Bachelor of Arts in Social Work

Total Course Requirements for the Bachelor’s Degree: 120 units
Course Requirements for the Major: 60 units

Social Work Core: 24 units

The following courses must be completed before taking any courses from the professional sequence in the spring semester of the junior year (Semester I).

1 course required:

BIOL 104 Human Physiology OR a human biology course.

1 course selected from:

ECON 101 Introduction to Economics 3.0
ECON 102 Principles of Macro Analysis 3.0
ECON 103 Principles of Micro Analysis 3.0

6 courses required:

MATH 105 Statistics 3.0
PSYC 101 Principles of Psychology 3.0
SOCI 100 Principles of Sociology 3.0
SWRK 170 Social Welfare Institutions 3.0
SWRK 200 Multicultural Awareness for Human Services 3.0
SWRK 302 Hum Behavior Across the Lifespan 3.0

NOTE: It is recommended that students enroll in SWRK 170, SWRK 200, and SWRK 302 (or at least SWRK 200 and SWRK 302) in the same semester, both for educational reasons and to meet the other students who will go through the Professional Sequence with them.

Professional Sequence: 36 units

Credit for life experience or prior work experience in lieu of course work or the social work practicums is not permitted. Please refer to the BSW Student Handbook for more information regarding the school’s transfer of credit and proficiency exam policies. All social work courses required in the Professional Sequence are restricted to social work majors.

In the event you drop, do not receive at least a grade of C-, or take an incomplete in a required course, including the Social Work Core, you may be ineligible to progress in the major.

All courses must be taken in the sequence outlined.

Semester I (Spring): 12 units (3 courses required)

SWRK 303 Human Behavior & the Social Environment (3)

SWRK 305 Socialization into the SWRK Profession (3)

SWRK 325 Basic Skills in SWRK Practice (3)

Semester II (Fall): 13 units (4 courses required)

SWRK 330 Social Work Reserch Methods (3)
SWRK 435 Social Work Methods I (3) WP
SWRK 489A Social Work Practicum I (5)
SWRK 490A Seminar for Practicum I (1)

Semester III (Spring): 2 units (4 courses required)

SWRK 445 Social Work Methods II (3) WP

SWRK 485 Social Welfare Policy, Programs, & Services (3)

SWRK 489B Social Work Practicum II (5)

SWRK 490B Seminar for Practicum II (1)

Professional Standards and Disqualification
The social work degree signifies readiness to begin professional work in positions requiring trust and high ethical standards. You are expected to meet the ethical and professional standards set by the profession and the practicum agencies. Should it be determined you do not meet such standards, you can be dropped from the practicum and all co-requisite social work courses and, thus, be prevented from completing the social work major.

The professional standards include the following:

  1. honoring the NASW Code of Ethics of the social work profession;
  2. being found acceptable and receiving at least a minimum satisfactory evaluation by practicum agencies;
  3. passing performance in SWRK 305, SWRK 489A, SWRK 489B, SWRK 490A, and SWRK 490B;
  4. avoiding behavior that suggests potential harm to clients, colleagues, or themselves.