BSW Upper Division Online Program

Asynchronous courses allow students to access lectures, readings, and assignments on their own schedule, making it easier to balance studies with personal and professional commitments. Although there are no live sessions, faculty are more than willing to connect virtually as needed to support student development. 57% of our Upper Division Classes are Asynchronous and primarily occur in the fall and spring semesters of junior year. Successful students thrive by managing their time well, staying organized, and engaging actively with course materials and discussions. They take initiative in their learning, seek out resources when needed, and maintain motivation without the structure of scheduled class meetings.

Synchronous courses provide real-time interaction with professors and peers through live discussions, case studies, and collaborative activities fostering a strong sense of community and support. 43% of Upper Division Classes are Synchronous. Live class sessions that occur via Zoom are typically scheduled to meet once a week either Monday – Thursday evenings and/or Saturday mornings. Successful students come prepared, participate in live discussions in a quiet distraction free environment.

• SOWK 2184 – Writing for the Social Work Profession
  • Course Description: An introduction to writing for the social work profession.
  • Credit Hour: 1
  • Format: Asynchronous (self-paced/no specific meeting times) 
  • Course Length: 16 weeks
• SOWK 3120 – Diversity and Populations-at-Risk
  • Analysis of issues of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, social class, age, and ability within social work practice.
• SOWK 3180 – Case Management
  • An introduction to effective case management skills in the profession of social work.  Students develop skills to create client-centered service plans, link clients to resources, and case documentation.  Students are required to demonstrate the core competencies of social work case management.
  • Credit Hours: (3)
  • Restriction(s): Upper-Division Social Work major
• SOWK 3199 – Professional Behaviors, Ethics, and Communication
  • Issues related to professional values, professional identity, continual learning, and best practices for social workers in a variety of practice situations.
  • Credit Hours: (3)
  • Restriction(s): Upper-Division Social Work major
• SOWK 3201 – Foundations of Social Welfare
  • History of and current trends in social welfare, and values and conflicts that influence social welfare programming.
  • Credit Hours: (3) (W)
  • Restriction(s): Upper-Division Social Work major
  • General Education Requirement(s) Satisfied: Writing in the Disciplines (W)

• SOWK 3202 – Social Welfare Policy
  • Critical analysis of social welfare policy, including policy development and reform processes and outcomes.
  • Credit Hours: (3) (W)
  • Restriction(s): Upper-Division Social Work major
  • Prerequisite(s): SOWK 3201 with grade of C or above
  • General Education Requirement(s) Satisfied: Writing in the Disciplines (W)
• SOWK 3133 – Community Engagement and Outreach
  • Students engage in experiential learning in order to effectively prepare for social work practice with vulnerable populations, and specifically to enhance their ability to build relationships and facilitate access.
  • Credit Hours: (3)
• SOWK 3181 – Practice Methods I
  • Course Description: Development of competencies within generalist social work practice methods with an emphasis on working with individuals.
  • Credit hours: 3
  • Format: Synchronous (Meetings once per week via Zoom) 
  • Course Length: 16 weeks 
• PSYC 2151 – Psychology Distress, Dysfunction, and Disorders
• Elective (if needed)

• SOWK 3182 – Practice Methods II
  • Development of competencies within generalist social work practice methods with an emphasis on working with families and groups.
  • Credit Hours: (3)
  • Restriction(s): Upper-Division Social Work major
  • Prerequisite(s): SOWK 3181 with grade of C or above
• SOWK 3482 – Social Work Practicum I
  • Students complete an approved supervised field experience for 16 hours per week. Students concurrently participate in a field seminar to reinforce and enhance their field experience.
  • Credit Hours: (3 or 5) (O)
  • Restriction(s): Upper-Division Social Work major
  • Prerequisite(s): SOWK 3181 with grade of C or above
  • General Education Requirement(s) Satisfied: Oral Communication (O)
• SOWK 3900 – Social Work Research I
  • Introduction to research methods and skills used in social work.
  • Credit Hours: (3)
  • Restriction(s): Upper-Division Social Work major
• Elective (if needed)
• Population Group Course (if needed)

• SOWK 3184 – Practice Methods III
  • Development of competencies within generalist social work practice methods with an emphasis on working with communities and large systems.
  • Credit Hours: (3)
  • Restriction(s): Upper-Division Social Work major
  • Prerequisite(s): SOWK 3181 with grade of C or above
• SOWK 3484 – Social Work Practicum II
  • Students complete an approved supervised field experience for 16 hours per week.  Students concurrently participate in a field seminar to reinforce and enhance their field experiences.
  • Credit Hours: (3 or 6) (O)
  • Restriction(s): Upper-Division Social Work major
  • Prerequisite(s): SOWK 3482 with grade of C or above
  • General Education Requirement(s) Satisfied: Oral Communication (O)
• SOWK 3988 – Social Work Research II
  • Quantitative and qualitative research and the understanding of scientific and ethical approaches to building knowledge.
  • Credit Hours: (3)
  • Restriction(s): Upper-Division Social Work major
  • Prerequisite(s): SOWK 3900 with grade of C or above
• Elective (if needed)
• Population Group Course (if needed)