Lower & Upper Division Overview
There are two levels of admission to the BSW major: Lower Division Admission and Upper Division Admission.
BSW LOWER DIVISION INFORMATION
All incoming freshmen, transfer, and continuing students in good academic standing can declare Social Work to enter the Lower Division (Pre-Social Work major). Entry into the Upper Division BSW Program is not automatic and requires a separate, competitive application process. Upon declaring, students are assigned an Academic Advisor in the College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) Advising Office. Lower Division students must meet with their advisor to plan their required coursework and timeline before applying to the Upper Division.
The timeframe for Lower Division may look different depending on the student. For first year students at UNC Charlotte with little to no credits previously earned, Lower Division will likely take two years. Lower Division may take transfer students or students with an associate’s degree less time if they have credits earned from a previous institution. All transfer students are encouraged to check with their advisor to review their status.
Required Lower Division Courses:
- SOWK 1511 – The Field of Social Work
- SOWK 2182 – Human Behavior in the Social Environment I
- SOWK 2183 – Human Behavior in the Social Environment II
- Additional Lower Division prerequisites: BIOL 1110, BIOL 1110L, POLS 1575 (or approved alternative), PSYC 1101, STAT 1222, SOCY 1101
- Additional general education requirements to complete (or transfer in)
- Must complete at least 60 credits while in Lower Division
Helpful Links:
- To schedule an appointment with your advisor visit the CHHS Advising Center
- To declare/change your major to social work CHHS Advising – Change of Major
- Seeking admission to UNC Charlotte as freshmen or transfer students to major in social work, first apply directly to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions for University entrance
- Review Transfer Credits
BSW UPPER DIVISION INFORMATION
To take Upper Division BSW courses, students must first apply for Upper Division admission through the School of Social Work. Admission is selective and meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee entry into this rigorous program. However, we typically maintain a high admittance rate and strongly encourage all eligible students to apply early.
Students accepted into the program, must adhere to the following social work degree requirements:
- Grade Point Average: Students must maintain a GPA of at least 2.25 in the social work major. Failure to maintain minimum GPA requirements will result in dismissal from the major.
- Course Grades: Students must receive a grade of C or better in every Upper Division SOWK course including practicum courses. Students who receive two grades of D or F during matriculation in Upper Division will be dismissed from the major.
- Course Repeat: Students who earn a grade of D or F are permitted one course repeat (i.e., students may pursue a course repeat on one occasion only during matriculation in Upper Division). Students who repeat a course and achieve a grade of C or higher may continue to progress in Upper Division. Students who receive a grade of D or F for a course repeat will be dismissed from the major.
- Practicum Repeat: Students are permitted to apply to repeat a practicum course only once. The Practicum Committee will review the student’s application to repeat practicum, as well as their overall performance in the Program, and then render a decision as to whether the student will be permitted to repeat the practicum course. Practicum Committee denial decisions for repeating a practicum course will result in a student’s dismissal from the major. In addition, a student who is permitted to repeat a practicum course and does not achieve a grade of C or higher will be dismissed from the major.
Please visit BSW Upper Division Admission to learn more about the admission process.