Introduction and Overview

Graduates of the BSW program will be prepared to:

1. Engage, assess, intervene, and evaluate practice with individuals, families, groups, and communities.
2. Model ethical and professional behavior in social work practice.
3. Apply a practice framework that engages diversity and difference while advancing human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice.
4. Critique practice-informed research and research-informed practice.
5. Analyze Policy practice.

 National Association of Social Workers

NASW – National Association of Social Workers

NASW – Code of Ethics

Council of Social Work Education

International Federation of Social Workers

NABSW – National Association of Black Social Workers

Admission to the Major

Social work requires the ability to establish positive, supportive, and nonjudgmental interpersonal relationships. The ultimate test of a student's interpersonal skills is in relationship to clients. However, positive relationships with faculty and students serve as indicators of potential for future professional development and suitability for practice in the field. Social work is a profession whose members are expected to adhere to the National Association of Social Workers’ Code of Ethics and to conduct themselves in a professional manner. 

Criteria for Admission to the Professional Program

The criteria for admission to the professional level (also known as the upper division) of the BSW program include the following:

• Minimum 2.0 GPA on a 4-point scale. (Note: The GPA will be calculated to include coursework transferred to WVU from other institutions).
• Completion of 50 hours of appropriate human service activity (paid or volunteer) by the time of application for admission to the professional level of the program. All students must submit the BSW Program Community Service Verification Form as documentation of human service activity completed. To ensure that hours are eligible, students must contact the BSW program to get approval prior to completing these hours.
• Letter of recommendation: students must submit a generally positive letter of recommendation from a college professor or from a person who supervised their volunteer hours.
• Completion of 58 credit hours prior to the fall that the student wishes to enter the profession level. Students who have not completed 58 credits by the application submission date are allowed to be admitted provisionally, contingent on successful completion of any courses prior to the start of the professional level courses in the fall semester. Students must communicate this plan to the BSW Recruitment and Advising Coordinator or BSW Online Coordinator. Credit hours may include transfer credits recognized by WVU and the BSW Program.
• A final grade of “C” or higher in SOWK 147 and SOWK 151 by the time of application. Students applying to the program from approved 2 + 2 programs or as transfer students from other institutions may receive equivalency transfer credit for SOWK 147 and SOWK 151 upon course review, and approval by the BSW Social Work Program Director.
• Successful completion of 75% of WVU’s General Education Foundations (GEF) requirements by the conclusion of the semester during which application to the program is made. WVU grants transfer credit for general education courses that are substantially equivalent to WVU General Education Foundation (GEF) courses. Students who successfully complete an Associate’s Degree and/or a WVU-approved 2+2 community/technical college program automatically meet this GEF requirement.
• Demonstrations of college-level writing skills through completion of an application personal statement (assessed by personal statement rubric).
• Sensitivity to and respect for human diversity with a basic capacity for nonjudgmental behavior toward individuals whose values, beliefs, and lifestyles may be different from the student's own. This requirement is demonstrated in the applicant’s personal statement.
• Reliability in carrying out responsibilities, as demonstrated in classes and completing volunteer experience and as demonstrated in the two pre-requisite courses, SOWK 147 and SOWK 151, such as: punctual, dependable, observes assignment deadlines, meets attendance expectations. Transfer students who have been granted credit for the volunteer experience, SOWK 147, and SOWK 151 or equivalent courses are considered to have sufficiently met this requirement.

Important: Applications are reviewed by the BSW Admission Committee. Students, including transfer students, who present an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher at the time of application, and meet the other criteria for admission, will receive priority for admission to the program. Students, including transfer students, who meet the 2.0 minimum GPA and all other admission criteria will be admitted on a space-available basis. Students, including transfer students, who do not meet one of the admission criteria may receive a provisional acceptance by the BSW Admissions Committee.  Such provisional admissions will be considered on a case-by-case basis and considered provisional until the admission criteria are met by the fall semester.

Admission Process and Procedures

All forms required for application are available on the BSW website.

1. To initiate review of your application, you must complete the application packet by one of the following due dates: January 31 or May 31 (for entry to the program the following fall). If you do not meet one of the criteria at the time of application, the application must be accompanied by a written explanation for an extension to meet that criterion and a detail of the student’s plan to meet those criteria before the fall semester.
2. At the time you apply, you must submit the following documents: documentation of 50 hours of human service activity on the appropriate form with the supervisor's reference section filled out, a letter of general recommendation, a completed self-assessment, and your personal statement.
3. When the application is complete, student files containing their admissions materials are evaluated by the BSW Admissions Committee according to how well the various admissions criteria are met. Point values are attached to each of the criteria based on a rubric available on the BSW website. Students will be prioritized for acceptance based on the total number of points they receive when their application is reviewed.
4. Following evaluation of your application, if the Admissions Committee requires additional information, you will be contacted, and an interview with the Committee will be scheduled.

Notification of Admission Decision