Undergraduate Catalog 2022-2023

Social Work, Bachelor of Social Work (594P, 594)

Department website: http://www.wku.edu/socialwork


Program Coordinator

Simon P. Funge, simon.funge@wku.edu, (270) 745-4149

The Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). During the four semesters required for completion of the social work major, students acquire knowledge, skills, and values that demonstrate competency in generalist social work practice. The major includes a 400-hour Fi­eld practicum or internship at a social service agency where students apply classroom learning under the supervision of a professional social worker. As a bachelor level social worker, graduates may work with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and/or the entire community with a primary focus on coordinating services in a variety of settings with multiple populations. For this reason, graduates must be flexible enough to work with people of various ages, backgrounds and cultures. With a BSW students are eligible to apply to any CSWE-Accredited Advanced Standing (accelerated) Master of Social Work program in the U.S. (Application requirements vary by program.)

The Social Work major consists of 54 semester hours, 42 core hours in social work and 12 hours in supportive courses. It is not necessary to have a minor for graduation.

Consistent with the program’s emphasis on a liberal arts foundation, during the freshman and sophomore years, students will take courses in English, political science, economics, math, biology, sociology, psychology, and also public speaking and history. These courses will also fulfill several of the Colonnade requirements. A list of the required liberal arts and sciences courses that must be taken as prerequisites for applying to the social work major is available on the departmental webpage or can be obtained from the department.

A student receiving a “D” or lower in any course used for the social work major will be required to repeat the course. If it is a core social work course, then the course must be repeated before proceeding to the next course in the sequence.

Admission Requirements

The academic advisor reviews the student’s academic status. If necessary, students are advised to fulfill prerequisites for admission to the program. Upon completion of prerequisite courses, including SWRK 101, students must complete an application process for formal admission to the social work program. The BSW Admissions and Retention Committee reviews each application. Students must have attained a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 and sophomore status in order to be admitted. Guidelines for admission and retention are stated in the BSW Student Handbook, which is available in the departmental office or on www.wku.edu/socialwork. The following 24 hours are required for admission:

SWRK 101Foundations of Human Services3
ENG 100Introduction to College Writing3
Select one of the following courses:3
Introductory Statistics
Social Work Statistics and Data Analysis
Using Statistics in Sociology
Statistics in Psychology
Biostatistics in the Health Sciences
PS 110American National Government3
ECON 150Introduction to Economics3
or ECON 202 Principles of Economics (Micro)
or ECON 203 Principles of Economics (Macro)
PSY/PSYS 100Introduction to Psychology3
or PSY/PSYS 220 Introduction to Lifespan Developmental Psychology
SOCL 100Introductory Sociology3
or AGRI 108 Rural Sociology
BIOL 113General Biology3
or BIOL 120 Biological Concepts: Cells Metabolism and Genetics
or BIOL 131 Human Anatomy and Physiology
Total Hours24

Program Requirements (54 hours)

A baccalaureate degree requires a minimum of 120 unduplicated semester hours. More information can be found at www.wku.edu/registrar/degree_certification.php.

Students who began WKU in the Fall 2014 and thereafter should review the Colonnade requirements located at: https://www.wku.edu/colonnade/colonnaderequirements.php.

Required Courses
SWRK 101Foundations of Human Services3
SWRK 301Social Work Practice for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion3
SWRK 330Human Behavior in the Social Environment3
SWRK 345Social Work Research Methods3
SWRK 357Case Management3
SWRK 375Social Work Practice I3
SWRK 378Social Work Practice II3
SWRK 379Introduction to Social Work Communication Skills3
SWRK 381Social Work Practice III3
SWRK 395Social Welfare Policy and Issues3
SWRK 480Social Work Field Practicum I3
SWRK 481Social Work Field Seminar I3
SWRK 482Social Work Field Practicum II3
SWRK 483Social Work Field Seminar II3
Electives 112
Select two of the following:
Mental Health and Social Policy
Diversity and Social Welfare
Environmental Justice: Theory, Policy, and Practice
Opioid Epidemic
Social Work & Women in Society
Services for the Older American
Services for Juvenile Offenders and Their Families
Ethical Issues and Dilemmas in Social Work
Services to Children
Military Social Work
Understanding Trauma
Child Maltreatment
Child Maltreatment Interventions
Selected Topics in Social Work
Directed Study
Directed Study
Select six hours in consultation with advisor and must be unduplicated. 2
Total Hours54

Finish in Four Plan

First Year
FallHoursSpringHours
SWRK 1013MATH 1833
HIST 101 or HIST 1023ENG 1003
COMM 1453Minor/Elective or World Language (if needed)3
SOCL 100 or AGRI 1083PS 1103
PSY 100 or PSYS 1003BIOL 113, BIOL 120, BIOL 121, or BIOL 1313-4
 15 15-16
Second Year
FallHoursSpringHours
ECON 1503Colonnade - Natural & Physical Sciences (not Biology)3
Colonnade - Arts & Humanities3Connections - Social & Cultural3
Major Social Work Elective #13Major Advisor Consent Elective #13
ENG 2003Minor/Elective3
Minor/Elective3Minor/Elective3
 15 15
Third Year
FallHoursSpringHours
SWRK 3013SWRK 3573
SWRK 3303SWRK 3783
SWRK 3753SWRK 3793
Connections - Local to Global3ENG 3003
Major Advisor Consent Elective #23Connections - Systems3
 15 15
Fourth Year
FallHoursSpringHours
SWRK 3453SWRK 3953
SWRK 3813SWRK 4823
SWRK 4803SWRK 4833
SWRK 4813Major Social Work Elective #23
Minor/Elective3Minor/Elective3
 15 15
Total Hours 120-121