Program Overview

Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.)

Curriculum

The Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.) program at West Chester University is designed to provide students with a comprehensive education in social work, preparing them for careers in a variety of settings, including child welfare, mental health, healthcare, and non-profit organizations.

Sample Course Plan

The following is a sample suggested course sequence for this program; course offerings and availability are not guaranteed. Students should consult their academic advisor with any questions.

Year One

• Semester One:
  • SWO 200: Introduction to Social Welfare (3 credits)
  • SWO 225: Race Relations (I and J) (3 credits)
  • WRT 120: Effective Writing I (3 credits)
  • FYE 100X: First Year Experience (4 credits)
  • Foreign Language #1 or Language Culture Cluster #1 (Spanish recommended) (3 credits)
• Semester Two:
  • SWO 220: Introduction to Generalist Practice (3 credits)
  • SWO 300: Family Systems (W) (3 credits)
  • PSY XXX: Approved Psychology course (PSY 100 recommended) (3 credits)
  • Select one of the following:
    • WRT 200: Critical Writing and Research
    • WRT 204: Critical Writing: Approaches to Popular Culture
    • WRT 205: Critical Writing: Investigating Experience
    • WRT 206: Critical Writing: Multidisciplinary Imagination
    • WRT 208: Critical Writing: Entering Public Sphere
    • WRT 220: Critical Writing: Special Topics
  • Foreign Language #2 or Language Culture Cluster #2 (same language as Foreign Language/Culture Cluster #1) (3 credits)

Year Two

• Semester Three:
  • SWO 332: Social Welfare Policies and Services (3 credits)
  • SWO 350: Human Behavior in Social Environment I (3 credits)
  • PSC XXX: Approved Political Science course (PSC 100 recommended) (3 credits)
  • HIS XXX: Approved History course (HIS 150 recommended) (3 credits)
  • Science #1 chosen from the following:
    • CHE 100: Concepts of Chemistry
    • CHE 160: The Chemistry of Beer
    • CSC 110: Fundamentals in Computer Science
    • CSC 115: Introduction to Computer Programming
    • CSC 141: Computer Science I
    • ESS 101: Introduction to Geology
    • ESS 111: Other Worlds, Other Stars
    • ESS 170: Introduction to Our Atmosphere
    • PHY 100: Elements of Physical Science
    • PHY 105: Structure of the Universe
    • PHY 130: General Physics I
    • PHY 140: General Physics II
    • PHY 170: Physics I
    • PHY 180: Physics II
• Semester Four:
  • SWO 320: Generalist Social Work Practice I (3 credits)
  • SWO 351: Human Behavior and the Social Environment II (W and J) (3 credits)
  • SOC XXX: Approved Sociology course (SOC 100 or SOC 240 recommended) (3 credits)
  • Science #2 chosen from the following:
    • CHE 100: Concepts of Chemistry
    • CHE 160: The Chemistry of Beer
    • CSC 110: Fundamentals in Computer Science
    • CSC 115: Introduction to Computer Programming
    • CSC 141: Computer Science I
    • ESS 101: Introduction to Geology
    • ESS 111: Other Worlds, Other Stars
    • ESS 170: Introduction to Our Atmosphere
    • PHY 100: Elements of Physical Science
    • PHY 105: Structure of the Universe
    • PHY 130: General Physics I
    • PHY 140: General Physics II
    • PHY 170: Physics I
    • PHY 180: Physics II
  • Advised Elective #1 (3 credits)

Year Three

• Semester Five:
  • Candidacy application due September 15 - Consult with academic advisor or chairperson
  • SWO 321: Generalist Social Work Practice II (3 credits)
  • SWO 431: Methods Of Social Inquiry (3 credits)
  • MAT XXX: Any Math Course MAT 103 or above (MAT 104 or MAT 121 recommended) (3 credits)
  • PHI XXX: Approved Philosophy course (PHI 180 recommended) (3 credits)
  • Advised Elective #2 (SWO 423 if interested in CWEB) (3 credits)
• Semester Six:
  • SWO 375: Field Experience I (6 credits)
  • SWO 395: Junior Seminar (3 credits)
  • SWO 432: Advanced Policy Practice (3 credits)
  • Advised Elective #3 (3 credits)

Year Four

• Semester Seven:
  • SWO 450: Field Experience II (6 credits)
  • SWO 495: Social Work Senior Seminar I (3 credits)
  • Approved course in Art, Cinematography, Dance, Music, Photography, or Theatre (3 credits)
  • Advised Elective #4 (3 credits)
• Semester Eight:
  • SWO 451: Field Experience III (6 credits)
  • SWO 496: Social Work Senior Seminar II (3 credits)
  • Advised Elective #5 (3 credits)
  • Advised Elective #6 (3 credits)

General Education Requirements

• Academic Foundations:
  • First Year Experience requirement (4 credits)
  • English Composition requirement (6-7 credits)
  • Mathematics requirement (3-4 credits)
  • Interdisciplinary requirement (3 credits)
  • Diverse Communities requirement (3 credits)
  • Ethics requirement (3 credits)
• Distributed Disciplinary Foundations:
  • Science requirement (6-8 credits)
  • Behavioral & Social Science requirement (6 credits)
  • Humanities requirement (6 credits)
  • Arts requirement (3 credits)

Additional Baccalaureate Requirements

• University Requirements:
  • Writing Emphasis requirement (9 credits)
  • Speaking Emphasis requirement (9 credits)
• Degree Requirements:
  • Language/Culture requirement (6 credits)
  • Capstone requirement (1-15 credits)

Major Requirements

• Additional Liberal Arts Foundation Courses:
  • To support the liberal arts foundation and biopsychosocial perspective in social work, these courses are also required of social work majors: HIS, PHI, PSC, PSY, SOC (15 credits)
• Social Work Pre-Candidacy Courses:
  • Must earn a minimum of 2.50 GPA in these courses to be accepted into candidacy:
    • SWO 200: Introduction to Social Welfare (3 credits)
    • SWO 220: Introduction to Generalist Practice (3 credits)
    • SWO 225: Race Relations (also meets interdisciplinary requirement) (3 credits)
    • SWO 300: Family Systems (3 credits)
• Social Work Professional Foundation:
  • Students must maintain a 2.50 GPA in these courses:
    • SWO 320: Generalist Social Work Practice I (3 credits)
    • SWO 321: Generalist Social Work Practice II (3 credits)
    • SWO 332: Social Welfare Policies and Services (3 credits)
    • SWO 350: Human Behavior in Social Environment I (3 credits)
    • SWO 351: Human Behavior and the Social Environment II (3 credits)
    • SWO 375: Social Work Practicum I (6 credits)
    • SWO 395: Junior Seminar (3 credits)
    • SWO 431: Methods Of Social Inquiry (3 credits)
    • SWO 432: Advanced Policy Practice (3 credits)
    • SWO 450: Social Work Practicum II (6 credits)
    • SWO 451: Social Work Practicum III (6 credits)
    • SWO 495: Social Work Senior Seminar I (3 credits)
• Capstone Requirement:
  • SWO 496: Social Work Senior Seminar II (3 credits)

Total Minimum Credits Required

• 120 credits

Notes

• In addition to the above requirements, continued matriculation at the professional level of the B.S.W. program requires that all students:
  • Maintain an overall GPA of 2.00 or better in the general education requirements
  • Maintain an average 2.50 GPA in the required liberal arts foundation courses
  • Obtain a 2.50 GPA to graduate from the social work program
  • Adhere to field practice requirements in accordance with the Undergraduate Social Work Field Manual
  • Comply with NASW Code of Ethics and the professional behaviors established by the social work program
• To track their individual degree progress, students are advised to access their Degree Audit via RamPortal regularly. For more information, visit the Degree Audit FAQ webpage.