Bachelor of Social Work

Program Description

The Associate of Arts degree (A.A.) at JCCC is a general transfer degree and partners well with the first two years of most bachelor degree programs. Students pursuing the A.A. may select courses that satisfy both the A.A. degree requirements and lower division requirements for a bachelor’s degree at four-year institutions. The elective hours within the A.A. allow students to complete additional general education and lower division courses required for specific majors. The A.A. degree requires completion of 60 credit hours; please see JCCC A.A. degree requirements. The maximum number of hours from a community college that will be applied toward a bachelor’s degree at USM is 81 hours. Meeting with a JCCC counselor is strongly recommended for selection of appropriate courses. 

The BSW is a 120-hour program designed to prepare students for a multitude of professional practice positions and prepare them for graduate school. The program builds on the University of Saint Mary’s core values of community, respect, justice and excellence. The University of Saint Mary BSW prepares students for licensure and satisfies the educational requirements for LBSW licensure. Licensure is granted by individual states and not guaranteed by the University of Saint Mary. Licensure is dependent upon a state’s licensing laws and passage of the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) licensure test. 

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS: 

• Completed admissions application and pay a non-refundable $25 application fee
• Official transcripts from all previous colleges and universities attended (these must be sent directly from the colleges). The final transcript must indicate conferral of the bachelor’s degree.
• Minimum grade point average of 2.0 (on a scale of 4.0)
• The A.A. degree at JCCC requires completion of 60 credit hours; please see JCCC A.A. degree requirements. Students who have earned the A.A. at JCCC are considered to have met the University of Saint Mary general education requirements, with the exception of three hours of Theology. Please note: The University of Saint Mary is not participating in the Kansas (KBOR) Systemwide General Education framework. The USM General Education guide.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS TO SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM: 

At the completion of the course SW 250 Professionalism in Social Work, students will complete the BSW formal application, which includes the following: 

1. Certification that the student has read the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics and will adhere to its principles and standards.
2. Personal Statement as to why entering the social work field.
3. Signed statement that the student has read the BSW Program Student Handbook.
4. One letter of recommendation from within the University system.
5. Maintenance of cumulative GPA of 2.50 and at least a “C” in prerequisite courses and social work courses.
6. Formal interview with the BSW Program Director to assess aptitude and fit with the BSW program through demonstration of social work professional behaviors.

It is the STUDENT’S RESPONSIBILITY to check for updates to all transfer information. This transfer guide is provided as a service and is updated as needed. Degree requirements at the four-year colleges are subject to change by those institutions. To ensure you have the most accurate information about the program, you must meet with an advisor at the transfer institution.