Social Work (B.S.)

Social Work is a specialized degree that prepares students for generalist social work practice in a wide range of settings to work with children, youth, families, and adults. The curriculum has its foundation in the liberal arts, focusing on the biological, psychological, and social sciences, and provides content on the knowledge, skills, and values of social work. The curriculum integrates content on values and ethics, human diversity, populations-at-risk, and the promotion of social and economic justice.

The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) granted initial accreditation to the program in 1995. By continuing to meet CSWE’s standards, the program received full reaccreditation in June 2015 for the eight-year cycle, ending in 2023. The curriculum provides content on human behavior and the social environment, social welfare policy and services, practice theory and skills, research, and field education. The field education component (450 supervised hours) provides students with a hands-on learning experience at human service agencies throughout New Hampshire.

Interested students may obtain additional information about the program’s mission, admission and continuance requirements, and other academic policies, by contacting the Social Work Program, accessing the Program’s homepage, or referencing the Program’s Student Handbook. The following is a brief summary of the Program’s academic policies:

Admission Requirements

Students accepted by the University must also meet the requirements of the Department for admission. To apply, students must

1. be enrolled in or have completed Introduction to Social Work (SW 2200),
2. complete an application by submitting a written statement (see Social Work Student Handbook or Social Work homepage for more information and to complete the application), and
3. participate in a personal interview with a member of the Social Work faculty.

The criteria and procedures used for admission are based on the academic and professional standards established by the Council on Social Work Education, the national accrediting body. The criteria used for assessment are:

1. intellectual qualities and academic skills;
2. commitment to the enhancement of quality of life for individuals and families;
3. concern for issues of social justice and sensitivity to cultural diversity; and
4. capacity for self-awareness and self-evaluation.

The Department of Social Work encourages applications from students from diverse backgrounds including race, color, ethnicity, national origin, immigration status, culture, political ideology, gender, gender identity and expression, sex, sexual orientation, social class, family type, religion, age, and physical and mental abilities. Students are advised to apply by their sophomore year. Applicants will receive notice regarding the decision within 14 calendar days of the interview. Students may be accepted provisionally and will develop, with the help of a faculty member, an action plan for improvement in one or more of the above criteria to be worked on during the following semester.

Continuation and Graduation Requirements

Once admitted, students must meet the following continuation requirements in order to gain admission to Social Work Practicum (SW 4430) and the concurrent Social Work Integrative Seminar (SW 4550), and to graduate with a BS in Social Work:

1. a grade of C or better in the required (SW) Foundation Courses:

   Course List

   Course	Title	Credits
   SW 2200	Introduction to Social Work	4
   SW 2300	Case Management and Advocacy	3
   SW 2400	Professional Writing for Social Work	1
   SW 3450	Social Welfare Policy and Services	3
   SW 3520	Theory and Practice of Social Work Intervention II	3
   SW 3530	Theory and Practice of Social Work Intervention III	3
   SW 3610	Theory and Practice of Social Work Intervention I	4
   SW 3660	Human Behavior and the Social Environment	4
   SW 4020	Social Work Research Methods (TECO)	3
   SW 4550	Social Work Integrative Seminar (WRCO)	3

2. a minimum major grade point average of 2.5 (all courses required for the major)

Students who wish to be readmitted into the major need to follow the most current Catalog.

Transfer credit is not granted for either the Practicum or the Social Work Seminar. Academic credit for life experience and previous work experience shall not be granted in lieu of any course required for the major.

These academic standards should be monitored by the student and their faculty advisor throughout the student’s Social Work education. To be admitted to the Practicum and the Seminar (Social Work Integrative Seminar (SW 4550)), students must have completed all of the course requirements of the major, achieved an overall grade point average of 2.0 and a major grade point average of 2.5, and earned a grade of C or better in the eight Social Work Foundation Courses (as listed above). Permission to enter the field will be granted in writing by the Program Director or the Field Education Director.

In addition to academic requirements, students are required to demonstrate professional and ethical behavior. Student behavior that is contrary to the ethics of the profession will be reviewed by the program to determine the student’s appropriateness for continuance in the major. Behaviors that would warrant such a review are based on the Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). Examples of unprofessional or unethical behavior include impropriety in personal conduct (such as dishonesty or criminal behavior); exploitive relationships (such as sexual relationships or other behaviors pursued for personal advantage), e.g., with practicum clients; and any form of illegal discrimination or discrimination contrary to Plymouth State University policy (see the NASW Code of Ethics).