Bachelor of Social Work, BSW

Continue Your Education Towards a Career in Social Work

Bachelor of Social Work Admission Requirements

Admissions

To be eligible for admission, applicants must have:

• Associate’s degree or at least 58 credits by anticipated start of fall semester
• Minimum cumulative 2.0 GPA
• A grade of C or better in SOWK 147 and SOWK 151, by anticipated start of fall semester
• 50 hours of WVU-approved community service

Application

• Complete the WVU Online Application and pay application fee
• Complete the  BSW Online Professional Level application and include the following;

1. Your completed Human Service Verification Form
2. Your completed Personal Statement and Self-Assessment Document
3. A positive letter of recommendation from a human service supervisor or college-level academic instructor/professor

• WVU Office of Admissions
• P.O. Box 6009
• Morgantown, WV. 26505-6009
• or
• Email:  WVUadmissions@mail.wvu.edu

Additional Notes: Transfer students will be required to meet WVU's General Education Foundations (GEF) requirements (the University waives the GEF requirements for those with a previous bachelor's degree, Associate of Arts degree, Associate of Applied Science degree, or Associate of Science degree, but the student is still required to complete social work general education requirements). Advisors will work with students to identify courses already appearing on the transcript that meet GEF requirements and develop a plan to fulfill any remaining requirements.

Professional-level social work courses taken at other institutions do not automatically transfer to WVU and meet the program’s requirements. To gain approval for these courses students must have earned a B or higher in the course(s) and must submit course syllabi and other appropriate course materials to Dr. Megan Gandy the B.S.W. program director. Courses that are not approved count as electives. The lower-division social work courses taught on 2+2 campuses have received approval via the formal agreement with the program.

The last consecutive 30 enrolled credits must be taken at WVU in order to meet residency requirements for graduation.

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Watch Information Session

Learn more about the online Bachelor of Social Work at West Virginia University, the application process, and the student experience.

Your future in Social Work

If you are a compassionate individual with an interest in human diversity and a desire to help others, then a Bachelor of Social Work can help you reach your goals. Our curriculum prepares students for positions in the social work profession and can provide you with the opportunity to advance in higher education. We train students to work effectively with individuals, families, groups, communities and organizations around the country. Our faculty are active members of human service organizations throughout their communities. We seek to benefit the lives of every resident in our city and state through our research, teaching and service.

The Benefits to Choosing Our Program

Graduates of the BSW program will be prepared to:

1. Engage, assess, intervene, and evaluate practice with individuals, families, groups, and communities.
2. Model ethical and professional behavior in social work practice.
3. Apply a practice framework that engages diversity and difference while advancing human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice.
4. Critique practice-informed research and research-informed practice.
5. Analyze policy practice.

Career Outlook for Social Work

Completing a BSW degree allows for immediate access to employment opportunities in fields such as child advocacy, gerontology, public relations, human resources, public health and wellness promotion, community organizing, justice systems, and services to veterans. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in social work careers is projected to grow 7% from 2023 to 2033, which is faster than the average in all other occupations.