Social Work (B.S.W. Program)
Admission
Curricula
Degree Requirements
Honors Option
Nondiscrimination Policies
Pre-Social Work Preparation
Readmission
Social Work Courses (S W)
Student Leave of Absence
Withdrawal from Degree Programs
Work/Life Experience and Academic Credit
The Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.) degree program prepares for entry level generalist practice in social work and consists of four semesters of study in the junior and senior years. Approximately two-thirds of the four semester curriculum is in professional courses in social work and about one-third is in corequisite courses and electives. Field work is concurrent with class work except in the first semester of the junior year. It is required that the student enroll in the entire professional component of the curriculum during any one semester.
Usually the four-semester program of class and field work is a program of full-time study extending over two successive academic years, beginning in the fall semester. There is also a part-time, extended study option that allows students to earn the Bachelor of Social Work degree in up to eight semesters. The School also offers admission to the Bachelor of Social Work degree program each fall term to students who wish to attend classes at Macomb University Center, located on the Macomb Community College Center Campus.
Admission
Completed applications for admission to the program leading to the Bachelor of Social Work degree are given careful review in order to select those students best able to fulfill the requirements for professional education in social work. Applications may be submitted after the student has completed forty semester credits in course work or its equivalent at the freshman and sophomore levels. Each applicant must:
1) complete and forward to the Office of Admissions, Wayne State University, the form Application for Undergraduate Admission (for information on application fee, see `Student Fees,' in the General Information section of this Bulletin, see Fees, Student);
2) submit to the Office of Admissions, Wayne State University, directly from colleges and universities of recognized standing, official transcripts of all credits previously earned, whether in one or several educational institutions;
3) complete and forward to the School of Social Work, Office of Admissions and Student Services, the form Application for Admission, Bachelor of Social Work Degree Program;
4) have earned a minimum overall grade point average of 2.5;
5) show evidence to the Director of Admissions of the School of Social Work of suitability and fitness for the profession of social work and the ability to pursue successfully undergraduate professional education in social work.
NOTE: Students who have already attended Wayne State University should omit steps one and two above.
Applications are reviewed only when all supporting materials have been received. The date for submission of initial and all supporting materials for priority processing for September admission (application decision in 30 days or less) is February 28. Applications received after the priority processing date will be processed within 30-60 days. Students wishing to enroll in the Bachelor of Social Work degree full-time program offered at the Macomb University Center may apply for September admission, but enrollment is limited. Applicants who begin their study at the Macomb University Center campus must complete their program at Macomb University Center campus. The applicant may be required to attend an individual or group interview as part of the application process. The responsibility for deciding whether a student shall or shall not be admitted rests with the School.
Once a student is admitted, admission to the B.S.W. program is conditional until all requirements are completed. The student must present a transcript verifying completion of sixty semester credits, his or her grade point average, and prerequisites completed. The letter of admission does not constitute a contract; admission may be withdrawn if a student fails to meet requirements following entry to the School.
Transfer of Undergraduate Credit
No more than sixty-four semester credits from two-year colleges may be used toward the B.S.W. degree. A maximum of twelve Technical, Vocational, or Applied Practice credits (designated `TVA') in the human service areas (for example, mental health, child care, gerontology, empathy training, human services and substance abuse) will count toward the degree. Any such transfer credits will be counted as general elective credit. Social work courses from programs not accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) also will be transferred as `TVA' general elective credit. See Transfer Admission for the University transfer policy.
Nondiscrimination Policies
The School is bound by and actively endorses University policies of nondiscrimination respecting all persons regardless of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, marital status or physical or mental disability, and which expressly forbid sexual harassment or discrimination in hiring (see Equality of Opportunity Policy for these policies). The School prohibits discrimination against individuals because of political orientation. Copies of School and University nondiscrimination policies may be obtained in the Office of the Dean.
Work/Life Experience and Academic Credit
No academic credit for life experience or previous work experience will be awarded in the Bachelor of Social Work or Master of Social Work degree programs, in whole or in part, in lieu of the field practicum or of courses in professional foundation areas.
Student Leave of Absence
A student who is in good standing in the Bachelor of Social Work degree program may request a leave of absence from course and field work in the School for up to one year. In order to be considered in good standing, a B.S.W. student must maintain grades of `C' or better in classroom courses in the professional component, and marks of Satisfactory in field work. Upon his or her return from an approved leave of absence, the student's plan of work will be based upon the time in the academic year when the leave of absence was granted. If a student leaves at or before mid-semester, then she or he will have to repeat course or field work. Specific information on the procedure for requesting a leave of absence is available in the Office of the Dean, or in the Office of Admissions and Student Services.
Withdrawal from Degree Programs
A student who has been admitted to the Bachelor of Social Work degree program or the Master of Social Work degree program shall be considered to have withdrawn if he/she is not enrolled in a course or field work during any semester of a planned program of study within the framework of the plan which has been approved. In order to withdraw in good standing, students who withdraw from any degree program, for whatever reason, must formalize their withdrawal with the Director of Admissions and Student Services in the School of Social Work. A copy of the procedure for withdrawal may be obtained from the Office of Admissions and Student Services, School of Social Work.
Readmission
Students who had been enrolled in a planned program leading to the Bachelor of Social Work degree, who have withdrawn from the program and who wish to be considered for readmission to complete degree requirements, must follow regular procedures for admission to the School. Generally, students are required to complete two continuous terms of field work; readmitted students who had previously completed one term of field work in the senior year will be required to repeat this term, and may be required to enroll concurrently in a course or courses in social work practice methods or directed study in social work. Students who have withdrawn and wish to be readmitted may be required to obtain an assessment of their physical or mental health from a health professional approved or selected by the School.
Pre-Social Work Preparation
To qualify for admission to the Bachelor of Social Work program in the School of Social Work sixty semester credits (or its equivalent) at the freshman and sophomore levels must be completed. Such course work must be distributed according to one of the curricular patterns cited below. The General Education Requirements of the University must be met at the same time.
Many pre-social work courses also help satisfy the University General Education Requirements. These courses are indicated by parenthetical two-letter prefixes to their titles. For a definition of the General Education Requirements and a list of courses that satisfy each of them, see General Education Program.
Two curricula are outlined below as Pattern A and Pattern B, both available through the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences but pattern B is primarily focused on course offerings of the Interdisciplinary Studies Department. Students may also select elective credits at the freshman and sophomore levels from such professional schools as the School of Business Administration, the College of Education, the College of Nursing, and the School of Social Work.
Pattern A
Some of the following subject areas are prefixed with two-letter parenthetical codes. These codes indicate General Education categories which may be satisfied (entirely or in part) by the corresponding requirement in the pre-social work curriculum. For a definition of the General Education Requirements and a list of courses which satisfy each of them, see General Education Program.
A. Social Sciences: The following distribution of courses is required.
1. (SS) Anthropology-3-4 credits
(Note: Physical Anthropology does not meet this requirement.)
2. (SS) Economics-4 credits (Survey of Economics, ECO 1000, recommended)
3. (HS) History-3-4 credits (HIS 1300 is a required pre-social work course,
4. (AI) Political Science-3-4 credits
5. (SS) Sociology-two courses
B. Natural Sciences: The following distribution of courses is required, including a laboratory course in one of the LS or PS areas designated below.
1. (LS) Biology-3-4 credits
2. Psychology-three courses. Field practicum courses do not meet this requirement. A course in developmental psychology is required. Introduction to Principles of Psychology will NOT satisfy the LS (laboratory) requirement.
3. (PS) One course (3-4 credits) to be selected from the following: Physics, Chemistry, Geology, Astronomy.
C. Humanities: The following distribution of courses is required.
1. (PL) Philosophy/Letters-3 credits
2. (VP) Humanities - 3 credits
D. English: The following distribution of courses is required.
1. (BC) Freshman Composition-4 credits
2. (IC) English Elective (2000 level or above)-3 credits
E. (OC) Basic Speech: 2-3 credits
F. Electives: Recommended: Select electives from General Education Requirements in Foreign Culture (FC), Computer Literacy (CL), and Critical Thinking (CT). Electives should be selected in conjunction with the School's Academic Services Officer.
Note: Beginning Fall 2005, General Education Requirements also include three Exposure Areas courses.
Pattern B
Titles of some of the following courses are prefixed with two-letter parenthetical codes indicating that General Education categories which may be satisfied (entirely or in part) by the corresponding requirement in the pre-social work curriculum. For a definition of the General Education Requirements and a list of courses which satisfy each of them, see General Education Program.
A. Social Sciences: The following distribution of courses is required.
ISS 2710 -- (SS) (CD) Selected Perspectives on Ethnicity: Cr. 4
ISS 2720 -- Culture, Community, and Identity: Faces of Culture: Cr. 3
ISP 3480 -- (SS) Theoretical and Practical Analysis of
Work Organizations: Cr. 4
ISS 1510 or ISP 3420
-- (AI) American Political Development: Cr. 4
-- (AI) The American Constitution and Judicial System: Cr. 4
ECO 1000 -- (SS) Survey of Economics: Cr. 4
HIS 1300 (HS) Europe and the World: 1500-1945: Cr. 3-4
B. Natural Sciences: The following distribution of courses is required.
IST 2010 -- (ST) Health Concepts and Strategies: Cr. 3
IST 2020 -- Changing Life on Earth: Cr. 3
IST 2310 -- (LS) (ST) Living in the Environment: Cr. 4
IST 2420 -- (PS) (ST) Atoms and Stars: Cr. 3
Three courses in Psychology (one course in
developmental psychology is required): Cr. 9-12
C. Humanities: The following distribution of courses is required.
I H 2710 -- (PL) Art and Aesthetics: Literature and Philosophy: Cr. 4
I H 2730 -- (VP) Meaning in the Visual and Performing Arts: Cr. 3
D. English: The following distribution of courses is required.
ISP 1510 -- (BC) Written Communication Skills: Cr. 4
English (IC) elective, 2000 level or above: Cr. 3
E. Basic Speech:
ISP 1560 -- (OC) Dimensions of Oral Communication: Cr. 4
F. Recommended Electives: Select electives from General Education courses in Foreign Culture (FC), Computer Literacy (CL), and Critical Thinking (CT). Electives should be selected in conjunction with the School's Academic Services Officer.
Note: Beginning Fall 2005, General Education Requirements also include three Exposure Areas courses.
Degree Requirements
The Bachelor of Social Work degree requires satisfactory completion of a minimum of one hundred twenty credits. These consist of sixty credits in the freshman and sophomore years, including prerequisite courses (see Pre-Social Work Preparation, above) for admission to the professional component of the program and sixty credits in the junior and senior years, including forty-eight credits in field work and related courses and a minimum of twelve credits in corequisite and elective courses (see below).
Grade Point Average
To be awarded a Bachelor of Social Work degree, the student must achieve a cumulative grade point average of 2.0, and a grade point average of 2.0 during the junior and senior years. A minimum of thirty credits must be earned in residence in the School of Social Work, and the student must be in residence during the final semester prior to graduation.
General Education Requirements
University-wide General Education Requirements apply to all undergraduate students seeking baccalaureate degrees from Wayne State University. These requirements include group requirements in basic disciplines, and competency requirements in written communication, mathematics, oral communication, computer literacy, and critical thinking (competency examinations in each of these areas are available). See the General Information section of this Bulletin, General Education Program; and consult an undergraduate adviser regarding the pre-Social Work pattern and General Education courses.
Suitability and Fitness for the Profession
Students must show suitability and fitness for the profession of social work. Any breach of the values and ethics of the profession embodied in the Code of Ethics established by the National Association of Social Workers may result in termination from the B.S.W. or M.S.W. program.
Honors Option
Social Work students of superior academic ability are eligible to participate in the University's Honor Option, available in connection with specified social work courses during the junior and senior years. All Honors Option course work is to be completed with a previously-approved social work professor, and will include work beyond normal course requirements. Students interested in the Honors Option must present a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 or better and develop an academic plan of work with the School of Social Work Academic Services Officer. Application forms for the Honors Option are available in the Office of Admissions and Student Services. The application form must be signed by the instructor and the Academic Services Officer and must be returned to the Office of Admissions and Student Services by the end of the second week of classes. It is the student's responsibility to make sure that the instructor receives and turns in near the end of the semester an additional form that includes the grade for the student, in both the course and on the specific Honors-level work agreed upon. Students are required to complete a minimum of twelve credits under the Honors Option and maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.30. The Honors Option is available in designated sections of the following courses: S W 3710, 4710, 4810, and 4997. Additional information is available from the Academic Services Officer.
Curricula
The undergraduate social work curriculum is structured to provide the knowledge, values and skills essential for entry level generalist social work practice. It is composed of five curricular areas: human behavior and the social environment, research, social work practice, social welfare policy and services, and field education. In addition, the following four themes will be found to intersect some or all curricular areas: values and ethics, social justice, oppression and discrimination, and populations at risk. The professional component of the curriculum is built upon a liberal arts foundation in the social and behavioral sciences, the humanities, English, mathematics, and the natural sciences. Students are required to enroll in selected courses in anthropology, economics, English, foreign culture, history, human biology, philosophy, political science, humanities, psychology, sociology and speech.
Students in field education are placed in a wide variety of social service agencies and work with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities. Emphasis is placed on working in urban areas with the poor and oppressed, persons of color, and other at-risk populations representing a variety of ethnic, racial and cultural groups. Field work stresses both amelioration and prevention of personal, interpersonal and social problems, as well as improvement of the human condition.
Students are required to file an educational plan of work with the School of Social Work Academic Services Officer and to update the plan periodically.
Required Professional Content
Junior Year
First Semester
S W 3010 -- Social Work Practice Method I: Cr. 3
S W 3110 -- (CD) Diversity, Oppression and Social Justice: Cr. 3
S W 3510 -- Human Behavior in the Social Environment: Cr. 3
S W 3710 -- Social Welfare & the Social Work Profession: History, Trends & Basic Concepts: Cr. 3
Second Semester
S W 3020 -- Social Work Practice Method II: Cr. 3
S W 3810 -- Research Methods, Data Analysis, & Practice Evaluation I: Cr. 3
S W 3998 -- Field Practice in Social Work I: Cr. 5
Senior Year
First Semester
S W 4010 -- Social Work Group Theory and Practice: Cr. 3
S W 4710 -- Social Welfare in the U.S.: Current Programs: Cr. 3
S W 3810 -- Research Methods, Data Analysis, & Practice Evaluation I: Cr. 3
S W 4998 -- Field Practice in Social Work II: Cr. 5
Second Semester
S W 4020 -- Social Work Macro Theory and Practice Cr. 3
S W 4997 -- (WI) Integrative Seminar in Social Work: Cr. 3
S W 4998 -- Field Practice in Social Work II: Cr. 5
Corequisites and Electives
Corequisite: The corequisite for the program during the junior and senior years must be distributed as follows:
History 1300, 3 credits, to be taken no later than the second semester of junior year.
Electives: Electives must be selected in consultation with the School of Social Work Academic Services Officer.
Part-time Extended Study Option
Students interested in the part-time extended study option for the B.S.W. program must file a plan of work with the School's Academic Services Officer. The extended study option may be elected only if approved by the Coordinator of the B.S.W. program, or if the student is admitted to this option in the junior year.