UW SSW: Undergraduate Program in Social Welfare

Application Deadline for Fall 2009
April 1, 2009

Bachelor of Arts in Social Welfare (BASW)

Writing in Social Work in the 21st Century, David Austin notes that "social work today is a major profession. It includes intervention models that deal with individuals and households, with communities, with organizations, and with social policy."

To prepare you for these responsibilities, the undergraduate program in social welfare combines classroom learning, community service, and 480 hours of supervisory field experience.

The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredits the BASW program, which is structured according to the standards the CSWE has set. The social work program at the University of Washington, Tacoma is accredited by the CSWE as a BASW program option of the University of Washington in Seattle.

The University of Washington requires 180 credits for graduation that include approximately 63 credits for the BASW degree. Information provided here gives an overview of the two-year curriculum. In their freshman and sophomore years, pre-majors should fulfill as many of the College of Arts and Sciences general education requirements as possible. Those requirements consist of language skills (English composition and foreign language), reasoning and writing skills, and areas of knowledge. The completion of the general education requirements is not required for admission to the major.

There are four course prerequisites to the BASW program that must be completed prior to beginning the major in the fall (minimum grade of 2.0 is required in each): Psychology 101; Introductory Sociology; Economics 100 or 200 or 201; and Biology 100, 101, 118, 161 or Genomics 261. Statistics 220 (or equivalent) must be completed before the second year of the program. We strongly encourage students to complete statistics before entering the social welfare program. Students may also complete Soc Wf 200 before applying to the BASW program. The final two years of study are comprised of courses taken in sequence. These courses include content on social welfare history, policy and services, human behavior and the social environment, social welfare practice, social welfare research, and cultural diversity. Students also participate in community service learning, a three-quarter sequence in the foundation year. These courses prepare students for the senior year’s three-quarter practicum experience, which involves delivering social services under the supervision of a practicum instructor approved by the School.

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