The Bachelor of Social Work requires completion of 120 credits, including 46 credits in the major. The curriculum of the baccalaureate program is specifically designed to prepare students for beginning-level generalist social work practice. This practice model requires a broad base of knowledge about individuals, families, groups, communities and organizations and an appreciation of cultural diversity. General education courses provide an essential foundation for the upper-level professional curriculum and are required for admission to junior and senior social work courses.
Student learning outcomes
Upon completing this program, students will know and know how to do the following:
- Demonstrate ethical and professional behavior
- Engage diversity and difference in practice
- Advance human rights and social, economic and environmental justice
- Engage in practice-informed research and research-informed practice
- Engage in policy practice
- Engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities
- Assess individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities
- Intervene with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities
- Evaluate practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities
Academic policies
Transfer students
Students who transfer to VCU from another institution as social work majors are not required to complete the UNIV 111 and UNIV 112 sequence. Instead, these students must transfer three credits in writing and composition course work with a grade of C or better (approved by the program director) in lieu of UNIV 111. Students may also transfer three additional credits in writing and composition course work with a grade of C or better (approved by the program director) in lieu of UNIV 112 or complete UNIV 200 at VCU with a grade of C or better. The remaining three credits from the UNIV 111, UNIV 112 and UNIV 200 sequence requirement may be completed as general electives. This policy applies only to students who transfer to VCU after their freshman year and may not be used by students who began their studies as freshmen at VCU.
Transfer of credits from other colleges or universities or from other programs at VCU is determined on an individual basis.
Application process
Students eligible to register for upper-level social work courses need to make an appointment with their adviser to review and complete the “Application for Admission to the B.S.W. Professional Preparation Program” form. This form is available from your student success adviser. Although the B.S.W. program can be completed on a part-time basis, it cannot be completed exclusively in the evening because of field practicum requirements and the scheduling of some classes.
Course restrictions
Practice (SLWK 332, SLWK 441 and SLWK 442) and field education (SLWK 393, SLWK 494-SLWK 495) courses and the senior seminar (SLWK 499) are restricted to social work majors only. Students minoring in social welfare, or other students with permission of program director or course instructor, may take the following:
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SLWK 311 | Social Work and Oppressed Groups | 3 |
| SLWK 313 | Person in Society I | 3 |
| SLWK 330 | Person in Society II | 3 |
| SLWK 380 | Foundations of Social Work Research I | 3 |
| SLWK 381 | Foundations of Social Work Research II | 3 |
| SLWK 422 | Social Welfare Legislation and Services | 3 |
| SLWK 431 | Person in Society III | 3 |
In all cases, however, prerequisites must be satisfied.
Field placements require students to spend 14 hours a week in an agency and cannot be completed on nights and weekends.
Honors in social work
Undergraduate social work majors may earn honors in social work by excelling academically and completing a research-based honors thesis under the supervision of faculty mentors. Students apply for honors in social work in the second semester of their junior year (spring or summer). To graduate with honors in social work, students must satisfy all of the following conditions:
- Earn a 3.5 cumulative grade point average.
- Earn a grade of A in SLWK 380 and SLWK 381 and a minimum grad of B in all other social work courses.
- Complete six to nine credits of independent study (SLWK 492) with a minimum grade of B to propose and implement a research project under the supervision of a faculty mentor.
- Present and successfully defend in writing and orally the findings from the research project in the form of an honors thesis to a committee of three faculty members (one of whom is the student’s mentor).
Students who meet these requirements and all other graduation requirements of the university will have honors in social work noted on their transcripts. For further information about the application process and detailed instructions for completing the honors thesis, students should contact the B.S.W. program director.
Special requirements
To complete lower-division requirements and begin the professional preparation curriculum of the B.S.W. program, students must:
- Complete the following specific courses (37 credits):
Course Title Hours ANTH 103 Introduction to Anthropology 3 BIOL 101 Biological Concepts 3 MATH 131 Introduction to Contemporary Mathematics 3 PHIL from approved list 3 PSYC 101 
Play course video for Introduction to PsychologyIntroduction to Psychology 4 PSYC 304 Life Span Developmental Psychology 3 SLWK 201 Introduction to Social Work 3 SLWK 230 Communication in the Helping Process 3 SOCY 101 Play course video for Introduction to SociologyIntroduction to Sociology 3 UNIV 111 Play course video for Focused Inquiry IFocused Inquiry I 3 UNIV 112 Play course video for Focused Inquiry IIFocused Inquiry II 3 UNIV 200 Advanced Focused Inquiry: Literacies, Research and Communication 3 Total Hours 37 - Complete 17 additional credits from the general education requirements for a total of 54 credits to achieve junior status
- Achieve a minimum grade of C in UNIV 112 and UNIV 200
- Achieve a minimum grade of B in SLWK 201 and SLWK 230
- Achieve a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5
- Apply for admission with academic adviser to begin the professional preparation curriculum of the B. S. W. program.
- Agree to abide by the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics as students and emerging professionals
Other program requirements and guidelines:
- All 300 level SLWK prerequisite courses require a minimum grade of C before entering 400-level SLWK courses.
- Students must have a minimum grade of C in all required social work courses to graduate.
- A student who earns a grade of D or F in any required social work course may repeat the course once. If a grade of D or F is earned in the repeated course, the student will be terminated from the B.S.W. program.
- Credit is not given for life experiences.
- As a condition for graduation, students must submit in the spring term of a senior year a portfolio of selected assignments.
- There are additional policies that affect students’ progression in the professional degree program. Students are responsible for compliance with these policies. They are listed in the Student Policy Handbook, which is available on the School of Social Work website at socialwork.vcu.edu.
Foreign language requirement: Students who place into or are waived out of the 101 level in a foreign language must complete the 102 level in the same language. Students who place into or are waived out of the 101 and 102 level in a foreign language must complete at least one college-level foreign language course in any language. Credits earned by CLEP do not count toward the fulfillment of this requirement.
Degree requirements for Social Work, Bachelor of (B.S.W.)
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General education | ||
| Select 30 credits of general education courses in consultation with an adviser. | 30 | |
| Major requirements | ||
| • Major core requirements | ||
| SLWK 201 | Introduction to Social Work | 3 |
| SLWK 230 | Communication in the Helping Process | 3 |
| SLWK 311 | Social Work and Oppressed Groups | 3 |
| SLWK 313 | Person in Society I | 3 |
| SLWK 330 | Person in Society II | 3 |
| SLWK 332 | Social Work Practice: Fundamentals | 3 |
| SLWK 380 | Foundations of Social Work Research I | 3 |
| SLWK 381 | Foundations of Social Work Research II | 3 |
| SLWK 393 | Junior Field Instruction | 3 |
| SLWK 422 | Social Welfare Legislation and Services | 3 |
| SLWK 431 | Person in Society III | 3 |
| SLWK 441 | Social Work Practice I | 3 |
| SLWK 442 | Social Work Practice II | 3 |
| SLWK 494 | Senior Field Instruction I | 3 |
| SLWK 495 | Senior Field Instruction II | 3 |
| SLWK 499 | Senior Seminar | 2 |
| Ancillary requirements | ||
| ANTH 103 | Introduction to Anthropology (satisfies general education BOK for social/behavioral sciences and AOI for global perspectives) | 3 |
| BIOL 101 | Biological Concepts (satisfies general education BOK for natural sciences and AOI for scientific and logical reasoning) | 3 |
| BIOL 103 | Global Environmental Biology | 3 |
| or BIOL 201 | Human Biology | |
| or BIOL 217 | Principles of Nutrition | |
| or SOCS 340 | Human Sexuality | |
| or PSYC 401 | Physiological Psychology | |
| or PSYC 406 | Perception | |
| or PSYC 412 | Health Psychology | |
| MATH 131 | Introduction to Contemporary Mathematics (satisfies general education quantitative foundations) | 3-4 |
| or MATH 141 | Algebra with Applications | |
| or MATH 151 | Precalculus Mathematics | |
| or MATH 200 | Calculus with Analytic Geometry I | |
| PHIL 201 | Introduction to Ethics 1 | 3 |
| or PHIL 211 | History of Ethics | |
| or PHIL 212 | Ethics and Applications | |
| or PHIL 213 | Ethics and Health Care | |
| or PHIL 221 | Critical Thinking | |
| or PHIL 222 | Logic | |
| PSYC 101 Play course video for Introduction to Psychology | Introduction to Psychology (satisfies general education AOI for diversities in the human experience) | 4 |
| PSYC 304 | Life Span Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 407 | Psychology of the Abnormal | 3 |
| SOCY 101 Play course video for Introduction to Sociology | Introduction to Sociology (satisfies general education AOI for diversities in the human experience) | 3 |
| Electives from HIST, POLI or ECON | 3 | |
| Foreign language through the 102 level (including ASL) | 6 | |
| Open electives | ||
| Select any course. | 21 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.
Students who complete the requirements for this degree will receive a Bachelor of Social Work.
What follows is a sample plan that meets the prescribed requirements within a four-year course of study at VCU. Please contact your adviser before beginning course work toward a degree.
| Freshman year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall semester | Hours | |
| ANTH 103 | Introduction to Anthropology (satisfies general education BOK for social/behavioral sciences and AOI for global perspectives) | 3 |
| MATH 131 | Introduction to Contemporary Mathematics (satisfies general education quantitative foundations) | 3 |
| PSYC 101 Play course video for Introduction to Psychology | Introduction to Psychology (satisfies general education AOI for diversities in the human experience) | 4 |
| SOCY 101 Play course video for Introduction to Sociology | Introduction to Sociology (satisfies general education AOI for diversities in the human experience) | 3 |
| UNIV 111 Play course video for Focused Inquiry I | Focused Inquiry I (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) | 3 |
| Term Hours: | 16 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| BIOL 101 | Biological Concepts (satisfies general education BOK for natural sciences and AOI for scientific and logical reasoning) | 3 |
| UNIV 112 Play course video for Focused Inquiry II | Focused Inquiry II (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) | 3 |
| Electives from HIST, POLI or ECON | 3 | |
| General education course | 3 | |
| Open elective | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Sophomore year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| SLWK 230 | Communication in the Helping Process | 3 |
| UNIV 200 | Advanced Focused Inquiry: Literacies, Research and Communication (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) | 3 |
| Foreign language 101 | 3 | |
| General education course (select a BOK for humanities and fine arts and AOI for creative inquiry) | 3 | |
| Open elective | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| PHIL 201 | Introduction to Ethics 1 or History of Ethics 1 or Ethics and Applications 1 or Ethics and Health Care 1 or Critical Thinking 1 or Logic 1 | 3 |
| PSYC 304 | Life Span Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| SLWK 201 | Introduction to Social Work | 3 |
| Foreign language 102 | 3 | |
| Open elective | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Junior year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| SLWK 311 | Social Work and Oppressed Groups | 3 |
| SLWK 313 | Person in Society I | 3 |
| SLWK 380 | Foundations of Social Work Research I | 3 |
| Open electives | 6 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| SLWK 330 | Person in Society II | 3 |
| SLWK 332 | Social Work Practice: Fundamentals | 3 |
| SLWK 381 | Foundations of Social Work Research II | 3 |
| SLWK 393 | Junior Field Instruction | 3 |
| Open elective | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Senior year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| BIOL 103 | Global Environmental Biology or Human Biology or Principles of Nutrition or Human Sexuality or Physiological Psychology or Perception or Health Psychology | 3 |
| SLWK 422 or SLWK 431 | Social Welfare Legislation and Services or Person in Society III | 3 |
| SLWK 441 | Social Work Practice I | 3 |
| SLWK 494 | Senior Field Instruction I | 3 |
| Open elective | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| PSYC 407 | Psychology of the Abnormal | 3 |
| SLWK 422 or SLWK 431 | Social Welfare Legislation and Services or Person in Society III | 3 |
| SLWK 442 | Social Work Practice II | 3 |
| SLWK 495 | Senior Field Instruction II | 3 |
| SLWK 499 | Senior Seminar | 2 |
| Term Hours: | 14 | |
| Total Hours: | 120 | |
If PHIL 201 or PHIL 221 is taken, students may need to take additional open electives to meet degree requirements
The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.