BS in Social Work Program

Bachelor of Science (BS) Social Work Program Overview

The undergraduate program in social work, which leads to a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in social work (BSSW), prepares students for the beginning level of professional social work practice and graduate school. The curriculum provides students with a solid liberal arts foundation and a generalist social work education, including professionally supervised training in agencies.

Three (3) courses in the Bachelor of Science in Social Work (BSSW) Program’s curriculum require an internship.

SCWK 293 Social Work Practicum - six (6) hours of weekly direct service (internship) for weekly for a total of 70 hours for the semester in professionally supervised settings, an opportunity to gain practical knowledge about the structure and function of social services and bureaucratic organizations; integration of a mini-practicum and classroom learning in seminar format.

Social Work 410 Practicum Placement and Seminar I is a 6-credit hour course. 2 hrs. Lecture; 14 hrs. Practicum work (2 days) Supervised Practicum and Experiential Learning – 3 hours weekly, learning outside of the institution.  Pre-Req: Acceptance into Practicum Placement, Social Work 293, Social Work 360, Social Work 370. Prereq. or Coreq: Social Work 400 and 470. 

Social Work 410 is the second of the three-course practicum practice sequence (SCWK 293, 410 & 492). Supervised practicum experience.  On-site visits by Social Work faculty. Integrating practicum, classroom learning in a weekly on-campus seminar, and professional preparation. Placements are from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on two weekdays for a minimum of 200 hours per semester.  Permission is required to repeat the course.

SCWK 410 Practicum Placement and Seminar I and SCWK 492 Practicum Placement and Seminar II courses are taken in two consecutive semesters. Both courses require supervised social work practicum experience (internship). These courses require 14 hours of internship, usually two full days per week, during business hours (9 am–5 pm) for the entire semester. The student (intern) will be assigned to an affiliated social service agency. If the student works in a social service agency, completing their internship within their agency is possible. These courses integrate the practicum (14 hours per week) and classroom learning in a weekly on-campus seminar (two-hour lecture).

The program fulfills the requirements of the New York State Department of Education requirements and is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). BSSW graduates are eligible to apply for advanced standing, an accelerated program in an accredited graduate social work master-level (MSW) program.

All social work majors must complete the required support and social work courses. No credit for life experience will be given for the required social work courses.