BACCALAUREATE CURRICULUM

Social work is a career with meaning, action, diversity, satisfaction and an abundance of options-- a rewarding profession devoted to helping people to function their best in their environment. Through social work, you can provide direct service or therapy to people, or work for change to improve social conditions.

The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Social Welfare, program prepares students for beginning social work. The undergraduate program provides the liberal education requirements for students interested in the social sciences and human services professions, and qualifies graduates for advanced standing in some M.S.W. programs. This Program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, the national accrediting body for all schools of social work

Requirements
To be admitted to the under-graduate program, you must complete an application process. Admission to the program is competitive. Applications are accepted in the spring semester of the student's sophomore year for entrance in the fall semester of the junior year. Transfer students who will have completed 56 credits should apply during the spring of the year for which they are seeking fall admission. Those wishing to enter the major should have completed most or all of the Elementary Base courses prior to entrance into the program in the junior year. Admissions decisions are based on the following criteria:

• adequacy of liberal arts base
• application essay
• Progress toward completion of Elementary Base requirements or their equivalents
• grade point average
• academic and professional references
• social welfare/human service experience

The relative merit of any one criterion is considered in light of all others when admissions decisions are made. The overall quality of the application will provide the basis for admission.

Transfer Students
Transfer admission to the Social Welfare major is a two-step process. The student must be admitted to the University and to the restricted Social Welfare major. The application for admission to the major may be made simultaneously with the University application.

Submission Date
For early decision, students should apply by March 1. All other applications will be considered as long as space is available.

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General Education Requirements
All students must complete a minimum of 30 credits of coursework in UAlbany's General Education Program in the following areas: Arts, humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, U.S. historical perspectives, Europe, regions beyond Europe, global and cross-cultural perspectives, U.S. diversity and pluralism, information literacy, mathematics and statistics, and a foreign language.

General Program in Social Welfare
Within the general credit requirements of a Bachelor of Science, the School advises in the selection of the required 65 credits for a combined major and minor in social welfare. Of those credits: a) 15 to 16 credits represent the Elementary Base, b) 15 credits represent the Advanced Base; c) the remaining 32 credits constitute the Core Requirements for the major in social welfare. In addition, it is recommended that prospective social welfare majors take RSSW 290: Community Service in their freshman or sophomore year, or RSSW 291: Human Service in the Community in their sophomore year. For specific course requirements, see below.

• Elementary Base (15-16 credits):
  Elementary Base Courses preferably are taken prior to admission to the program. They include: Human Biology, Introduction to Psychology, Introduction to Sociology, American Politics, and The American Social Welfare System.
• Advanced Base (15 credits):
  Advanced Base Courses build upon the elementary base. They include: Elementary Statistics, Social Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Social Problems, and an "Elective as Advised" which means each student selects a course of personal interest that specifically addresses issues facing a gender, ethnic, racial or religious group that is different from the student's own background.
• Core Requirements (32 credits):
  Junior Year Students take a two-term sequence of Social Work Practice I and II. In addition, in the first term they take Human Behavior and the Social Environment, and in the second term they take Introductory Research Methods in Social Welfare.
  
  Senior Year Students complete the Social Work Practice sequence with Social Work Practice III and IV. In addition, they take the two-term sequence of Field Instruction in Social Welfare I and II (see below) as well as Organization and Community Theory followed, in the second term, by Introduction to Social Policy.

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Field Instruction
As an integral part of the overall educational process, the social work program requires all students to complete a field placement (432 hours over two semesters). The placement provides the opportunity to develop, apply, and integrate the necessary knowledge, skills, and attitudes for work in social welfare settings. During the senior year, qualified instructors in agencies designated by the School provide field instruction to students. The School selects placements for students based on their educational needs and, wherever possible, their areas of interest. Field placements, which represent a variety of settings under public and private auspices, are located throughout the Capital Region. Students are responsible for expenses incurred by placement. A regularly scheduled seminar is required as part of field instruction in the first semester.

Honor Society
The Alpha Gamma Chapter of Phi Alpha is an academic honor society for undergraduate social work/welfare majors. Requirements include an overall GPA of 3.25 and a GPA of 3.5 for the first three semesters of Social Welfare courses.

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Careers
For sheer variety, few occupations can match social work, which offers the broadest range of opportunities and settings. Social workers are found in public agencies, businesses, hospitals, clinics, schools, nursing homes, police departments, courts, day care centers, and countless other interesting venues. Twenty-first century social work careers continue to expand in gerontology, home care, child welfare, juvenile justice, corrections, develop-mental disabilities, employment and job development, and community organizing.

Questions
For further information about the University at Albany's Baccalaureate Program in Social Welfare, please contact the School of Social Welfare at 518-442-5320, or write to:

Chairperson, Baccalaureate Program
The University at Albany
School of Social Welfare
135 Western Avenue
Albany, NY 12222
You can also e-mail us at: sswhelp@albany.edu

Elementary Base (15-16 Credits)
APSY 101M: Introduction to Psychology
ASOC 115M: Introduction to Sociology
RPOS 101M: American Politics
RSSW 210: American Social Welfare System

Human Biology: (select one)
ABIO 110F: General Biology (writing intensive version)
ABIO 110N: General Biology
ABIO 102N: General Biological Sciences
ABIO 209N: The Human Organism
AANT 119N: The City and Human Health
AANT 211: Human Population Biology (formerly AANT 411)
AANT 312: Human Population Genetics (formerly AANT 412) - Jr or Sr only
AANT 319: Physical Growth and Development
AANT 414: Demographic Anthropology (formerly AANT 313)
AANT 450: Medical Anthropology
AANT 450Z: Medical Anthropology (writing intensive version)

Advanced Base (15 Credits)
APSY 338: Abnormal Psychology
ASOC 180M: Social Problems

Elementary Statistics: (select one)
AMAT 108: Elementary Statistics
APSY 210: Statistical Methods in Psychology
ASOC 221: Statistics for Sociologists
BMSI 220: Introduction to Business Statistics
RCRJ 281: Introduction to Statistics in Criminal Justice

Social Psychology: (select one)
APSY 270: Social Psychology
ASOC 260: Social Psychology

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Core Requirements (32 Credits)

Junior Year
Fall: RSSW 301: Human Behavior and the Social Environment
RSSW 305: Social Work Practice I
Spring: RSSW 306: Social Work Practice II
RSSW 322: Introductory Research Methods in Social Welfare

Senior Year
Fall: RSSW 400: Field Instruction in Social Welfare I
RSSW 405Z: Social Work Practice III
RSSW 408: Organizational and Community Theory
Spring: RSSW 406: Social Work Practice IV
RSSW 409: Introduction to Social Policy
RSSW 410: Field Instruction in Social Welfare II

Elective As advised:
(select one course that includes perspectives on a group different from your own background)

AAS 219: Introduction to African/African-American History
AAS 220: Black and White in America
AAS 240: Classism, Racism, Sexism: Issues (same as LCS 240 and WSS 240)
AAS 331: The African/African-American Family
AAS 333: The Black Community: Continuity and Change
AAS 370: The Psychology of the Black Experience
AAS 400: The Law and Africa-America
AAS 432: The African-American Woman: Contemporary Issues
AAS 435: Blacks and the American Political Process
AANT 240M: The North American Indian
EAC 272: The Chinese and the Chinese World View
EAS 180: Asian America
ECO 130: The Third World Economies: An Interdisciplinary Profile
ENG 240: Growing up in America
FRE 208: New World Cultural Diversity
FRE 281: Francophone Cultures: The New World and the Third World
GOG 125M: The American City
GOG 240: Patterns of American Immigration
HIS 300Z: The History of American Indians in the United States
JST 150: Survey of Jewish Civilization
JST 155: Judaism: Traditions and Practices (same as REL 155)
JST 221: The American Jewish Experience
JST 254: Jews in the Modern World (same as REL 254)
JST 260: Jews and the Immigrant Experience in America
JST 270: Jewish-Christian Relations
JST 344Z: Issues in Modern Jewish History
JST 351Z: Jewish American Ethnic Groups
LCS 201: Hispanic Cultures in the United States
LCS 240: Classism, Racism, Sexism: Issues
(same as AAS 240 and WSS 240)
LCS 269: The Caribbean: Peoples, History and Culture
PHI 214: World Religions (same as REL 214)
REL 100L: Introduction to the Study of Religion
REL 155: Judaism: Traditions and Practices (same as JST 155)
REL 214: World Religions (same as PHI 214)
REL 254: Jews in the Modern World (same as JST 254)
SOC 262M : Sociology of Gender (same as WSS 262M)
SOC 375: US Urban Neighborhood Diversity
UNI 230: An Introduction to Disability Studies
WSS 101: Introduction to Feminism
WSS 202: Introduction to Lesbian and Gay Studies
WSS 210: Current Issues in Women's Studies
WSS 240: Classism, Racism, Sexism: Issues (same as AAS 240 and LCS 240)
WSS 262M: Sociology of Gender (same as SOC 262M)
WSS 308: Global Perspectives on Women

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Note: Other courses may meet this requirement for you. Consult with your academic advisor for additional information.

Course schedules for current and future semesters can be found at myUALBANY