The School of Social Work offers, in conjunction with the general education requirements, a professional program leading to a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW). The goals of the BASW program are to prepare students for entry level, professional, generalist social work practice and for graduate social work education, including advanced standing. Students learn to practice as professional social workers with persons and groups representing the range of human diversity and with systems of all sizes (individuals, families, groups, communities, and institutions). Students have the option to take the major courses in a daytime sequence or an evening sequence.
Social Work majors should consider taking courses as electives or for fulfillment of general education requirements in any of the ethnic studies disciplines, women’s studies, sociology, anthropology, human development, and gerontology programs in the Colleges of Health and Human Services and Liberal Arts. The School of Social Work and the College of Health and Human Services Advising Center can make recommendations concerning those courses which would be most useful to students interested in acquiring broader information closely allied to professional social work practice.
Admission Requirements
Admission Under Impaction - Fall Only
Social Work is now considered to be a highly impacted major. Admission to the Social Work program takes place in the fall semester only. Refer to the following website for additional criteria: http://www.csulb.edu/depts/enrollment/admissions/index.html.
Admission Under Impaction for Continuing Students
Students who indicate an interest in the Social Work major when they enter as freshmen will be assigned a pre-social work major code. Acceptance into the pre-major by the University does not imply or assure subsequent acceptance into the major by the School of Social Work. Students who are not accepted into the major cannot continue as pre-social work majors. Social Work is now considered to be a “highly impacted major” (see above).
Admission Under Impaction for Transfer Students
Students must be eligible for admission to the University as transfer students and must apply for admission to the University no later than November 30 for admission the following fall. Students who are not admitted to the major will not be admitted to the University. Social Work is now considered to be a “highly impacted major” (see above).
Additional Application Procedures
Applicants to the BASW program must submit a separate program application packet to the School of Social Work by the beginning of March for the upcoming fall semester. The application includes statements of biographical and educational background and a description of community and/or volunteer experience. In addition, each applicant must submit two reference forms (one academic and one professional reference). Eligible applicants will be selected for admission on a space-available basis based on review of the entire application packet. Explore the School of Social Work BASW Admissions website (http://www.csulb.edu/college-of-health-human-services/school-of-social-work/bachelor-of-arts-social-work-basw) for more information on this major.
Prerequisite Requirements
To be considered for admission to the Social Work major, all applicants must demonstrate the following:
Minimum lower division preparation (grade of C or better required):
- Major preparation courses (with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5) per the on the appropriate Major-Specific Requirement (MSR) page. Please see the CSULB MSR listing page, navigate to either transfer or native CSULB student lists and select the appropriate year. MSRs for Social Work will be found under the College of Health and Human Services link.
- Required General Education courses not covered by major preparation courses:
Written Communication
Oral Communication
Critical Thinking
Mathematics if Statistics course taken above is not GE approved
It is highly recommended that students who are interested in the social work major focus on additional social science courses in their GE preparation. These courses can include but are not limited to: Sociology courses (such as SOC 100 , SOC 142 ), Anthropology courses (such as ANTH 120 ), and Human Development courses.
