Social Work (BSW)

The Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program is designed to cultivate a diverse workforce comprising culturally competent, ethical, service-oriented, generalist social workers. Students in the program are primed to address the needs of a global society, promoting the welfare of individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities through a framework of interprofessional collaboration, integrative practice, scientific inquiry and an unwavering commitment to human rights and social justice.

Through a comprehensive curriculum, the program equips students with the necessary skills and knowledge for entry-level professional social work careers or further graduate-level education in social work. Emphasizing human rights and social justice, the BSW program aims to achieve several key objectives:

1. Grounding in Generalist Practice and Preparation for Advanced Education: Students are grounded in the principles of generalist practice, providing them with a solid foundation for advanced study in social work.

2. Engagement, Assessment, Intervention and Evaluation: Students are equipped with the skills to effectively engage with, assess, intervene in and evaluate practices concerning individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.

3. Ethical Practice and Critical Thinking: Emphasis is placed on fostering ethical social work practice and nurturing critical thinking skills to guide professional judgments and actions.

4. Advocacy and Social Change: Graduates are empowered to be change agents, advocating for human rights, dismantling institutional and systemic barriers and actively advancing social justice in all spheres of society.

To earn the BSW degree, students must successfully complete a total of 128 units, with 48 units specifically allocated to courses in the social work major. This encompasses fulfilling lower-division general education requisites, mandatory prerequisite courses, selecting one elective course, completing nine mandatory courses within the social work major, participating in two social work practicum internship seminars and fulfilling 440 hours of social work practicum internship. All students must achieve an overall average of C (2.0) or better in the BSW program courses required for completion of the degree/major. Students must also demonstrate a strong commitment to ethical practice and professionalism.