If you are interested in helping others and making your concern for people a career, social work may be the profession for you. Social workers are involved in addressing some of society's most pressing issues such as poverty; abuse and neglect; mental illness; and juvenile crime – to name just a few. The profession can be very rewarding to those who like to make a difference.

The BSW program at USA enrolled its first students in the fall of 2005. The program entered Candidacy status with the Council on Social Work Education in February 2006 and is actively pursuing accreditation.

Please feel free to examine the social work web page which contains information about program requirements; admission to the major; and the faculty. This is a new page and information will be added as it is available.

Generalist practice in social work is multi-system, involving the promotion of human well-being though work with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities. This method is based on a problem solving framework and is multi-theory in that it bases the practice approach on an analysis of problems and situations, thus basing interventions on the problem(s). Generalist practice stems from a strong base of social work, knowledge, values, ethics, and skills. It is based on a person-in environment perspective and is sensitive to diversity, the community, and issues of social and economic justice.

The BSW program's mission is:

The program mission for Social Work at the University of South Alabama is to prepare competent, effective entry level social work professionals to address the social welfare needs of the Gulf Coast and Southwest Alabama regions. The program has a strong commitment to provide professional leadership to the region in terms of social work education, service to the community and in scholarly endeavors. In order to be attuned to the community context of social work in this region, the program is committed to promoting well being though the exploration of both urban and rural community practice, the foundations of the social work profession, the person-in-environment perspective, liberal arts preparation, diversity, poverty, social and economic justice, and a strong value base for practice.

Social work has developed goals based on its mission and they are:

• Program graduates will be prepared for competent, entry level generalist professional social work with diverse groups and populations-at-risk in both urban and rural communities, and who are effective in enhancing human well-being.
• Program graduates will be able to employ critical thinking skills and research knowledge in order to ethically evaluate policy and practice, and advocate for change in organizations and communities, and add to social work knowledge.
• Program graduates will be capable of integrating social work knowledge, values and skills into entry level ethical social work practice with systems of all sizes with an emphasis on the needs of the Gulf Coast and Southwest Alabama.
• Program graduates will have the demonstrated capacity to identify with the profession and take an active role in professional leadership.
• The program faculty will be active in service to the broader Mobile and Southwest Alabama community and social work profession and contribute to the knowledge base of the profession, particularly in relation to regional issues.

If you have questions about the social work program please feel free to contact the Director at mdaley@usouthal.edu or (251) 460-6909.

• Have a 2.50 overall GPA in courses taken at USA.
• Have completed SW 200, SW 212, and SWK 214 with a grade of C or better.
• Have completed the Biology requirement with a grade of C or better.
• Have completed EH 101 and EH 102 with a grade of C or better.
• Have completed the Math requirement.
• Have completed a minimum of 60 credit hours.
• Meet all requirements specified by the program for demonstrating behavior consistent with the NASW Code of Ethics.

• Maintain a 2.50 grade point average in social work courses.
• Maintain an overall 2.50 grade point average at USA.
• Demonstrate acceptable professional conduct, personal integrity and emotional stability requisite for effective social work practice.
• Demonstrate identification with the profession of social work
• Demonstrate behavior consistent with Code of Ethics for the National Association of Social Workers.

• Meet the general education requirements for the College of Arts and Sciences
• Meet the general education requirements specific to Social Work including:
  • Biology
  • Statistics
  • Diversity
  • Ethics
  Complete the following courses in the major:
  • SW 200
  • SW 212
  • SW 214
  • SW 201
  • SW 301
  • SW 302
  • SW 310
  • SW 401
  • SW 402
  • SW 412
  • SW 414
  • SW Elective
  • SY 220
  • SW 381 & 382
  • SY 445
  Total: 56 Semester Credit Hours

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The University of South Alabama Social Work Program BSW Student Handbook

Field Instruction Manual

National Association of Social Workers
Council on Social Work Education
Alabama State Board of Social Work Examiners
Rural Social Work Caucus