BSW Admissions

The BSW Degree Program

The BSW degree program at Texas State is an exciting educational adventure for students who really want to make a difference in the world! Classes are small, and students have lots of opportunities to work closely with faculty and with their classmates. They study

human behavior and social environment
social policy
practice skills with individuals, families, groups, and communities
social research
work in selected agencies under social work supervision.

After graduation, our students have many job options to choose from, and the BSW degree has taught them a great deal about effective communication, working relationships, and intervention skills.

BSW Admissions

The social work major (BSW) degree requires 48 hours in Social Work and 27 hours in supportive social sciences. The social work curriculum is interwoven with liberal arts and general studies, consisting of 60 semester credit hours. (See BSW Degree Plan.) The Social Work major does not require a minor. Students progress through the BSW degree program in three phases. Faculty regularly assess students during this process, examining whether students are adhering to professional ethics and whether students are performing appropriately in practice situations.

Phase I (Pre-Social Work Major)
Social work pre-majors should complete most of their general education core/liberal arts courses before applying for admission to Phase II of the social work major. To be eligible to apply, students must complete atleast 45 credit hours, including the following: COMM 1310, ENG 1310 and 1320; MATH 1315 or 1319; PHIL 1305; SOWK 1350 and 2375; and US 1100, if required. Applicants must complete SOWK 1350 & SOWK 2375 with a C or above. Phase II applicants must have a GPA of at least 2.50 overall.

Phase II (Social Work Major)
Applicants for Phase II submit a formal application. An admissions committee screens applicants, considering the student’s academic record and suitability for social work practice, and informs applicants in writing if they are admitted, conditionally admitted, or denied admission. When the student is admitted into Phase II of the BSW degree program, his/her formal academic major is converted from Pre-Social Work to Social Work.

Application Forms:

Being admitted into Phase II does not guarantee that a student will remain in the BSW degree program. The Social Work faculty continually assesses majors’ progress, and majors must maintain at least a 2.5 GPA overall, and earn at least a “C” in each Social Work course and supportive social science course. Faculty also expect students to adhere to the profession Code of Ethics, show emotional and mental stability, demonstrate strong communication skills, show working interpersonal relationships, and be self-aware.

Phase III (Internship)
Students who have completed all required courses (excluding field), met all criteria for the BSW, and filed a degree summary in the Academic Advising Center, may apply for Field Internship. Students apply for Field with the Field Office of the School of Social Work. Most students think this is the most exciting aspect of the social work degree!

A students may take field in two concurrent semesters (SOWK 4645 the first semester and SOWK 4650 the second semester), or preferably, one semester of comprehensive internship (SOWK 4645 and SOWK 4650 simultaneously). During internship, students should take no more than 12 semester hours, including internship.