Program Overview
The BSW program offers a competency-based curriculum. Our graduates are expected to demonstrate professional competencies across levels of practice. These competencies are informed by social work knowledge, values, skills, and cognitive and affective processes and applied in the service of enhancing the well-being of individuals and communities.
Students complete courses in areas including social work practice across systems levels;
theory; policy; and research. Students also complete a minimum of nine hours of electives
specific to social work. Our graduates are prepared for a professional social work
career or for graduate school.
Program of Study
To earn a BSW degree at the University of South Carolina, you must complete 120 credit hours. These hours include courses in the following categories:
- Carolina Core
- College Requirements
- Program Requirements
- Major Requirements
Major Map
The Major Map is a layout of required courses in a given program of study, including critical courses and suggested course sequences to ensure a clear path to graduation. Students will work with academic advisors to complete their plan of study.
Upper Division Plan of Study
The following tables reflect the typical progression sequence of required and elective courses during the junior and senior years of study in the BSW program. Course descriptions can be found in the Undergraduate Studies Bulletin.
| Junior Year - Fall | ||
| Course No. | Title | Credit Hours |
| SOWK 311 | Generalist Practice I: Introduction to Social Work Practice | 3 |
| SOWK 331 | Diversity and Social Justice in Contemporary Society | 3 |
| SOWK 341 | Human Behavior and Social Environment (HBSE) I: Individual Development across the Life Span | 3 |
| Elective Course * | 3 | |
| Elective Course * | 3 | |
| * Students must complete a minimum of nine credit hours of social work electives. |
||
| Junior Year - Spring | ||
| Course No. | Title | Credit Hours |
| SOWK 312 | Generalist Practice II: Social Work with Individuals and Families | 3 |
| SOWK 322 | Social Policy Analysis | 3 |
| SOWK 352 | Social Work and Scientific Inquiry | 3 |
| SOWK 382 | Introduction to Field Education | 3 |
| Elective Course * | 3 | |
| * Students must complete a minimum of nine credit hours of social work electives. | ||
| Senior Year - Fall | ||
| Course No. | Title | Credit Hours |
| SOWK 411 | Generalist Practice III: Social Work with Small Groups | 3 |
| SOWK 441 | Human Behavior and the Social Environment (HBSE) III: Large Systems | 3 |
| SOWK 481 | Practicum I: Field Education | 3 |
| SOWK 483 | Practicum Seminar | 3 |
| Elective Course * | 3 | |
| *Students must complete a minimum of nine credit hours of social work electives. | ||
| Senior Year - Spring | ||
| Course No. | Title | Credit Hours |
| SOWK 412 | Generalist Practice IV: Social Work with Communities & Organizations | 3 |
| SOWK 422 | Advocacy for Social and Economic Justice | 3 |
| SOWK 482 | Practicum II: Field Education | 3 |
| SOWK 484 | Capstone | 3 |
| Elective Course * | 3 | |
| *Students must complete a minimum of nine credit hours of social work electives. |
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