Social Work, B.S.W.
Contact
Caryn Husman, MS, OTR/L
Director, Department of Health Promotion Studies
chusman@une.edu
Mission
The Mission of the Bachelor of Social Work program at the University of New England is to foster an innovative and inclusive learning environment that nurtures a sense of responsibility toward the well-being of individuals, local and global communities, and the environment. Grounded in the values of social work and the person-in-environment framework, our program prepares students to collaborate across disciplines while addressing the dynamic challenges of a changing world. The social work program is committed to educating future social workers to embrace the richness of diversity and challenge oppression in all of its forms.
Major Description
The University of New England Bachelor’s in Social Work (B.S.W.) degree prepares generalist social work professionals for employment in a wide and varied range of social service, health, mental health, and community-based settings. B.S.W. prepared social workers acquire critical thinking, and problem-solving skills that integrate diverse perspectives, interprofessional collaboration. It instills values that foster culturally informed practice and students’ commitment to support individuals, families, and communities in a complex and ever-changing world in multiple practice settings.
Experiential education is one of the hallmarks of social work education and is realized through two sequential Practicum courses; SSW 410 Field Practicum & Seminar I and SSW 441 SW Practicum/Seminar II. These courses provide 400 hours of internship experience over two semesters in agency/organization settings.
Transfer Credit
See Undergraduate Admissions for more information.
Admissions
See Undergraduate Admissions for more information.
Financial Information
Tuition and fees for subsequent years may vary. Other expenses include books and housing. For more tuition and fee information, please consult this catalog’s Financial Information section.
Curricular Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Nor'easter Core Requirements | ||
| Nor'easter Core Requirements 1 | 40 | |
| Program Required Courses | ||
| BIO 104 & 104L | General Biology and General Biology Lab | 4 |
| BUEC 203 | Macroeconomics | 3 |
| IHS 150 | Health Promotion Studies Seminar | 1 |
| IHS 310 | Ethics for Interprofessional Practice | 3 |
| MAT 120 | Statistics | 3 |
| or MAT 150 | Statistics for Life Sciences | |
| NUTR 410 | Nutrition Across Seven Continents | 3 |
| OS 316 | Research Methods | 3 |
| or PUB 305 | Research Methods in Public Health | |
| OS 341 | Health/Wellness/Aging Society | 3 |
| OS 434 | Substance Misuse & Prevention | 3 |
| PSC 204 | Intro Comparative Politics | 3 |
| PSY 105 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 205 | Abnormal Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 250 | Lifespan Dev in Context | 3 |
| PUB 200 | Foundations in Public Health | 3 |
| SOC 150 | Intro to Sociology | 3 |
| SSW 200 | Introduction to Social Work | 3 |
| SSW 300 | Human Behavior and Social Work Theory I | 3 |
| SSW 310 | Social Welfare Policy and Advocacy | 3 |
| SSW 320 | Human Behavior and Social Work Theory II | 3 |
| SSW 330 | Advocacy in Social Work Practice | 3 |
| SSW 335 | Intro Soc Work Field Practicum | 1 |
| SSW 350 | Ethics in Social Work Practice | 3 |
| SSW 400 | Social Work Methods I | 3 |
| SSW 410 | Field Practicum & Seminar I | 6 |
| SSW 430 | Social Work Methods II | 3 |
| SSW 441 | SW Practicum/Seminar II | 6 |
| SSW 460 | Groups and Communities | 3 |
| Two Health Promotion Studies Electives | 6 | |
| Open Elective Courses (Students complete open elective credits as necessary to meet the University’s 120-credit minimum for graduation. The total number of elective credits required will depend on the student’s completed program, core, and other degree requirements.) | ||
| Total Hours | 120 | |
Health Promotion Elective Options
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NUTR 342 | Food Systems and Public Health | 3 |
| OS 301 | Assistive Technology in Schools | 3 |
| OS 414 | Stress Management | 3 |
| OS 424 | Health Edu: Theory to Practice | 4 |
| PUB 310 | Social, Behavioral & Environmental Factors in Public Health | 3 |
| PUB 405 | Health Care Organization and Policy | 3 |
| PUB 420 | Community Health Assessment | 3 |
| SSW 325 | Interpersonal & Community Violence | 3 |
| SSW 355 | Child & Family Social Work Practice | 3 |
| SSW 435 | Grief & Loss | 3 |
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Some courses fulfill both core and program requirements, the credits earned do not count twice towards the minimum total required credits for the degree.
Academic and Technical Standards
Students in the Bachelor in Social Work major are subject to the University undergraduate academic standards as well as requirements set forth in the Bachelor of Social Work Student Handbook.
In keeping with the guidelines of the University of New England, all undergraduate students must achieve a minimum semester-end grade point average. Failure to maintain the minimum grade point average requirements will result in academic probation as described in the Undergraduate Academic Catalog.
B.S.W. Benchmarks
Students selecting the B.S.W. program must meet certain benchmarks.
Prerequisites for progressing into the core social work curriculum include a grade of C or better in the following courses:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PSY 105 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| SOC 150 | Intro to Sociology | 3 |
Benchmarks remaining in the program include:
A grade of C or better in the following courses:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| OS 316 | Research Methods | 3 |
| or PUB 305 | Research Methods in Public Health | |
| OS 341 | Health/Wellness/Aging Society | 3 |
| OS 434 | Substance Misuse & Prevention | 3 |
A grade of C or better in all required social work courses:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SSW 200 | Introduction to Social Work | 3 |
| SSW 300 | Human Behavior and Social Work Theory I | 3 |
| SSW 310 | Social Welfare Policy and Advocacy | 3 |
| SSW 320 | Human Behavior and Social Work Theory II | 3 |
| SSW 330 | Advocacy in Social Work Practice | 3 |
| SSW 350 | Ethics in Social Work Practice | 3 |
| SSW 400 | Social Work Methods I | 3 |
| SSW 430 | Social Work Methods II | 3 |
| SSW 460 | Groups and Communities | 3 |
A grade of Pass (P) in:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SSW 335 | Intro Soc Work Field Practicum | 1 |
| SSW 410 | Field Practicum & Seminar I | 6 |
| SSW 441 | SW Practicum/Seminar II | 6 |
Learning Outcomes
Social Work is a competency-based education. We are, through our accreditors, mandated to ensure that our B.S.W. graduates are competent generalist practitioners in the areas listed below:
- Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior
- Advance Human Rights and Social, Racial, Economic, and Environmental Justice
- Engage Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI) in Practice
- Engage in Practice-Informed Research and Research-Informed Practice
- Engage in Policy Practice
- Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, Communities
- Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, Communities
- Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, Communities
- Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, Communities