Bachelor of Social Work (40 credits)

CIP Code

44.0701

(40 credits plus 12 credits of experiential learning)

The Baccalaureate Social Work (BSW) program at Lesley University promotes human rights and social justice by preparing students to engage in generalist social work practice with cultural humility through an anti-oppressive lens. Social work graduates are prepared to advocate alongside and practice with individuals, families, groups, communities and organizations in the local community of Cambridge, MA, the Greater Boston area, and across the United States. As social workers, our graduates are prepared to engage in evidence-informed practice through a person-in-environment framework while upholding and promoting the core social work values of service, social justice, dignity and worth of the individual, importance and centrality of human relationships, integrity, competence, human rights and scientific inquiry.

Degree Requirements

Pre-Requisites for Application to the BSW Program (9 Credits):

CANTH 1101	Cultural Anthropology	3
CSWRK 2101	Introduction to Social Work	3

Choose One:

CSOCL 1101	Introduction to Sociology	3
CSOCL 1404	Social Problems	3

Required Courses:

CPSYC 1401	Lifespan Development	3
CSWRK 2201	Social Welfare Policy and Practice	3
CHMSR 2301	Power, Privilege & Practice	3
CHMSR 2551	Concepts and Skills in Professional Practice	4
CSOCS 3444	Research Methods in the Social Sciences	3
CSWRK 3550	Human Behavior in the Social Environment	3
CPLCY 3552	Social Policy	3
CSWRK 4101	Principles of Practice: Individuals, Families, and Groups	3
CSWRK 4102	Principles of Practice: Organizations, Communities, & Systems	3
CSWRK 4551	Senior Capstone	3

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - Choose ONE (3 Credits)

CSWRK 2401	Allyship for Disability Justice	3
CSWRK 3301	Challenging Racism	3
CEDUC 3550	Disability Studies	3
CSOCL 3445	Sociological Lens on Systemic Inequities	3

Electives (6 Credits):

Choose two of the following courses from two different prefixes (6 credits):

CANTH 3301	Global Lives in a Transnational Age	3
CEDUC 3550	Disability Studies	3
CHMSR 4300	Design and Management of Human Services Organizations	3
CPOLS 2401	Drug Wars	3
CPOLS 3450	HBO's The Wire: The Politics of U.S. Urban Inequality	3
CSOCL 2115	Politicizing Sex, Gender & Race: Transnational Perspectives	3
CSOCL 3445	Sociological Lens on Systemic Inequities	3
CSOCL 3551	Activism and Change in Communities	3
CSWRK 2401	Allyship for Disability Justice	3
CSWRK 3201	Case Management in Social Work and Counseling	3
CSWRK 3301	Challenging Racism	3
CSWRK 3350	Forensic Social Work	3
CSWRK 3450	Child Welfare: Challenges and Solutions	3

*CSWRK 2401, CSWRK 3301, CEDUC 3550, and/or CSOCL 3445 can count as an elective if not taken for core.
Students who have already taken CSWRK 2201 Social Welfare Policy and Practice should not take CSWRK 3201.

Experiential Component (12 Credits):

Students must be accepted into the BSW program prior to beginning their experiential component.

CSWRK 4702	BSW Fieldwork Seminar, Part 1	3
CSWRK 4703	BSW Fieldwork Seminar, Part 2	6
CSWRK 4704	Fieldwork I	3
	OR
CSWRK 4701	BSW Field Seminar	12

*CSWRK 4701 to be completed by students who need to complete all field placement hours in one semester as determined by BSW Program Director and Undergraduate Field Director 

BSW Course Sequencing

Year 1: Introduction to Social Work; Cultural Anthropology; Lifespan Development; Introduction to Sociology or Social Problems

Year 2: Social Welfare Policy and Practice; Concepts and Skills in Professional Practice; Power, Privilege and Practice; Elective (DEI or other SW Elective)

Year 3: Semester 1: Social Policy; Research Methods; HBSE; Elective (DEI or other SW Elective)

 Semester 2:  Principles of Practice w/ Individuals, Families and Groups; Principles of Practice with Organizations, Communities and Systems

Year 4: Semester 1: BSW Fieldwork Seminar, Part 1; Fieldwork I; SW Elective

Semester 2: BSW Fieldwork Seminar, Part 2; Senior Capstone