Social Work, Bachelor of Science (BS)
Program Director: Dr. Christopher Streidl
Social work is a profession that applies knowledge about people and society to help persons, groups, or communities meet a diversity of needs, solve a wide range of problems, promote social justice, and assist people in becoming empowered. The baccalaureate program in social work prepares students for generalist social work practice. As beginning professional social workers, graduates typically work in the areas of child welfare, juvenile and adult corrections, public assistance, health and mental health, aging domestic violence, and chemical dependency, among others.
The undergraduate program in social work awards a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work and is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, the national accrediting agency for social work. Accreditation standards require a solid core of courses on social welfare issues and policies, social work practice skills, basic social science research methods, and a broad background in the liberal arts with special emphasis on psychology, biology, economics, politics, sociology, organization, and diverse ethnic groups. In fulfilling the academic requirements for social work, students must also uphold the values of the profession of Social Work as expressed in the National Association of Social Work’s Code of Ethics.
Program Learning Outcomes
1. To prepare professionals to be competent and effective in generalist social work
practice through the mastery of the nine core competencies identified by the
Council on Social Work Education.(U1, U2, U3, U4, U5, U6, U7, U8, U9)
2. To prepare professionals who are committed to providing services grounded in
the values of the social work profession. (U1, U5, U7, U8, U9)
3. To prepare professionals who are responsive to the changing contexts of
increasingly diverse communities. (U1, U2, U5, U7, U8, U9)
Related Links
Curriculum Guide
GPA Requirement
Major GPA: 2.0 or higher
Overall GPA: 2.0 or higher
Summary*
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Rock Studies 2 Requirements | 42 | |
| Other Basic Requirements | 0-3 | |
| Major Requirements | 57 | |
| Electives | 21 | |
* All undergraduate degree programs require a minimum of 120 credits. Some courses meet multiple requirements, but are only counted once toward the 120 credit total required to graduate.
Rock Studies 2 Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| The Rock | ||
| SUBJ 139 | Foundations of Academic Discovery 1 | 3 |
| ENGL 102 | Critical Writing | 3 |
| ENGL 104 | Critical Reading | 3 |
| MATH 117 | Quantitative Reasoning | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Civil Discourse: Theory & Practice | ||
| Ethics and Civil Discourse | ||
| Civil Discourse and Democracy | ||
| Subtotal | 15 | |
| Integrated Inquiry | ||
| Creative and Aesthetic Inquiry | ||
| Select 3 Credits | 3 | |
| Humanities Inquiry | ||
| Select 3 Credits | 3 | |
| Social Science Inquiry | ||
| Select 3 Credits | 3 | |
| Natural Sciences Inquiry | ||
| SCI 101 | Science of Life | 3 |
| Physical Sciences Inquiry | ||
| SCI 102 | Understanding the Physical World | 3 |
| Subtotal | 15 | |
| Thematic Thread | ||
| Select 12 Credits 2 | 12 | |
| Total Hours | 42 | |
- 1
Course offered in multiple subjects; cannot take course in first major subject.
- 2
One course from each category; six credits must be 300-level or above; no more than 4 credits from one subject area; specific courses required in first major, regardless of prefix of course, cannot be used to satisfy thread requirements; any course with same prefix as first major cannot be used to satisfy thread requirements, even if it is not a course in the first major.
Basic Math Requirement
Check with your adviser or a current degree audit report to see if you have been exempted from this course. The credit earned in this course will not be counted toward the 120 credit hour minimum needed to earn a degree.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete one of the following: | 0-3 | |
Meet required minimum SAT or ACT math score OR | ||
| Beginning Algebra | ||
| Total Hours | 0-3 | |
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION REQUIREMENT
Students must take and pass a course with the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) designation prior to graduation. Students can meet this requirement by taking any DEI - designated course in any program at any time during their undergraduate career.
Major Requirements
- 29 major credits must be taken at SRU or PASSHE
- 29 major credits must be taken at the 300 level or above
- ACT 34 (Criminal History) and ACT 151 (Child Abuse) clearances are required for admission to the Social Work program.
- Students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 for admission to the Social Work program.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Course (Other Disciplines) | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Psychology 1,2 | ||
| Principles of Sociology 1,2 | ||
| Subtotal | 3 | |
| Required Core Courses – Social Work | ||
| SOWK 105 | Human Diversity 1 | 3 |
| SOWK 251 | Introduction to Social Work 1 | 3 |
| SOWK 311 | Clinical and Academic Documentation for Social Work 1 | 3 |
| SOWK 328 | Human Behavior and the Social Environment 1 | 3 |
| SOWK 340 | Social Welfare Institutions 1 | 3 |
| SOWK 355 | Social Work Practice with Individuals 1 | 3 |
| SOWK 356 | Social work Practice with Groups & Families 1 | 3 |
| SOWK 357 | Social Work Practice with Organizations and Communities 1 | 3 |
| SOWK 407 | Social Policy Issues 1 | 3 |
| SOWK 450 | SOWK Internship 1 | 12 |
| SOWK 460 | Social Work Integrative Seminar 1 | 3 |
| Subtotal | 42 | |
| Research Methods | ||
| SOWK 318 | Research Methods 1 | 3 |
| Subtotal | 3 | |
| Social Work Electives | ||
| Select three of the following: | 9 | |
| Introduction to Child Welfare 1 | ||
| Social Justice and Equality 1 | ||
| Crisis Intervention 1 | ||
| Animal Assisted Interventions | ||
| Forensic Social Work | ||
| Clinical Perspectives on DSM Diagnoses | ||
| Social Work Practice with Substance Use Disorders | ||
| Post Traumatic Stress Disorder 3 | ||
| Trauma-Informed Care 3 | ||
| Social Work With Families Impacted By Trauma 3 | ||
| Behavioral Health Services in Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice 3 | ||
| Intervention for Sexual Assault and Interpersonal Violence 3 | ||
| Forensic Social Work in Corrections 3 | ||
| Animal-Assisted Social Work 3 | ||
| Grief & Loss: Theory & Skills for Intervention 3 | ||
| Subtotal | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 57 | |
- 1
Course counts for 50% of Major requirements and Major GPA
- 2
Course can be counted as a Rock Studies 2 Requirement, but earns credit only once toward your 120-credits total.
- 3
Course is part of the 4+ program which permits 4+ students the option to complete 6 credits of graduate coursework in their senior year. See advisor for details.
- *
Some courses may require pre-requisites. Please see course descriptions to determine if there are any pre-requisites for that specific course.
Co-curricular and Experiential Learning
Students are encouraged to explore additional curricular and co-curricular opportunities. There is a strong correlation between long-term student success and participation in the following types of programs and activities:
- Field trips
- Career Education
- Internships/ Field Experience
- High-Impact Practice (HIP) designated classes
- Job shadowing
- Community Engaged Learning
Important Curriculum Guide Notes
This Curriculum Guide is provided to help SRU students and prospective students better understand their intended major curriculum. Enrolled SRU students should note that the My Rock Audit may place already-earned and/or in progress courses in different, yet valid, curriculum categories. Enrolled SRU students should use the My Rock Audit Report and materials and information provided by their faculty advisers to ensure accurate progress towards degree completion. The information on this guide is current as of the date listed. Students are responsible for curriculum requirements at the time of enrollment at the University.
PASSHE - Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Institutions
SOCIAL WORK - BS (6181 - 4D) / CIM 389
This program is effective as of Summer 2025
Revised 09.22.2025
UCC 11.26.2024
Recommended Four-Year Plan
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| SOWK 105 | Human Diversity | 3 |
| INDP 104 or PSYC 105 |
Principles of Sociology or Introduction to Psychology |
3 |
| ENGL 102 | Critical Writing | 3 |
| SUBJ 139 | Foundations of Academic Discovery 1 | 3 |
| ESAP 101 | FYRST Seminar * | 1 |
| Creative & Aesthetic Inquiry | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| SOWK 251 | Introduction to Social Work | 3 |
| ENGL 104 | Critical Reading | 3 |
| MATH 117 | Quantitative Reasoning | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Civil Discourse: Theory & Practice | ||
| Ethics and Civil Discourse | ||
| Civil Discourse and Democracy | ||
| Humanities Inquiry | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| SOWK 328 | Human Behavior and the Social Environment | 3 |
| SOWK 318 | Research Methods | 3 |
| SOWK 355 | Social Work Practice with Individuals | 3 |
| SCI 101 | Science of Life | 3 |
| Social Science Inquiry | 3 | |
| Declare a Thematic Thread 2 | ||
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| SOWK 319 | Statistical Methods | 3 |
| SOWK 356 | Social work Practice with Groups & Families | 3 |
| SCI 102 | Understanding the Physical World | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Thematic Thread Requirement | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| SOWK 340 | Social Welfare Institutions | 3 |
| SOWK 357 | Social Work Practice with Organizations and Communities | 3 |
| Thematic Thread OR Social Work Elective | 3 | |
| Thematic Thread OR Elective | 3 | |
| Rock Studies 2 Thread course OR Social Work Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| SOWK 407 | Social Policy Issues | 3 |
| Social Work Elective | 3 | |
| Thematic Thread Requirement | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Thematic Thread OR Social Work Elective | 3 | |
| Thematic Thread Requirement | 3 | |
| Thematic Thread Requirement | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| SOWK 450 | SOWK Internship (S or summer) | 12 |
| SOWK 460 | Social Work Integrative Seminar (S or summer) | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Total Hours** | 121 | |
- 1
Course offered in multiple subjects; cannot take course in first major subject.
- 2
Work with your Academic Adviser to declare a Thematic Thread by the end of your fall semester in your second year.
- *
Students are encouraged to take ESAP 101 as a Free Elective.
**This document serves as a guide. Earning a degree requires at least 120 credits, though some majors require more. Before registering for courses, consult your academic adviser and review your curriculum guide. Be sure to review and confirm your plan with your adviser at least once each academic year.
Major Code: 6181
Reviewed: 07.10.2025