FAQ's

Can students take SWK S141 Intro to Social Work at any time?
The optimal time for students to take this intro course is after completion of ENG W131 Elementary Composition. Students must be enrolled in or have completed S141 in order to apply to the program. Since we seriously consider the grade in S141 for admission, we do not recommend that students take this course first semester freshman year as they may be "adjusting" to college life at that point, with lower grades as a result.

Can social work majors take required courses pass/fail?
No, but they can take up to four electives pass/fail.

Is there a math requirement? What math course is recommended for the Natural & Mathematical requirement, now that M014 is offered only pass/fail?
There is no specific math requirement for the BSW degree, only a Natural and Mathematical requirement, which may be met by any math or science course as long as it is taken for a grade.  MATH M118 Finite Algebra is often recommended for social work majors seeking minors in other disciplines or in preparation for statistics and graduate school. Most graduate schools in social work require that students have an undergraduate statistics course. Any statistics course at IUB will meet that requirement for the MSW at IUPUI in Indianapolis.

Do you offer a minor in social work?
As a professional school, we do not offer a minor in social work. We do have some popular classes which are open to students desiring some social work knowledge. These include our S100 Diversity course, S141 Intro to Social Work, S251 Social Welfare Delivery Systems, S300 Family Violence and Child Abuse, S300 Developmental Issues for Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual People, S300 Substance Abuse and Social Services, and S371 Social Work Research.

Do you recommend minors to those who major in social work?
We encourage minors. Many social work majors seek minors in psychology, sociology, Spanish, or human development/family studies.

Is it possible to double major as a social work major?
It is possible to complete the requirements for a second major, but frequently students take longer than four years to do so, unless they begin planning the double major in their freshman year.

Does the BSW have a foreign language requirement?
We do not have a specific foreign language requirement, though we encourage students to take a foreign language, particularly Spanish. Any level of foreign language will count toward the Arts and Humanities requirement.

Do you provide advising for exploratory students?
Yes, we encourage students who are interested in social work, or who are exploring social work as a major, to schedule advising appointments with us. We provide the degree course plan, career information, and on-going referral to support services on campus.

What is the advantage of getting a BSW if I plan to go on to get a Master's in social work?
If you earn a BSW, many accredited programs offer an advanced standing program at the Master's level which would allow you to complete the MSW in one year.

When can I apply to the Bloomington BSW program?
Students can apply to the School of Social Work after completion of 12 credit hours as long as they have or are concurrently taking SWK S141 Intro to Social Work. Admission to the BSW Program requires a 2.5 GPA, references, and written narratives.

Are there "service learning" opportunities?
Yes, there are many opportunities for service learning in the area of social service agencies through course projects and volunteering. Additionally, social work majors will have one year-long practicum (internship) in a local agency supervised by someone who has an MSW. Non-majors can take SWK S280 Intro to Field Experience with permission of the instructor to gain hands-on practicum experience working in a social service setting.

Can I study abroad if I major in social work?
We recommend that students who want to study abroad plan this for sophomore year or through a summer program due to the sequential nature of our curriculum.

When will the Bloomington campus offer the MSW?
Never. The MSW degree is an expensive one to offer, and the MSW program on IU's Indianapolis campus at IUPUI is within commuting distance (about 70 minutes away). Every year there are several students living in Bloomington and surrounding communities who commute to Indianapolis. They are frequently able to carpool and schedule all their classes on two or three days a week to reduce the travel time. IUPUI offers daytime, evening, and weekend programs to accommodate a variety of schedules and needs.

More questions? Feel free to call us at 812-855-4427.