Apply to the BSW Professional Sequence

The Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Program offers the same BSW curriculum in two learning formats:

• With the Traditional format curriculum is delivered on-campus and in-person

  • Pre-SWRK courses are delivered on Mondays/Wednesdays

  • Professional Sequence courses are delivered on Tuesdays/Thursdays

  • Plus an additional 16 hours of practicum education in the community per week

• With the Distributed Learning (DL) hybrid format curriculum is delivered both online and in-person

  • Pre-SWRK courses are delivered online via an asynchronous format

  • Professional Sequence courses are delivered via:

    • 3 synchronous evening online courses

    • 2 weekend in-person courses per semester

    • Continued asynchronous coursework

First-time, first-year students choosing Social Work as your major do not need to complete a Professional Sequence Application at this time. Please note, you will need to complete the BSW Professional Sequence Application during the fall of your junior year. Please contact the Social Work department with questions related to advising and applying to the Professional Sequence.

You are ready to begin the Professional Sequence if:

• You are already attending CSU, Chico and a junior
  • A1 Oral Communication (Golden Four)
  • A2 Written Communication (Golden Four)
  • A3 Critical Thinking (Golden Four)
  • B4 Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning (Golden Four)

• You completed or have in-progress the following 5 prerequisites. These courses may be completed at CSU, Chico or the articulated equivalents of these courses may be completed at community college. These must be completed with a grade minimum of C and must be completed by the end of fall semester of your junior year.
• PSY 101 Principles of Psychology (meets E Learning for Life)
• SOCI 100 Introduction to Sociology (meets D1 Individual & Society)

• You completed or plan to complete the following 3 Social Work Core Courses by the end of fall semester of your junior year. These courses must be completed with a grade minimum of C.

• SWRK 170 Social Welfare Institutions (meets D2 Societal Institutions)
• SWRK 200 Diversity & Social Justice (meets US Diversity)
• SWRK 202 Human Behavior Across the Lifespan

• You have documented in-progress or completion of 60 human service volunteer hours.
• To see articulated courses between CSU, Chico and community colleges, please visit Assist.org(opens in new window). You can also review our course equivalency handout: Prerequisites to the CSU Chico BA in Social Work (PDF).

It is essential that students interested in applying to the BSW Professional Sequence Program seek pre-admission advising to review the progress of your prerequisite coursework and volunteer hours and to discuss other program requirements.

Students interested in the Traditional campus-based BSW program should contact BSW Director Michele Eggers, PhD, by email at meggers@csuchico.edu.

Students interested in the Distributed Learning hybrid BSW program should contact Distributed Learning Advisor Caroline Oster by email at coster@csuchico.edu.

A student’s legal history will not affect the BSW Professional Sequence application or acceptance process. Any student can apply to the BSW Professional Sequence; however, all students who move into the Professional Sequence will need to secure a practicum placement, which may require background clearance. Therefore, after moving into the professional sequence you should be prepared to discuss with the Practicum Education Coordinator any legal history that could come up during the background clearance process so they can refer you to appropriate agencies.

What is the Professional Sequence?

Any student may declare Pre-Professional Sequence or Pre-Professional Sequence DL (Distributed Learning(opens in new window)) as a major. To enroll in our Professional Sequence courses, however, students must apply through our application process and be accepted into the program. Seats are limited. This is a competitive process.

What is the “Traditional” BSW program and the Distributed Learning BSW Program?

We refer to our on-campus, full-time, face-to-face BSW program as the “Traditional” program where students attend courses in person and in a traditional learning format in a classroom.

The Distributed Learning (DL) program is a hybrid online program where curriculum is delivered both online—asynchronously and synchronously through Zoom—and in person, on campus during select weekends each semester.

What General Education requirements do I need to complete before I can transfer to CSU, Chico?

Upper-division applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Complete at least 60 transferable semester units (90 quarter units).
• Complete at least 30 semester units of general education with a C or better. The 30 units must include all of the general education requirements in communication (oral communication, English composition, critical thinking), and one course in Statistics (course after intermediate algebra).
• Have a cumulative transferable grade point average of at least 2.5 (Traditional Students)/2.1 (Distributed Learning Students) or better in college course work.
• Be in good academic standing at the last institution attended.

PLEASE NOTE: If your general education Statistics, English, oral communication, and/or critical thinking courses are in progress at the time of application, you must provide verification of your grade in these courses before you will be allowed to register for classes at Chico.

What prerequisites or their articulated equivalent do I need to complete or be enrolled in, so I can apply for the Professional Sequence?

• SWRK 170 Social Welfare Institutions: A Response to Power and Scarcity - 3 Units
• SWRK 200 Diversity and Social Justice - 3 Units
• SWRK 202 Human Behavior across the Lifespan (formerly SWRK 302) - 3 Units

Do I need to complete the Social Work Core Course Prerequisites  BEFORE starting the BSW Professional Sequence courses?

Yes, you must pass the 5 Social Work Prerequisite Courses by the end of fall semester of your junior year, with a of grade of C or better. You must pass the 3 Social Work Core Courses by the fall semester, with a grade of C or better, or be currently enrolled in the 3 Social Work Courses during the fall semester.

Do I need to complete the Social Work Core Course Prerequisites BEFORE starting the BSW Professional Sequence courses?

You may be in-progress with the 5 Social Work Prerequisite Courses during the fall semester, and must pass with a grade of C or better. You must pass the 3 Social Work Core Courses by the end of the fall semester, with a grade of C or better, or be currently enrolled in the 3 Social Work Courses during the Fall semester.

I have a specific question about a course I have taken; will my class count as a prerequisite?

If you are an applicant to the Ttraditional BSW Program, please contact the BSW Director Dr. Michele Eggers with questions related to prerequisites or the BSW program.

If you are an applicant to the Distributed Learning BSW Program, please contact the BSW DL program with questions related to prerequisites.

Do all classes and courses count for credit for the BSW Professional Sequence?

An articulated course is a course taken at one college or university that can be used to satisfy subject matter requirements for the major at another institution. Apart from a handful of exceptions, all articulated courses must first be transferable.  It is important to remember, however, that not all transferable courses are articulated.

When do I apply for the BSW Professional Sequence?

The BSW Professional Sequence application is available every fall from August 1-September 15. Students apply in the fall semester to start the Professional Sequence the following spring semester. 

Can I apply to the BSW Professional Sequence if the CSU, Chico application process is closed?

The two applications are completely separate and are not linked. A student typically applies and is accepted to CSU, Chico first via Cal State Apply—either the Fall or Spring before they anticipate starting classes at CSU, Chico. Students can only apply to the BSW Professional Sequence after they have already applied and been accepted to CSU, Chico.

Apply to the University through Cal State Apply(opens in new window).

• Spring Application: Aug. 1–September 30  
• Fall Application: October 1–June 1

After I am accepted, when can I register for classes?

Spring Professional Sequence courses may be locked until the Add/Drop registration period begins in early January. If you were accepted into the Professional Sequence, you are guaranteed a spot in our courses. Please check the registration dates on the official University Class Schedule website(opens in new window). Additionally, you can check the Portal/Student Center for your specific appointment date and time.

Prerequisites to the CSU Chico BA in Social Work (PDF)

How do I access my unofficial transcripts online for the Professional Sequence application?

Students can access their unofficial transcripts by logging in to their "Portal" account through their community colleges, colleges, and universities they have attended. Click here to access the CSU, Chico Portal(opens in new window).

What do I do if I was not accepted into the BSW Professional Sequence?

You have options. You may want to explore other majors. If you want to apply again next year, you may want to take a Planned Educational Leave so that you maintain your catalog rights. You may remain an active student if you have other general education requirements or minor courses to complete before applying again. Please meet with the BSW Program Director to discuss all of your options.

I have been accepted into the BSW Professional Sequence. What courses do I sign up for?

Review the BSW Course Plans(opens in new window). You will also need to meet with your Social Work advisor who will be assigned to you once you are accepted into the BSW program. Students will also need to be aware of other university requirements, including your required upper division pathway courses. Students are encouraged to contact Academic Advising Programs(opens in new window) to review general education requirements and units.

What about the practicum courses? What courses will the SWRK Department enroll me in?

During your last year of the program, the Social Work department will enroll you in your practicum courses prior to the semester beginning, during the registration Add/Drop(opens in new window).

Field courses that we enroll you in:

• Professional Sequence II
  • SWRK 489A
• Professional Sequence III
  • SWRK 489B

I have more questions, who can I contact?

Michele Eggers, PhD
BSW Program Director
BSW Program Information and Advising
530-898-3809

Molly Calhoun, PhD
Distributed Learning Coordinator
Available by e-mail

Caroline Oster 
Distributed Learning Advisor
Available by e-mail

Meka Klungtvet-Morano, MSW
Title IV-E Coordinator
BSW Program Advising
Available by e-mail

Chelsea Cornell, MSW
Title IV-E Coordinator
BSW Program Advising
Available by e-mail

Andrea Rioux, MSW, LCSW
BSW Practicum Coordinator
Available by e-mail

Nicole Davis
Practicum Placement Coordinator
Available by e-mail

All notifications will be sent to applicants via your Wildcat E-mail Address mid- to late-October. Make sure to check your Wildcat E-mail address – we will not be sending your notification to any other addresses.

Students will be able to register for the BSW Professional Sequence classes when accepted into the professional sequence. Please review the BSW course sequence(opens in new window) which outlines the sequential order that courses must be taken. Applicants will be contacted by the BSW Program Director and/or the Distributed Learning Program once notification letters are sent.

To apply to the BSW Professional Sequence, you will need to fill out an online BSW application.

The application for the BSW professional sequence will open for Spring 2026 semester on August 1, 2025, and close on September 15, 2025. The following information will be needed:

• Transcript [for transfer students]

Completion of the following 5 social Work prerequisite courses with a C or better:

• PSYC 101: Introduction to Psychology
• SOCI 100: Introduction to Sociology

Completion of the following 3 core social work courses with a C or better:

• SWRK 170: Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare
• SWRK 200: Diversity & Social Justice
• SWRK 202: Human Behavior and the Social Environment I

• Essay question
• Cumulative GPA of 2.0, or higher
• Minimum of 60 hours of volunteer, work, or service-learning with people