Programs
Social Work, B.S.
By the end of the semester in which the application is made, the following requirements must be completed/met:
- 45 credit hours
- GPA of 2.5
- CWP101/102, College Math, and BIO101
- PSY101and SOC 101
About the Program
The social work program prepares students for social work practice at the first professional level. Consistent with accreditation standards, the social work courses cover the following areas: human behavior and the social environment, social welfare policy and services, intervention methods, research, values and ethics, diversity, social and economic justice, populations at risk, and field instruction.
Social work is an upper-division major that builds on a liberal arts base. Academic evaluation includes GPA, class performance, and conduct that is ethical and professional. Interested students should contact the department for specific information on these academic standards.
Admissions Requirements
Students are required to:
1. Complete 45 credit hours by the end of the semester in which the application is made.
2. Attain a minimum GPA of 2.5.
3. Successfully complete the English and mathematics basic skills competency requirements of the college.
4. Significant progress toward completing the liberal arts degree requirements (e.g., PSY 101, SOC 100, BIO 101). A list of courses that fulfill these requirements is available in the department office and Web site.
*Evening courses available. Evening and weekend field education not guaranteed
Career Information
Social work graduates are prepared for positions as social workers in organizations such as community agencies, social service agencies, health care organizations, and businesses with Employee Assistance Programs. Social workers provide services to a broad range of clients who face many different challenges.
Recent graduates have been hired as social workers, youth workers, counselors, and case managers. Typical hiring firms include social service departments; community agencies for preventing and treating AIDS, drug addiction, alcoholism, and mental illness; residences for the elderly; hospitals; and counseling centers. More than 250 local social service agencies offer work opportunities.
Students may attend graduate school to develop a specialty within social work and earn a master's of social work (MSW), or pursue related disciplines such as rehabilitation, school guidance, and criminal justice.
Recent graduates have been hired by the Erie County Department of Social Services, AIDS Community Services of Western New York, Beechwood Nursing Home, Transitional Services, Child and Family Services of Buffalo and Erie County, and Community Services for the Developmentally Disabled.
Program Requirements
Intellectual Foundations Requirements 39–66 cr
BIO 101 or equivalent in human biology
Total Required Credit Hours in Social Work 42 cr
SWK 220 Introduction to Social Work
SWK 307 Human Behavior and Social Environment I
SWK 308 Human Behavior and Social Environment II
SWK 317 Research in Social Work
SWK 319 Dynamics of Poverty
SWK 320 Social Services Organizations
SWK 419 Social Welfare Policy
SWK 422 Interventive Methods I
SWK 423 Interventive Methods II
SWK 424 Interventive Methods III
SWK 493-494 Field Instruction (12 cr)
All College Electives 12–39 cr
Total Required Credit Hours 120 cr
