Bachelor of Social Work
This major is available on the Aurora and University Center locations.
This major is offered in the traditional and AU Online format.
The Bachelor of Social Work degree is a four-year program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. It is built on a strong liberal arts base that prepares students for beginning social work practice with communities, groups, families, and individuals in a variety of settings with diverse populations and problems. This program prepares students to pursue graduate study in social work and future professional licensure (regulated by state). Graduates of the BSW program are eligible to apply for advanced standing in the Aurora, AU Online or Woodstock Center MSW programs. Excellent scholarship in course and fieldwork is required to be eligible for advanced standing.
The curriculum offers basic liberal arts education in the first two years with a professional orientation during the third and fourth years. This provides the option for students to transfer in or out of the program without loss of credit until the beginning of their junior year. The educational components of the BSW degree program include the general liberal arts and sciences, supportive liberal arts requirements, and the social work curriculum foundation, which includes a field work component.
The focus of the program is on understanding how people function in relation to their environment and developing growth-enhancing professional relationships. Students develop an understanding and appreciation of human diversity and are able to practice effective social work with vulnerable populations, especially those experiencing social and economic oppression. In developing professional competency, a strong emphasis is placed on the student’s interpersonal effectiveness and self-awareness.
Career opportunities for graduates with a BSW degree cover a wide variety of social services in private and public agencies, working at micro, mezzo, and macro levels of social work practice. Examples of avenues for employment include general social services, addictions, health services and rehabilitation, child and family welfare, youth services, geriatric services, juvenile justice services, shelter services, and refugee resettlement.
BSW Social Work Generalist Curriculum
The program emphasizes generalist practice. Students are taught to examine problems from an ecological perspective and to effectively intervene in ways that are preventive, build on strengths, and promote healing. The social work curriculum integrates knowledge, values, and skills related to the foundational components necessary for preparation for social work practice: values and ethics, diversity, social and economic justice, human behavior and the social environment, social welfare, social work practice, research, and field education.
Field Instruction
Field instruction is an integral part of the BSW curriculum. Each BSW student secures field work in one agency where they receive instruction from a qualified, approved field Instructor holding an advanced degree. Students are required to complete a minimum of 450 clock hours over two semesters, which typically equates to 15 hours each week. Students are to be enrolled in SWK-4210 Field Instruction I and SWK-4220 Field Instruction II with co-requisite courses during their field experience. All BSW field students engage weekly to discuss their field learning with peers and their Field Liaison/Course Instructor through the field seminar course sequence.
Students completing a track must complete their field placement at a corresponding site. Students completing the Addictions Track must complete a minimum of 500 hours. In order to begin an addiction placement, students should have the first two track courses completed and meet with either the Addictions Track Coordinator or their designee.
A wide variety of field practice settings are available, reflecting the fields of service and social service agencies available for beginning careers in social work. A series of theory and practice-related courses help the student to prepare for and make productive use of the field learning experience.
Addictions Track
BSW students in the Addictions Track take three courses in the Addictions sequence as well as complete their BSW field placement in an addictions-approved agency. Students must clock an additional 50 hours of field work towards the addictions track (for a total of 500 hours). The following collection of courses satisfy track requirements. Note that a "B" or better in each course is required to utilize the courses toward the track.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SWK-2050 | Drugs and Human Behavior: Substance Abuse Evaluation and Treatment | 4 |
| SWK-3750 | Addictions Counseling I | 4 |
| SWK-4700 | Addictions Counseling II | 4 |
| Total Credits | 12 | |
Upon successful completion of the track requirements, students are able to take the Illinois Alcohol and other Drug Abuse Counselor (CADC) examination for state licensure. The courses can be taken as part of the elective requirements for the BSW. The School of Social Work is accredited by the Illinois Certification Board (ICB) at the advanced accreditation level. This means students successfully completing our program will sit for the exam at the CADC level.
Coursework to assist with completion of Board registered Co-occurring Substance Use and Mental Health Disorders (CODP I) certificate is also available. A meeting with the Addictions Track Coordinator is required to enroll in the SWK-5600 Co-Occurring Substance Use and Mental Health Disorders (CODP I) course.
Note: It should be noted that completing this course without obtaining your CADC would NOT lead to qualification of the CODP I registration educational requirements. Obtaining the CADC is considered a prerequisite prior to obtaining the CODP I.
Child Welfare Track
The Child Welfare Track is available to BSW students and prepares students to enter the Child Welfare Profession with the primary focus on the safety of children and the preservation of the family. Students will learn how to work with vulnerable populations, address issues surrounding families in turmoil, the protection of children from abuse and neglect, preserving the family, and when necessary, finding temporary and permanent placements for children who cannot safely remain home or return to their biological homes. Aurora University has a University Partnership Agreement with The Illinois Department of Child and Family Services; through this partnership, specific child welfare-focused classes and child welfare Internship experiences, students are well prepared to enter the Child Welfare Profession. The following collection of courses satisfy track requirements. Note that a "B" or better in each course is required to utilize the courses toward the track.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SWK-3760 | Effects of Trauma on Children | 4 |
| SWK-4720 | Social Work With Vulnerable Children and Families | 4 |
| SWK-4725 | Child Welfare Services | 4 |
| Total Credits | 12 | |
The track offers the opportunity to work with all aspects of the family and the child’s environment. Coursework focuses on educating students regarding child welfare history, practice and theory, specific intervention skills while also challenging biases and assumptions regarding this vulnerable population.
Potential benefits of this track:
- Increased job opportunities due to specialized knowledge and training
- Students will build skills in applying social work theories and practice to issues being addressed in the child welfare field and in the Juvenile Court system.
- Upon graduation, students will be CWEL (Child Welfare Employee License) eligible, which will increase marketability in the Child Welfare Job force.
Practice areas are broad and may include employment in a private child welfare social service agency or potential employment with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services as a Child Welfare Specialist. The child welfare track also provides a strong foundation for work outside of the direct child welfare field, for example, clinical trauma-focused work with children and families, court advocacy, CASA (court appointment Special Advocate) positions, and post-adoption work.
Full-Time/Part-Time Study
Students can complete the BSW program either as full- or part-time students. Required coursework must be completed within five years. Many required courses beyond the introductory course(s) are sequenced and begin in the fall semester of each year. However, students may be admitted to begin the BSW program in either the fall, spring, or summer semester.
Advanced Standing for Graduate Work
Students who have earned a BSW degree at Aurora University or through other BSW programs accredited by the Council on Social Work Education and who have demonstrated excellence in scholarship in coursework and in the field are eligible to apply for advanced standing in the MSW program at Aurora University. If granted, advanced standing allows the student to apply BSW courses toward a maximum of 30 semester hours of the MSW degree. The MSW degree at Aurora University consists of 60 semester hours.
Admission to the BSW Program
Students must be admitted to the School of Social Work before beginning the social work coursework in the junior year. Students declare their intention to pursue social work as their major in their freshman and sophomore years and can begin taking 1000- and 2000-level social work classes prior to formal admission to the BSW program. Formal admission to the School of Social Work occurs during the fall or spring semester of the sophomore year. Applicants to the BSW program are expected to have completed approximately 60 semester hours of General Education coursework and have an overall grade point average of 2.50 on a 4.0 scale. Students must submit the required program application materials (obtained from the School of Social Work or online from the school’s web page). The formal admission process may include an interview with a BSW faculty member once application materials are submitted. Students may apply for fall, spring, or summer admission. A criminal background check is required with the program application (cost is incurred by the student).
In accordance with Aurora University regulations, the School of Social Work reserves the right to maintain academic standards for admission and retention in the social work program, above and beyond compliance with the general academic regulations of the university.
Also recognizing that there are professional competencies and conduct not measurable by academic achievement alone, the School of Social Work reserves the right to make decisions regarding admission and retention based on high standards of personal and professional conduct. Because social work education involves a significant amount of internship experience and preparation for helping vulnerable populations, student evaluation will honor not only the rights of students but also the rights and well-being of clients and others to whom students relate in a professional role.
Statement of Criminal Background Notification
Aurora University, and the School of Social Work, reserves the right to deny admission to the BSW program based on application materials, previous academic record, and records of past conduct, including but not limited to the results of a national background check or registration of a sex offense. Full regulations are contained in the BSW Handbook.
Transfer Credit
- Experiential Credit: Academic credit for life experience and previous work experience may not be applied in lieu of any portion of the field practicum requirements, nor may it be substituted for any of the social work courses.
- From a Community College: Students transferring with an associate of arts or science degree may be ready to start the social work curriculum provided they have completed sufficient General Education coursework that also serves as social work prerequisites/corequisites. Students transferring with an applied degree in human services or a specific area of the human services may apply their coursework toward general elective credit. Specific questions about transfer procedures should be directed to the Director of Transfer Admission in the Office of Admission.
- From a CSWE-accredited BSW Program: Social work courses completed no more than five years before the date of the student’s first enrollment in the BSW program and satisfying the social work generalist requirements may be substituted with the approval of the BSW Program Chair.
Program Requirements
Supportive Liberal Arts Requirements
Specific liberal arts courses are required to support the social work required (foundation) coursework. These include:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSY-1100 | General Psychology (or suitable transfer course) | 4 |
| PSC-1300 | Introduction to U.S. Government (or suitable transfer course) | 4 |
| SOC-1100 | Introduction to Society (or suitable transfer course) | 4 |
BSW Social Work Generalist Curriculum
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Generalist Knowledge, Values and Skills Courses 1 | ||
| SWK-2500 | Survey of Contemporary Social Work | 4 |
| SWK-3140 | Social Work with Groups | 4 |
| SWK-3150 | Social Welfare: Institutions and Policy | 4 |
| SWK-3160 | Human Behavior in the Social Environment I: Building Professional Social Work Competence | 4 |
| SWK-3170 | Human Behavior in the Social Environment II: Life Course Development | 4 |
| SWK-4010 | Social Work with Communities and Organizations | 4 |
| SWK-4110 | Social Work Practice With Individuals 2 | 4 |
| SWK-4140 | Social Work Practice With Families | 4 |
| SWK-4200 | Research Methods in Social Work | 4 |
| Required Field Instruction 2 | ||
| SWK-4210 | Field Instruction I 2 | 4 |
| SWK-4220 | Field Instruction II | 4 |
| Total Credits | 44 | |
- 1
Students are expected to maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.80 in all social work coursework, along with an overall 2.5 GPA. Full regulations are contained in the BSW Handbook.
- 2
SWK-4210 Field Instruction I and SWK-4110 Social Work Practice With Individuals are taken concurrently.
Optional Coursework
Track in Addictions
(must obtain a "B" or better to utilize the courses toward this track)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SWK-2050 | Drugs and Human Behavior: Substance Abuse Evaluation and Treatment | 4 |
| SWK-3750 | Addictions Counseling I | 4 |
| SWK-4700 | Addictions Counseling II | 4 |
| Total Credits | 12 | |
Track in Child Welfare
(must obtain a "B" or better to utilize the courses toward this track)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SWK-3760 | Effects of Trauma on Children | 4 |
| SWK-4720 | Social Work With Vulnerable Children and Families | 4 |
| SWK-4725 | Child Welfare Services | 4 |
| Total Credits | 12 | |
Social Work Electives
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SWK-2050 | Drugs and Human Behavior: Substance Abuse Evaluation and Treatment | 4 |
| SWK-2150 | Violence in America | 4 |
| SWK-3760 | Effects of Trauma on Children | 4 |
| SWK-3810-9 | Selected Topics in Social Work | 4 |
| SWK-4810-9 | Selected Topics in Social Work | 4 |
| SWK-4710 | Expressive Therapies for Children | 4 |
| SWK-4720 | Social Work With Vulnerable Children and Families | 4 |
| SWK-4725 | Child Welfare Services | 4 |
Undergraduate Degree Requirements
A student who graduates from Aurora University with a baccalaureate degree will have met the following requirements:
- Completion of all requirements for an approved major (with no grades lower than “C”).
- Overall completion of at least 120 semester hours of coursework with a GPA of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 scale (a course may be utilized only once in application toward a degree requirement, unless otherwise noted in the academic regulations). The 120 semester hours of coursework must include:
- At least 52 semester hours completed at a senior college.
- Residency Requirement - At least 30 semester hours completed at Aurora University, including the last 24 semester hours in the degree, and including at least 18 semester hours in the major. (Portfolio assessment credit, life and vocational experience credit, off-campus experience credit, examination credit, participation credit, and block credit, shall not count toward the residency requirement).
- Upper-Division Requirement - A minimum of 30 semester hours numbered 3000 or above. Of these 30 semester hours, 15 semester hours must lie within the major and 15 semester hours must be completed at Aurora University.
- Completion of all General Education requirements (with no grades lower than “C”), as follows:
- Quantitative and Formal Reasoning competency requirement
- ENG-1000 Introduction to Academic Writing
- IDS-1200 Discover What Matters or IDS-3040 Global Justice
- IDS-1150 First Year Experience - Not required for Transfer or AU Online students)
- Satisfactory participation in the junior-year mentoring and assessment process designed to guide students to successful completion of their degree and to encourage planning for next steps beyond graduation. (IDS-3500 Junior Mentoring Program I and IDS-3550 Junior Mentoring Program II - Not required for ADC or AU Online students but may be designated electives for AU Online students admitted with fewer than 15 hours of transfer credit.)
- Distribution Requirements
Students will complete one approved course1 from each of the following categories:- Artistic Literacy
- Cultural Literacy
- Human Inquiry
- Scientific Inquiry
In addition to the above, ADC and Online students will also complete one approved course1 from the following category:
- Discovery and Reflection
- 1
Only courses that are approved to meet the distribution requirement can be used toward this requirement. See the list of approved courses for available options. Courses taken to meet distribution requirements are 4 semester hours apiece, with the following exceptions:
- An approved transfer course of at least 2.50 semester hours can be used to satisfy a distribution requirement.
- Courses with co-requisite laboratory components may be used to satisfy a distribution requirement, provided that the student successfully complete both the three-credit-hour course and the single-credit-hour lab component.
Criteria for Academic Performance
The BSW degree program requires all students enrolled in the program to earn a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 in the three prerequisite liberal arts General Education supportive courses. In addition, students are expected to maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.80 in all social work coursework. Full regulations are contained in the BSW Handbook.
Criteria for Personal/Professional Performance
Students in the BSW program are evaluated, and may be dismissed from the program, on the basis of standards of personal and professional behavior, lack of adherence to ethical standards, and on the basis of certain civil and criminal records. Full regulations are contained in the BSW Handbook.
Leave of Absence
If a student wishes to take a leave of absence of more than one term excluding Summer Session, a request for leave of absence must be made by filing the appropriate form in WebAdvisor. BSW students are expected to meet with the BSW Program Director prior to filing the leave of absence. The limit on terms for leave of absence is four terms or two years. A student who does not fulfill these conditions is considered to have terminated the program, and must reapply for admission to continue in the program.
Learning Outcomes
Students will:
- Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior
- Engage Diversity and Difference in Practice
- Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice
- Engage in Practice-Informed Research and Research-Informed Practice
- Engage in Policy Practice
- Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
- Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
- Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
- Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities