Social Work Major (B.S.)
https://chhs.unh.edu/social-work/program/bs/social-work-major
The Department of Social Work's undergraduate program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and must meet rigorous academic standards to retain this accreditation.
The Department of Social Work's undergraduate program offers both a major and a minor in social work. It is a specialized degree that prepares graduates for generalist social work practice with a solid foundation in the liberal arts and in the knowledge, skills, and value base of social work. Through the mastery of core competencies, social work graduates apply their education working with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. In addition, the program prepares qualified students to pursue graduate education in schools of social work and related fields.
Social work majors earn a B.S. degree in social work. Graduates are eligible for practice in a variety of social work settings throughout the United States. In preparation for graduate school, the program offers an Accelerated Masters that qualified students can consider applying for their junior year. In addition, qualified graduates are eligible to apply for advanced standing in M.S.W. programs that offer advanced standing. Depending upon the program, this can mean earning the M.S.W. in one calendar year versus two academic years.
Degree Requirements
All Major, Option and Elective Requirements as indicated.
*Major GPA requirements as indicated.
Major Requirements
Candidates for a degree must satisfy all of the University Discovery Program requirements in addition to satisfying the requirements of the social work major.
Students must maintain a 2.6 Semester GPA and earn a C or better in the 13 social work major courses. In addition, students are expected to successfully complete three additional courses as part of a liberal arts foundation for the major. Students are required to complete 40 hours of advisor approved human service hours by end of first semester junior year.
To connect the theoretical and conceptual content of the classroom with the practice world, students must complete:
- 40 hours of human service related work in an approved agency/program setting by the end of the semester when they apply to the internship. Twenty of the forty hours must be in the same agency/program. The remaining hours may be across multiple sites/programs. This experience may be paid or volunteer and must be pre-approved by the student's faculty adviser. The service hours must be completed post high school and by the end of the semester when to internship applications are due.
- Students complete a 450-hour internship over two semesters during the senior year. This is the senior capstone experience. The internship placement in the final year of the baccalaureate program is arranged between the student and the internship education coordinator. In compliance with CSWE accreditation standards, the B.S. in social work program does not grant social work course credit for life or work experience.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| SW 424 | Introduction to Social Work | 4 |
| SW 501 | Research Methods in Social Work | 4 |
| SW 525 | Social Welfare Policy: History of Social and Economic Justice | 4 |
| SW 550 | Human Behavior and Social Environment I | 4 |
| SW 551 | Human Behavior and Social Environment II | 4 |
| SW 622 | Social Work Practice: Interventions with Individuals and Families | 4 |
| SW 623 | Social Work Practice: Interventions with Groups, Organizations and Communities | 4 |
| SW 625 | Social Welfare Policy: Analysis, Activism, and Advocacy | 4 |
| SW 630 | Race Equity in Health and Human Services | 4 |
| Category I: Anthropology & Sociology Requirement | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 4 | |
| Global Perspectives on the Human Condition: An Introduction to Anthropology | ||
| Peoples and Cultures of the World | ||
| Introductory Sociology | ||
| Introductory Criminology | ||
| Family | ||
| Juvenile Crime and Delinquency | ||
| Homicide | ||
| Category II: Human Biology Requirement | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 4 | |
| Human Biology | ||
| Human Anatomy and Physiology I | ||
| Human Anatomy and Physiology II | ||
| Category III: Diversity Requirement | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 4 | |
| Sexuality in Cross-Cultural Perspectives | ||
| Gender, Race, and Class in the Media | ||
| In the Groove: African American Music as Literature | ||
| Introduction to the Literature and Culture of Race | ||
| I'm Old, So What! An introduction to aging in the United States | ||
| Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Struggle for Racial Justice | ||
| African American History | ||
| Modern Latin America | ||
| Becoming a Problem Solver | ||
| Philosophy and Feminism | ||
| Taking the "Dis" out of Disability | ||
| Class, Status and Power | ||
| Race, Ethnicity, and Inequality | ||
| Exploring Issues in Housing and Homelessness | ||
| Affirming Practice with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer+ People | ||
| Introduction to Women's Studies | ||
| Gender, Power and Privilege | ||
| Trans/Forming Gender | ||
| Race Matters | ||
| Feminist Thought | ||
| Senior Capstone Course Sequence | ||
| SW 740 | Social Work Internship Experience | 4 |
| SW 740A | Social Work Internship Experience I: Seminar | 4 |
| SW 741 | Social Work Internship Experience II | 4 |
| SW 741A | Social Work Internship Experience II: Seminar | 4 |
| Total Credits | 64 | |
Sample Degree Plan
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| SW 424 | Introduction to Social Work | 4 |
| ENGL 401 | First-Year Writing | 4 |
| HHS 401 | College of Health and Human Services Seminar | 1 |
| Diversity or Anthropology/Sociology Requirement | 4 | |
| Discovery Course | 4 | |
| Credits | 17 | |
| Spring | ||
| ZOOL 401 | Human Biology | 4 |
| Discovery Course | 4 | |
| Discovery Course | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| SW 501 | Research Methods in Social Work | 4 |
| SW 525 | Social Welfare Policy: History of Social and Economic Justice | 4 |
| SW 550 | Human Behavior and Social Environment I | 4 |
| Discovery Course | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| SW 551 | Human Behavior and Social Environment II | 4 |
| SW 630 | Race Equity in Health and Human Services | 4 |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| SW 622 | Social Work Practice: Interventions with Individuals and Families | 4 |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| SW 623 | Social Work Practice: Interventions with Groups, Organizations and Communities | 4 |
| SW 625 | Social Welfare Policy: Analysis, Activism, and Advocacy | 4 |
| World Culture Course (ANTH 411 or Study Abroad) | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| SW 740 | Social Work Internship Experience | 4 |
| SW 740A | Social Work Internship Experience I: Seminar | 4 |
| Elective or SW 625 | 4 | |
| Elective or SW 623 | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| SW 741 | Social Work Internship Experience II | 4 |
| SW 741A | Social Work Internship Experience II: Seminar | 4 |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Total Credits | 129 | |
- Student demonstrates ethical and professional behavior.
- Student engages diversity and difference in practice.
- Student advances human rights and social, economic and environmental justice.
- Engage in practice informed research and research-informed practice.
- Engages in policy practice.
- Engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
- Assess individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
- Intervenes with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
- Evaluates practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.