Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.) Major in Social Work
Minimum required: 120 semester credit hours
General Requirements
- The Social Work curriculum is based on and interwoven with the general education core curriculum consisting of 57 semester credit hours, and 6 hours in supportive Social Sciences. Students progress in three phases of the Social Work major, without regard to disability. A social worker must be emotionally and behaviorally stable, must have strong communication skills, must have solid interpersonal relationship-building skills, and must conform to professional ethics. The School of Social Work faculty evaluates whether students meet these criteria and may advise a student at any point to continue in the B.S.W. major or consider another major.
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For transfer students, 15 semester credit hours may be transferred from a Texas public institution of higher education for the Social Work Field of Study and be applied to the Bachelor of Social Work degree at Texas State University. More information about the Field of Study is available in the Academic Policies section of this catalog.
Course List Code Title Hours SOWK 1350 Introduction to Social Work 3 TCCN: SOCW 2361 SOWK 2375 Social Services in the Community 3 TCCN: SOCW 2362 Sociology Elective 3 TCCN: SOCI 1306 Social Work Elective 3 TCCN: SOCW 2389 Academic Cooperative MATH 2328 Elementary Statistics 3 or PSY 2301 Introduction to Statistics TCCN: MATH 1342 or PSYC 2317 Total Hours 15 - Students must complete a minimum of 36 advanced hours (3000 or 4000 level courses).
- Nine semester credit hours must be writing intensive (WI).
- The general education core curriculum courses are listed in the degree plan below along with the statewide component code number. See the General Education Core Curriculum section of this catalog for the Texas State requirements and options in the core curriculum, including Honors courses.
Phase I: Entry Level Social Work Courses and Specified General Education Core Curriculum Courses
Any student may declare a Social Work major and may enroll in SOWK 1350, SOWK 2375, as well as SOWK elective courses. Social work students should complete most of the following general education core curriculum and liberal arts courses before applying to Phase II of the Social Work major. They must complete at least 45 credit hours, including the following:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Life and Physical Sciences Component Code 030 1 | 3 | |
| Life and Physical Sciences Component Code 030 1 | 3 | |
| COMM 1310 | Fundamentals of Human Communication (Component Area Option Code 090/091) | 3 |
| ENG 1310 | College Writing I (Communication Component Code 010) | 3 |
| ENG 1320 | College Writing II (Communication Component Code 010) | 3 |
| ENG 3303 | Technical Writing | 3 |
| or ENG 3304 | Professional Writing | |
| HIST 1310 | History of the United States to 1877 (American History Component Code 060) 3 | 3 |
| or HIST 2327 | History of Mexican America to 1865 | |
| or HIST 2381 | African American History to 1877 | |
| HIST 1320 | History of the United States, 1877 to Date (American History Component Code 060) 3 | 3 |
| or HIST 2328 | History of Mexican America from 1865 | |
| or HIST 2382 | African American History from 1877 | |
| MATH 1315 | College Algebra (Mathematics Component Code 020) 2 | 3 |
| or MATH 1316 | Survey of Contemporary Mathematics | |
| PHIL 1305 | Philosophy and Critical Thinking (Language, Philosophy, and Culture Component Code 040) | 3 |
| or PHIL 1320 | Ethics and Society | |
| SOWK 1350 | Introduction to Social Work | 3 |
| SOWK 2375 | Social Services in the Community | 3 |
| US 1100 | University Seminar (if required) | 1 |
| Total Hours | 37 | |
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ANTH 2301, BIO 1320, BIO 1330, BIO 1331, BIO 1321, CHEM 1310, CHEM 1330, CHEM 1341, CHEM 1342, GEO 1305, GEOL 1410, GEOL 1420, PHYS 1310, PHYS 1315, PHYS 1320, PHYS 1325, PHYS 1340, PHYS 1350, PHYS 2325 and PHYS 2125, PHYS 2326 and PHYS 2126.
* Students will not receive general education core curriculum credit for both CHEM 1310 and CHEM 1341. Students will not receive general education core curriculum credit for both PHYS 1325 and PHYS 2425.- 2
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History options for HIST 1310 include HIST 2327 or HIST 2381; options for HIST 1320 include HIST 2328 or HIST 2382.
A minimum 2.50 overall GPA (at the time that final grades post during the semester within which applications are received) is required for the application for Phase II to be fully considered. Students interested in Social Work must contact the College of Applied Arts Academic Advising Center for advisement.
Phase II: Social Work Major
Students submit a formal application for admission to Phase II. Web-based application process opens each long Fall and Spring semester for admission into the program the following long Fall and/or Spring semester. Dates and information for open and closing of applications are posted on the BSW Admissions Process website. An Admissions Committee screens applicants, considering academic record and suitability for social work practice, and informs applicants in writing of their decision to admit to full major status, conditionally admit to full major status, or deny admission to full major status. Students admitted to Phase II must attend a mandatory orientation to the major prior to beginning Phase II of the degree program. Information regarding the orientation is provided in the written notification of admission to Phase II of the major. When students are admitted to Phase II, they are eligible to register for the first semester of full major courses.
Admission into Phase II does not guarantee permission to remain in the degree program, nor does it guarantee advancement to Phase III of the major which is Field Placement. Social Work faculty will continuously assess a student’s progress. To be retained, the student must maintain the required minimum Texas State GPA of 2.50. Students must also earn a minimum grade of “C” in each social work course and each supportive course. The School of Social Work outlines academic progress and advancement to graduation requirement, including policies on retaking major courses and sequencing in the Student Handbook. To remain in Phase II, students must agree to adhere to the NASW Code of Ethics, and demonstrate emotional and behavioral stability, competent communication skills, effective interpersonal relationship skills, and high levels of self-awareness.
Phase III: Field Placement
Students who have completed all required courses for the BSW, excluding SOWK 4374 and SOWK 4975, demonstrate emotional and behavioral stability, and who have met all the requirements noted above may apply for field placement. Students apply for field placement with the School of Social Work's Field Office. Students must take the Phase II Competency Exam and meet all Field Office requirements prior to full advancement into Phase III Field Placement. BSW students complete one block internship with 420 contact hours in a field placement in one semester.
The School prefers that students take SOWK 4374 and SOWK 4975 during the same semester, which requires that the student limit his/her enrollment that semester to field placement, totaling 12 hours. Under exceptional circumstances, students may request permission from the Field Coordinator to take SOWK 4374 and SOWK 4975 over two consecutive semesters (6 hours each semester).
Graduation Requirements
To be eligible for graduation a student must complete all degree requirements and must have a minimum Texas State GPA of 2.50 in supportive courses with a GPA of 2.75 or above in social work courses. Students seeking either a dual degree or a second bachelors’ degree in Social Work will need to complete all requirements for the B.S.W. degree.
Course Requirements
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| US 1100 | 1 | ENG 1320 (Communication Component Code 010 [TCCN ENGL 1302])1 | 3 |
| ENG 1310 (Communication Component Code 010 [TCCN ENGL 1301])1 | 3 | PHIL 1305 or 1320 (Language, Philosophy, and Culture Component Code 040 [TCCN PHIL 1301 or 2306])1 | 3 |
| COMM 1310 (Component Area Option Code 090/091 [TCCN SPCH 1311])1 | 3 | PSY 1300 (Social and Behavioral Sciences Component Code 080 [TCCN PSYC 2301]) | 3 |
| MATH 1315, 1316, or 1319 (Mathematics Component Code 020 [TCCN MATH 1314])1 | 3 | Creative Arts Component Code 050 | 3 |
| Government/Political Science Component Code 070 | 3 | Government/Political Science Component Code 070 | 3 |
| SOWK 1350 (TCCN SOCW 2361)1 | 3 | ||
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| American History Component Code 0601 | 3 | American History Component Code 0601 | 3 |
| Life and Physical Sciences Component Code 0301 | 3 | Life and Physical Sciences Component Code 0301 | 3 |
| Component Area Option Codes 090, 091, 092, 093 and 094 | 3 | ENG 3303 or 33041 | 3 |
| SOWK 2375 (TCCN SOCW 2362)1, 2 | 3 | CJ 3347, SOCI 3307, PSY 2301, HP 3302, or HP 3325 | 3 |
| Interdisciplinary Electives4 | 3 | Interdisciplinary Electives4 | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Junior | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| Interdisciplinary Electives4 | 3 | SOWK Electives3 | 3 |
| SOWK 3420 | 4 | SOWK 3425 | 4 |
| SOWK 3305 | 3 | SOWK 4305 | 3 |
| SOWK 4310 | 3 | SOWK 4355 | 3 |
| SOWK Electives3 | 3 | SOWK 3312 | 3 |
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Senior | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| SOWK 4425 | 4 | SOWK 4374 | 3 |
| SOWK 4356 | 3 | SOWK 4975 | 9 |
| SOWK 3340 | 3 | ||
| Interdisciplinary Electives4 | 5 | ||
| 15 | 12 | ||
| Total Hours: 120 | |||
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Required prior to application for Social Work major.
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Requires an additional 50 hours volunteering.
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Social Work Electives: SOWK 2320, SOWK 3332, SOWK 4300F, SOWK 4301, SOWK 4302, SOWK 4303, SOWK 4304,SOWK 4307 SOWK 4315, SOWK 4318, SOWK 4320, SOWK 4333, SOWK 4334, and SOWK 4360.
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Students are required to complete fourteen (14) semester credit hours of interdisciplinary electives from a core of disciplines relevant to the social work major (Note: Students must receive a grade of "C" or better for credit). Approved electives are from the following allied disciplines:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Criminal Justice
- Anthropology
- Family and Child Development
- Consumer Affairs
Please see the undergraduate catalog for pre-requisites of electives. All electives should be reviewed with College Advising to verify eligibility prior to enrollment.
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Statistics options include HP 3302 or HP 3325 or CJ 3347 or PSY 2301 or SOCI 3307.
