BSW MISSION
The Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program prepares students at the baccalaureate level to become generalist social work professionals who are committed to the core values and professional ethics of the social work profession. Through rigorous education and community engagement, students develop proficiency in the knowledge, skills, and processes essential to professional practice that are anchored in the nine core social work competencies.
OVERVIEW
The UA School of Social Work undergraduate program offers a close-knit and diverse community of students, faculty, and staff within UA’s large, vibrant campus.
The BSW program’s curriculum builds students’ practice and professional skills and understanding of values, diversity and promotion of social and economic justice. Our rigorous academic program prepares graduates for generalist social work practice, graduate study in social work, and careers that require skills in critical thinking, problem solving, communication, and inter-professional collaboration.
Why Choose the UA BSW Program?
Aligned with the profession’s purpose to promote human and community well-being, the program is guided by the person-in-environment framework, a social justice education framework, a global perspective, respect for human diversity, and knowledge grounded in scientific inquiry. This purpose is actualized through the program’s pursuit of social, racial, economic, and environmental justice, the creation of conditions that support human rights, the elimination of poverty, and the improvement of quality of life for all people, locally and globally.
The program’s curriculum is embedded in the social work’s core values of service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, the importance of human relationships, integrity and competence. These values shape both the explicit and implicit learning environment and affirm the program’s commitment to respect, collaboration, and accountability. Students learn how to advocate for vulnerable and marginalized populations and to promote well-being of individuals, families, groups, and communities.
BSW graduates will be able to:
- Demonstrate skills in generalist social work practice informed by evidence-based practices
- Engage in culturally sensitive and culturally effective social work practice with diverse groups
- Apply social work core values and professional ethics
- Advocate for vulnerable, minoritized, and marginalized populations
- Create sustainable local and global change that improves societal well-being
Enrolling in the Program Students begin our BSW program as pre-social work majors and spend their first two years in the program completing their core curriculum requirements. Students, however, can declare a major in social work when they are freshmen, sophomores, or juniors.
Flexible Learning Options Many of our students enjoy the ability to earn their BSW degree through a combination of on-campus classes, distance learning and night classes. Learn about BSW degree requirements in our BSW Toolkit.
