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Eberly College of Arts & Sciences School of Social Work
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Admissions Process

for Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Students
Admissions Process

Prospective students who want to pursue a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree must apply for admission to WVU and declare social work as their major.

Doing so will classify them as Pre-Professional Level social work students that are completing the required general education and pre-professional social work coursework. Upon completion of Pre-Professional requirements, students continue through the Professional Level of the major.

Milestones to earning your BSW:

  1. Apply to WVU

    WVU On-Campus admission process

    Incoming freshmen and internal transfer students who are already WVU students and wish to change their major, who have less than 58 credits, are admitted directly into the Pre-Professional Level of the Bachelor of Social Work major. If an internal transfer student has more than 58 credits, they must first speak with the BSW Advising & Recruitment Coordinator to determine their eligibility.

    WVU Online admission process

    1. Complete WVU Online Application
    2. Complete SOWK Online Application
    3. Reviewed & accepted by members of BSW Team

    How to Apply to WVU

  2. Pre-Professional Level

    Typically a student's Freshman and Sophomore year, or students transferring in credits

    In the Pre-Professional Level you must:

    • Earn at least a C- in SOWK 147 & SOWK 151 (or transfer equivalent)
    • Begin your 50 Human Service Hours
    • Complete at least 75% of GEFs

    For On-Campus Transfer Students: 2+2 students, students with an Associates Degree, or students with 58 or more credits may be able to skip this step and progress on to the Professional Level if they have already met the above requirements. After acceptance to WVU as a transfer student, they must speak with the BSW Advising & Recruitment Coordinator to determine which requirements they have met through their transfer credits in order to determine whether they have met the Pre-Professional Level requriements. Learn more about  Transferring Credits.

    For Online Students: Online students must speak with the BSW Online Coordinator to ensure that they meet the Pre-Professional Level requirements so that they can start progressing in the Professional Level by the fall of their first year. 

    Service and Volunteer Info

  3. Progressing in the Professional Level

    Typically starting in an on-campus student's Junior year or online student's first year.

    To Progress in the Professional Level, students must:

    1. Attend Cohort Orientation at the start of fall junior year semester for on-campus students (or for online students, at the start of your first year in the program).

    2. Begin 300 Level Coursework and meet Benchmark Expectations*

    3. Complete 50 Service hours
      • Verify in iServe (or if paid hours, verify on BSW form, not iServe).
      • Complete by April 1 of the semester before field placement begins (which will be at the following timelines: on campus junior year, online full-time year 1, online part-time year 2).

    4. Attend 1 Service Reflection Session
      • Get Certificate of Completion when you have completed the session.
      • May only attend if at least 25 service hours are complete.
      • Held one time per semester in Fall: mid-November and Spring: late-February/early-March.

    5. Prepare for Fieldwork
      • Attend Field Briefing (typically occurs sometime in March or April of the semester before field placement begins).
      • Complete all tasks in Tevera.
      • Attend placement meeting.
      • Confirm Placement by August 1 prior to your final year.

  4. Professional Field Education and 400 Level Classes

    Typically a student's Senior year

    Attend & complete Field Placement and 400 level classes successfully.

  5. Graduate!

    Congratulations, you've earned your Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)!

*Benchmark Expectations

Earn at least a C- in all SOWK courses and maintain at least a 2.0 GPA. All majors must meet with the SOWK adviser each semester. Students who do not meet these benchmarks may be subject to removal from their major.