Degree Requirements

The Bachelor of Science degree consists of ten upper level courses and a total of seven supporting courses. Social work courses that are open to non-majors are designated with an asterisk.

The Supporting Courses

Select one of these three courses:

• SWK 100 Introduction to Professional Social Work*
• SWK 210 Environmental Justice and Social Change*
• SWK 230 Global Peace and Social Development*

Select one of these four courses:

• ECO 112 Principles of Macroeconomics
• POL 121 American Government and Politics
• POL 122 Metropolitan Complex
• POL 325 Politics and Public Policy

Take these four courses:

• BIO 121 Human Biology and Lab
• PSY 105 Principles of Psychology
• SOC 121 Introduction to Human Society
• SWK 280 Diversity and Inequality in Professional Practice*

Select one of these two courses:

• SOC 362 Statistical Analysis
• MAT 163 Introductory Statistics

GPA Requirements for degree completion
The minimum GPA for admission to the program is 2.2 on a four-point scale. After admission to the program a minimum grade of 2.0 is required for each upper level course and a 2.00 cumulative GPA is required in the supporting program.

Graduation Skills
The Critical Thinking (CT), Speaking (S), and Writing (W) graduation skills are embedded throughout the curriculum and are met by completing the major. The Quantitative Reasoning (QR) graduation skill is met by taking SWK 401 and ECO 112, MAT 163, or SOC 362.

Pass/No Credit Maximums for Majors
All social work majors must take their upper level courses with traditional grading. Social work majors are allowed to apply up to six credits with a grade of Pass (P) toward graduation, as are other majors. Students seeking Latin and Department Honors may only take two P/N credits. (See Latin Honors for additional details.)

Major Courses
Ten upper level courses:

• SWK 301 History and Analysis of Social Policy*
• SWK 303 Human Development and the Social Environment*
• SWK 306 Social Work Practice 1: With Individuals
• SWK 307 Field Work 1: Integrative Seminar
• SWK 316 Social Work Practice 2: With Families and Groups
• SWK 317 Field Work 2: Integrative Seminar
• SWK 401 Social Work Research and Evaluation
• SWK 406 Social Work Practice 3: With Communities and Policies*
• SWK 407 Field Work 3: Integrative Seminar
• SWK 417 Field Work 4: Integrative Seminar

Social Welfare Minor
(for non-social work majors)
The goal of the social welfare minor is to give non-majors a sense of the impact of social work on society and a means to incorporate some social welfare perspectives to their chosen career.

Six courses including:

• SWK 100 Introduction to Professional Social Work
• SWK 303 Human Development and the Social Environment
• SWK 301 History and Analysis of Social Policy
• SWK 406 Social Work Practice 3: With Communities and Polices
• SOC 265 Race, Class and Gender

And one course from:

• POL 121 American Government and Politics
• POL 158 Political Patterns and Processes
• POL 325 Politics and Public Policy

No credit for non-academic work

In accordance with accreditation standards, the Social Work Department does not grant social work course credit for life experience or previous work experience.

Admission to the Major
Students must apply to be admitted to the degree program in social work. This application process, called candidacy, is subsequent to and separate from admission to Augsburg College. The candidacy application is completed in the spring term of the sophomore year or in the summer months for junior transfer students. Each social work major must complete the application materials and be officially admitted to the social work program before beginning the first field practicum in the junior year. Social work majors must have a cumulative 2.20 GPA to enter the program. Students who do not meet this minimum GPA standard will be given an opportunity to explain their GPA and may subsequently be considered for conditional admission. Admission to the program is required as a pre-requisite for those 300 and 400 level courses restricted to social work majors only. Contact the Social Work Department for details.

Departmental Honors
The Social Work Department offers students the opportunity to earn Departmental Honors through the completion of an applied or scholarly project. Students may apply for Departmental Honors if they have earned and maintain an overall GPA of 3.30 and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.60 in all social work classes at the 300 level and above. Honors applicants may take up to two courses as P/N (pass/no credit) and must complete a minimum of 14 traditionally graded Augsburg courses. Other requirements include the successful completion of a paper or project designed to demonstrate critical understanding of one area in the field of social work or social welfare. A faculty mentor will guide and supervise work on this paper or project. Please consult with your adviser or program director for complete details and deadlines.