The Social Work Program prepares students for beginning generalist social work practice. The primary purpose of the Social Work profession is to enhance human well being. Social workers help meet the basic human needs of all people and empower those who are vulnerable, oppressed, or living in poverty. Social workers help identify and manage the environmental forces that create, contribute to, and address problems in living. Social workers are an integral part of most non-profit agencies and also offer their services and knowledge in private practice. The Social Work Program has been continuously accredited by the Council on Social Work Education since 1977.

Mission and Goals

The Eastern Kentucky University BSW program provides a student-centered collaborative and dynamic environment that prepares students for competent and ethical social work practice in a diverse world. This is accomplished through self-reflection, rigorous academics, knowledge based on scientific inquiry and experiential learning in a safe and nurturing environment. We strive to graduate students who understand the complexities of the relationship between people and their environments, value human rights, respect human diversity, and believe in the dignity and worth of all human beings.  Completion of EKU’s generalist social work degree will provide the knowledge, values, and skills to become competent practitioners who value human relationships and can think critically using an anti-racist and anti-oppressive perspective. Our mission is to graduate ethical leaders who advocate for social, racial, economic, and environmental justice in rural, urban, and global communities, with an emphasis on EKU’s identified service region.

1. As a result of participating in the Bachelors of Social Work curriculum, students with a BSW will be compentent in engaging, assessing and intervening wtih clients at the micro, mezzo and macro levels.
2. As a result of participating in the Bachelors of Social Work curriculum, students with a BSW will show competence in practice-informed research and research-informed practice.
3. As a result of participating in the Bachelors of Social Work curriculum, students with a BSW will use rights-based, antiracist, and anti-oppressive lenses to competently apply ethical standards and frameworks of ethical decision-making frameworks in practice, research, and policy arenas.

Admission and Progression

Any student who is accepted by the University Admissions Office and declares their major as Social Work will be classified as a pre-Social Work major. Admission to pre-Social Work does not guarantee admission to the Professional Social Work Program. Admission to the program is required for progression in the major beginning with SWK 350 Social Work Practice I and SWK 354 Social Work Practice Methods. To be admitted students must have earned at least 32 hours of college credit, meet the minimum program GPA requirement of 2.50, complete SWK 210 Introduction to Social Work and other supporting course work with a minimum grade of “C,” and successfully complete application procedures. Students choosing to double-major must declare Social Work as the first major. For admission requirements and procedures contact the Social Work Program office, (859) 622-1645.

Program Requirements

CIP Code: 44.0701

Major

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
University Graduation Requirements
General Education		36
Foundations of Learning
GSD 101	Foundations of Learning	3
Upper division courses (42 hrs. distributed throughout Major/Supporting/Gen Ed/Free Electives categories)
Major Requirements
Core Courses
SWK 210	Introduction to Social Work	3
SWK 225	Human Behavior/Social Environment	3
SWK 300	Ethical and Professional Behavior (add to core courses)	3
SWK 310	Social Welfare Policy History	3
SWK 335	Human Behavior/ Social Environment II	3
SWK 340	Social Work Research Methods	3
SWK 350	Social Work Practice I	3
SWK 354	Social Work Practice Methods	3
SWK 355	Social Work Practice II	3
SWK 360	Social Work Practice III	3
SWK 390	Social Work Practicum Seminar I	1
SWK 390P	Social Work Practicum I	2
SWK 410	Social Welfare Policy Practice	3
SWK 490	Social Work Practicum Seminar II	6
SWK 490P	Social Work Practicum II	6
Choose from nine hours of the following:		9
SWK 344	Stress Management & Self Care
SWK 358	Child Abuse and Neglect
SWK 365	Crisis Intervention
SWK 420	Mental Health in Social Work
SWK 440	Addictions
SWK 455	Selected Topics in Social Work
SWK 456	Children's Services
SWK 457	Assessing Needs of Older Adults
SOC 135	Living in a Diverse World
SOC 399	Gender and Society G
SOC 400	Race and Ethnicity G
Supporting Course Requirements
PSY 200	Introduction to Psychology (Element 5B) G
Choose 1		3
SOC 232	Social Statistics
or
STA 215	Introduction to Statistical Reasoning
Choose from 23 hours of free electives		21
To broaden their experience and knowledge, students are encouraged to complete their programs with electives selected from: anthropology (ANT), child development (CSD), economics (ECO), health (EHS, CHS, HEA, NFA), foreign language (FLH), law enforcement (CRJ, PLS), political science (POL), psychology (PSY), recreation (REC), sociology (SOC), special education (SED), communications (CMS, COM), and Social Work (SWK)
Total Hours		120

G

Course also satisfies a General Education element. Hours are included within the 36 hr. General Education requirement above.