Approved by: Undergraduate Course and Curriculum Committee
Implementation Date: Spring 2015
Note: Deletions are strikethroughs. Insertions are underlined.
Catalog Copy
Department of
Social Work
http://socialwork.uncc.edu
The Department of Social Work offers a major in Social Work leading to the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree. On the graduate level, the Department offers the Master of Social Work (MSW) degree.
Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)
Social work is a profession devoted to helping people function as effectively as possible within their environment, be it a context such as a family, a group, on organization such as a job, or a community.. The UNC Charlotte BSW Program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, the national accrediting body for social work education programs. The BSW degree prepares students for generalist social work practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities. Generalist practice relates to utilizing multiple types of interventions that would be useful for different types of social systems and client populations. BSW graduate provide services such as assessment and intervention, counseling, crisis intervention, referral, mediation, and advocacy with diverse populations across all age groups. BSW graduates work in a broad array of settings including: hospitals; group homes; mental health, substance abuse, child welfare, and youth and family service agencies; nursing homes, and schools. The degree is centered in professional social work values and ethics within an increasingly global environment and is designed to affirm the human rights of diverse groups of people, especially populations-at-risk and groups which have historically been oppressed due to race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, sexual orientation, age, and ability. BSW education also provides an excellent foundation for those who wish to pursue graduate study in social work.
Course Requirements
The major in Social Work leading to the BSW degree consists of 62 credit hours made up of 50 credits in required SOWK courses and 12 credits in requiredof approved “population courses” (see below). from other disciplines.
Core Courses (50 credit hours)
SOWK 1101 The Field of Social Work (3)
SOWK 2182 Human Behavior in the Social Environment I (3)
SOWK 2183 Human Behavior in the Social Environment II (3)
SOWK 3120 Diversity and Populations-at-Risk (3)
SOWK 3133 Community Engagement & Outreach (3)
SOWK 3181 Practice Methods I (3)
SOWK 3182 Practice Methods II (3)
SOWK 3184 Practice Methods III (3)
SOWK 3199 Professional Behaviors, Ethics, and Communication (3)
SOWK 3201 Foundations of Social Welfare (3) (W)
SOWK 3202 Social Welfare Policy (3)
SOWK 3482 Field Practicum I (5) (O)
SOWK 3484 Field Practicum II (6) (O)
SOWK 3900 Social Work Research I (3)
SOWK 3988 Social Work Research II (3)
Population Group Courses (12 hours)
Students are required to complete four 3-hour courses examining diverse and vulnerable population groups of interest to social work. Courses may include such topics as aging, child welfare, gender, international cultures, mental health, religion, population growth, and sexuality. For a complete listing of pre-approved Population Group Courses please see the Department of Social Work website at socialwork.uncc.edu.
Other Required Courses
BIOL 1110 Principles of Biology (3)
BIOL 1110L Principles of Biology Lab (1)
HAHS 1000 Prospect for Success (1 – 3)
LBST 1100 series
LBST 2101 Western Cultural & Historical Awareness (3)
LBST 2102 Global and Intercultural Connections (3)
LBST 2200 series
POLS 1110 American Politics (3)
PSYC 1101 General Psychology (3)
PSYC 3151 Abnormal Psychology (3)
SOCY 1101 Introduction to Sociology (3)
STAT 1222 Introduction to Statistics (3)
Writing Intensive Elective (W)
Other Courses
HAHS 1000 Prospect for Success (1 – 3)
Population Group Courses (12 hours)
Students are required to complete four 3-hour courses examining diverse and vulnerable population groups of interest to social work. Courses may include such topics as aging, child welfare, gender, international cultures, mental health, religion, population growth, and sexuality, as well as other courses as approved by the BSW Director. For a complete listing of pre-approved Population Group Courses, please see the Department of Social Work website at socialwork.uncc.edu.
Suggested Curriculum
For a suggested curriculum for this degree to map out a path toward completing the major, please see the Academic Plan of Study available online at academics.uncc.edu.
Social Work (SOWK)
SOWK 1101. The Field of Social Work. (3) Introduction to the social work profession, including its history, values, and areas of professional practice. (Fall, Spring, Summer)
SOWK 2182. Human Behavior in the Social Environment I. (3) Prerequisites: BIOL 1110, BIOL 1101L, SOCY 1101, and PSYC 1101. Pre- or corequisite: SOWK 1101. Human development within the biological, psychological, and social structure as it occurs throughout the lifespan. (Fall, Summer)
SOWK 2183. Human Behavior in the Social Environment II. (3) Prerequisite: SOWK 2182. The foundational framework for understanding human interaction between individuals, families, communities, and larger social systems. (Spring, Summer)
SOWK 3090. Topics in Social Work. (3). Specialized topics in social work. May be repeated for credit as topics vary. (A list of specific courses offered each term is available through campus course listings.) (Fall, Spring, Summer).
SOWK 3120. Diversity and Populations-at-Risk. (3) Prerequisite: Upper Division standing. Analysis of issues of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, social class, age, and ability within social work practice. (Fall)
SOWK 3133. Community Engagement and Outreach. (3) Prerequisite: Upper Division standing. Corequisites: SOWK 3120 and SOWK 3199. Students engage in experiential learning in order to effectively prepare for social work practice with vulnerable populations, and specifically to enhance their ability to build relationships and facilitate access. (Fall)
SOWK 3181. Practice Methods I. (3) Prerequisite: Upper Division standing. Corequisite: SOWK 3900. Development of competencies within generalist social work practice methods with an emphasis on working with individuals. (Fall)
SOWK 3182. Practice Methods II. (3) Prerequisites: Upper Division standing and SOWK 3181. Corequisite: SOWK 3482. Development of competencies within generalist social work practice methods with an emphasis on working with families and groups. (Spring)
SOWK 3184. Practice Methods III. (3) Prerequisite: Upper Division standing, SOWK 3181. Corequisite: SOWK 3484. Development of competencies within generalist social work practice methods with an emphasis on working with communities and large systems. (Spring)
SOWK 3199. Professional Behaviors, Ethics, and Communication. (3) Prerequisite: Upper Division standing. Corequisites: SOWK 3120 and SOWK 3133. Issues related to professional values, professional identity, continual learning, and best practices for social workers in a variety of practice situations. (Fall)
SOWK 3201. Foundations of Social Welfare. (3) (W) Prerequisite: Upper Division standing. History of and current trends in social welfare, and values and conflicts that influence social welfare programming. (Fall)
SOWK 3202. Social Welfare Policy. (3) Prerequisites: Upper Division standing and SOWK 3201. Critical analysis of social welfare policy, including policy development and reform processes and outcomes. (Spring)
SOWK 3482. Field Practicum I. (5) (O) Prerequisites: Upper Division standing and SOWK 3181. Corequisite: SOWK 3182. Students complete an approved supervised field experience 16 hours per week. Students concurrently participate in a field seminar to reinforce and enhance their field experience. (Fall)
SOWK 3484. Field Practicum II. (6) (O) Prerequisites: Upper Division standing, SOWK 3182, and SOWK 3482. Corequisite: SOWK 3184. Students complete an approved supervised field experience and concurrently participate in a field seminar to reinforce and enhance their field experiences. (Spring)
SOWK 3895. Directed Individual Study. (1-4) Prerequisite: Permission of department. Supervised investigation of a special problem or area of practice. May be repeated for credit. (Fall, Spring, Summer)
SOWK 3900. Social Work Research I. (3) Prerequisite: Upper Division standing. Introduction to research methods and skills used in social work. (Fall)
SOWK 3988. Social Work Research II. (3) Prerequisites: Upper Division standing and SOWK 3900. Corequisites: SOWK 3182 and SOWK 3482. Quantitative and qualitative research and the understanding of scientific and ethical approaches to building knowledge. (Fall)
SOWK 4100. Ethnicity and Aging. (3) Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Examines the changing characteristics, goals, and needs of older African Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and Hispanics. Provides a diversity of perspectives from which to view the relationship of ethnicity to aging including the impact of the family, work, education, economy, illness, behavior, and healthcare. (On demand)
SOWK 4101. Social Work Practice with Older Adults. (3) Prerequisite: Permission of department. Social work practice with older adults with an emphasis on assessment, intervention planning, and implementation. (On demand)