Policies & Procedures
Campus Policies
Policies & Procedures
Bachelor in Social Work
Academic Policies
It is the responsibility of the student to be aware of all published academic regulations online.
Incompletes
A grade of Incomplete can be granted and noted on the final grade report by the instructor when
- a substantial portion of the course work has been satisfactorily completed,
- the course work is of passing quality, and
- the student is experiencing some hardship that would render the completion of coursework unjust to hold them to the time limits previously established. A grade of Incomplete will revert to an “F” after one academic year or when the incomplete contract requirements are not fulfilled.
Pass/Fail Option
Participants who are working toward a bachelor’s degree and are in good standing (not on academic probation) may take up to eight elective courses on a Pass/Fail basis (no letter grade assigned). A Pass/Fail course may not be used to satisfy any of the area requirements. Pass/Fail courses may, however, be used to meet the 300- to 400-level course requirements.
Dean’s List
The BSW program has a Dean's list to recognize student excellence. The policy, approved by the Faculty in 1997, reads as follows:
- BSW Students with a semester GPA of 3.75 or better will be named to the Dean's List.
- The IU School of Social Work BSW Recorder will forward the names of the eligible students to the Office of the Dean. This information should be forwarded within two weeks following the posting of semester grades.
- The Dean o the School will notify students of their achievement by email.
- A program director/coordinator may post the Dean's List on the webpage within the School. Only students taking a full course load (12 hours or more) in either the Fall or Spring semesters will be eligible.
- The Dean's List will be compiled twice a year.
Graduation with Honors
Each year, graduating students who rank in the upper 10 percent of their graduating class are recognized by graduating with Distinction (Highest, High, and With Distinction).
Cheating and Plagiarism
A student must not adopt or reproduce ideas, words, or statements of another person without appropriate acknowledgment. A student must give credit to the originality of others and acknowledge indebtedness whenever he or she does any of the following:
- Quotes another person’s actual words, either oral or written;
- Paraphrases another person’s words, either oral or written;
- Uses another person’s idea, opinion, or theory; or
- Borrows facts, statistics, or other illustrative material, unless the information is common knowledge.
- Please check the IU Code of Conduct for further information
Academic Probation
Students are automatically placed on academic probation when their cumulative GPA falls below a 2.5 for 12 consecutive credit hours. Students are removed from probationary status when their GPA, for 12 credit hours, increases to at least 2.5. If the cumulative GPA continues to be below 2.5, students will remain in probationary status. They remain in this status for another 12 consecutive credit hours of coursework, during which time the GPA must be raised to at least 2.5. If, after two consecutive semesters, a student’s GPA is still below 2.5, the student will be dismissed from the university.
Students admitted on a provisional basis may be dismissed if they fail to achieve a minimum GPA of 2.5 during the first 12 credit hours of coursework. Students may also be dismissed from the program for failure to comply with any other academic requirements stipulated by the program to remove the probational status.
BS in Labor Studies
Academic Policies
It is the responsibility of the student to be aware of all published academic regulations online or in the School of Social Work and LS bulletin.
Incompletes
A grade of Incomplete can be granted and noted on the final grade report by the instructor when:
- a substantial portion of the coursework has been satisfactorily completed,
- the coursework is of passing quality, and
- the student is experiencing some hardship that would render the completion of coursework unjust to hold them to the time limits previously established. A grade of Incomplete will revert to an “F” after one academic year or when the incomplete contract requirements are not fulfilled.
Pass/Fail Option
Participants who are working toward a bachelor’s degree and are in good standing (not on academic probation) may take up to eight elective courses on a Pass/Fail basis (no letter grade assigned). A Pass/Fail course may not be used to satisfy any of the area requirements. Pass/Fail courses may, however, be used to meet the 300- to 400-level course requirements.
Dean’s List
All undergraduate students majoring in LS and achieving a 3.5-grade point average (GPA) or higher during a fall or spring semester are placed on the Dean’s List. Part-time students will be placed on the list if they achieve a 3.5 GPA or higher for at least six consecutive credit hours. These honor students will receive letters from the dean recognizing their meritorious efforts.
Graduation with Honors
Participants who complete a minimum of 60 credit hours for the Associate of Science in LS or 120 credit hours for the Bachelor of Science in LS at Indiana University will graduate with honors if they attain the appropriate grade point averages. On most campuses, an average GPA of 3.90 or higher is recognized with highest distinction, 3.75 to 3.89 with high distinction, and 3.50 to 3.74 with distinction. No more than 10 percent of a class can graduate with honors.
Cheating and Plagiarism
A student must not adopt or reproduce ideas, words, or statements of another person without appropriate acknowledgment. A student must give credit to the originality of others and acknowledge indebtedness whenever he or she does any of the following:
- Quotes another person’s actual words, either oral or written;
- Paraphrases another person’s words, either oral or written;
- Uses another person’s idea, opinion, or theory; or
- Borrows facts, statistics, or other illustrative material, unless the information is common knowledge.
- Please check the IU Code of Conduct for further information
Academic Probation
Students are automatically placed on academic probation when their cumulative GPA falls below a 2.0 for 12 consecutive credit hours. Students are removed from probationary status when their GPA, for 12 credit hours, increases to at least 2.0. If the cumulative GPA continues to be below 2.0, students will remain in probationary status. They remain in this status for another 12 consecutive credit hours of coursework, during which time the GPA must be raised to at least 2.0. If, after two consecutive semesters, a student’s GPA is still below 2.0, the student will be dismissed from the university.
Students admitted on a provisional basis may be dismissed if they fail to achieve a minimum GPA of 2.0 during the first 12 credit hours of coursework. Students may also be dismissed from the program for failure to comply with any other academic requirements stipulated by the program to remove the probational status.
BSW in Social Work
Selected Educational Policies
For continuance in and graduation from the program, students are required to: (1) earn at least a "C" in each Social Work course, (2) to earn a "Satisfactory" in S481 Social Work Practicum I and S482 Social Work Practicum II (3) maintain a minimum of 2.5 cumulative GPA in required Social Work courses and a minimum 2.5 overall GPA; (4) to carry out professional activity in conformity with the values and ethics of the profession, and to comply with any contract which might have been entered into under either a Provisional Admission or a Student Performance Review.
In the event of failure to meet such requirements, students will be ineligible to continue in the program. Such students are encouraged to consult with their faculty advisor regarding realistic planning for the future, including the right to petition for administrative review. Detailed descriptions of student continuation policies are in the B.S.W. Student Handbook or on the Web at socialwork.iu.edu.
Repeated Courses
Required social work courses may be repeated only after the student is officially reinstated in the program with permission.
Incompletes
A grade of Incomplete (I) may be assigned by an instructor only when exceptional circumstances such as an illness, injury, or a family emergency prevent a student from finishing all the work required for the course. The grade of incomplete may be considered only when a substantial portion of the coursework has already been completed, the coursework is of satisfactory quality, and no more than one major exam or assignment is outstanding. The student who does not meet these requirements should meet with her/his advisor to withdraw from the course (s) in question. The student should refer to the Registrar's Office on her/his respective campus regarding the policies and deadline for automatic withdrawal for the semester in question.
The instructor, on a case-by-case basis, evaluates incompletes. The grade of Incomplete (I) will be changed to a grade by the instructor of record, based upon the contract devised by the course instructor and approved by the B.S.W. Program Director.
If the student does not meet the terms of the Incomplete contract, the instructor will assign the original grade.
Pass/Fail Grades
Students can take a maximum of four non-social work elective courses as Pass-Fail. All general requirements and supportive area requirements need a letter grade. All required social work courses receive a letter grade except for S481 and S482 Social Work Practicum I and II, which are graded as Satisfactory/Fail.
Liability Insurance
Students are required to carry professional liability insurance. Under the school’s blanket policy, the cost of insurance is included in the student’s practicum course fee.
Credit for Life Experience
Academic credit for previous life and work experience is not given in whole or in part toward the social work degree.
Criminal History
Students with criminal histories other than those deriving from sexual offenses may be eligible for admission into the B.S.W. program. A case-by-case assessment determines eligibility in these circumstances. While having a criminal background may not preclude students from participating in the B.S.W. program, they should be aware of educational and professional implications. Agency policies and state laws may impose limitations on students and professionals with criminal histories attempting to obtain field placements, employment in certain practice settings, and/ or professional licensure. Laws vary by state and are subject to change over time. Students should consult individual state licensing agencies for further information. The B.S.W. program is not responsible for disruptions in a student’s educational plan resulting from a criminal background.
Professional & Academic Integrity
Students' Rights and Responsibilities
IUSSW students in the BSW, MSW, and Ph.D. programs have a right to participate in decision-making activities about the school. Students regularly contribute to the continued development and growth of our programs.
Indeed, the school values students’ input in several critical areas: faculty and course evaluation, school committee work, student field placements, and others.
All students enrolled at the School of Social Work have an opportunity each semester to evaluate their courses and instructors. At the end of each course, students are given standardized faculty evaluation forms to complete. These evaluations are confidential, and the results are computer generated. The evaluations are returned to the faculty to strengthen content, teaching, and learning methods to improve instruction.
Through their elected and/or volunteer representatives, students provide input to and learn from BSW, MSW, and Ph.D. program committees and various others that might be convened throughout the year. Student representatives are viewed as valuable members of these committees.
Each student can have input into selecting his or her field practicum assignments. The field practicum coordinator in each program works closely with students to negotiate suitable placements.
Students have the right to provide feedback about school policies and procedures as well as the behavior of faculty and staff members. In providing either positive or critical feedback, students are expected to follow professional social work norms, values, and ethics. For example, students who believe that a faculty or staff member’s behavior is discourteous or ineffective should discuss the concern directly with the person or people in question.
Students who have reason to believe addressing the person directly would place them in some jeopardy should register the concern with the director or campus coordinator of the program, who will address and respond to the issue.
Students who believe that they have been treated unfairly or unprofessionally by a faculty or staff member, or that a policy or procedure is unjust or unwise, may submit in writing a formal grievance petition to the school's dean. Grievance petitions are reserved for those issues or incidences that warrant formal investigation and full exploration. Such petitions should be submitted in a professional manner, consistent with social work norms, values, and ethics.
Student complaints regarding discrimination, sexual harassment, racial harassment, and harassment on the basis of sexual orientation have established complaint procedures available in the Indiana University Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct.
Academic and Scholarly Guidelines
Students admitted to the Indiana University School of Social Work have already demonstrated potential for superior academic work. Most students are therefore very familiar and comfortable with high academic and scholarly standards. Obviously, students are expected to attend face-to-face, online, and classroom and practicum course meetings. Regular attendance is viewed as the responsibility of each social work student. Active participation in course activities is the expected norm. In participating, it is expected that students reflect an interest in, and respect for, their colleagues in a manner that is congruent with the values, ethics, and skills of the profession, and those of the Student Code of Conduct. In written assignments, students are expected to prepare documents in a scholarly and professional manner. Submissions should be typewritten in double-spaced format and carefully edited for spelling and grammar. All direct quotations, paraphrases, empirical research findings, and other restatements of the research, scholarship, or creative work of others must be appropriately annotated using the standard bibliographic citation methods set out in the most recent edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA). The APA manual serves as the guide for the style and format of all papers submitted to the School of Social Work.
Both LS and social work graduates require well-developed and refined communication skills, including using the written word. Writing well helps graduates communicate information accurately and concisely. For this reason, formal writing assignments in social work courses are evaluated on the basis of both the quality of the scholarly content and the quality of its presentation.
Electronic Communication
Students are expected to follow appropriate e-mail etiquette when communicating with faculty, staff, and peers. Correct grammar is expected at all times.
Inappropriate use of e-mail will be grounds for student review.
Student Misconduct
Academic Misconduct
Indiana University School of Social Work and/or the university may discipline a student for academic misconduct, defined as any activity that tends to compromise the academic integrity of the institution and undermine the educational process. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to, the following:
Cheating
- A student must not use external assistance on any ‘‘in-class’’ or ‘‘take home’’ examination unless the instructor specifically has authorized such This prohibition includes, but is not limited to, the use of tutors, books, notes, and calculators. A student must not use another person as a substitute in the taking of an examination or quiz.
- A student must not steal examinations or other course materials.
- A student must not allow others to conduct research or to prepare any work for him or her without advance authorization from the instructor to whom the work is being Under this prohibition, a student must not make any unauthorized use of materials obtained from commercial term paper companies or from files of papers prepared by other persons.
- A student must not collaborate with other persons on a particular project and submit a copy of a written report that is represented explicitly or implicitly as the student’s own individual work.
- A student must not use any unauthorized assistance in a laboratory, at a computer terminal, or on
- A student must not submit substantial portions of the same academic work for credit or honors more than once without permission from the instructor to whom the work is being submitted.
- A student must not alter a grade or score in any way.
Fabrication
A student must not falsify or invent any information or data in an academic exercise, including, but not limited to, records or reports, laboratory results, and citations to the sources of information.
Plagiarism
A student must not adopt or reproduce ideas, words, or statements of another person without an appropriate acknowledgment. A student must give due credit to the originality of others and acknowledge an indebtedness whenever he or she does any of the following:
- Quotes another person’s actual words, either oral or written
- Paraphrases another person’s words, either oral or written
- Uses another person’s idea, opinion, or theory
- Borrows facts, statistics, or other illustrative material, unless the information is common knowledge
Interference
- A student must not steal, change, destroy, or impede another student’s work. Impeding another student’s work includes, but is not limited to, the theft, defacement, or mutilation of resources so as to deprive others of the information they contain.
- A student must not give or offer a bribe, promise favors, or make threats with the intention of affecting a grade or the evaluation of academic performance.
Violation of Course Rules
A student must not violate course rules as contained in a course syllabus or other information provided to the student.
Facilitating Academic Dishonesty
A student must not intentionally or knowingly help or attempt to help another student to commit an act of academic misconduct.
Sex Offender Screening Policy
Indiana University School of Social Work Policy Regarding Individuals Convicted of Sex Offenses Against Children
Policy Statement
It is the policy of the School of Social Work that no students or applicants who have been convicted of sex offenses against children shall be eligible for matriculation into the BSW, MSW, or Ph.D. programs.
Procedure
- Responsible Office. The Office of Student Services, in conjunction with the Admissions Committee of each program, shall administer the Sex Offenders Screening Policy as it relates to student admissions and transfers.
- Periodic Periodically, the Student Services Committee will review the policy and will make recommendations to the dean of the school regarding any possible changes to the policy and procedures for implementation.
- Preadmission and Transfer Screening. Applicants will be asked to self-report any history of convictions of sexual offenses against children. As well, once students are accepted into the program, their names will be forwarded to the Office of the Registrar for screening against the registry. Any applicant or new admit whose name is on the registry will be ineligible for admission or transfer and shall be notified of nonacceptance or termination from the respective.
- Students in Affected Programs. Any student who is already in an IU School of Social Work Program and whose name appears on the registry during the time of matriculation, or who has been convicted of an offense for which the student can be listed on the registry, shall be ineligible for continuation or completion of the affected program. Any faculty member, student, field instructor, or other people within the school who becomes aware of such a situation should bring it to the attention of the respective program director for appropriate action.
- Notice. The school bulletin shall include a statement giving notice to potential applicants that criminal convictions may render persons ineligible for certain practica.
- Nonexclusive Policy. Nothing in this policy shall be deemed to preclude the school from taking other appropriate action in such cases, or in the case of applicants or students involved in other conduct or criminal activities not covered in this policy.
- Right to Any applicant or student already admitted to an IU School of Social Work program who is deemed ineligible for admission or continuation based upon a record of criminal conviction may appeal to the dean of the school for reconsideration if he or she believes there are extenuating circumstances that might mitigate the findings. The dean will appoint a review panel of three full-time faculty members to consider the student’s appeal. The review panel, in consultation with the Office of University Counsel, will consider all pertinent information and make a ruling that shall be considered final.
