Social Work, B.S.W. (A, L)

Print Degree Planner (opens a new window) |

The Social Work Program is a comprehensive professional program that prepares students for beginning generalist social work practice. Students majoring in Social Work graduate with a Bachelor of Social Work degree. Upper division social work courses are offered at two campuses: full-time at Radford and part-time at the Roanoke Higher Education Center. Students should consult with the Academic Success Center or their Social Work advisor to determine their individual plan of study, including the best campus at which to complete their degree.

REAL Curriculum

This major fulfills the A and L areas of the REAL Curriculum. Social work students learn to integrate knowledge of culture and human behavior in the social environment with personal experiences and values (A). With a foundation of knowledge, skills, and values, social work students explore and critically reflect on professional practice from pre-social work courses, to the final 400-hour practicum (L). Students need majors and/or minors to fulfill the R and E areas to complete the REAL Curriculum requirements.

REAL Foundational Requirements

Foundational Writing (3 credits)

ENGL 111 - Principles of College Composition (GE)

Foundational Math (3 credits)

REAL Cornerstone Requirements

Writing Intensive (WI) Courses (6 credits)

Writing Intensive courses are denoted below with a (WI). Two writing intensive courses are required to graduate, with at least one at the 300- or 400-level.

General Education Requirements

General Education courses will be denoted below with a (GE). Students are required to take at least 30 credit hours of general education designated courses within their degree requirements. The Social Work major includes 28 general education credits.

Major Requirements (78-82 credits)

Required Courses (28 credits)

Pre-professional Courses (6-9 credits)

SOWK 101 - Introduction to Social Work (GE)
SOWK 220 - Introduction to Social Justice OR
SOWK 291 - BSW Bridge Course (transfer students only)

Professional Courses (44 credits)

Additional Degree Requirements

In order to be eligible for field (SOWK 489 ) and the capstone course (SOWK 490 ), students must: have passed all required social work courses with a C or better; achieved an overall 2.7 GPA or better; achieved a 2.8 GPA or better for social work courses; have their own transportation; and have completed all coursework. A 2.7 overall and a 2.8 in social work courses is required to graduate.

To graduate with Latin honors from RU, a student must complete 60 semester hours of credit at RU with at least a 3.5 overall GPA. If a student graduates with at least a 3.5 GPA, but less than 60 semester hours, the designation of “with distinction” will be on the student’s diploma and transcript.

Open Credit Hours (38-42 credits)

These credits can be used to fulfill additional courses, majors, minors, and/or REAL Curriculum requirements, including Foundational Writing and Foundational Math.