This is an archived copy of the 2015-2016 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.uta.edu/.

Social Work - Undergraduate Programs

Overview

Undergraduate social work education at The University of Texas at Arlington is based on a set of premises. Responsible citizenship and professional social work practice recognize and respond to the realities of a complex and diverse society that is in continual need of constructive social change predicated on social justice. To this end, social work students are expected to demonstrate the capacity to critically evaluate their cultural environment and, in so doing, demonstrate analytical skills and understanding both orally and in writing. Students are required to adhere to the Codes of Ethics as currently published by the National Association of Social Workers and the Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners in their professional practice and in their course work. The faculty of the School of Social Work enhances this process through its commitment to teaching excellence, scholarly activities, research, and community and professional service.

The Bachelor of Social Work degree program of the School of Social Work is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. Its primary educational objective is to prepare students for beginning professional social work practice. The sequence of courses, designed to include academic social work and field experience requirements in a liberal arts context, enables the student, upon graduation, to work in a variety of social service agencies and settings. A secondary purpose of the program is preparation for graduate study in social work or another profession or discipline for which baccalaureate social work education would be appropriate.

Admission to the BSW Program

Admission to the BSW program requires:

ENGL 1301RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION I3
ENGL 1302RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION II3
MATH 1301CONTEMPORARY MATHEMATICS (or higher)3
PSYC 1315INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY3
SOCI 1311INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY3
POLS 2311GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES3
Total Hours18
  • Overall GPA of 2.5 or better
  • Completion of 12 hours in residence at UT Arlington
  • Completion of SOCW 2311 INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL WORK and SOCW 2313 SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE I with a grade of C or better
  • Completion of 40 hours of courses, including:
  • Completion of the BSW Admission Application Form
  • Submission of a personal statement

The application and personal statement are submitted to the BSW Program office. Both will be reviewed by an advisor and the program director. Students will be notified of eligibility within two weeks of submitting their application.

Transfer of Credit

BSW student transcripts are evaluated by the UT Arlington Office of Admissions. Courses that meet the liberal arts requirements of the BSW degree are applied to the degree plan. Other courses are designated as electives. The student receives credit for social work courses from CSWE accredited social work programs. The exceptions are  the practicum courses (which must be completed at UT Arlington):

SOCW 4251SOCIAL WORK FIELD SEMINAR I2
SOCW 4252SOCIAL WORK FIELD SEMINAR II2
SOCW 4451SOCIAL WORK FIELD INSTRUCTION I4
SOCW 4452SOCIAL WORK FIELD INSTRUCTION II4

No credit is given for life or work experience.

Continuation Through the BSW Program

Continuation through the BSW Program and eligibility for entry into Field requires:

  • 2.5 average in all social work courses and no grade lower than a C
  • Acceptable evaluations in all Social Work courses
  • 2.5 overall grade point average
  • Satisfactory evaluation from the SOCW 2311 INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL WORK instructor and from the supervisor of the volunteer experience required for SOCW 2311 INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL WORK.
  • Ability to qualify for state licensure in the state of Texas upon completion of the academic program (i.e., no disqualifying factors) under the Texas Professional Social Worker Act.

Requirements for a Bachelor of Social Work Degree

Pre-Professional Courses
General Core Requirements 42
Recommended Core Requirements
RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION I
RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION II
HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES TO 1865
HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES, 1865 TO PRESENT
GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES
STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
CONTEMPORARY MATHEMATICS (or higher)
ELEMENTARY STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION TO ANTHROPOLOGY
GLOBAL CULTURES
FUNDAMENTALS OF PUBLIC SPEAKING (or approved substitute)
INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY
English literature course, 2000 level or above
Liberal Arts Elective - English literature course, 2000 level or above
ART, DNCE, MUSI, THEA or other fine arts as approved
Economics course - ECON 2337 (suggested)
Program Requirements
SPAN 1441BEGINNING SPANISH I4
BIOL 1333DISCOVERING BIOLOGY: MOLECULES, CELLS AND DISEASE3
BIOL 1334LIFE ON EARTH: EVOLUTION, ECOLOGY AND GLOBAL CHANGE3
SPAN 1442BEGINNING SPANISH II4
SPAN 2313INTERMEDIATE SPANISH I3
PSYC 1315INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY3
Upper division PSYC course such as PSYC 3318 (or some other), but not PSYC 3310
Select one of the following computer course:
INTRODUCTION TO M.I.S. AND DATA PROCESSING
COMPUTER LITERACY
Professional Courses
SOCW 2311INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL WORK3
SOCW 2313SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE I3
SOCW 3301HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT I3
SOCW 3302HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT II3
SOCW 3303SOCIAL WELFARE POLICY AND SERVICES3
SOCW 3304SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE II3
SOCW 3305SOCIAL WORK RESEARCH METHODS3
SOCW 3306SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE III3
SOCW 3317HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND DIVERSE POPULATIONS3
SOCW 4251SOCIAL WORK FIELD SEMINAR I2
SOCW 4451SOCIAL WORK FIELD INSTRUCTION I4
SOCW 4252SOCIAL WORK FIELD SEMINAR II2
SOCW 4452SOCIAL WORK FIELD INSTRUCTION II4
Electives
Sufficient to give the 120 hours required for the degree 1
Total Hours101
1

No more than four hours of activity (EXSA/DNCA) can be used toward a degree for either hours or GPA.

 Suggested Course Sequence

Please refer to the BSW Degree Plan for more specific information.

First Year
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours
ENGL 13013BIOL 13343
HIST 13113ENGL 13023
MATH 1301 or 13023HIST 13123
BIOL 13333PSYC 13153
SOCI 13113MATH 13083
 15 15
Second Year
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours
English Literature3English Literature3
POLS 23113POLS 23123
SPAN 14414SPAN 14424
Fine Arts3SOCW 23133
SOCW 23113COMS 13013
 16 16
Third Year
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours
SOCW 33013Anthropology3
ECON 2337 or 23053SOCW 33023
SOCW 33173SOCW 33043
SOCW 33033PSYC 3000+3
SPAN 23133SOCW 33053
 15 15
Fourth Year
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours
SOCW 4251
  & SOCW 4451
6SOCW 4252
  & SOCW 4452
6
SOCW 33063Electives8
CSE 13013 
 12 14
Total Hours: 118

Field Work Requirements

The BSW Program requires two consecutive semesters of field experience in a single human-service agency. Students enroll in the field instruction course (SOCW 4451 SOCIAL WORK FIELD INSTRUCTION I, first semester; SOCW 4452 SOCIAL WORK FIELD INSTRUCTION II, second semester) and complete 240 clock hours per semester in their assigned agency. Concurrent enrollment in a weekly two-hour, on-campus seminar (SOCW 4251 SOCIAL WORK FIELD SEMINAR I, first semester; SOCW 4252 SOCIAL WORK FIELD SEMINAR II, second semester) is also required. Field placements are arranged early in the preceding semester, after students are formally advised by BSW program advisors as to field eligibility. Eligible students may begin field any semester (see the specific requirements for CPS Field).

All social work students enrolling in Field Instruction courses will be assessed a fee in order to include them in the school's group professional liability insurance policy. Coverage is for a $1,000,000 limit each claim and $3,000,000 limit aggregate.

Computer and Oral Competencies

Social Work students will demonstrate competence in computer usage. The requirement may be met by successful completion of a course approved by the academic advisor. Oral communication skills will be demonstrated by successful completion of COMS 1301 FUNDAMENTALS OF PUBLIC SPEAKING, or a suitable substitute.