Social Work BSW
College of Social Work
Bennion
Center
LEAP
Learning Abroad
Courses
Getting Started
Take writing & math Gen Eds
Take BSW prerequisites:
- PSY 1010
- SW 1010
- SOC 1010
- POLS 1100
Consider Honors College
Meet with a SW advisor & attend a BSW Q+A session
Making Progress
- Apply for BSW program after completing prerequisites & GEs
- Use major courses to meet bachelor degree requirements - SW 3000 (QI), SW 3550 (DV), SW 4100 (IR), SW 4444 (CW)
- Consider the Title IV-E Child Welfare Career Path or complete the Substance Use Disorder Treatment Training or Social Justice Advocacy certificate
- Focus electives on your career/research interests
- Check in regularly with a SW advisor
Finishing Up
- Complete your practicum/field experience
- Take prerequisite courses for grad school, if needed
- Finish certificate requirements
- Check in with advisor
- Apply for graduation
Community
Getting Started
- Join Phi Alpha Honor Society
- Take courses in LEAP or DiscoverU learning communities
- Join the BSW Student Association
- Attend the Get Involved Fair to check out student organizations
Making Progress
- Become an Orientation Leader
- Get a job on campus
- Meet with an Involvement Ambassador
- Consider participating in student government
- Become a peer advisor for LEAP or for the Academic Advising Center
- Plan or attend an event hosted by a student group
- Join and/or create study groups with your peers
- Attend CSW events & follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter
Finishing Up
- Expand your network - join the Alumni Association or Forever Utah
- Take on leadership or mentorship roles in your student organizations and/or volunteer spaces
Knowledge & Skills
Getting Started
- Learn to use Schedule Builder
- Check out resources at Marriott Library, Knowledge Commons, Writing Center, Math Center, & Learning Center
- Find scholarships & financial aid options
Making Progress
- Become proficient in My Degree Dashboard & navigating your class schedule
- Visit the major exploration website to explore complementary academic programs
- Expand your skill set with courses outside SW
- Consider engaging in undergraduate research - talk to your professors or connect with OUR
- Meet with an advisor or Career Coach to learn about applying to grad school
Finishing Up
- Complete requirements to become a Community Engaged Scholar or receive the Undergraduate Research Scholar designation
- Visit with your Career Coach to gain resume support
Transformation
Getting Started
- Write down your interests, goals, & dreams - utilize SMART goals
- Use your ArtsPass
- Take a course outside the discipline, like art or business, to expand your perspectives
Making Progress
- Create a parallel plan; what will you do if you don't get into the program the first time you apply?
- Study abroad through CSW's Global Social Work programs
- Apply to go on an Alternative Break trip
- Take courses based in topics of diversity, social justice, & inequality
- Attend graduate program info sessions
- Attend a social or cultural event you haven't experienced before
Finishing Up
- Complete practicum & other extracurricular activities
- Take personal inventory of skills gained as an undergraduate student
- Participate in commencement & convocation ceremonies
Impact
Getting Started
- Meet & get to know your Student Success Coach
- Explore volunteer options at the Bennion Center
- Check out events on the U calendar
Making Progress
- Apply to volunteer with the Women's Resource Center, LGBT Resource Center, Wellness Advocates, or other organizations
- Become a Bennion Scholar; address a community-identified need & implement a solution
- Apply for leadership positions in Phi Alpha, ASUU, or campus clubs
- Get involved with student groups & clubs on campus like Fraternities & Sororities, Intramural Sports, or Crimson Crew
Finishing Up
- Become a Campus Life Mentor to incoming students
- Get involved with research opportunities through CSW
- Consider sharing research at the Undergraduate Research Symposium
Careers
Getting Started
- Activate your Handshake account
- Meet with a Career Coach to discuss career options & check out other resources in the CPDC
- Conduct personal research on careers that interest you
Making Progress
- Participate in workshops through the CPDC
- Attend career, internship, & grad school fairs
- Connect with individuals in careers that interest you & learn about their pathway
- Draft a resume/CV & update it regularly
- Strengthen your resume through additional experiential learning - take CEL-courses or study abroad
- Consider whether you will go on to grad school or seek employment after graduation
- Talk to the BSW Practicum Office about practicum options in your area of interest
Finishing Up
- Meet with a Career Coach for expert advice on your resume/CV & how to be a competitive applicant
- Apply for graduate school
- Connect with employers through Handshake
Start Your Career Journey
Find support at the Career and Professional Development Center (CPDC)
About the Major
Social workers provide direct and indirect services to individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities in need. They typically help individuals cope with personal and familial challenges (e.g., mental illness, substance abuse, divorce, unemployment) and may work with community organizations and policymakers to develop or improve health and human social service programs. Social workers are employed as counselors, crisis intervention specialists, case managers, program developers, and program evaluators in community-based behavioral health clinics, hospitals, family and child service agencies, schools, corrections facilities, and other settings.
If you want to enter this rewarding field, the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program is a great option. As a BSW student, you take courses in social diversity and cultural understanding, applied statistics, advanced writing, research and evaluation, human behavior and social environment, social work practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities, and social welfare policy practice. You also complete a 400-hour field practicum with a community-based agency. In addition to learning abroad and undergraduate research opportunities, you can complete an optional certificate in Substance Use Disorder Treatment Training or Social Justice Advocacy. You can also get involved with the BSW Student Association or volunteer with Neighbors Helping Neighbors. With a BSW degree, you are prepared to apply for a license to practice social work in Utah or elsewhere.
If you want to enter this rewarding field, the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program is a great option. As a BSW student, you take courses in social diversity and cultural understanding, applied statistics, advanced writing, research and evaluation, human behavior and social environment, social work practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities, and social welfare policy practice. You also complete a 400-hour field practicum with a community-based agency. In addition to learning abroad and undergraduate research opportunities, you can complete an optional certificate in Substance Use Disorder Treatment Training or Social Justice Advocacy. You can also get involved with the BSW Student Association or volunteer with Neighbors Helping Neighbors. With a BSW degree, you are prepared to apply for a license to practice social work in Utah or elsewhere.
Learning Outcomes
- As a student in the BSW program, you acquire the knowledge and skills to
- Demonstrate ethical and professional behavior
- Advance human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice
- Engage in practice-informed research, and research-informed practice
- Assess, intervene with, and evaluate practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
Plan & Prepare
At the U, we plan for our students to have an exceptional Educational Experience identified by four broad categories we call the Learning Framework: Community, Knowledge & Skills, Transformation, and Impact. This major map will help you envision, explore, design, and plan your personalized Exceptional Education Experience with the Learning Framework at the core. In addition to assisting you in planning your coursework and navigating the requirements of your major, this map will help you incorporate other kinds of experiences to expand your knowledge, support your development, and prepare you for the future you want.