Undergraduate Degree

Admission as a Junior

The number of students who can be admitted as juniors to the bachelor's degree program in social work is limited. Applications are accepted and reviewed only during the spring semester of each year.

All persons who are interested in applying for admission as juniors to the bachelor's degree program in social work must request a special application form and detailed information regarding admission requirements and procedures from the School of Social Work Web site at http://www.socialwork.msu.edu/Programs/BASW.

Students who are enrolled in colleges and universities other than Michigan State University should contact Michigan State University's Office of Admissions and the School of Social Work regarding admission to the bachelor's degree program in social work as transfer students.

To be considered for admission as a junior to the bachelor's degree program in social work, a student must have:

1. Submitted a completed application form by the deadline specified by the school.
2. Completed Social Work 200, which is a prerequisite for the 300–400 level courses required for the bachelor's degree.
3. Completed the courses in related areas referenced in items 3. a. (1), (2), (3), (4), and (5) under the heading Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Social Work.

Admission to the bachelor's degree program in social work is competitive, and there is no guarantee that students with a major preference in social work will be admitted to the bachelor's degree program as juniors.  In making admissions decisions, the faculty considers the relative qualifications of applicants, their suitability for the program, and the enrollment capacity of the program.

A student who has been admitted to the bachelor’s degree program in social work for a given semester, but then decides not to enroll for that semester, would need to reapply for admission to the program. There is no guarantee that the student would be admitted to the program again.

Honors Study

Students interested in honors study in social work should consult with academic advisors in the school.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Social Work

1. The University requirements for bachelor's degrees as described in the Undergraduate Education section of this catalog; 120 credits, including general elective credits, are required for the Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Work.
   
   The University's Tier II writing requirement for the Social Work major is met by completing Social Work 440. That course is referenced in item 3. below.
2. The requirements of the College of Social Science for the Bachelor of Arts degree.
3. The following required major courses:

   a.	The following courses in related areas (20 or 21 credits):
   	(1)	All of the following courses (8 credits):
   		PSY	101	Introductory Psychology			4
   		SOC	100	Introduction to Sociology			4
   	(2)	One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):
   		HNF	150	Introduction to Human Nutrition			3
   		MMG	141	Introductory Human Genetics			3
   		PSL	250	Introductory Physiology			4
   		PSY	209	Brain and Behavior			3
   	(3)	One of the following courses (3 credits):
   		EC	201	Introduction to Microeconomics			3
   		EC	202	Introduction to Macroeconomics			3
   	(4)	One of the following courses (3 credits):
   		PSY	200	Cognitive Psychology			3
   		PSY	235	Social Psychology			3
   		PSY	236	Personality			3
   		PSY	244	Developmental Psychology: Infancy Through Childhood			3
   		PSY	270	Community Psychology			3
   		PSY	280	Abnormal Psychology			3
   	(5)	One of the following courses (3 credits):
   		PLS	100	Introduction to American Politics			3
   		PLS	140	Introduction to Comparative Politics			3
   b.	All of the following Social Work courses (38 credits):
   	A grade of 2.0 must be earned in each of the following courses:
   	Social Work 310, 320, 420, 430, 431, 440, 441, 493A, 493B, 494A, and 494B.
   	A minimum of 2.0 must be earned to progress to a course for which one of these courses is a prerequisite. Students must pass (P) SW 494A to progress to SW 494B.
   	SW	200	Introduction to Social Work				3
   	SW	310	Human Behavior and Social Environment				3
   	SW	320	Social Work and Social Policy I				3
   	SW	340	Foundations of Social Work Practice				3
   	SW	420	Social Work and Social Policy II				3
   	SW	430	Research Methods in Social Work I				4
   	SW	431	Research Methods in Social Work II				3
   	SW	440	Social Work Practice with Individuals, Families, and Groups (W)				3
   	SW	441	Social Work Practice with Task Groups, Organizations and Communities				3
   	SW	493A	Social Work Field Education: Integrative Field Seminar I				1
   	SW	493B	Social Work Field Education: Integrative Field Seminar II				1
   	SW	494A	Social Work Field Education: Undergraduate Generalist Practice I				4
   	SW	494B	Social Work Field Education: Undergraduate Generalist Practice II				4
   c.	One of the following courses (3 credits):
   	ANP	201	Introduction to Cultural Anthropology				3
   	HDFS	442	Ethnic Families in America				3
   	SOC	215	Race and Ethnicity				3
   	SOC	216	Sex and Gender				3