Bachelor of Social Work
The objectives of the undergraduate program are based upon the following sections of the Council on Social Work Education Curriculum Policy Statement:
The baccalaureate is the first level of the professional education for entry into the profession. The baccalaureate social worker should attain a beginning professional level of proficiency in the self-critical and accountable use of this bio-psychosocial knowledge and integrate this knowledge with the liberal arts perspective and the professional foundation content.
Students who receive a baccalaureate degree from an accredited social work program should possess the professional judgment and proficiency to apply, with supervision, the common professional foundation to direct service systems with client systems of various sizes and types.
The purpose of undergraduate social work education is to prepare students for a generalist social work practice.
The curriculum of the undergraduate program is based upon these goals and reflects a commitment to impart the ethics and standards of professional practice as well as the skills which are essential for beginning level proficiency in professional practice, in accordance with standards of the Council on Social Work Education, the National Association of Social Workers, and the considered judgment of the faculty members of the Division of Social Work.
The General Plan BASW FAQ's
The curriculum plan of the combined social work program of the Division of Social Work begins with the liberal arts (General Education) completed during the freshman and sophomore years. During the junior year, social work majors commence the professional foundation; and in the senior year, the beginning generalist curriculum is completed.
The Liberal Arts Preparation
Students complete courses as follows to satisfy General Education requirements:
Basic Subjects ( 9 units)
Physical Universe and its Life Forms - including content on human biology and courses on quantitative reasoning (12 units)
Arts and Humanities (12 units)
Individual and Society (15 units)
Undergraduate Personal Development ( 3 units)
Social work students should complete courses in Economics, Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Biology, Ethnic Studies, and Women's Studies.
All students must pass a required Writing Proficiency Examination (WPE) before enrolling in the required upper division Advanced Study courses. The Advanced Study courses are specially designed courses that include extensive writing requirements. The Division offers an advanced writing course in the general education program: SW 126 Theories of Criminal Behavior.
Professional Foundation
The professional foundation in social work education, in accordance with liberal arts perspective, is built upon knowledge and expertise from a wide variety of fields of philosophical, theoretical, and scientific study. The academic subjects which prepare students for studies in the theory and practice of social work are contained in content areas within the liberal arts curriculum, defined as General Education content in the California State University system. General Education requirements must be completed by the student prior to acceptance as a major in the social work baccalaureate program.
Social Work Major BASW FAQ's
Of the total 124 units required for the baccalaureate degree, the social work major requires 48 upper division units. The major requires 39 units of core courses, 6 units to be selected from the social welfare policy (including content on policy analysis) & human behavior courses, and social welfare policy courses (including content on policy analysis), and 3 units to be selected from the social science options in Ethnic Studies and Women's Studies. Thus, the curriculum plan of social work major is as follows:
A. Recommended Lower Division Preparation
Students should complete, as a liberal arts base, General Education courses in economics, psychology, sociology, anthropology and human biology; lower division courses in critical thinking and ethnic studies are strongly recommended. Community college transfer students should consult a counselor to identify courses which qualify for General Education transfer credit.
Note: Grade ''C'' or better required in Section B courses above.
Professional Foundation (core courses) - 39 units (Courses in parentheses are prerequisites.)
SWRK 102 (3 units)
Crosscultural Theory & Practice: Issues of Race, Gender & Class
SWRK 110 (3 units)
Introduction to Statistics for Social Workers
SWRK 111 (3 units)
Introduction to Research Methods & Program Evaluation (SWRK 110)
SWRK 125A (3 units)
Human Behavior/Social Environment
SWRK 125B (3 units)
Human Behavior/Social Environment (SWRK 125A)
SWRK 140A (3 units)
Social Work Practice
SWRK 140B (3 units)
Social Work Practice (SWRK 140A; Corequisite:
SWRK 195A)
SWRK 140C (3 units)
Social Work Practice (SWRK 140B; Corequisite:
SWRK 195B)
SWRK 150 (3 units)
Welfare in America
SWRK 195A (6 units)
Field Instruction (SWRK 110, SWRK 125A, SWRK 125B, SWRK 140A, SWRK 150;
Corequisite: SWRK 140B)
SWRK 195B (6 units)
Field Instruction (SWRK 110, SWRK 125A, SWRK 125B, SWRK 140A, SWRK 140B,
SWRK 150, SWRK 195A; Corequisite: SWRK 111, SWRK_140C )
Social Welfare Policy & Human Behavior - 6 units (Select Two Courses From The Following):
SWRK 126
Theories of Criminal Behavior (Passing score on the WPE)
SWRK 129
Human Sexuality in Social Work Perspectives
SWRK 130
Ethnic America: Social Welfare Issues, Problems, Services
SWRK 134
Crimes Without Victims
SWRK 136
Poverty & Homelessness in America
SWRK 137
The Child & the Law
SWRK 151
Health Services & Systems
SWRK 153
Child Welfare Services
Social Science Options - 3 units (Select One Course From The Following):
ETHN 100
Ethnic America (Passing score on the WPE)
ETHN 110
Asian Americans: Status & Identity
ETHN 132
La Mujer Chicana
ETHN 172
Black Women in America
ETHN 173
Black Family in the United States
WOMS 110
Introduction to the Women's Movements in Contemporary Society
WOMS 120
Mother/Woman/Person
WOMS 137
Women of Color
Non-social work majors are excluded from all practice and field education courses of the undergraduate professional foundation curriculum.
Social Work Minor: Social Welfare
The minor in social work requires the completion of 21 upper division units as follows:
SWRK 125A (3 units)
Human Behavior/Social Environment: Infancy through Adolescence
SWRK 125B (3 units)
Human Behavior/Social Environment: Adulthood through Aging (SWRK 125A)
SWRK 150 (3 units)
Welfare In America
SWRK 153 (3 units)
Child Welfare Services
Two courses from SWRK 129, SWRK 130, SWRK 136, SWRK 137, SWRK 151 (6
units)
One upper division course from Anthropology, Economics, Government,
Psychology, Sociology, Ethnic Studies, or Women's Studies (3 units)
The Social Work Perspective in General Education
The Division of Social Work offers seven courses in the University's General Education Curriculum:
SWRK 102 Cross-Culture Theory & Practice: Issues of Race, Gender, & Class
SWRK 125A Human Behavior in the Social Environment
SWRK 126 Theories of Criminal Behavior
SWRK 134 Crimes Without Victims
SWRK 136 Poverty and Homelessness in America
SWRK 150 Welfare in America
SWRK 151 Health Services and Systems
These offerings not only assist the University to fulfill its mission regarding the liberal education of the region's citizenry but also extend social work and its concerns and commitments far beyond the confines of the major, the minor, and the graduate degree program. Simultaneously, these offerings greatly strengthen the position of the social work program in the University by contributing significantly to the primary educational mission of the University.
Social Work 195A-B (Field Education)
Field Education is the practicum portion of Social Work Education. It is an educationally directed, coordinated and monitored practice experience required of all students. Field Education entails a sequence of courses, that are conceptually based in "individual learning" and designed as successive building blocks. Students are expected to demonstrate their knowledge, skills, and abilities in real life situations under supervised instruction in accordance with their individualized learning contracts. The undergraduate field sequence requires students to be in a field placement for two semesters, two days per week (8 hours/day) for a total of 64 days. The integration of class and field learning is the Division's objective for all social work students.
The curriculum design, called the Concurrency Model, better facilitates the integration of theory-human behavior, policy, research, ethics, practice, social values, multicultural diversity and special populations, and social and economic justice - into actual social work practice. In addition to the concurrent curriculum design, the field education program utilizes integration seminars (required of all students) to further facilitate and ensure integration of class and field learning.
Upon graduation, students are expected to demonstrate competency equivalent to an entry level position in the area of social work.
Features
The Bachelor of Arts in Social Work and the Master of Social Work degree programs are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
Many required classes will have at least one section scheduled during evening hours.
Social work students earn academic credit for professionally supervised field experience in a human service agency. The practicum is two to three days per week.
All BASW and MSW students receive academic and career planning advisement. Employment information for students is updated continuously.
Graduate and undergraduate social work students maintain active student organizations including a chapter of Phi Alpha, a national honor society for social work.
Undergraduate students who want to know more about major social welfare issues and alternative proposals for solving social problems but who do not plan to prepare for professional social work practice may enroll in the 21-unit minor in Social Welfare.
The MSW degree fulfills most of the educational requirements for California licensure as Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and the Pupil Personnel Services Credential for School Social Work.
Our Commitment to You
The Division of Social Work is committed to assisting you in achieving
your academic goals. Students are assigned an Academic Advisor within
the department, faculty member, and are required to meet with an advisor
at least once per semester.
Email the Undergraduate
Director
