Bachelor of Social Work, B.S.W.

Our online BSW program is designed to fit your busy life. It’s mostly asynchronous, so you can complete your college coursework at your own pace, with any required live Zoom sessions scheduled in the evenings or weekends to accommodate working adults like you.

To earn your BSW, you’ll need to complete all general education level course requirements plus 80 credit hours for the major. This includes 61 credits in core social work courses and 19 credits in required courses from other disciplines.

See the complete BSW class online curriculum, including course descriptions:

Upper Division Curriculum

• SOWK 2184 – Writing for the Social Work Profession
• SOWK 3120 – Diversity and Populations-at-Risk
• SOWK 3180 – Case Management
• SOWK 3199 – Professional Behaviors, Ethics, and Communication
• SOWK 3201 – Foundations of Social Welfare
• SOWK 3202 – Social Welfare Policy
• SOWK 3133 – Community Engagement and Outreach
• SOWK 3181 – Practice Methods I
• PSYC 2151 – Psychology Distress, Dysfunction, and Disorders
• SOWK 3182 – Practice Methods II
• SOWK 3482 – Social Work Practicum I
• SOWK 3900 – Social Work Research I
• SOWK 3184 – Practice Methods III
• SOWK 3484 – Social Work Practicum II
• SOWK 3988 – Social Work Research II
• Population Courses: We require students to complete 12 credit hours in populations courses.
  • Approved Population Courses

Criteria for Admissions to Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Upper Division

• Minimum cumulative GPA 2.5 or higher
• Course Credits and prerequisites
  • 60 earned credits or will have completed 60 credits by the start of Upper Division
  • Completed and earned a C or better in the following courses: BIOL 1110, BIOL 1110L, POLS 1511, PSYC 1101, STAT 1222, SOCY 1101, SOWK 1511, SOWK 2182, and SOWK 2183
  • Completion of all general education requirements by the start of upper division
• Resume
• Essay: 4-5 double-spaced pages; APA 7th ed format
  • Discuss reason for seeking BSW and career goals
  • Describe a social problem social workers might address through their work. Include research that helps readers understand the problem.
  • Discuss what a social worker might do to ensure they help and do not cause harm to those they serve.
  • Students in the BSW program must complete coursework along with an internship (practicum placement) during the final year of the program. The internship will be 16-hours per week both fall and spring. Share your plan for being able to fit the BSW program, including the internship into your life. Be specific in your plan of how you will accomplish your practicum placement, classes, and other responsibilities (e.g., working, family)

Admission offers are conditional until verification of the satisfactory completion of prerequisites, general education requirements, and GPA. Occasionally, to help students stay on track for a timely graduation, the program may admit students who are missing a prerequisite. If an exception is made, the student must outline a plan for completing the requirement.

Application submission timeline:

Applications for upper division are accepted February 1 – July 1. Decisions are released on a rolling basis until August 1.

Overview of Selection Process

The application process for upper division is competitive and not all applicants who meet the minimum criteria will be accepted. Applications are reviewed by the BSW Admissions Committee which is composed of full-time social work faculty members who regularly teach in the BSW program. Application elements (academic preparation, experience, and essay prompts) are scored using a BSW rating rubric which is based on a point system. Competitive applicants (those with highest scores) are selected until all seats are filled. Applicants are notified of the decision of admission or denial on a rolling basis, but no later than August 1st. There is not a waitlist for Upper Division. 

Applicants who have been offered admission to the BSW Program and who wish to accept the offer will need to submit their electronic enrollment form by the deadline identified in the acceptance letter. If the form is not returned by the deadline, it will be assumed that the student has declined the offer. 

• Accredited by CSWE: The UNC Charlotte BSW Program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), the national accrediting body for social work education programs. This means that the program meets the highest standards of academic quality and professional preparation.
• Eligible for licensure: Graduates of the UNC Charlotte BSW Program are eligible to take the licensure exam for social workers in North Carolina. This licensure is required to practice social work in North Carolina.
• Opportunities for hands-on experience: The UNC Charlotte BSW Program offers students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience through field placements. Field placements allow students to apply what they have learned in the classroom to real-world settings.
• Strong alumni network: The UNC Charlotte BSW Program has a strong alumni network that can provide support and guidance to students throughout their studies and beyond.

Charlotte BSW alumni are employed in a variety of areas such as generalist practice, child protective services, substance abuse treatment, hospitals, youth and children services, criminal justice, adoptions/foster care, hospice, and long term care.

Other BSW graduates choose to pursue a Master of Social Work (MSW) graduate degree. Many apply to the UNC Charlotte MSW degree program or MSW programs at other universities.

Generally, alumni from the Bachelor of Social Work program are working in the Charlotte region. UNC Charlotte BSW graduates have job titles such as:

• Child, Family, and School Social Workers
• Social and Human Service Specialists
• Healthcare Social Workers
• Registered Nurses
• Medical Social Workers
• Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers

UNC Charlotte BSW graduates go on to work for companies and organizations such as:

• Mecklenburg County
• Atrium Health
• Novant Health
• Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
• US Department of Veterans Affairs
• Thompson Child & Family Focus
• Cone Health

Lightcast research indicates that the average of the estimated wage for selected alumni of the BSW program, based on the median wage for their occupation in their county, adjusted for age and degree level, is $66,500.