study of Society | 3 |
| UGS 302 | First-Year Signature Course | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| Mathematics | 3 | |
| U.S. History | 3 | |
| PHL 329K | History of Ancient Philosophy | 3 |
| Natural Science and Technology, Part II, BIO | 3 | |
| Visual and Performing Arts | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 3 | ||
| GOV 310L | American and Texas Government | 3 |
| Natural Science and Technology, Part I | 3 | |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| British Literature | ||
| American Literature | ||
| World Literature | ||
| Masterworks of Literature | ||
| S W 312 | Generalist Social Work Practice: Knowledge, Values, and Skills | 3 |
| Foreign Language | 4 | |
| S W 318 | Social Work Statistics | 3 |
| Hours | 13 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| S W 313 | Social Work Research Methods | 3 |
| U.S. History | 3 | |
| S W 331 | Applied Social Ethics | 3 |
| Foreign Language | 6 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 3 | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Politics and Government in Contemporary Texas | ||
| Issues and Policies in American Government | ||
| Constitutional Principles: Core Texts | ||
| ECO course | 3 | |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| Natural Science and Technology, Part II | 3 | |
| Non-S W course | 3 | |
| Upper-division Social and Behavioral Sciences course | 3 | |
| Hours chosen from: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Child Psychology | ||
| OR | ||
| Child Development | ||
| & | ||
| Child Development Laboratory | ||
| Hours | 12 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| Upper-division elective | 3 | |
| S W 327 | Human Behavior and Social Environment | 3 |
| S W 334 | Social Work Practice in Organizations and Communities | 3 |
| Upper-division Social and Behavioral Sciences course | 3 | |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| S W 323K | Social Welfare Programs, Policies, and Issues | 3 |
| S W 332 | Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families | 3 |
| S W 333 | Social Work Practice with Groups | 3 |
| Upper-division Social and Behavioral Sciences course | 3 | |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| S W 445 | Social Work Applied Practice | 4 |
| S W 645F | Social Work Practicum Instruction I | 6 |
| S W 645G | Social Work Practicum Instruction II | 6 |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Total Hours | 122 | |
Requirements
All requirements are listed below, starting with the most specialized moving to the most general. Additional requirements may follow the table, so be sure to read the entire page. Some required courses listed below may also satisfy General Education requirements, including Core Curriculum.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Degree | ||
| S W 310 | Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare (with a grade of C or better) | 3 |
| S W 323K | Social Welfare Programs, Policies, and Issues (with a grade of C or better) | 3 |
| S W 313 | Social Work Research Methods (with a grade of C or better) | 3 |
| S W 318 | Social Work Statistics (with a grade of C or better) | 3 |
| S W 331 | Applied Social Ethics | 3 |
| S W 327 | Human Behavior and Social Environment (with a grade of C or better) | 3 |
| S W 312 | Generalist Social Work Practice: Knowledge, Values, and Skills (with a grade of C or better) | 3 |
| S W 332 | Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families (with a grade of C or better) | 3 |
| S W 333 | Social Work Practice with Groups (with a grade of C or better) | 3 |
| S W 334 | Social Work Practice in Organizations and Communities (with a grade of C or better) | 3 |
| S W 445 | Social Work Applied Practice | 4 |
| S W 645F | Social Work Practicum Instruction I | 6 |
| S W 645G | Social Work Practicum Instruction II | 6 |
| PSY 301 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| SOC 302 | Introduction to the Study of Society | 3 |
| Hours chosen from: Human/Environmental Biology | 3 | |
| Problems in Modern Biology | ||
| Science Literacy and Numeracy: Ecology and Evolution | ||
| Science Literacy and Numeracy: Genetics and Genomics | ||
| Science Literacy and Numeracy: Human Health and Disease | ||
| Science Literacy and Numeracy: Biotechnology and the Future | ||
| Introductory Biology I (or the equivalent) | ||
| Hours chosen from: economics | 3 | |
| Hours chosen from: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Child Psychology | ||
| OR | ||
| Child Development | ||
& | ||
| Child Development Laboratory | ||
| OR | ||
child psychology or child development | ||
| Hours chosen from: additional upper-division social and behavioral sciences | 3 | |
| Hours chosen from: additional upper-division social and behavioral sciences or the following social work electives | 6 | |
| Current Social Work Topics (any topic) | ||
applied learning and development | ||
anthropology | ||
economics | ||
educational psychology | ||
government | ||
history | ||
human development and family sciences | ||
kinesiology | ||
psychology | ||
sociology | ||
| Free electives: Additional coursework to reach total hours required. | 10 | |
| Subtotal | 80 | |
| General Education | ||
| Core Curriculum | 42 | |
| Foreign Language other than English, Beginning Proficiency | ||
| Subtotal | 42 | |
| College Requirements - Social Work | ||
| General University Requirements | ||
| Total Hours | 122 | |
Additional Requirements and Policy
Majors must complete at least 24 hours in social work and 43 upper-division hours, with at least 24 hours taken in residence. Hours may include credit by examination and interdepartmental coursework. No more than 60 hours in social work and no more than 36 hours in any one field of study other than social work may be counted toward the degree.
The field practicum (S W 645F and S W 645G) and up to 16 hours of electives may be taken on the pass/fail basis. No other hours used to fulfill area or major requirements may be taken on the pass/fail basis.
Unless otherwise indicated, a course taken to meet the requirements of one area may not also be used to fulfill the requirements of another area; however, a single course may be used, unless otherwise indicated, to fulfill both an area requirement and a major requirement.
Students are advised to complete the core curriculum, the foreign language requirement, and all lower-division major requirements before taking upper-division courses. In developing their degree plans, students must also pay careful attention to the sequencing of social work courses to ensure they meet prerequisite requirements.
Academic credit cannot be granted for life experience or previous work experience, and such experience cannot be substituted for any of the courses in the professional foundation areas or the practicum.
Majors may submit a written request to the assistant dean for undergraduate programs to seek credit by examination for a social work course, with the exception of S W 312, S W 332, S W 333, S W 334, S W 645F and S W 645G. The assistant dean will determine whether or not the student should be permitted to take the examination.
Service Learning
This degree requires that students complete 30 clock hours of supervised service learning related to social work and be approved by the program to advance to the practice sequence. These service learning hours may be used to meet course requirements in S W 312.
Practicum Requirements
Students must complete 400 clock hours of practicum experience as part of the course requirements in S W 645F and S W 645G. To enroll in practicum, students must meet the following requirements:
- approval to advance to the practice sequence in social work;
- a University grade point average of at least 2.00; and
- both a grade point average of at least 2.50 and a grade of at least C in major coursework as indicated in the requirements table above.
Following the student’s admission to the practicum, the student's work is reviewed periodically by the student, the practicum faculty, and the practicum agency supervisor. Should the student have trouble meeting the professional or academic requirements of the program, the review process delineated in Student Standards for Social Work Education, available online, will bring the difficulty to the student’s attention and assist the student in seeking appropriate resolution. The student may make use of counseling and advising services at any time. If difficulties cannot be resolved, the practicum director may conduct an administrative review, which may result in a decision to terminate the student’s practicum placement. The student is notified of this decision in writing.
Professional Liability Insurance
All social work students enrolled in practicum S W 645F and S W 645G are required to purchase professional malpractice coverage through the University. The practicum office will inform students about the group insurance plan and required procedures. The estimated cost of professional malpractice coverage for students is $15 per semester.
Special Requirements
- To apply for advancement to the social work practice sequence, a student must have earned a grade of at least C in major coursework indicated in the requirements table. The student must also meet field practicum requirements as outlined in Advancement to the Practice Sequence.
- Social Work follows Undergraduate Policies for Academic Warning and Dismissal. All students who seek to reenter the school after having been placed on enforced withdrawal or academic dismissal must have the approval of the assistant dean for undergraduate programs.
- Any student who has a grade of C or higher in a course may not repeat the course and use the second grade to improve grade point average without permission of the assistant dean for undergraduate programs. If a student repeats a course, all grades received for the course are included in the grade point average.
Majors must complete all other remaining required coursework before practicum, including electives needed to provide the total hours required for the degree. No other courses may be taken concurrently with the practicum courses.
Accreditation
The bachelor of social work degree program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
Program Objectives
Students graduating from the BSW program are expected to demonstrate the following characteristics:
- A professional identity that incorporates the values and ethics of the social work profession and the professional development of self.
- The ability to work with diverse populations with an understanding of, and respect for, the positive value of diversity, including race and ethnicity, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, religion, and country of origin, and to use communication skills differentially with diverse groups.
- An understanding oppression and discrimination.
- The ability to apply strategies and skills that advance social and economic justice and to address the oppression of marginalized groups.
- An understanding of the biological, psychological, social, and cultural contexts of changing client systems, including individuals, families, groups, organizations, communities, and the broader society, and their effects on development and behavior.
- Beginning level competencies in research and evaluation, including the ability to evaluate research studies and apply their findings to practice, and, under supervision, evaluate their own practice interventions and those of other relevant systems.
- An understanding of how social policy develops and differentially affects various client systems, workers, and agencies.
- An understanding of the role the social work profession has played in promoting social change, historically and currently.
- The attainment of knowledge and skills that demonstrate the ability to practice effectively with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities, in a manner that empowers client systems and uses their strengths in order to maximize their health and well-being.
- An ability to apply critical thinking skills within the context of social work roles and practice.
- An awareness of their responsibility to continue their professional growth and development, including the use of supervision appropriate to generalist practice.