School of Social Work

BSW Admission and Academic Requirements

Admission

All undergraduate social work majors must formally apply to the School of Social Work during the first semester of their junior year and when they are enrolled in SW 317, SW 319, SW 340 and SW 348.  Application procedures are explicated in the first class session of SW 348 and application materials must be completed and submitted by September 30 of each year.

BSW Candidacy

The School’s BSW Candidacy admission procedures are administered by its BSW Director and the assigned faculty. Social work majors are encouraged to work with the Advising Center to be sure that all academic requirements are in place for Candidacy. They are also referred to seek advice advisement from the BSW Program Director. Students apply online for candidacy and field placements for the BSW program.

1.     The complete "Application for Candidacy for the BSW Degree and Field Placement" are reviewed by the BSW Program Director and the BSW Committee. 

2.     The BSW Committee consists of assigned faculty with primary responsibility for BSW curriculum.  This group meets to review applications and information related to academic progress in coursework.

3.     The Committee may: 

          a.       award candidacy, or

          b.       award candidacy with condition(s), or

          c.       deny candidacy.

          d.     request additional information, or

          e.       require a personal interview

4.     The BSW Program Director reports the Committee’s decisions to the Director of the     School of Social Work and seeks settlement of any disputes.

5.     Applicants are notified in writing of the Committee’s decision within three weeks of the application deadline.

6.     The applicant denied Candidacy may appeal to the Director of the School of Social Work.

Accepted applicants are regarded as candidates for the BSW degree, while those who were not accepted are referred for advisement and counseling. The Candidate for the BSW degree must maintain the 3.0 cumulative average in the social work courses.

To be eligible for Candidacy students must have:

1. A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 (4.0 scale)

2. Completion of the following components of the general education curriculum:

a. All Foundation Categories; except Mathematical Sciences

b. Cultures Category: US Diversity

c. Basic Skills Categories: WRT150 and MTH110

3. School of Social Work Pre-requisite Course Requirements (See chart below)

4. Earned a minimum grade of B- (2.7) and not have repeated the following courses more than once: SW150, PLS 102; PSY 303; PSY or SOC 360; SOC 280 or SOC384; SOC 382 or SW300; ECON210 or ECON211 or SOC 385.

NOTE: For students seeking candidacy in Fall 2010 or later grades earned at another institution in these courses will be considered for admission into the SSW and must meet the grade and repeat criteria indicated above.

Please review the College of Community and Public Service Advising Center website by using this link: http://www.gvsu.edu/ccpsadvising/

Degree Requirements

The B.S.W. requires successful completion of 120 semester hours of college credit. The program is built on a foundation of liberal arts and 34 hours of required cognate courses and international courses. In addition, students must take 44 credit hours of coursework in the major, including the areas of human behavior and the social environment, social welfare policy and services, social research, integrated methods in social work practice, and the field practicum in social work.

Students who wish to major in social work must apply for candidacy status at the end of their sophomore year and must have a minimum overall grade point average of 2.5. A minimum overall average of 3.0 in major courses is required for continuation in candidacy status.