Mar 28, 2024  
2020-2021 Academic Catalog (August 2020 - July 2021) 
    
2020-2021 Academic Catalog (August 2020 - July 2021) [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Social Work (BSW)


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The mission of the Social Work Program is to prepare students for beginning professional generalist social work practice in a wide range of settings, and with diverse population through education, research, and service with special appreciation for the peoples and institutions of West Virginia, Appalachia, and other rural areas. The program has been accredited by the Council on Social Work Education since 1974. The accreditation applies to beginning level generalist social work practice. Upon completion of the requirements for the Bachelor of Social Work degree, the National Association of Social Workers will accept graduates as regular members of the Association. Additionally, graduates will be allowed to sit for the Social Work Licensure Exam.

Graduates of the four-year program will be prepared for:

  • Beginning level professional generalist social work practice;
  • Graduate social work education.

A basic arts and sciences education is essential to professional social work education. There is no foreign language requirement. All courses require letter grades except SOWK 4601 /SOWK 4602  , Field Instruction, which is a pass-fail evaluation due to the nature of field experience. There are no provisions for awarding academic credit for life experience, or previous work experience, in lieu of the fjeld placement requirement or to fulfill any of the foundation course requirements.

Beginning with the introductory class, there are opportunities for field experience in many of the required social work courses.

The Bachelor of Social Work


The degree of Bachelor of Social Work requires the successful completion of 120 semester hours, including (1) the General Education Program ; which includes the designated liberal arts content; (2) the social work program listed below; and (3) a program of electives worked out with the student’s adviser. Students must also attain a grade point average (GPA) of 2.50 or better on all courses listed below under Social Work Program. Students are formally accepted as social work majors after having been admitted by the Social Work Admissions and Retention Committee. Detailed admissions requirements and procedures are presented in the Social Work Student Handbook.

Additional Requirements


Additionally students must complete one (3) hour credit course in each of the following cognate areas (for a total of 9 credit hours):

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