Bachelor of Social Work Online
Transform your community by gaining the research, theoretical, and practical expertise to affect social change and positively impact at-risk populations.
Apply by:
1/2/25
Program Overview
Gain valuable, real-world experience with the Bachelor of Social Work online
Improve the lives of others with the 100% online Bachelor of Social Work from Avila University. This community-focused program gives you a foundation in the professional conduct, values, and ethics of the social work profession. Increase your understanding of human behavior in social environments so you can help individuals, families, and communities overcome their unique challenges.
Gain the knowledge to promote social justice and an enhanced appreciation of human diversity as you learn from highly engaged faculty invested in your future success. As a student in the CSWE-accredited Bachelor of Social Work online program, you’ll gain 500 hours of practical experience working with clients in social service organizations. Benefit from the applied learning and value-added faculty feedback as you prepare for vital professional roles or continue your education at the graduate level.
Learning outcomes:
- Examine social problems and institutional responses to sexism, racism, and classism
- Explore values and ethics of the social work profession
- Develop skills in research methods
- Build an understanding of social legislation and policy
- Gain real-world experience serving clients in a social work setting
- Prepare for advanced coursework in master’s or doctoral programs
- Examine social problems and institutional responses to sexism, racism, and classism
- Explore values and ethics of the social work profession
- Develop skills in research methods
- Build an understanding of social legislation and policy
- Gain real-world experience serving clients in a social work setting
- Prepare for advanced coursework in master’s or doctoral programs
Career opportunities:
- Family Counselor
- Elderly Caregiver
- Social Worker
- Corrections Officer
- Public Health Worker
- Donation Worker
- Rehabilitation Engineer
- Licensed Social Worker
- Veterans Rehabilitation Counselor
- Marriage and Family Social Worker
- Family Counselor
- Elderly Caregiver
- Social Worker
- Corrections Officer
- Public Health Worker
- Donation Worker
- Rehabilitation Engineer
- Licensed Social Worker
- Veterans Rehabilitation Counselor
- Marriage and Family Social Worker
$290
Per Credit Hour
Up to 90 hours
Transfer Credits
120
Credit Hours
The Bachelor of Social Work at Avila University is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education's Commission on Accreditation.
Tuition
Keep your budget intact with our pay-by-the-course tuition
The online Bachelor of Social Work program tuition is the same affordable, pay-as-you-go rate for all U.S. residents. Fees are included in the total tuition, and financial aid may be available. Plus, a Prior Learning Assessment evaluates knowledge gained outside traditional academic environments and may help reduce your tuition and time to completion.
| Program | Per Credit Hour | Per Course |
|---|---|---|
| BSW | $290 | $870 |
Transfer Your Credits for Lower Tuition
Use our Tuition Estimator to see how affordable your degree could be. Slide the notch to the number of credits you've already earned—which may qualify for transfer credit—to get an estimate of what your degree might cost.
Transcripts sent from other colleges and universities will be evaluated, and accepted credits will be added to the student’s Avila record. The Tuition Estimator is not a guarantee or predictor of the number of credit hours that will be accepted. Amount of transfer credits accepted varies by program. View the desired program’s webpage for information about its transfer credit parameters.
Tuition breakdown:
$290
Per Credit Hour
Calendar
Add these important dates to your calendar
Ideal for working professionals, the Bachelor of Social Work online program features 8-week courses and multiple start dates each year so you can begin at the time that works best for you. View the full calendar for all upcoming starts and corresponding deadlines.
| Term | Start Date | App Deadline | Document Deadline | Registration Deadline | Tuition Deadline | Class End Date | Term Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2 2024 | 10/21/24 | 10/7/24 | 10/16/24 | 10/16/24 | 10/20/24 | 12/15/24 | 8 weeks |
| Spring 1 2025 | 1/6/25 | 1/2/25 | 1/2/25 | 1/3/25 | 1/6/25 | 3/2/25 | 8 weeks |
| Spring 2 2025 | 3/3/25 | 2/26/25 | 2/26/25 | 2/28/25 | 3/3/25 | 5/4/25 | 8 weeks |
Now enrolling:
1/2/25
Apply Date
1/6/25
Class Starts
Ready to take the next steps toward earning your next degree?
Admissions
Apply quickly and easily to the CSWE-accredited online BSW program
We’ve simplified the admission process to help you get started quickly and easily. You can find all requirements for admission to Avila’s Bachelor of Social Work degree program online below.
Admission Requirements:
- Official transcripts
- 2.0 GPA in prior coursework
- Transfer up to 90 credits
In order to be eligible to receive a bachelor’s degree from Avila University, you must have the following:
- High school diploma
- Minimum 2.0 GPA on college coursework or 2.0 GPA on high school conferred transcript
- Official transcripts from all institutions previously attended
Submit all official transcripts to:
Email: [email protected]
Mail: Undergraduate Admissions
Avila University
11901 Wornall Road
Kansas City, MO 64145
Courses
Explore the coursework for the social work bachelor’s program
In order to earn the online social work degree, you will complete 120 credit hours, including 35 credit hours of general education requirements, 63 credit hours of major requirements, and 22 credit hours of electives.
CO 110: Fundamentals of Communication
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course provides an introductory and practical approach to the process of developing, understanding and refining communication skills. In this class, we will focus on several communication areas, including but not limited to: perception of self, language, interpersonal communication, cultural communication, small group dynamics, and public speaking skills. This is a Skills Level course. FA, SP, SU.
Course objectives:
- Develop and maintain interpersonal, small group and public communication skills for use in a career and social context.
- Apply verbal and non-verbal components of oral communication to real life situations.
EN 111: Composition I
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Development of a robust composition process centered on considerations of audience and purpose. Introduction to argument, including collegiate research practices and integration of reputable sources. Intense practice in close reading for understanding and analysis. Includes refinement of writing mechanics necessary for academic discourse in Standard American English. This is a skills level course. Prerequisite: EN 095 with a grade of "C" or better or appropriate placement exam scores. FA, SP
Course objectives:
- Use the computer to generate multiple drafts and demonstrate writing as a process.
- Strengthen skills in the construction and logical development of a clear and concise thesis.
AR 183: Survey Art II: From the Renaissance to Modernism
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
A survey of major artists, artwork, styles, and techniques, from the Renaissance through the 20th Century with the primary focus on the major Western art movements (including architecture) and the relationship between the social function of art and its form, content, and context. 2015 CORE: Creativity & Culture, Acquire. 2020 CORE: Liberal Arts, Arts. SP.
Course objectives:
- Identify and explain the significance of major works of art.
- Recognize & describe the aesthetic elements which mark selected periods & artists.
BI 111: General Biology - Cell & Genes w/Lab
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 4
A survey of cell theory (cellular structure and function) and molecular genetics that illustrates the nature and limits of science and two of the fundamental concepts of the life sciences. Elements of evolutionary theory will be discussed throughout the course and examples from all kingdoms of life will be used. Laboratory will introduce students to methods of microscopy, modeling, and experimental design and analysis. This course will identify key theories of science, including contributions and limitations of scientific discovery. 3 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory per week. 2015 CORE: Explorations of Nature, Acquire. 2020 CORE: Liberal Arts, Natural Science. FA, SP.
Course objectives:
- Identify the basic molecules of life and to predict their properties and reactions.
- Connect the genetics of all biological life and understand the basic flow of genetic information.
EN 278: Global Lit
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Through the lens of literature, this course explores the flows of people and their culture and labor across borders. Each text is examined in terms of its artistic and political dimensions with a focus on identity, gender politics, and historical revision. Rather than discrete nations and single cultures, the course concentrates on movement, hybridity, and multiplicity. In addition to physical movement, the course examines other possessions that move across the borders including information, language, traditions, and beliefs, examining ways in which people remember, reimagine, and reshape their sense of self and community. Prerequisite: EN 111 or EN 112. 2015 CORE: Social Justice & Civic Life, Acquire, Global Studies. 2020 CORE: Liberal Arts, Literature/Rhetoric. FA, SP.
Course objectives:
- Appreciate the aesthetic qualities of literary texts and develop an awareness of influential critical and interpretive methods
- Analyze and interpret works from different historical and cultural traditions using appropriate critical terms of literary analysis and responding to questions about genre, style, and content or theme
HI 204: American Experience II
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course is a survey of major political, social, cultural, and economic changes in United States history from 1865 to the present, with emphasis on the development of industrial society, consumerism, the expanding role of the United States in world affairs, as well as civil rights and other social movements. Meets the lower-division requirement for American History in the history major. 2015 CORE: Social Justice & Civic Life, Acquire. 2020 CORE: Liberal Arts, History.
Course objectives:
- Knowledge: Identify and characterize the major questions of United States and World history in terms of continuity and change using relevant political, economic, social, religious, and cultural institutions, traditions, and beliefs.
- Theory: Demonstrate an understanding of the effects of race, gender, class, ethnicity, or religion on the experiences of ordinary and extraordinary people of the past using current historical theory and methodology.
MA 117: Mathematical Modeling and Reasoning
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 4
The purpose of this course is to provide a comprehensive overview of the skills required to navigate the mathematical demands of modern life and prepare students for a deeper understanding of information presented in mathematical terms. Emphasis is placed on improving students’ ability to draw conclusions, make decisions, and communicate effectively in mathematical situations that depend upon multiple factors. 2020 Core: Liberal Arts, Mathematics. SP, SU.
Course objectives:
- Perform operation with real numbers. Evaluate algebraic expressions.
- Solve and apply linear equations and inequalities.
PL 255: Ethics
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course is a critical examination of a range of major ethical theories, where students will systematically reason through and discuss major ethical notions as well as notions of ethical agency. Questions that might be covered include but are not limited to: How do we as members of communities live? How ought we live? What are the differences between good and bad choices? Why should I act other than what is in my self-interest? Do I have duties to myself and others? If so, what are those duties? What kinds of actions are morally significant or irrelevant to moral thinking? 2015 CORE: Social Justice & Civic Life, Transform. 2020 CORE: Liberal Arts, Philosophy. FA, SP.
Course objectives:
- Obtain knowledge of basic ethical theories and how they apply to all areas of live: personal, professional and societal.
- Recognize the differences between moral absolutism, relativism and pluralism.
SO 101: Intro to Sociology
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course provides an introduction to the discipline of sociology. The course emphasizes how a scientific approach can be used to understand the social world, with a particular focus on inequality, social institutions, and social change. 2015 CORE: Social Justice & Civic Life, Acquire. 2020 CORE: Liberal Arts, Social Sciences. FA, SP.
Course objectives:
- Develop an understanding of the sociological perspective
- Compare and contrast the major concepts, ideas and methods of sociology
RS 117: World Religions
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course offers both a historical and critical look at human religious experience through a study of the world’s many religious traditions. Topics include: the varieties of religious belief and the historical/political experiences that inspired them, including ideas of the holy and sacred, scriptures, myths, symbols, rituals, and morality. 2015 CORE: Belief & Reason, Acquire, Global Studies. 2020 CORE: Liberal Arts, Religious Studies, Global Studies. FA, SP.
Course objectives:
- Learn the primary features of the major world religious systems, with special focus on scriptures, social and cultural formations, history, myths and rituals, ethics, and the category “sacred”
- Learn to interrogate the methodologies used in discussing the categories of “world religions” and “religious experience,” with particular focus on the role that dominant narratives and elite discourses play in the formation of these systems
IS 311 (IS/GS): Peace Studies
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course provides an interdisciplinary (religious studies, communication, philosophy, sociology, history, and economics) approach to achieving peace on a personal, local, national, and international level. The focus is on developing practical strategies for creating peace and living peacefully in a global society. 2015 CORE: Social Justice & Civic Life, Contribute, Interdisciplinary Studies, Global Studies.
Course objectives:
- Examine the development of peace research and peace studies over the last 50 years.
- Understand the breadth and scope of the interdisciplinary field of peace studies.
PS 120: American National Government
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
In this course, students will understand the basic institutions and processes of national government and politics in the United States. The course studies our government from four main focal points: the cornerstones of our democracy; our political process; the institutions of government; and political policy (both international and domestic). The textbook and readings cover these topics and stress the importance of being a citizen and the nature of our government. FA, SP.
Course objectives:
- Identify the major fields and theories of political science
- Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of power, the ethical dimensions of governing the major political systems around the world, the transnational and international dimensions of politics, law and its role in politics, governing with ethnic and cultural diversity, the relationship between history, society, economics and politics
- Effectively employ quantitative and/or qualitative empirical research methodologies to gather and interpret data about political world
PY 101: General Psychology
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
An introduction to the theories, methods, and perspectives that psychologists use to describe and explain behavior and mental processes. 2015 CORE: Explorations of Nature, Acquire. 2020 CORE: Liberal Arts, Social Sciences. FA, SP.
Course objectives:
1: Knowledge Base in Psychology
1.1a: Use basic psychological terminology, concepts, and theories in psychology to explain behavior and mental processes.
1.1b: Explain why psychology is a science with the primary objectives of describing, understanding, predicting, and controlling behavior and mental processes.
1.2a: Identify key characteristics of major content domains in psychology (e.g., cognition and learning, developmental, biological, and sociocultural).
2: Scientific Inquiry and Critical Thinking
2.1b: Use psychology concepts to explain personal experiences and recognize the potential for flaws in behavioral explanations based on simplistic, personal theories.
2.1a: Describe the value and limitations of using theories to explain behavioral phenomena.
2.1b: Describe common fallacies in thinking (e.g. confirmation bias, post hoc explanations, implying causation from correlation) that impair accurate conclusions and predictions.
2.2b: Describe what kinds of additional information beyond personal experience are acceptable in developing behavioral explanations (i.e., popular press reports vs. scientific findings).
3: Ethical and Social Responsibility in a Diverse World
3.1a Describe key regulations in the APA Ethics Code for protection of human or nonhuman research participants.
5: Professional Development
5.1d Describe how psychology’s content applies to business, health care, educational, and other workplace settings.
SO 101: Intro to Sociology
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course provides an introduction to the discipline of sociology. The course emphasizes how a scientific approach can be used to understand the social world, with a particular focus on inequality, social institutions, and social change. 2015 CORE: Social Justice & Civic Life, Acquire. 2020 CORE: Liberal Arts, Social Sciences. FA, SP.
Course objectives:
- Develop an understanding of the sociological perspective
- Compare and contrast the major concepts, ideas and methods of sociology
SO/SW 230: Social Statistics
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course provides an introduction to the discipline of sociology. The course emphasizes how a scientific approach can be used to understand the social world, with a particular focus on inequality, social institutions, and social change. 2015 CORE: Social Justice & Civic Life, Acquire. 2020 CORE: Liberal Arts, Social Sciences. FA, SP.
BI 115: Humans and the Environment
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
A survey of the environmental sciences that addresses interactions between humans and their environment, environmental concepts, human population dynamics, global problems, biodiversity, resource management, and relationships between the environmental sciences and other disciplines (e.g., economics, politics, history, worldviews, ethics). Laboratory will introduce students to methods of experimental design and analysis in ecology and environmental science. 3 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory per week. 2015 CORE: Belief & Reason, Transform, Global Studies. 2020 CORE: Liberal Arts, Natural Science. SP.
Course objectives:
- Develop an understanding and appreciation of how scientists think, and to apply and practice some of these concepts and methods to problems, real and hypothetical related to the study of life.
- Develop a basic understanding of life, its nature, composition, and function developed by examining, evaluating, and applying the unifying theories of biology.
- Become aware of the rich history of biology.
- Develop an understanding of humanity’s relationships with other forms of life.
EC 202: Microeconomics
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
An introductory survey of economic principles relating to individual and firm choice within a market based economy. Topics include specialization, an overview of economic systems, a focus on supply and demand, an introduction to price determination and resource allocation, international trade, market failure and government corrective policies, firm market structure, cost and production, and labor markets. Prerequisite: MA 117 or higher. 2015 CORE: Exploration of Nature, Acquire. 2020 Core: Liberal Arts, Social Sciences. FA, SP.
Course objectives:
- Explain the basic functioning of the functions of supply and demand as well as draw supply and demand curves and manipulate these curves when performing economic analysis.
- Identify and apply the determinants of supply and determinants of demand.
SW 205: Social Problems/Social Change
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students will study social problems such as sexism, racism, and classism in the United States and around the world. Individual and institutional responses to social problems will be examined with a focus on human rights and the pursuit of social justice for populations-at-risk. Students will be encouraged to explore the concept of “civic responsibility” and discover what they can do to promote social change on local, national, and international levels. 2015 CORE: Social Justice & Civic Life, Acquire. 2020 CORE: Liberal Arts, Social Sciences. FA, SP.
SW 303: Generalist Social Work
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course is designed to introduce students to generalist social work practice and professional conduct. Students will learn the meaning of generalist practice and social work roles at the BSW level. The following frameworks and models will be introduced: empowerment; strengths, ecosystems, and economic and social justice. The course covers the values and ethics of the social work profession and encourages the students to examine their own values and ethics. As values are examined, issues of diversity, oppression, and populations-at-risk are interwoven with the current issues in social work. Integrated into the course is a 20-hour service learning experience in a local social work agency. Recommended for Social Work majors only. FA.
SW 350: Human Behavior in the Social Environment I
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course will cover normal growth and development of the individual from infancy through death. The course examines Traditional/Dominant and Alternative theories with specific focus on people of color, men, women, poverty, sexual orientation, elders, and persons with disabilities. Traditional paradigms of stage-based theories of individual development will be examined and specifically analyzed and critiqued regarding their inclusion/exclusion of women and minorities. Theories on human development will be assessed in relation to how they either contribute to or obstruct understanding human development in terms of individual and cultural dignity and diversity, people’s strengths and resilience, and capacities to grow and change. Corequisite: SW 303. FA.
Course objectives:
Knowledge:
- Knowledge for application in practice of theories emerging from both traditional and alternative paradigms, about the development, behavior, and environmental contexts of individuals and families.
- Application of social systems, life course, assets, and resiliency approaches to understanding of human behavior in individual and family environments.
- Integration of knowledge, critical thinking skills, and values from the liberal arts and sciences and application of this knowledge through creative problem solving for effective social work practice.
- Understanding of bio-psycho-socio-cultural-spiritual influences on human behavior in the context of individual and family environments.
- Awareness of the ways individual and family systems promote or deter people in maintaining or achieving health and well-being.
Skills:
- Develop beginning ability to describe and assess individual human behavior, families, and small groups using a theoretical base.
- Develop beginning ability to describe the interactions of social systems using a theoretical base.
- Social workers are knowledgeable about human behavior across the life course
- The range of social systems in which people live
- The ways social systems promote or deter people in maintaining or achieving health and well-being
- Social workers apply theories and knowledge from the liberal arts to understand biological, social, cultural, psychological, and spiritual development
Values:
- Develop an appreciation of cultural and lifestyle diversity with an emphasis on racism, ethnocentrism, gender roles, ageism, disabilities, sexism, and sexual preference.
- Develop an understanding of the influence of personal and professional values.
SW 351: Human Behavior in the Social Environment II
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course is the second in a two-semester sequence in which students examine the dynamic interaction between individuals and their environments, focusing on small groups, organizations, and communities. The course utilizes a critical perspective to assess the application of social systems theory, theories of social interaction, and other theories used in macro social work practice. Infused throughout the course is an appreciation of human diversity. The course will expand the professional self-awareness of the student in engaging with diverse client groups and populations at risk. Prerequisites: SW 303 and SW 350. SP.
Course objectives:
- Understand the role of statistics in social science research.
- Understand the mathematical foundations of basic statistical tests and how to apply these to data.
- Develop the ability to conduct basic and independent statistical analyses.
- Develop the ability to appropriately interpret and report statistics through figures, tables, and writing.
SW 352: Practice with Individuals
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course explores strengths-based and empowerment approaches to practice with individuals. Social work ethics and values will be explored through the use of case examples. In addition to classroom instruction, this class includes hands-on learning experiences, which incorporate self-evaluation tools, interpersonal skills, interviewing skills, recording and reporting skills. Upon completion of the course, students will understand how to use the planned change process to intervene at the micro or individual level. Prerequisites: SW 303 and SW 350. SP.
SW 397: Research Methods
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Introduction to methodology and techniques; formulation of research problems; study design; hypothesis; sampling; measurement; questionnaire construction; interviewing and data collection; processing and tabulation; analysis and interpretation; presentation of findings. Prerequisites: SW 351 and SW 352. FA.
SW 462: Practice with Groups/Families
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course explores structural, solution-focused, and empowerment approaches to practice with groups and families. Emphasis is placed on the specific intervention models and skills necessary to assess and intervene in group and family dynamics. An introduction to an analysis framework for decision making on ethical dilemmas in practice is also included. Prerequisite: SW 351 and SW 352. FA.
Course objectives:
- Work collaboratively with dyads, families, and groups in learning to identify and build on their strengths.
- Develop knowledge and skills related to assessment, treatment planning, intervention, evaluation in working with dyads, families, and groups.
- Increase awareness of the elements of “professional use of self” and personal and professional values as a social work student when working with clients of all kinds.
- Identify a problem, collaboratively translate that problem into needs, and using the steps involved in problem-solving processes, develop viable solutions at the mezzo level.
- Effectively select, utilize and critique intervention methods using evidence-informed models at the mezzo level.
SW 463: Practice with Communities/Organizations
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course builds upon SW 352 and SW 462 and expands the student’s knowledge and skills through the development of a planned process that could be used in organizations or communities to promote change. The course also explores global interventions to promote social and economic justice and social action movements. Prerequisite: SW 462. SP.
Course objectives:
- Examine various concepts and theories related to communities and their application to social work practice.
- Examine various concepts and theories related to organizations and their application to social work practice.
- Evaluate the different types of goals, roles, and strategies for creating change in communities and organizations.
- Utilize a framework of analysis for understanding and developing responses to community and organizational needs and resources.
- Identify and incorporate the various levels at which social workers must work—micro, mezzo, and macro to achieve community and organizational change.
SW 465: Social Policy and Program Analysis
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
A review and critical analysis of the factors that shape and form social legislation and social policy in the broad fields of social welfare. Emphasis will be placed on an understanding of the processes and importance of social policy formation and the impact on client systems. Prerequisites: PS 120 and SW 351. Corequisites: EC 201, EC 202 or EC 203. SP.
Course objectives:
- Identify selected social policies and summarize their influences on contemporary American society.
- Examine the development of social policies on local, national, and international levels.
- Utilize a policy analysis framework to evaluate social policies via social justice principles.
- Explore the practice of advocacy with a focus on individual and collective actions and strategies.
SW 495: Field Experience I
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 4
This practicum course provides an opportunity for students to serve and collaborate with diverse clients in a Kansas City regional social service organization. Field Experience I is a distinctive characteristic of the Social Work major that models and coaches the implementation of generalist social work practice skills such as case management, advocacy, counseling, resource management, and education with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Placements occur with screened and approved Field Instructors and Field Agencies serving diverse populations in rural and urban areas. Students commit to 18-20 hours weekly for 250 total hours during the semester. Prerequisites: SW 352. Corequisite: SW 497. 2015 CORE: Social Justice & Civic Life, Contribute, Community Engagement. FA.
Course objectives:
- Evaluate how their personal values and their affective responses are impacted by values and responses of their Clients, and by social work Field experiences; and, how these align with the social work profession’s values, and principles.
- Receive, and professionally respond to feedback on their actions, responses, and their reflections in the Field experiences in the Agency.
- Begin providing helpful services to Agency Clients/Participants as a “student social work intern” at a generalist level of social work practice.
SW 496: Field Experience II
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 4
This is the second of two senior practicum courses in the social work major that provides an opportunity for students to serve clients in Kansas City regional social service organizations. Students have previously served 250 hours in a social work setting and complete an additional 250 hours in SW 496. Field Experience II picks up on previous Field learning stages of Anticipation; Disillusionment/Empowerment; with the third stage of growth in experiential learning - Competence, followed by Culmination. (Sweitzer & King, 2014) Students increase their independence and sense of identity as an emerging social work professional by implementing a new set of Learning Activities for this second practicum, involving generalist social work practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities, while supervised by an approved Field Instructor who is an MSW or BSW social worker. This course also serves as the setting for independent research on the effectiveness of the student’s own practice with a client at the micro, mezzo, or macro level. Prerequisites: SW 495. Corequisite: SW 498. 2015 CORE: Social Justice & Civic Life, Contribute, Community Engagement. SP.
Course objectives:
- Evaluate how personal values are affected by Field experiences and align with social work principles.
- Identify and assess ethical dilemmas that arise in practice settings.
- Receive and professionally respond to feedback on actions and reflections in the Field practice experience.
- Begin working at a generalist level of social work practice.
SW 497: Integrative Seminar
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 2
In conjunction with SW 495, students participate in a weekly seminar class formatted to assist them in ongoing integration of field and classroom curricular components. The class emphasizes integrative journaling, self-evaluation, development of a supportive and challenging learning community, and exercises in ethical practice. The class also provides time for guided and reflective discussions which include topics like worker safety, self-advocacy in a professional setting, and effective use of supervision. Prerequisites: SW 351 and SW 352. Corequisite: SW 495. FA.
Course objectives:
- Identify and apply in various scenarios the purposes, values, practice principles, and ethics of the profession of social work.
- Recognize own values and perspectives in working with clients and recognize the implementation of social work principles.
- Apply knowledge of theoretical perspectives and practice frameworks to a generalist social work practice setting.
- Participate in the integration and facilitation of evidence-informed knowledge and evidence-informed practice experience.
- Evaluate personal development of professional competencies in their field practice setting.
SW 498: Social Work Capstone
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 2
This course serves as the Capstone experience for the social work major. As the Capstone, the course provides the culminating experience in the major. In this course, students complete a comprehensive case study project, including single subject research. Completion of this project provides an assessment of the student’s understanding and application of competencies in key areas. These include knowledge, skills, and social work values and ethics applied to actual social work practice. Prerequisites: SW 397, SW 462, and SW 495. Corequisite: SW 497. SP.
Course objectives:
- Reinforce identification with purposes, values, principles, and ethics of the profession of social work.
- Apply knowledge of social justice, diversity/difference, empowerment, ecosystems, and strengths perspectives to generalist social work practice.
- Facilitate the integration of empirically- informed knowledge and practice- informed knowledge.
- Clarify and expand knowledge of effective professional intervention with diverse client groups, including evaluation of their own practice in their Field Education setting.
- Internalize professional social work values while identifying and understanding the student’s own unique values, perspectives, and appropriate professional boundaries about working with clients.
- Promote development of professional social work competencies and behaviors.
SW: Choice 1
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Can be fulfilled by any of the PY courses available in the selection of the UG courses
SW2: Choice 2
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Can be fulfilled by any of the PY courses available in the selection of the UG courses
