Social Work, B.S.

Program Overview

Saint Louis University's Bachelor of Social Work program equips students to address social challenges facing individuals and communities. The curriculum emphasizes generalist social work practice, integrating knowledge with hands-on experience. Graduates are prepared to pursue diverse careers in social work, including clinical work, child welfare, and policymaking. The program also offers accelerated and honors options for high-achieving students.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

A degree in social work from Saint Louis University provides students with the skills to enhance the quality of life for individuals or communities facing challenges such as poverty, serious illness, or disability. Social workers aim to assist individuals, families, groups, and communities in addressing life's obstacles. Saint Louis University's social work degree prepares students for generalist social work practice, integrating knowledge and skills with field experience. The program emphasizes a strong sense of community and justice, attracting like-minded, empathetic, and justice-oriented individuals. The program offers several degree options:

• Accelerated program: High-achieving students are automatically admitted to this selective program during their junior year.
This accelerated program allows students to earn a B.S. in social work in four years and a Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) with as little as one additional year of study.
• Honors courses: Students interested in the stimulating academic experiences and intellectual challenges provided by the University Honors program can take social work courses for honors as part of the major, in addition to fulfilling core course requirements.
• Minor: A minor in social work provides students with an understanding of the profession and the core values of the field for those pursuing other majors.

Outline:

The social work curriculum comprises 42 credits of major courses covering topics such as human behavior and the social environment, and four practice courses addressing social work with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. During their senior year, students spend two semesters in a social service agency, supervised by an experienced social worker. The University core and electives fill the remaining 120 credits required for the major. The curriculum allows students to explore areas of interest through projects and practicum. Through fieldwork and service learning, social work students gain real-world work experience outside the classroom.

Careers:

Social work graduates from Saint Louis University can pursue careers in various settings. The U.S. Labor Department projects a steady demand for social work jobs in the coming years. Most social workers specialize in an area of practice, including but not limited to:

• Clinical work
• Child welfare or family services
• Mental health
• Schools
• Policymaking and advocacy

Other:

• Fieldwork and Research Opportunities: Students can participate in study abroad programs, including a campus in Madrid, Spain.
They can also enroll in a two-week experiential course in Belize, Ghana, Ireland, Cuba, or India, featuring concentrated study, lectures, and interactions with the local population.
• Service Learning: Students embody the University's Jesuit mission by applying their classroom knowledge to serve others.
They can explore different types of social work through partnerships with over 250 social service agencies in the St. Louis area.
• Research Opportunities: The School of Social Work has faculty actively researching various issues affecting vulnerable communities locally, nationally, and internationally.
Undergraduate students can partner with faculty on research tasks, including data entry and analysis, participant observations, library research, and peer-reviewed journal article writing.
• Accreditation: The social work bachelor's and master's programs are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
Saint Louis University's applied behavior analysis program is currently a Verified Course Sequence (VCS). Graduates of the Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis program will have completed all requirements necessary to sit for the Board Certified Behavior Analyst® (BCBA®) exam.

Program Learning Outcomes:

Graduates will be able to demonstrate:

• Ethical and professional behavior
• Advancement of human rights and social, racial, economic, and environmental justice
• Engagement with anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion (ADEI) in practice
• Practice-informed research and research-informed practice
• Policy practice
• Engagement with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities
• Assessment of individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities
• Intervention with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities
• Evaluation of practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities

Course List:

• University Undergraduate Core: 32-35 credits
• Required Social Work Courses:
• SWRK 1000 Introduction to Social Work (3 credits)
• SWRK 2300 Human Behavior Social Environment (3 credits)
• SWRK 3100 Social Policy for Social Justice (3 credits)
• SWRK 3200 Dismantling Oppression: Exploring Equity & Inclusion (3 credits)
• SWRK 3300 Social Work Practice with Individuals (3 credits)
• SWRK 3350 Social Work Practice with Groups (3 credits)
• SWRK 3440 Social Work Practice with Families (3 credits)
• SWRK 3500 Social Work Practice with Organizations & Communities (3 credits)
• SWRK 3600 Financial Capability and Asset Building Practice (3 credits) or ECON 1900 Principles of Economics
• SWRK 3700 Research Methods for a Diverse Society (3 credits)
• SWRK 4100 Social Work Practicum I (5 credits)
• SWRK 4150 Integrative Practice Seminar I (1 credit)
• SWRK 4200 Social Work Practicum II (5 credits)
• SWRK 4250 Integrative Practice Seminar II (1 credit)
• General Electives: 43-46 credits
• Total Credits: 120

Continuation Standards:

• Cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.00
• Minimum grade of "C" in all 1000- to 4000-level social work courses

Roadmap:

The roadmap provides a semester-by-semester plan of study for the program, assuming full-time enrollment unless otherwise noted. Courses and milestones designated as critical (marked with !) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure timely graduation. Transfer credit may change the roadmap. This roadmap should not be used in place of regular academic advising appointments. All students are encouraged to meet with their advisor/mentor each semester. Requirements, course availability, and sequencing are subject to change.

Plan of Study Grid:

• Year One:
• Fall:
• CORE 1000 Ignite First Year Seminar (2-3 credits)
• CORE 1500 Cura Personalis 1: Self in Community (1 credit)
• CORE 1900 Eloquentia Perfecta 1: Written and Visual Communication (3 credits)
• SWRK 1000 Introduction to Social Work (3 credits)
• General Electives (6 credits)
• Total Credits:
15-16
• Spring:
• CORE 1600 Ultimate Questions: Theology (3 credits)
• CORE 3200 Ways of Thinking: Quantitative Reasoning (3 credits)
• Required Program Courses or General Electives (9 credits)
• Total Credits:
15
• Year Two:
• Fall:
• CORE 1200 Eloquentia Perfecta 2: Oral and Visual Communication (3 credits)
• CORE 1700 Ultimate Questions: Philosophy (3 credits)
• SWRK 2300 Human Behavior Social Environment (3 credits)
• Required Program Courses or General Electives (6 credits)
• Total Credits:
15
• Spring:
• CORE 3800 Ways of Thinking: Natural and Applied Sciences (3 credits)
• CORE 2500 Cura Personalis 2: Self in Contemplation (0 credits)
• Required Program Courses or General Electives (12 credits)
• Total Credits:
15
• Year Three:
• Fall:
• CORE 2800 Eloquentia Perfecta 3: Creative Expression (2-3 credits)
• CORE 3400 Ways of Thinking: Aesthetics, History, and Culture (3 credits)
• SWRK 3200 Dismantling Oppression: Exploring Equity & Inclusion (3 credits)
• SWRK 3300 Social Work Practice with Individuals (3 credits)
• SWRK 3600 Financial Capability and Asset Building Practice (3 credits)
• General Electives (3 credits)
• Total Credits:
17-18
• Spring:
• CORE 3600 Ways of Thinking: Social and Behavioral Sciences (3 credits)
• CORE 4000 Collaborative Inquiry (2-3 credits)
• SWRK 3100 Social Policy for Social Justice (3 credits)
• SWRK 3350 Social Work Practice with Groups (3 credits)
• SWRK 3700 Research Methods for a Diverse Society (3 credits)
• General Electives (3 credits)
• Total Credits:
17-18
• Year Four:
• Fall:
• CORE 3500 Cura Personalis 3: Self in the World (1 credit)
• SWRK 3440 Social Work Practice with Families (3 credits)
• SWRK 4100 Social Work Practicum I (5 credits)
• SWRK 4150 Integrative Practice Seminar I (1 credit)
• General Electives (6 credits)
• Total Credits:
16
• Spring:
• SWRK 3500 Social Work Practice with Organizations & Communities (3 credits)
• SWRK 4200 Social Work Practicum II (5 credits)
• SWRK 4250 Integrative Practice Seminar II (1 credit)
• General Electives (6 credits)
• Total Credits:
15
• Total Credits:
125-128

2+SLU Program:

The Social Work, B.S. (STLCC 2+SLU) program provides a guided pathway for students transferring from St. Louis Community College.

Tuition Per Year Tuition Cost Per Year Undergraduate Tuition $54,760 Additional charges may apply. Other resources are listed below:Net Price CalculatorInformation on Tuition and FeesMiscellaneous FeesInformation on Summer Tuition