FAQs

Social work promotes social change and development, social cohesion and the empowerment and liberation of people. It engages people and structures to address life challenges and enhance wellbeing.* The principles of social work include social justice, human rights, collective responsibility, respect for diversities, respect for the inherent worth and dignity of human beings, and doing no harm. (*Adapted from the International Federation of Social Workers (ISFW) “Global Definition of the Social Work Profession”)

Social workers help individuals and communities to achieve their maximum human potential. The profession is committed to social justice and providing an environment conducive for growth, opportunities and well-being. Social workers practice in a variety of human service settings in the U.S. and globally, including but not limited to:

• Hospitals
• Government agencies
• Mental health centers
• Child protective services
• Domestic violence services
• Schools
• Criminal Justice
• Homeless services
• Community organizations
• Nursing homes
• Military
• Aging and elderly services

You may have your BSW field education internship at one of these service settings during your senior year. Within these settings social workers provide clients with resources and connections to community support, counseling, crisis intervention, case management and advocacy. See the National Association of Social Work (NASW) at: https://www.socialworkers.org for more information.

The BSW is a competencies-based major. It entails a combination of liberal-arts, pre-professional and professional-based courses. It currently requires completion of 120 credit hours with an overall UGA GPA of 2.5. The curriculum also includes a supervised field practicum during the senior year which provides client contact, opportunities to develop skills and apply theoretical knowledge, and ongoing evaluations. Refer to the BSW field education webpage for more information.

E-mail: ugabsw@uga.edu
Phone: (706) 542-5420 (BSW Program Office)
Visit the School of Social Work: 279 Williams Street, Room 127 (BSW Program Office)

Yes. See the description for the minor on the Curriculum & Sequencing web page

Yes. Students often major, minor, or pursue certificates in disciplines such as Spanish, Human Development and Family Science, Public and International Affairs, Psychology, Religion, Sociology, Criminal Justice, Public Health, and others. When majoring or minoring in another discipline, it is important students carefully map and sequence all of their programs of study with their advisors.

Yes, Academic Advisors can assist students in taking electives which complement their BSW program of study and/or professional interests.

Discuss your past and current coursework with your advisor to determine if you are on the right track. You may also view your degree audit via DegreeWorks.

Social science electives in psychology, sociology, religion, courses in the School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), women’s studies, speech communication, public health, criminal justice, and classes related to cultural diversity can augment the BSW major. Consult your advisor for a detailed list of relevant electives, or visit our Forms and Resources page.

Presently no. Academic advisors are available to help you determine your educational options.

It is possible to complete the University and BSW requirements without starting in social work as a freshman.

Although not required, the School of Social Work prefers students to have completed SOWK 2154 and SOWK 2155 by the end of the second year. In order to enter the senior year, students must complete all pre-professional and UGA Core curriculum courses. Please consult your advisor for questions about sequencing of courses and refer to BSW Curriculum website.

Only two social work “electives” are available to BSW students, and they are both typically taken during a student’s senior year. The senior year consists of 5000-level designated courses in the BSW curriculum. These courses cannot be taken until completion of lower division coursework, core coursework and meeting departmental requirements including application to the upper division professional program.

No. All required pre-professional and core coursework must be completed before beginning the senior year. The senior year is composed of social work courses and field education (i.e. internship), thus leaving minimal time to work on other courses.

Presently, classes meet on Wednesday and Friday. There are 17 hours of coursework each semester, including field education at a social service agency. Students work at their internships three days a week, Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, and are required to complete 20 hours/week or 280 hours/semester. After a few months, students learn to manage these demands successfully and typically find their internships to be one of their most beneficial learning experiences. Also, prior to entering the senior year, students participate in an orientation session to the senior year program.

Each fall the BSW program provides workshops for students applying to graduate schools to obtain their MSW degree. The UGA Career Center has a social work career consultant and provides both job search resources and graduate school application resources. Students who are members of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) can view job postings on the website for the Georgia chapter of NASW. Other databases such as www.socialservice.com and www.idealist.org are helpful.

• Fall SOWK 5326 (3) – Foundations of Social Work Research
• SOWK 5534 (3) – General Practice of Social Work II
• SOWK 5757 (3) – Current Issues in Social Work I
• SOWK 5835 (5) – Practicum in Social Work I
• SOWK 5836 (2) – Seminar in Generalist Social Work Practice I
• SOWK 5850 (1) – Capstone Project Spring
• SOWK 5544 (3) – General Practice of Social Work III
• SOWK 5701 (3) – Social Welfare Policy and Services
• SOWK 5767 (3) – Current Issues in Social Work II
• SOWK 5845 (5) – Practicum in Social Work II
• SOWK 5846 (2) – Seminar in Generalist Social Work Practice II
• SOWK 5851 (1) – Capstone Project

Most students do not work in their fourth year. However, students who are organized and have developed time-management skills may be able to work part-time and can do well academically in their fourth year.

Students in their senior year only meet for classes two days per week (Wednesday and Friday). Each of the three 3-credit classes meet once weekly for three 3 hours each. Students work on-site at their field practicum the other three days a week (Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday). Other departmental majors on campus often do not consolidate classes to two days a week, allowing students the opportunity to have an internship off-campus. Most social work courses are writing- focused versus exam-focused, and students often complete assignments during the evenings and weekends due to their class and practicum schedule.

You must meet with your academic advisor to discuss graduation requirements and also check your degree audit on DegreeWorks to make sure all courses have been completed. Also, during the beginning of the spring semester, each senior student’s course of study is reviewed for meeting university and BSW Program requirements.

Students who complete the accredited BSW Professional Program may be eligible for “Advanced Standing” status, which may be applied to a future Master of Social Work (MSW) degree. As part of our accredited BSW program, students complete 40 credits of 5000-level courses that count towards one year of graduate school. Advanced Standing means that student who graduate from our BSW program can then receive their MSW with only one additional year (11 months) of schooling. In less that five years, students are able to earn their BSW and MSW. To qualify for Advanced Standing, students must successfully complete their BSW with a minimum overall GPA of 3.2. Advanced Standing status is valid for five years after graduation.