The School of Social Work offers the degrees of bachelor of social work, master of social work and doctor of philosophy.
- Major
- Minor
General Degree Requirements
Students are required to complete a minimum of 120 hours for the degree with a Social Work GPA of 2.5 and an overall GPA of 2.25.
Hours of Study for the Minor in Social Welfare
Students in other divisions of the University may earn minors in social welfare by completing 18 hours of social work courses. Course requirements are listed under the Minor in Social Welfare section.
Independent Study
Independent study is usually arranged in order for the student to pursue a special area of interest in social work or social welfare that is not covered in courses regularly offered. To arrange an independent study course, the student should obtain permission from his or her adviser, work out the goals and objectives of the course with the supervising instructor and secure a recommendation from the program chair and approval from the assistant dean for educational programs and student services. Independent study must be approved no later than the last day of class of the semester preceding the semester of the course. Such courses may be dropped according to University policy.
Course Substitution
Occasionally, a student may wish to substitute another course for a required course. All such requests should first be presented to the student’s adviser, who will weigh the merits of course substitution and determine whether the content of the proposed course is appropriate as a substitute. Decisions on social work course substitutions are made by the program chairperson.
Transient Enrollment
A student who wishes to take courses at another college or university during a summer or regular semester should, after talking with his or her adviser, check with the School of Social Work registrar’s office to determine whether the courses will transfer to the School of Social Work. Prior approval must be received in order for transfer credit to be accepted toward degree requirements.
Second Bachelor’s Degree
A student with a bachelor’s degree in a major other than social work may take courses leading to a bachelor’s degree in social work as a second degree. To qualify for enrollment in social work courses as a major, the student is expected to meet all requirements for admission (i.e., 2.25 cumulative GPA and 2.5 GPA or higher in social work courses and a completed application for admission). The student is also expected to complete, in residence and with the required overall and social work GPAs, the specified social work courses for the BSW degree. The student is also expected to take other courses common to social work majors, such as 4 hours of biological sciences. Students interested in a second degree should also refer to the University’s requirements listed under the Second Bachelor's Degree section of this catalog under Academic Records and Policies/Multiple Degrees and Multiple Majors.
Students entering the School of Social Work as freshmen are required to meet the admissions standards of the University set forth in the Admissions section of this catalog. The University accepts transferred credit from accredited associate of arts programs (see Undergraduate Transfer Admission section of this catalog). The School of Social Work also accepts those hours but requires that all students meet the course requirements for the bachelor of social work degree. An evaluation of each transferred course is made by the University’s Academic Records office or the registrar of the School of Social Work. Any transfer credit of a social work course must be approved by the program chair. No academic credit, course waivers, or credit for field practicum shall be granted for life experience or for previous work experience.
Transfer credit from four-year institutions is accepted as long as the specified requirements for the BSW degree are met. Credit for 400-level social work courses can be granted only for such courses taken in a CSWE-accredited social work program. Social work courses below the 400 level taken in programs without CSWE accreditation are evaluated for transfer credit on a course-by-course basis. Because of the number of social work courses required of junior- and senior-level students, it is difficult for a transfer student to enter the School of Social Work after the first semester of the junior year and complete the program within an additional two-year period, unless the general education requirements have been completed during the first two years of study. Most transfer students attend at least one summer session.
Any University of Alabama student who has completed 45 semester hours or more of academic work and who wishes to transfer from any other UA division into the School of Social Work must have a grade point average of at least 2.0 for all college work.
Admission into the Professional Program
The priority deadline for application to enter the upper division (professional program) in social work is February 15 of each year for admission the following fall semester and September 15 for admission the following spring semester. Application forms are available on our website and from the school’s registrar.
Each applicant for the professional program should have completed:
| Code and Title | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| BSC 108 or | Intro Biology Non Maj I | 4 |
| BSC 109 | Intro Biology Non Maj II | |
| PY 101 or | Intro To Psychology | 3 |
| PY 105 | Honors Intro Psychology | |
| SOC 101 | Intro To Sociology | 3 |
| OR their equivalents | ||
| SW 100 or | Introduction to the Fields of Social Work Practice | 3 |
| SW 105 | Honors Introduction to the Fields of Social Work Practice | |
| SW 101 | Orientation to Social Work (*) | 3 |
| SW 200 or | History of Social Welfare in the United States | 3 |
| SW 205 | Honors History of Social Welfare in the United States | |
| SW 310 | Professional Writing Seminar (*) | 3 |
| SW 351 or | Anti-Oppression and Social Justice | 3 |
| SW 355 | Honors Anti-Oppression and Social Justice | |
| Total Hours | 25 | |
* Proctored exam required for online sections of this course. Additional charges may be incurred for proctoring services. The student is responsible for any proctoring costs.
A student who has completed at least two of those courses may apply if he or she is enrolled in the other course at the time of application. An applicant also must have qualified for UA core curriculum–level math courses either by placement score or by having earned a C or higher in MATH 100 Intermediate Algebra . To be considered for admission, the student must have completed at least 45 hours toward the degree with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.25 and a social work GPA of least 2.5.
Spaces for students in the upper division are limited. Two faculty readers score each application. Depending on the number of applications and spaces available, some applicants who meet minimum admissions requirements may be placed on a waiting list. Students who are conditionally admitted must maintain cumulative grade point averages of at least 2.25 (and 2.5 in social work courses) or the offer of admission will be withdrawn.
After the completion of approximately 54 hours toward the social work degree, with the required cumulative and social work grade point averages, students who have been admitted into the professional program begin taking the professional courses, which are the 400-level social work courses listed in the School of Social Work Program Requirements section of this catalog.
Performance and Retention Policies
To continue in the social work professional program, students must meet the following criteria:
- Students must earn minimum grades of C in all required social work courses, including two social work electives.
- Students must earn minimum grades of C in all other courses required in the major:
Code and Title Hours PY 101 or Intro To Psychology 3 PY 105 Honors Intro Psychology PY 352 Developmental Psych 3 PY 358 Psychopathology 3 PY 372 or Social Psychology 3 SOC 205 Social Psychology SOC 101 Intro To Sociology 3 BER 345 or Educational Statistics 3 CJ 381 or Statistics PY 211 or Elem Statistical Methods ST 260 Statistical Data Analysis - Optional Writing Assessment
Students under any catalog before the 2023-2024 Undergraduate Catalog are eligible to take an optional writing assessment to test out of SW 310. Students must earn a minimum grade of B- on the optional writing assessment in SW 101 (Orientation to Social Work) to test out of SW 310, Professional Writing Seminar. Students who have not earned a “B-” or better on the writing assessment will be required to enroll in SW 310, Professional Writing Seminar, prior to applying for the Professional Program. Students enrolled under the 2023-2024 Undergraduate Catalog or later are not eligible to take the Optional Writing Assessment and must take SW 310. There are no options for testing out of SW 310 for these students.
Field Education
SW 490 Field Education , a 9-credit-hour course, is a four-day-per-week learning experience course taken during the fall semester of the senior year. Students are given opportunities, under supervision, to develop social work skills. The School of Social Work collaborates with agencies in a variety of settings for field education placements. To complete field education requirements, students must make arrangements for transportation to and from their field education site. During this semester, students also attend classes at the School of Social Work one day per week.
To be eligible for their field education placement, students must maintain cumulative grade point averages of 2.25 or higher and 2.5 or higher GPAs in social work courses, and they must have passed a statistics class. Students on probation and/or holding grades of I in any social work courses may not be admitted to field education.
The School of Social Work was established in 1965, when an act of the Alabama Legislature created a graduate school of social work, the first graduate social work program in the state. The undergraduate program began in 1970 and a doctoral program was added in 1975. The undergraduate program is the only one in the state offered within a comprehensive school of social work.
Social work is a challenging and rewarding profession that has as its goal helping people live satisfying lives within their families and their communities. The profession’s focus is on action to help people affect positive changes in their lives.
At the bachelor’s and master’s levels, the School of Social Work prepares social workers to plan, administer, deliver and evaluate social services for citizens of the state, region and nation. The bachelor of social work degree prepares the graduate to begin generalist practice in a variety of settings. The master of social work degree prepares the graduate for advanced, specialized practice. The doctor of philosophy degree prepares graduates to develop and impart knowledge to advance the profession. The faculty engage in research and professional activities designed to enrich educational programs, improve social conditions and meet the special needs of the state, region and nation.
The undergraduate program leads to the bachelor of social work degree. The primary objective of the undergraduate program in social work is the preparation of students for effective practice of professional social work in beginning-level positions. The graduate is prepared as a social work generalist with skills to assist individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities in achieving goals, solving problems and bringing about change where it is needed. Additionally, this program prepares students to enter graduate study in social work or related fields. It also provides interested persons with knowledge of social welfare needs and the means of providing for those needs. These objectives, however, are secondary to the primary objective of preparation for practice.
Five basic requirements of the BSW program prepare the student for practice as a generalist social worker: required liberal arts courses, elective courses, required social work courses, elective social work courses and supervised social work field education.
An overview of the many and varied roles in which social workers function in today's society. Reviews the historical development of the profession, its various fields of practice, the profession's code of ethics, and covers current national and local issues. Fifteen hours of volunteer work outside of class are required. Required course for social work majors and social welfare minors; open to all University students, but freshmen and sophomores preferred. Offered in the fall and spring semesters.
Examines the current situation in services for children and families. Gives an overview of services designed to strengthen families, as well as those that provide substitute care of children when the family is unable to meet this responsibility.