Social Work Program (BSW)

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https://www.umflint.edu/chs/social-work/

This curriculum is designed for students pursuing a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree. The BSW program prepares students for professional generalist social work practice at the bachelor’s level, provides eligibility to register for the state licensure exam, and offers the possibility of advanced standing for graduate study in social work.

The program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) https://www.cswe.org/ and adheres to its accreditation standards.

BSW Program Mission

The University of Michigan-Flint Bachelor of Social Work program is dedicated to preparing generalist social work professionals committed to promoting individual, family, and community well-being. Through a rigorous curriculum grounded in the person-in-environment framework, we empower students with the knowledge and ethical foundation necessary to advance social, racial, economic, and environmental justice. We foster an inclusive academic environment that recognizes students’ strengths and promotes social work values, diversity, and scientific knowledge, preparing students to meet the evolving needs of the profession locally and globally.

Admissions Requirements

Applicants must meet the following requirements to be considered for admission to the BSW program:

Acceptance to the University of Michigan-Flint
The application for general admission may be completed online here https://www.umflint.edu/admissions/#first
Completion of a BSW application by the deadline specified on the UM-Flint BSW Program Application https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OinYyaMOXqI1B7wcvL3kfkbuChCR8CeW75g5B63YpfE/edit?tab=t.0

Prerequisites to apply to BSW major:

Completion of SWR 100 or an equivalent class with a grade of C (2.0) or better.
Completion of ENG 111 or an equivalent class with a grade of C (2.0) or better.
Completion of at least thirty (30) college credit hours at UM-Flint or another institution
Review and acknowledgement of:
- Social Work Code of Ethics https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English#purpose
- UM-Flint Social Work Technical Standards for Professional and Ethical Behavior https://docs.google.com/document/d/1biBPJpCQGL4GZ27jBATg4TZfnSPuI2wvTuUBPuw6N_I/edit?usp=sharing

Pre-Social Work Curriculum (22 credits)

BIO 104 - Introduction to Human Biology (4) , or equivalent
ECN 201 - Principles of Economics (Macroeconomics) (3)
ENG 111 - College Rhetoric (3)
POL 120 - U.S. National Government and Politics (3)
PSY 100 - Principles of Psychology (3)
SOC 100 - Introduction to Sociology (3)
SWR 100 - Introduction to Social Welfare and Social Work (3)

Requirements (120 credits)

Seventy-four (74) credits as follows:

A. Pre-Professional Block (21 credits)

B. Fields of Practice and Complementary Studies (21 credits)

These courses may be taken anytime:

At least 9 credits in fields of practice, from:
SWR 304 - The Urban Context (3)
SWR 320 - Death, Dying and Bereavement (3)
SWR 321 - Social Work Practice with Veterans (3)
SWR 325 - Patterns of Domestic Violence (3)
SWR 330 - Protective Services (3)
SWR 335 - Social Services in the School (3)
SWR 336 - Mental Illness and Social Work Practice (3)
SWR 338 - Social Work with the Aged (3)
The remaining credits in complementary studies, selected in consultation with a social work departmental advisor, from:
AFA 359 - The Black Family (3)
or
SOC 359 - The Black Family (3)
or
WGS 359 - The Black Family (3)
ANT 378 - Sex and Gender in Cross-Cultural Perspective (3)
or
WGS 378 - Sex and Gender in Cross-Cultural Perspective (3)
CDR 330 - Crisis Intervention (3)
CRJ 185 - Introduction to the Criminal Justice System (3)
HCR 362 - Cultural Competence in Health Care (3)
PHL 167 - Race, Gender and Sexuality (3)
or
WGS 167 - Race, Gender and Sexuality (3)
PSY 315 - Survey of Social Psychology (3)
SAT 202 - Problems of Substance Abuse (3)
SOC 270 - Race, Ethnicity and Institutionalized Racism (3)
SOC 325 - Culture, Personality, and Beyond (3)
SOC 354 - Sociology of Families (3)
SOC 474 - Gender and Society (3)
or
WGS 474 - Gender and Society (3)
WGS 100 - Introduction to Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (3)
Students may use social work independent study and special topics courses as part of their complementary studies electives.

C. Professional Block (32 credits)

It is strongly recommended that 300-level courses in social work be taken in the junior year, and that 400-level courses in social work be taken in the senior year. Students must sequence social work courses in order to begin the professional block as follows:

D. Additional Requirements

Grades of C (2.0) or better in all prerequisite, social work and complementary studies courses and overall UM-Flint and SWR GPAs of 2.4 or higher.
All UM-Flint graduation requirements , including General Education requirements .

Progression in the Program

After formal admission to the BSW program:
- Students will be assigned a social work academic advisor based on accumulated credits and are required to attend advising sessions.
- Students must complete a BSW program orientation focused on program requirements and the social work profession.
To progress in the program students must:
- Pass SWR 121 with a grade of C (2.0) or better during their first semester in the BSW program. Students who do not earn a C (2.0) or better in SWR 121 must retake the course before continuing in the program. Students are permitted to retake SWR 121 up to two times.
- Receive grades of C (2.0) or better in all prerequisites, social work and complementary studies courses.
- Maintain an overall UM-Flint and Social Work GPA of 2.4 or higher.
Continued enrollment and graduation with a BSW degree require consistently meeting CSWE competency standards. Any violation of the NASW Code of Ethics or inability to meet or comply with program competencies may be grounds for dismissal from the BSW program.

Honors Program

All bachelor-degree-seeking students with GPAs of 3.5 or higher are eligible to apply to the University of Michigan-Flint Honors Program . Please contact the Honors Program Manager or the Honors Program Director for further information.