Undergraduate
Social Work BSW
BSW in Social Work
IUSSW BSW Mission Statement
The Bachelor of Social Work program at the Indiana University School of Social Work educates students to support individuals and communities to address challenges across systems through engagement in critical thinking and reflection using evidence-based practice in alignment with the NASW Code of Ethics. Students partner with public, private, and nonprofit sectors, while giving attention to education, scholarship, and civic engagement. Our students gain the knowledge and skills to make a significant impact in diverse settings locally and globally.
The BSW Program defines generalist practice as follows:
- Generalist social work practice focuses on improving the well-being of individuals, families, groups, organizations, communities and society by creating social change both within and among these social systems in a global context.
- Grounded in the liberal arts, generalist social work practice utilizes research informed knowledge, professional social work values and ethics, and a core set of competencies transferable across a variety of social service practice settings. Generalist practitioners are educated to think critically as they engage, assess, intervene, evaluate practice outcomes, and engage in practice informed research. Generalist social workers respond to a variety of context and strive to protect human rights, promote social and economic justice and provide culturally competent services.
BSW graduates of Indiana University are eligible to apply for legal licensure by the State of Indiana. Upon receipt of a complete application and a passing score on a standardized examination or other state requirements, the Indiana State Professional Licensing Agency designates the BSW graduate a Licensed Social Worker (LBSW). For more information, please visit the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency.
The BSW program is offered on five IU campuses: Bloomington, Fort Wayne, Gary, Indianapolis and South Bend. Students come in through application to the School of Social Work. Students in the BSW program must earn at least a “C” in required social work courses.
Admission
Social Work
Admission to the School of Social Work
Students who meet the criteria for admission to Indiana University and declare social work as their major will be directly admitted to the School of Social Work. This admission allows students to enroll in 100 and 200 level social work classes. For enrollment in 300 and 400 level social work courses, students must be certified into the Social Work Program. No formal application is required for the certification process.
Certification to the Social Work Program includes the following minimum requirements:
- Admission to the university.
- Satisfactory completion (grade of C or higher) of the required course SWK S141 Introduction to Social Work.
- A minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.
The most up-to-date admission information may be found online at socialwork.iu.edu.
Degree Requirements
Educational Requirements
The curriculum for the BSW degree consists of a minimum of 120 credit hours attained through required and elective courses. Of these 120 credit hours, 42-45 credit hours are devoted to general/supportive liberal arts courses and 52 credit hours to social work courses (see individual campus supplements). The remaining required credits are earned through elective courses. Students are free to select elective courses, a certificate, or a minor of their choice.
Credit for Life Experience
Academic credit for life experience and previous work experience is not given in whole or in part toward the social work degree.
General Education Requirements
Degree requirements are divided into four areas. General education, support courses, required courses and electives. General education course requirements vary by campus. Students are expected to meet the general education requirements specific to their campus.
The BSW course requirements are listed below. Work with your BSW Academic Advisor to ensure you meet both the campus and BSW general education requirements.
Program Support Courses
- Professional Writing Skills ENG W231
- Public Speaking
- Modern American History
- Human Biological Science
- Introduction to American Politics
- Introductory Psychology
- Introduction to Sociology
- A 3 credit 300 level psychology, sociology, or social work elective.
Social Work Required Courses (15 courses)
It is essential that you consult your advisor for educational planning to ensure timely completion of the BSW program.
- S102 Understanding Diversity in a Pluralistic Society (3 cr.)
- S141 Introduction to Social Work (3 cr.)
- S221 Human Growth and Development in the Social Environment (2 cr.)
- S251 History and Analysis of Social Welfare Policy (3 cr.)
- S322 Small Group Theory and Practice (3 cr.)
- S331 Generalist Social Work Practice I: Theory and Skills (3 cr.)
- S332 Generalist Social Work Practice II Theory and Skills (3 cr.)
- S352 Social Welfare Policy and Practice (3 cr.)
- S371 Social Work Research (3 cr.)
- S423 Organizational Theory and Practice (3 cr.)
- S433 Community Behavior and Practice with a Generalist Perspective (3 cr.)
- S442 Integrated Practice-Policy Seminar (3 cr.)
- S472 Social Work Practice Evaluation (3 cr.)
- S481 Social Work Practicum 1 (6 cr.)
- S482 Social Work Practicum II (7 cr.)
Social Work Electives
- S180 Exploring Child Welfare in Indiana (3 cr.)
- S201 Introduction to Case Management (3 cr.)
- S202 Introduction to Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counseling (3 cr.)
- S305 Introduction to Child protection (3 cr.)
- S306 Crisis Intervention (3 cr.)
- S307 Grief and Loss Across the Life Span (3 cr.)
- S311 Aspects of Alcohol and Drug Use: The individual (3 cr.)
- S324 Social Systems Aspects of Alcohol and Drug Abuse (3 cr.)
- S372 Statistical Reasoning in Social Work (3 cr.)
- S403 Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment Seminar (3 cr.)
- S490 Independent Study (1-3 cr.) (with permission)
