It is recommended that the WVU Undergraduate Catalog and each course syllabus you are given throughout your tenure as an BSW student be retained. Ideally, they should be placed in a permanent file for future reference. It is also recommended that an additional copy of each syllabus be kept in a separate file in the event that the original is lost. Our experience in attempting to furnish graduates of the BSW program with syllabi for courses taken in the past indicates a definite need for retention of these items. This is extremely important if you plan to take additional courses from other universities in the future. The majority of schools require that you furnish copies of course syllabi when attempting to obtain transfer credit. Therefore, it would be to your advantage to have these copies available. It is very difficult to obtain copies of syllabi after you leave WVU. Additionally, it is important to keep syllabi for the purposes of licensure in other states.
Below is some information about the process and preparation for taking the social work licensing exam in WV. For those of you considering licensing in other states, please contact the Board of Social Work Examiners in that state for information on their process. A list of the state boards of social work can be found at their website.
West Virginia Licensing Exam:
The WV Board of Social Work is the entity that administers the licensing exam in WV. There is a lot of information on their website. The WV Board of Social Work must pre-approve you before you can register to take the exam from the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB). This is accomplished by applying for a Temporary License Permit. Information can be found at their website.
The cost for a Temporary License Permit is $75. If you are in your last semester of school and you need confirmation from WVU School of Social Work that you are in good standing, direct your request as follows: BSW students: If you are applying for a WV license, a list of students in good standing, who will be graduating in the upcoming semester, will be sent to the WV Board of Social Work – no further action is needed. (Note: if you are applying for a license in another state, contact the licensing board in your state and send the requirement details to the BSW Director)
You can take the license exam in your last semester of school before you graduate. However, you cannot receive a regular license (LSW) until after you graduate and an official transcript has been sent to the WV Board of Social Work.
BSW grads: If you will be taking the LGSW (Licensed Social Worker) License Exam the known cost is going to be $230. A Candidate Handbook about the exam can be found at their website (just click on " Candidate Handbook on the left-hand side and download the PDF. There are also a number of other helpful links, FAQs, etc. there).