Social Work BSW
General Education Requirements
Majors must satisfy the university and college general education requirements, although proficiency in a foreign language is recommended but not required.
Courses required for the BSW degree may not be taken on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis except SOC WK 4800 and SOC WK 4850.
Admission Requirements
Students entering UMSL as freshman and as transfer students should indicate a pre-social work major. Students must apply to the program concurrently with SOC WK 3100. Admission to the program is conditional upon the successful completion of all necessary requirements.
Requirements for Admission to the Social Work program:
- Junior standing
- GPA of 2.75 or higher in social work related areas and an overall GPA of 2.5 or higher.
- Submission of:
- Application for admission to the social work program.
- Two letters of reference: one from a college or university professor and one other from a work or volunteer experience supervisor.
- Completion of SOC WK 2000, SOC WK 2001, and SOC WK 2200 or their equivalents or completion of an A.A. in Human Services,
- Completion of PSYCH 1003 and SOC 1010 with a C- or better.
Applicants may be asked to meet with the Social Work Admissions Committee.
Degree Requirements
Students must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 in social work and related-area requirement courses to enter field practicum. Candidates for this degree program must complete the core requirements including the following social work courses:
| Course Number | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SOC WK 2000 | Social Work and Social Issues | 3 |
| SOC WK 2001 | Social Work and Social Issues Lab | 1 |
| SOC WK 2200 | Social Welfare as a Social Institution | 3 |
| SOC WK 3100 | Social Work Practice with Individuals | 3 |
| SOC WK 3210 | Social Issues and Social Policy Development | 3 |
| SOC WK 3410 | Research Design in Social Work | 3 |
| SOC WK 3510 | Human Behavior in the Social Environment | 3 |
| SOC WK 3700 | Diversity and Social Justice | 3 |
| SOC WK 4110 | Social Work Practice with Families and Groups | 3 |
| SOC WK 4300 | Social Work Practice with Communities | 3 |
| SOC WK 4350 | Human Service Organizations | 3 |
| SOC WK 4800 & SOC WK 4850 | Supervised Field Experience in Social Work I and Supervised Field Experience in Social Work II | 8 |
| SOC WK 4801 & SOC WK 4851 | Integratve Field Experience Seminar I and Integrative Field Seminar II | 4 |
| Total Hours | 43 | |
A minimum of 43 hours or a maximum of 50 hours must be taken in social work. A minimum of 30 hours is required in related area departments.
Evaluation of social work transfer credits will be done by a social work adviser on an individual basis.
Related Area Requirements
The following courses, or their alternatives, are required:
| Course Number | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ECON 1000 | Economics in Everyday Life (MOTR ECON 100) | 3 |
| POL SCI 1100 | Introduction to American Politics (MOTR POSC 101) | 3 |
| PSYCH 1003 | General Psychology (MOTR PSYC 100) | 3 |
| Biology | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3-4 | |
| General Biology: The Science of Life (MOTR BIOL 100) | ||
| Human Biology (MOTR LIFS 150) | ||
| Human Physiology and Anatomy I | ||
| Human Physiology and Anatomy II | ||
| Sociology | ||
| SOC 1010 | Introduction to Sociology (MOTR SOCI 101) | 3 |
| SOC 2160 | Sociological Social Psychology | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3-4 | |
| Quantitative Data Analysis in Social Science Research | ||
| Psychological Statistics | ||
| Statistical Analysis in Criminology and Criminal Justice | ||
| At least 9 additional hours must be taken in social work, sociology, political science, psychology, gender studies, anthropology, criminology and criminal justice, economics, gerontology, or child advocacy studies at the 2000 level or above. | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 30-32 | |
Hours taken in social work will apply toward the maximum of 50 hours that may be taken in social work courses. The Social Work program may require students to pass a placement test to enroll in the next level course, provided this test or its equivalent is administered to all students seeking to enroll in that course.
Social work majors must have a grade of C- or better and maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or better in all course work specifically required for the major, with satisfactory grades in practicum.
Note: Anthropology, biological sciences, economics, and Spanish courses are strongly recommended by graduate schools of social work.
Latin Honors Requirements
In accordance with the University's Latin Honors policy, candidates graduating from the School of Social Work in the 2026-2027 Academic Year must meet the following GPA qualifications:
| Course Number | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Summa Cum Laude | 3.971 | |
| Magna Cum Laude | 3.925 | |
| Cum Laude | 3.797 |
Learning Outcomes
The BSW program has the following educational outcomes. Students who graduate with a BSW will be generalist practitioners who:
- Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior
- Engage Diversity and Difference in Practice
- Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice
- Engage in Practice-informed Research and Research-informed Practice
- Engage in Policy Practice
- Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
- Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
- Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
- Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Sample Four Year Plan
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ENGL 1100 | 3 | BIOL 1012 | 3 |
| MATH 1020 | 3 | ECON 1000 | 3 |
| PSYCH 1003 | 3 | GEN ED CORE: Communication Proficiency | 3 |
| SOC 1010 | 3 | EXPLORE - Humanities and Fine Arts | 3 |
| SOC WK 1000 | 1 | Global Perspectives Course | 3 |
| GEN ED EXPLORE: Humanities & Fine Arts | 3 | ||
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| SOC WK 2000 | 3 | PSYCH 2250 | 3 |
| SOC WK 2001 | 1 | SOC WK 2200 | 3 |
| POL SCI 1100 | 3 | EXPLORE - Math & Sciences | 3 |
| EXPLORE - Humanities and Fine Arts | 3 | 2000-level Social Science Elective | 3 |
| EXPLORE - Math and Sciences | 3 | Elective or minor | 3 |
| 2000-level Social Science Elective | 3 | ||
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| SOC WK 3100 | 3 | SOC WK 3210 | 3 |
| PSYCH 2201, CRIMIN 2220, or SOC 3220 | 3-4 | SOC WK 3410 | 3 |
| SOC WK 3100 | 3 | SOC WK 3700 | 3 |
| SOC WK 3510 | 3 | SOC WK 4110 | 3 |
| 2000-level Social Science Elective | 3 | Elective or minor | 3 |
| 15-16 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| SOC WK 4300 | 3 | SOC WK 4350 | 3 |
| SOC WK 4800 | 4 | SOC WK 4850 | 4 |
| SOC WK 4801 | 2 | SOC WK 4851 | 2 |
| Elective or minor | 3 | Elective or Minor | 3 |
| Elective or minor | 3 | Elective (if needed) | 1 |
| 15 | 13 | ||
| Total Hours: 120-121 | |||
Please Note: This plan is an example of what a four year plan could look like for a typical student. Placement exam scores in math as well as the completion of coursework may change the plan. It should not be used in the place of regular academic advising appointments. All students are required to meet with their advisor each semester. All requirements are subject to change.