Admissions BSW Program

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Social work is a profession committed to serving diverse groups of individuals, families, and communities. Diversity may be evidenced on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, national origin, marital status, political belief, mental or physical handicap, or any other preference or personal characteristic, condition, or status. In the interest of serving the diverse populations found within society, the College of Social Work places a strong emphasis on recruiting a student body which reflects and values these diversities.

Students interested in pursuing a social work major should consult with the College of Social Work as early as possible in their academic career for information about the admissions process and the program as a whole. Students may declare a social work major at any point after admission to the University, according to University policies.

Academic credit is not given for previous work, volunteer, or life experience.

Approval for progression to upper-level social work courses is granted after students complete a formal application, achieve a GPA of 2.2, and satisfy CLAST requirements and other specified prerequisites. Students may take introductory classes (SOW 1502, SOW 3350, and SOW 3203) along with any social work electives before being fully approved for progression in the required program of studies for the major.

Prerequisite Courses in Cognate Areas
Social work as a profession requires a broad knowledge base drawn from a variety of disciplines. Liberal studies requirements are determined by the University and should be completed before entering the social work program. Students are advised to complete all prerequisite courses for the major during the first two years of college work. In addition to liberal studies, students must take courses five specific content areas: human biology, economics, American national government, psychology, and sociology.

Completion of the following courses or their equivalents with a "B minus" grade or better is required for students applying to the School of Social Work.

Other courses than those recommended above may also satisfy these requirements if they cover this content in related 3-hour-credit courses. Students should complete an Undergraduate Course Substitutions and Waivers Form available in the Undergraduate Program Office. The course will be evaluated on the basis of information submitted. Students may be required to provide information such as a course description from a college catalog, syllabus, and/or a transcript so a determination can be made regarding course equivalence.

Application Procedures
Students are approved for entry into upper-level course work in the College of Social Work in the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters. Deadlines are February 15, June 15, and September 15, although applications may be submitted at any point in the semester.

Students should complete an application at the time that a social work major is declared. They are required to submit an application before beginning upper-level classes (those described as "second-semester" classes). Social work majors or those interested in pursuing a social work major are encouraged to contact the College of Social Work's Undergraduate Program Office to schedule an appointment for orientation, academic advising, and planning. Failure to follow application procedures will result in delayed progress in the program.

Applications are reviewed to ensure that the student has satisfied the following requirements for progression to upper-level social work courses:

A. Overall, cumulative GPA of 2.0;
B. Liberal Studies requirements;
C. CLAST requirement;
D. Social work cognate prerequisites (American national government,
    human biology, economics, psychology, sociology);
E. Introductory Social Work courses (SOW 1502, SOW 3203, and SOW 3350).

Students will then be notified of any deficiencies in requirements for progression to upper-level social work courses. At this point, they are expected to participate in a structured program orientation and academic advising in order to continue in their program of studies.

Transfer Students
A general credit evaluation is completed for entering transfer students by the Transfer Evaluation Section of the University's Office of Admissions. This evaluation determines whether courses can be accepted for credit toward University graduation requirements. Those who have earned an Associate of Arts/Sciences degree from a Florida public community/junior college or senior institution will be deemed to have satisfied the University's liberal studies requirement if the student's transcript reflects the designation of the A.A./A.S. degree.

The College of Social Work makes decisions about transfer of credit toward requirements specifically for the social work major, however. A maximum of 12 hours from another accredited social work program may be approved for course substitutions.

* Please visit the Undergraduate Program portion of this website for additional information on admission to the Undergraduate Program. Thank you.