Alliance University’s social work curriculum is designed to help students develop the necessary competencies for their profession. Upon graduation, students will be able to do the following:

1. Identify as a professional social worker and conduct themselves accordingly.
2. Apply social work ethical principles to guide their professional practice.
3. Apply critical thinking to inform and communicate their professional judgments.
4. Engage diversity and difference in their practice.
5. Advance human rights and social and economic justice.
6.  Engage in research-informed practice and practice-informed research.
7. Apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment.
8. Engage in policy practices that advance social and economic well-being and deliver effective social work services.
9. Respond to the contexts that shape their practice.
10. Engage, assess, evaluate, and intervene with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
11. Integrate their personal Christian faith with their professional social work practice.

Career Opportunities

Social workers provide services that increase the quality of life of all people by helping them cope and overcome some of life’s most difficult challenges. Social workers have a commitment to promoting social justice and increasing opportunities for vulnerable populations.

Social workers provide individual, family, and group therapy; offer crisis prevention and intervention; collaborate with communities to develop necessary social and economic resources; advocate; and participate in political action.

According to Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment opportunities for social workers is projected to grow twelve percent from 2014 to 2024, faster than the average for all occupations.

Settings in which social workers practice include:

• mental health agencies
• schools
• hospitals
• counseling centers
• child welfare agencies
• adoption/foster agencies
• international social work agencies
• violence prevention/victim assistance
• older adult services
• probation and parole agencies
• political advocacy

Our Graduates

Graduates of our Social Work program have become catalysts who help transform the lives of individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

They are employed locally and nationally in a variety of settings, including mental health clinics, schools, child welfare and human service agencies, hospitals, and private practices.

We also have graduates who are working globally, including in Ecuador, Kenya, India, Nepal, and the Philippines, serving the poor and the vulnerable.

Admission to the BSW Program

The Social Work Program is open to qualified students who have liberal arts backgrounds and who are committed to developing professional social work knowledge, values, and skills.

Admission Criteria

A student electing the Social Work Program must qualify for regular admission to the College. However, admission to Alliance University does not guarantee admission to the BSW program.

Criteria for admission to the BSW program consists of academic achievements that include:

1. Completion of a substantial portion (approximately 45 credit hours) of the Alliance University core curriculum and most prerequisites
2. A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 overall, and 2.7 in social work courses
3. Submission of program application
4. Emotional stability to deal with emotional stress in himself/herself as well as in others
5. Intellectual capacity to think conceptually and analytically

Admission Procedure to the BSW Program

Though students may have elected their major as social work when they entered the college, they still need to apply for admission to the BSW Program by following the steps outlined in the sections below.

The admissions process has three levels. At level one (1), students declare social work as their major with the registrar’s office.  Although students may have elected their major as social work when they entered the college, they still need to apply for admission to the BSW Program which is at level two.  At level two (2), students submit an application to the BSW program during the second semester of the sophomore year.  At level three (3), students submit an application to the Field Education Program in the first semester of the junior year.

Academic Advising Conferences – Level One

The student who has declared or is considering the Alliance University BSW Program should arrange an interview with a social work faculty member (if the Social Work Major has been declared) to discuss their educational and vocational interests.

Submission of Application Materials – Level Two

Students apply to the Social Work Program in the second semester of their sophomore year. Applications will be sent to all eligible students via email by January 15th. All application materials are due in the School of Social Work office by March 1^st of their sophomore year. Application materials should include an Application Form, Personal Essay and a signed Code of Conduct form. Exceptions can be made only on recommendation by the faculty advisor and subsequent approval by the BSW Program Director.

Admission to Field Education Program – Level Three

In November of the Junior year, students must apply for Field Instruction by submitting the BSW Field Education Application. The Field office will notify all eligible students via email with further detailed instructions.

Admission Decision

The applicant’s file will be reviewed by the admissions review committee. The committee may request additional information and/or an interview with the student for more information. The committee makes a decision to accept, deny, or postpone action on the application.

Notification of Decision

The Program Director will notify the applicant of the committee’s decision in writing by May. A student whose application is not accepted can appeal the decision by writing a letter to the Program Director within 30 days of the notification.

Transfer Applications from other Institutions

The transfer of credits is available in order to avoid redundancy of learning. Except where specifically noted, the general procedures described for entering freshmen also apply to all applicants seeking to transfer from other two-year and four-year regionally accredited institutions. Requests for transfer of credit are not automatic and are determined on an individual basis.

Transfer of Course Credits Procedures

Transfer Applications within the College

Students who wish to transfer from other majors to the Social Work Major within Alliance University must fill out a Change of Major Form (to be obtained from Registrar) prior to the application deadline. An interview with the Social Work Department Chair may be necessary for transfer applicants entering their junior year.

Waivers of Required Courses and Transfer of Credits

To avoid redundancy, students who believe they have already mastered the content of a required course by having already passed a similar course may submit a petition for a course waiver. No field instruction courses may be waived.

Course Waiver Procedures

Previous Work Experience

The Alliance University BSW Program does not grant social work course credit for life experience or previous work experience.