BSW – Bachelor of Social Work

The Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Program is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education and prepares students as generalist practitioners for professional social work practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.

Program Competencies

The purpose of the social work program competencies is to guide student development in knowledge, values and skills of generalist social work practice.

Students will:

  1. Demonstrate ethical and professional behavior.
  2. Engage diversity and difference in practice.
  3. Advance human rights and social, economic and environmental justice.
  4. Engage in practice-informed research and research-informed practice.
  5. Engage in policy practice.
  6. Engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.
  7. Assess individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.
  8. Intervene with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.
  9. Evaluate practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.

Admission Procedures and Requirements

Students seeking a BSW degree must apply to the Social Work Program the semester before the first set of required core courses (SWK 320, SWK 324, and SWK 325). Students on the Morehead and Prestonsburg campuses will apply during the spring semester and begin the program in the fall semester. Students on the Ashland and Mt. Sterling campuses will apply in the fall semester and begin the program in the spring semester. Admission is limited to 120 students per academic year. The application priority deadline is three weeks prior to the first week of Advance Registration for classes. The Social Work Admissions Committee will evaluate all applicants and determine students that are accepted into each campus cohort.

Applicants must complete the following materials and submit them to their Academic Advisor:

  • Completed Social Work Program Student Application
  • Completed Social Work Admission Statement of Understanding
  • A Personal Statement as outlined in the application packet
  • Printed results of the Interest Profiler
  • Copy of their unofficial transcript and/or program evaluation

Admissions Requirements

Student has:

  1. Been unconditionally admitted to Morehead State University.

  2. Declared Social Work as major (Area).

  3. Completed 60 hours of credit towards degree including pending hours.

  4. Completed all University General Education requirements.

  5. Completed or is currently enrolled in SWK 210 and SWK 230.

  6. Earned a "C" or better in SWK 210 and SWK 230.

  7. Achieved an overall and Social Work GPA of 2.5.

Academic Standards and Progression

Student will:

  1. Complete each course in the Social Work Area Requirements with a minimum grade of a "C".

  2. Maintain 2.0 overall GPA.

  3. Comply with University Administrative Policies and Procedures.

  4. Adhere to professional behaviors addressed in the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics.

  5. Demonstrate personal integrity or emotional stability requisite for professional practice and/or to fulfill classroom and program expectations.

  6. Demonstrate the effective interpersonal skills necessary to form professional relationships.

  7. Meet requirements for the Kentucky Board of Social Work Licensing.

  8. Be dismissed from the BSW Program for any of the following situations after admission to the program

    1. Achievement of less than a "C" twice in the same Social Work Area course.

    2. Achievement of less than a "C" in any two Social Work Area Requirements.

    3. Violation of University Administrative Policies and Procedures.

    4. Violation of the NASW Code of Ethics.

    5. Failure to demonstrate personal integrity or emotional stability requisite for professional practice and/or to fulfill classroom and program expectations due to mental health or chemical dependency issues required for professional practice.

    6. Failure to demonstrate the effective interpersonal skills necessary to form professional helping relationships (e.g. inability to reflect a non-judgmental attitude; using racist and/or sexist language; demonstrating unprofessional behavior).

    7. Has been found guilty of criminal misconduct that affects the student's ability to be licensed as a social worker.

Assessment

  1. Survey of graduates
  2. Employer Survey
  3. Final Supervisor Evaluation in Senior Practicum

Program Requirements

General Education

SWK 499CSenior Seminar

3

Total Credit Hours:36

Refer to the General Education section for a complete listing of general education requirements for the University.

Area Requirements

Social Work Area Requirements

SWK 210Orientation to Social Work

4

SWK 230Social Welfare History & Ethics

3

SWK 320Human Behavior in the Social Environment - Conception to Young Adulthood

3

SWK 321Human Behavior in the Social Environment - Middle Adulthood to Death

3

SWK 324Social Work Research Methods

3

SWK 325Social Work Generalist Perspective

3

SWK 326Generalist Practice Lab

3

SWK 345Law and Social Work

3

SWK 424Social Work Micro Practice

3

SWK 426Social Work Mezzo Skills

3

SWK 430Social Policy and Planning

3

SWK 451Quantitative Data Analysis

3

SWK 497Practicum in Social Work

8

SWK 498Social Work Macro Practice

3

Total Credit Hours:48

Social Work Electives

Choose six credit hours from the following:

SWK 300Criminogenic Family

3

SWK 301Family Violence: An International Perspective

3

SWK 306Juvenile Delinquency

3

SWK 315Child Welfare Services

3

SWK 319Responding to Military and Veteran Populations

3

SWK 330Health Structures and Behavior

3

SWK 333Beginning Helping Skills for Human Service Professionals

3

SWK 334Women and Partner Violence

3

SWK 335Families in Modern Society

3

SWK 337Sociology of Food

3

SWK 340Community Mental Health

3

SWK 343Religion and Sexuality

3

SWK 347Sociology of Happiness

3

SWK 355Sociology of the Body

3

SWK 358Child Abuse and Neglect

3

SWK 360Crisis Intervention

3

SWK 365Grant Development

3

SWK 380Social Work Practice in Health Care

3

SWK 381Race, Class, Gender and Crime

3

SWK 399Special Class

3

SWK 400Special Problems

1-3

SWK 416Working with Offenders

3

SWK 420Social Work Administration & Management

3

SWK 435Group Dynamics

3

SWK 441Issues in Aging

3

SWK 445Death and Dying

3

SWK 458Social Work Interview Methods in Child Maltreatment

3

SWK 469Animals and Society

3

SWK 470Introduction to Substance Abuse Counseling

3

SWK 471Alcohol, Alcoholism and Chemical Dependency

3

SWK 472Approaches to Chemical Dependency Treatment I

3

SWK 473Approaches to Chemical Dependency Treatment II

3

SWK 474Practicum in Chemical Dependency

3

CRIM 317Police Culture

3

CRIM 345Correctional Institutions

3

Total Credit Hours:6

Supplemental Requirements

SOC 374Race and Ethnicity

3

Total Credit Hours:3

Free Electives

Free Electives (chosen by student)

27

Total Credit Hours:27

Total Credit Hours: 120