Social Work, B.S.W.

Program Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:

• identify as a professional social worker and conduct oneself accordingly.
• apply social work ethical principles to guide professional practice.
• apply critical thinking, knowledge of human behavior, and social environment to inform and communicate professional judgments. (C, CT)
• engage in research-informed practice and practice-informed research. (QR)
• engage in policy practice to advance social and economic well-being and to deliver effective social work services.
• engage, assess, intervene, and evaluate with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. (QR)
• apply concepts of Anti-racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI) in order to promote human rights across all levels and systems of practice.

Contact Information

School of Social Work

Building (058)

Brenda Lopez

BSWAdvising@unr.edu

Transfer to the University of Nevada, Reno

Use the transfer agreement  and the degree planner (available by clicking  at the top right of this page) to build your plan for graduation with your advisor. Course substitutions not identified on the transfer agreement require UNR advisor approval.

If a major-to-major transfer agreement is not available for your transfer institution, please check the General Core agreement  if available. If neither is available, access Transferology to assist in your planning.

Admission Requirements

Students may declare the social work major after completing 30 credits with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 (or higher) and after completing

Social work students are expected to submit a competitive application to the professional sequence. Students who meet the following requirements may apply for admission to the professional sequence:

• Declaration as a social work major
• Completion of Core Objectives C01-C08
• Completion of the Departmental Core requirements
• Completion of 90 earned credits or more prior to beginning professional sequence
• Cumulative GPA of 2.5 overall (or in the last 30 credits). Faculty may occasionally consider an exception for students who do not meet the 2.5 GPA requirement but who, in the professional judgment of the faculty, demonstrate a strong commitment to and potential for the social work profession as evidenced by extraordinary achievements and leadership
• Completion of
  SW 101
   ,
  SW 250
   ,
  SW 310
   ,
  SW 321
    with a grade of “C” or higher

Admission to the professional sequence is competitive, selective and not guaranteed. Students accepted to the professional sequence are expected to be ready to engage with clients, to practice within the boundaries and scope of the profession and to behave in manners congruent with the profession’s values and ethics.

To apply to the professional sequence, students must complete an application packet. Admission materials are available online at http://www.unr.edu/social-work. Students interested in applying to the professional sequence who meet the aforementioned requirements should submit a completed application packet to the School of Social Work by 5:00 p.m. on or before January 15. If this date falls on a weekend or holiday, the complete application must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on the Friday prior to January 15. Complete application packets include:

• BSW Application
• Essay responses
• Two completed BSW Recommendation forms
• Most recent Academic Advising Report

Graduation Requirements

• Total Units | 120
• Cumulative GPA | 2.0
• University GPA | 2.0
• Major GPA | 2.0
• Residency Requirement | 30 Upper-Division Units at UNR
• Major Residency Requirement | 15 Upper-Division Units in the major at UNR
• Upper-Division Requirement | 40 Upper-Division Units

I. Core General Education Requirements (24-27 units)

NOTE: Refer to the Core Curriculum chapter of this catalog for information regarding the “Core English and Math Completion Policy  .”

Students in this major must meet all Core Objectives (CO1 through CO14). Courses satisfying Core Objectives are designated (e.g., CO9) in General Catalog curricula and course descriptions.

II. Additional Core Requirements (6 units)

Students must take courses that satisfy the following Core Objectives. Some or all of these Core Objectives may be satisfied in the Major Requirements (Section IV).  Refer to the Core Curriculum  chapter in this catalog.

III. Additional Division Requirements (0 units)

IV. Major Requirements (66 units)

Requirements for graduation with a social work degree include completion of at least 120 units and completion of all required social work courses with a “C” grade or higher in each course.

V. Minor Requirements (0 units)

VI. Electives (21-24 units)

VII. Recommended Schedule

In order to complete the BSW degree requirements (120 credits) in four years, you must enroll in an average of 15 credits per semester.  The suggested sequence is outlined below.