What is distinctive about UVM's Undergraduate Program in Social Work?
"The social work program played an instrumental role in teaching me how to take my social and economic justice values and channel them into action. Through the BSW experience I developed the language to describe the injustices I have seen and felt in the world. The program allowed me the freedom and creativity to explore opportunities I never would have had a chance to pursue otherwise." Ali House '22
Our rigorous program prepares you for professional social work practice in a variety of settings. This is a classroom and hands-on learning experience that requires extensive self-reflection, processing and engagement. If you’re interested in understanding and working with people and communities based on people's strengths and guided by principles of human rights and social justice, then our program is right for you.
Outstanding Advising
Our personalized advising ensures that you always have a home base on campus. You will have a full-time faculty member as your academic adviser throughout the entire program. We meet with our advisees regularly to discuss courses and to mentor you into the profession of social work.
Interactive Coursework and Experiential Learning
All of our courses are structured for interactive classroom discussion. You will actively engage with course material through case studies, simulated exercises, role play, presentations, and more. Throughout the program, you will meet social workers who work in a variety of roles, and you will have a variety of opportunities for service-learning in community-based social work settings.
Tight-Knit Learning Community
In our program, students and faculty work together closely to further understand the complexities of the profession and strategize ways to address and express our commitment to making a difference on local, national and global levels.
During your junior and senior years, you’ll be in a “cohort model” of education, where students progress through their academic program and take social work courses together as a group. You and your learning colleagues will continue to foster your collegial relationships among one another and with the faculty in a more informal gathering. Together, you will grapple together with social issues and policies, and develop theories and skills to affect change that improves the lives and relationships of vulnerable and marginalized people and diverse communities.
Field Education
In your senior year, you will participate in a supervised field-practicum of 15-20 hours per week over two semesters (450 total hours). A practicum is a social work internship in a social service agency where you will apply your classroom learning through professional social work assignments. You will also participate in a field seminar on campus in which students discuss their experiences and learning in their practica.
Major Requirements
Sample 4-Year Plan
| FIRST YEAR | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| SWSS 002: Foundations of Social Work | 3 | SWSS 004: Working with Refugees | 3 |
| SWSS 009: Social Justice, Poverty and Inequality | 3 | Political Science Course | 3 |
| SOC 001: SU: Introduction to Sociology | 3 | Electives | 6 |
| ENGS 001: Written Expression | 3 | QR: Quantitative Reasoning Course | 6 |
| PSYS 001: Intro to Psychological Sciences | 3 | SPCH 011: Effective Speaking | 6 |
| Learning Community Course (LC) | 1 - 3 | ||
| Semester Total: | 16 - 18 | Semester Total: | 18 |
| SECOND YEAR | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| SWSS 060: D1: Racism and Contemporary Issues | 3 | BIOL 003: Human Biology or SWSS 005: Bio- sociopolitical Issues in Social Work | 3 |
| Foreign Language | 3 | Non-European/ Non- Western Culture | 3 |
| Humanities Course | 3 | Economics Course | 3 |
| Electives | 6 | Electives | 6 |
| Semester Total: | 15 | Semester Total: | 15 |
| THIRD YEAR | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| SWSS 147: D2: Theories in Social Work I | 3 | SWSS 148: D2: Theories in Social Work II | 3 |
| SWSS 164: Intro to Social Work Research | 3 | SWSS 163: Theory and Integration Preparation Semester | 3 |
| SWSS 165: Issues and Policies in Social Welfare I | 3 | SWSS 166: Issues and Policies in Social Welfare II | 3 |
| Electives | 6 | Electives | 6 |
| Semester Total: | 15 | Semester Total: | 15 |
| FOURTH YEAR | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| SWSS 168: Social Work Practice I | 3 | SWSS 169: Social Work Practice II | 3 |
| SWSS 171: Field Experience Seminar I | 6 | SWSS 172: Field Experience Seminar II | 6 |
| SWSS 173: Field Experience I | 6 | SWSS 174: Field Experience II | 6 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Semester Total: | 18 | Semester Total: | 18 |
