PURPOSE
The purpose of the School of Social Work is to prepare professional social work practitioners who are committed to the enhancement of individual family and group problem-solving capacities and the creation of a more nurturing, just, and humane social environment.
The mission of the School of Social Work is the training of professional social workers for beginning-level generalist practice (B.S.W.) and for clinical, administrative, and community practice (M.S.W.). The focus is on those populations who are most oppressed and most in need of social services. A special emphasis is placed on working with ethnic and racial minorities of the Southwest.
The school is committed to the university’s mission to be competitive with the best public research universities in the country. Faculty members have active research agendas under way that venture into a wide variety of topics, including work with children, with drug and alcohol abusers, with the developmentally disabled, in human services planning, and in many other areas of interest.
ORGANIZATION
The School of Social Work is organized around three program areas:
The M.S.W. program has two concentrations in the second year: (1) direct practice (DP) and (2) planning, administration, and community practice (PAC). In considering the PAC concentration, students need to be aware that, because of space availability, preference is given to individuals with significant previous experience.
For more information regarding the Masters and Ph.D. programs, see the Graduate Catalog.
ADMISSION
Bachelor of Social Work
The B.S.W. degree program is divided into the pre-Social Work major and the Social Work major.
The pre-Social Work major consists of freshman and sophomore students who have been admitted to the university and have declared Social Work as their major, as well as students transferring to the School of Social Work from other colleges within the university and other universities or junior colleges who have not completed the admission requirements to the program. Students transferring from other universities or community colleges as premajors should follow the procedure outlined in “Transfer Applicants” of this catalog. Students transferring from other colleges within the university must obtain a Change of College form from the School of Social Work, Academic Services, WHALL 135.
Admission Procedure for Social Work Majors. This admission procedure is for students who have 54 semester hours or more and have taken SWU 271 Introduction to Social Work, 291 Social Service Delivery Systems, 301 Human Behavior in the Social Environment I, and 310 Social Work Practice I. Students wishing to enter the Social Work major are required to apply for admission to the program in addition to obtaining an official Certificate of Admission to the university. Students are eligible to apply for admission to the Social Work major during the last semester of the sophomore year. It is expected that applicants have completed 54 semester hours and the required social work courses by the end of the semester in which they are applying. Students are admitted to the major at the beginning of the term following the semester during which they apply.
Students may obtain a Social Work major application packet at the School of Social Work, Academic Services, WHALL 135, or request that one be mailed to their home address by calling 602/965–6081.
Applicants are reviewed for admission for the fall and spring semesters. Students applying must have a Certificate of Admission to the university in their files by November 1 for spring admission and March 1 for fall admission. All other application materials (i.e., application form, additional statement, and two letters of reference) must be returned to
Materials must be received by November 1 for spring admission or March 1 for fall admission. Failure to meet these deadlines may result in the applicant having to wait for the next admissions period. Applicants are notified by mail of the committee’s decision. Those applicants who have been denied admission may request a conference with the program director to discuss the decision and to obtain guidance in the development of future plans.
Criteria for Admission. Admissions are based on the following criteria:
Admission is selective and based on available resources. Not all students who meet minimum requirements are admitted to the program.
Leave of Absence. Occasionally, for health or personal reasons, Social Work majors find it necessary to interrupt their studies. Students considering such requests meet with an academic advisor to look at alternatives and then submit a written request to the Social Work program director. A student may request a leave of absence from the Social Work program for a period of one year. (This leave applies only to the Social Work program and not to the university. No leave of absence is granted from the university.) Except when recommended by the Committee on Academic and Professional Standards, the student must be in good standing in the program at the time the request is made. Students should be aware that nonattendance at the university for one or more semesters requires reapplication to the university. Failure to request a leave of absence by Social Work majors results in removal from the program.
Readmission. Undergraduate students (premajor and major) who have previously attended ASU but have not been enrolled at this institution for one or more semesters are required to apply for readmission following university procedures as outlined “Readmission to the University.” Students who were previously Social Work majors may, in addition, be required to reapply for major status.
Transfer Students. The university standards for evaluation of transfer credit are listed in “Transfer Credit.” Community college students planning to transfer at the end of their first or second year should plan their community college courses to meet the requirements of the ASU curriculum selected. Students attending Arizona community colleges are permitted to follow the degree requirements specified in the ASU catalog in effect at the time they begin their community college work, providing their college attendance is continuous. See “Guidelines for Determination of Catalog Year.”
Arizona students are urged to refer to the Arizona Higher Education Course Equivalency Guide for the transferability of specific courses from Arizona community colleges. Copies of the guide are available from Academic Services, WHALL 135. Courses transferred from community colleges are accepted as lower-division only. Students are urged to choose their community college courses carefully, in view of the fact there is a minimum number of hours of work taken at the university that must be upper-division credit (see “Credit Requirements”).
Direct transfer of courses from other accredited institutions to the School of Social Work is subject to the existence of parallel and equal courses in the school’s curriculum. Transfer credit is not given for courses in which the lowest passing grade (“D”) or a failing grade (“E” or “F”) was received.
Credit for “life experience” is not given in lieu of course requirements. A minimum of 30 semester hours earned in resident credit courses at ASU is required for graduation.
ADVISING
Students are responsible for meeting the degree requirements and seeking advising regarding their program status and progress. Upon admission to the Social Work major, each student is assigned a faculty advisor who assists with career planning. The academic advisor assists students with program planning, registration, preparation of needed petitions, verification of graduation requirements, and referrals to university and/or community resources. Students must meet with an academic advisor before any registration transaction.
DEGREES
The school’s undergraduate curriculum leads to a Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.) degree. The B.S.W. degree program is accredited by the Council of Social Work Education (CSWE). The principal objective of the undergraduate curriculum is to prepare students for beginning-level generalist practice in social work. The program is also designed to prepare students for culturally sensitive practice and to provide preparation for graduate training in social work. During the freshman and sophomore years, students concentrate on obtaining a strong background in liberal arts and sciences and are classified as premajors until they are officially admitted to the major. Entrance into the Social Work major from the premajor is not automatic (see “Admission”).
Junior and senior Social Work majors focus on social work courses in research, social policy and services, social work practice, human behavior in the social environment, and field instruction in community agencies. In addition, majors take elective courses in related areas.
The B.S.W.-level practitioner is seen as a generalist. The curriculum focuses on such roles as advocacy, case management, problem-solving, and referral functions with individuals, groups, families, organizations, and the community.
GRADUATE PROGRAM
The faculty in the School of Social Work offer a Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) and a Ph.D. in Social Work. For more information on courses, faculty, and programs, see the Graduate Catalog.
UNIVERSITY GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
In addition to fulfilling college and major requirements, students must meet all university graduation requirements. For more information, see “University Graduation Requirements.”
General Studies Requirements
All students enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program must satisfy a university requirement for a minimum of 35 semester hours of approved course work in General Studies, as described in “General Studies.”
Note that all three General Studies awareness areas are required. Consult your academic advisor for an approved list of courses.
COLLEGE DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
All students enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program must satisfy School of Social Work degree requirements with additional course work chosen from among those courses that satisfy the General Studies requirement. General Studies courses are listed in the General Catalog following the section on “General Studies,” in the course descriptions, in the Schedule of Classes, and in the Summer Sessions Bulletin. See “ASU Main and ASU East General Studies courses.”
A well-planned program of study may enable students to complete many General Studies and School of Social Work degree requirements concurrently. Students are encouraged to consult with an academic advisor in planning a program to ensure that they comply with all necessary requirements.
Specific courses from the following areas must be taken to fulfill the college degree requirements.
Numeracy. School of Social Work students must complete a statistical analysis course (N2).
Humanities and Fine Arts. School of Social Work students must complete PHI 101 Introduction to Philosophy or PHI 306 Applied Ethics.
Social and Behavioral Sciences. The following courses are required:
| ECN 111 | Macroeconomic Principles (3) |
| PGS 101 | Introduction to Psychology (3) |
| POS 110 | Government and Politics (3) |
| or POS 310 American National Government (3) | |
| SOC 101 | Introduction to Sociology (3) |
| or SOC 301 Principles of Sociology (3) | |
| Total: 12 |
Natural Sciences. School of Social Work students must complete a course in either human biology or anatomy and physiology.
MAJOR REQUIREMENTS
The School of Social Work awards a Bachelor of Social Work degree upon the successful completion of a curriculum consisting of a minimum of 120 semester hours. This includes all university requirements (see “University Graduation Requirements”), including the General Studies requirement (see “General Studies” ), as well as the School of Social Work degree requirements.
Course Load. A normal course load per semester is 15–16 semester hours. The maximum number of hours for which a student can register is 18 semester hours, unless an overload petition has been filed with and approved by the director of the undergraduate program.
Overload petitions are not ordinarily granted to students who have a cumulative GPA of less than 3.00 and who do not state valid reasons for the need to register for the credits. Students who register for semester hours, in excess of 18 and do not have an approved overload petition on file have courses randomly removed through an “administrative drop” action.
Social Work Core Requirement
| SWU 271 | Introduction to Social Work H (3) |
| SWU 291 | Social Service Delivery Systems (3) |
| SWU 301 | Human Behavior in the Social Environment I L2/SB (3) |
| SWU 310 | Social Work Practice I (3) |
| SWU 320 | Research Methods in Social Work (3) |
| SWU 340 | Human Behavior in the Social Environment II SB (3) |
| SWU 374 | Diversity and Oppression in a Social Work Context C (3) |
| SWU 410 | Social Work Practice II (3) |
| SWU 411 | Social Work Practice III (3) |
| SWU 412 | Field Instruction I (5) |
| SWU 413 | Field Instruction Seminar I (1) |
| SWU 414 | Field Instruction II (5) |
| SWU 415 | Field Instruction Seminar II (1) |
| SWU 432 | Social Policy and Services (3) |
| SWU 442 | Introduction to Practice with Children and Families in Child Welfare (3) |
| or SWU 444 Issues in School Social Work (3) | |
| Total: 45 |
SWU 412 and 414 each require 16 hours weekly per semester in the field. Students must file an application for field work before registering for the courses.
No credit is granted toward fulfilling major core requirements in any course in the student’s major unless the grade in that course is at least a “C.”
Electives
Students are required to take 37 semester hours of courses in areas related to social work. The practice model of the program is a social work generalist.
Each student is encouraged to consult with an academic advisor in selecting electives. Economics, education, psychology, and sociology are only a few of the academic units offering knowledge of value to the professional social work practitioner.
Undergraduate Student Enrollment in Graduate Classes. Undergraduate students at ASU in their senior year may enroll in a maximum of nine graduate semester hours in the School of Social Work, providing they have an overall GPA of 3.00 or higher at the time of enrollment and have secured the required signatures for approval. If a course is not used to meet an undergraduate graduation requirement, it may be eligible for use in a future graduate program on the same basis as work taken by a nondegree graduate student (see the Graduate Catalog).
Field Instruction. Field instruction for the B.S.W. program is offered concurrently with classroom study. Students are assigned to a social service agency and work under the supervision of a School of Social Work-approved social work professional. Field instruction permits testing theory in practice and provides a base of experience for class discussions. Qualified agencies in several Arizona communities are utilized for field instruction.
B.S.W. students work in one placement for 16 hours a week, for a total of 480 hours over two semesters. In assigning the placement, the school takes into account the student’s educational needs and career goals. Generalist social workers need to be familiar with the methods of working with individuals, families, and groups, as well as in organizations and communities and with all ages and ethnic groups. The faculty are committed to establishing the capabilities necessary for high quality, social work generalist practice.
B.S.W. field instruction agencies are located primarily in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Specially arranged, more distant placements may require up to a two-hour drive. Although car pools are possible, personal transportation is strongly recommended while attending school.
ACADEMIC STANDARDS
To remain in good academic standing, the student must maintain a minimum overall GPA of 2.00 (B.S.W.) at the end of each semester. Most courses in the program are sequential; successful completion of each course in the sequence is required to enroll in the following course.
Retention and Disqualification
The following policies govern retention and disqualification.
Probationary Status. A student must maintain a minimum overall cumulative GPA of 2.00 (B.S.W.). A student is placed on probationary status automatically when (1) the GPA is less than the minimum at the end of any semester or (2) a grade of “D” or “E” is received for any major core requirement, regardless of the GPA.
Students may also be put on probation for reasons other than grades.
Probationary status requires completion of a plan—written and signed by the student and faculty advisor, with copies for the student, faculty advisor, program director, field director, and file—that indicates when and how deficiencies will be met. This plan must contain a provision to bring the GPA up to minimum standards by the end of the succeeding semester or at the completion of 12 hours of letter-graded course work, whichever comes later. Probationary students may be denied registration in the absence of such a plan.
Once a Social Work student is on academic probation, the student remains in that status until the overall GPA reaches the retention level (2.00 [B.S.W.]) or until the student is disqualified from the university.
Termination from the Program. A student is terminated from the program under any one of the following circumstances:
Reinstatement. A disqualified student who desires to be reinstated may submit an application for reinstatement. A disqualified student normally is not reinstated until at least one semester has elapsed from the date of disqualification. The burden of establishing fitness is on the disqualified student, who may be required to take aptitude tests and submit to other examinations before being readmitted.
Continuous Evaluation. While students are subject to the university’s general retention policy, they are evaluated in the school on broader criteria than mere GPA. Students are reviewed for evidence of competency in social work and are continuously evaluated as they progress in the program. Prospective Social Work candidates who do not meet the established criteria are guided toward a program that is compatible with their interests and abilities.
Appeal Procedures
Students who believe they have been unjustly treated in an arbitrary, capricious, or discriminatory fashion in academic or other matters relating to their career as students may appeal by following the guidelines set forth in the Policies and Procedures Manual for the School of Social Work, available in Academic Services, WHALL 135.
STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES
Students are expected to support and maintain the highest professional standards as spelled out in the ASU Student Code of Conduct and the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics.
Regular attendance is expected in all classes and in field education and is a critical factor in evaluation of performance.
Students’ rights are protected through appeal to the Committee on Academic and Professional Standards or through consultation with the school’s ombudsperson.
SPECIAL PROGRAMS
Tucson Component. The School of Social Work offers a part-time, cohort driven B.S.W. Program in Tucson in conjunction with the College of Extended Education.
For more information about the B.S.W. program, contact the Tucson Component at 520/884–5507.
University Honors College. The School of Social Work participates with the University Honors College, which affords undergraduates opportunities for enhanced educational experiences. A description of the requirements and the opportunities offered by the University Honors College can be found in “University Honors College” of this catalog.
Omnibus Courses: See omnibus courses that may be offered.
1998–99 General Catalog Table of Contents
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