The School of Social Work now offers BSW courses via On-campus cohort & Online cohort.
All new BSW applicants will need to complete an online application (see link below) and select either San Marcos ‘on-campus,’ San Marcos ‘online,' or Round Rock ‘on-campus,’ cohort.
Please note: Students are required to participate in an interview as part of the Phase II Application process.
Fall 2025 Application cycle interviews will be held March 17 - 21st. All applicant interviews are via Zoom.
Eligibility:
Students who will have Phase I course requirements completed prior to the start of the Fall 2025 semester.
Current Texas State University students, and transfer students, will have an Overall GPA of 2.5 and at least 45 credit hours completed prior to the start of the Fall 2025 semester.
If you have questions about the BSW Program at Texas State, after reviewing the information on the School of Social Work website, please join us for an Information Session.
The deadline to sign up for a session is the day before the scheduled session at 12 noon, (i.e., Wednesday, January 31, 2024, session deadline to sign up is Tuesday, January 30, 2024, at noon).
If you plan to attend, the meetings will be held via Zoom.
Upcoming BSW Information Meetings.
Date
Time, CST
Location
Monday, January 30, 2025
1:00pm
Zoom
Saturday, February 8, 2025
11:00am
Zoom
Tuesday, February 18, 2024
10:00am
Zoom
The Zoom link for the BSW Information Session you have selected will be sent to the email address you provided. Please note the link can be sent the day before the scheduled session and/or the morning of the session.
NOTE: Students that have grades pending from required courses being taken during the semester in which a Phase II application has been submitted will receive communication after grades for the semester have posted to the Texas State transcript.
The BSW degree program at Texas State University is an exciting educational adventure for students who really want to make a difference in the world. Classes are small, and students have lots of opportunities to work closely with faculty and their classmates. Students in the BSW degree program study:
human behavior in the social environment
social policy
practice skills with individuals, families, groups, and communities
social research
work in selected agencies under social work supervision
Graduating students are prepared for a wide range of employment opportunities, and the BSW degree program will have taught students a great deal about effective communication, working relationships, and intervention skills.
General Requirements
The Social Work curriculum is based on and interwoven with the general education core curriculum consisting of 57 semester credit hours, and 6 hours in supportive Social Sciences. Students progress in three phases of the Social Work major, without regard to disability. A social worker must be emotionally and behaviorally stable, must have strong communication skills, must have solid interpersonal relationship-building skills, and must conform to professional ethics. The School of Social Work faculty evaluates whether students meet these criteria and may advise a student at any point to continue in the B.S.W. major or consider another major.
For transfer students, 15 semester credit hours may be transferred from a Texas public institution of higher education for the Social Work Field of Study and be applied to the Bachelor of Social Work degree at Texas State University. More information about the Field of Study is available in the Academic Policies section of this catalog.
Phase I (Entry Level Social Work (SOWK) Courses and Specified General Education Core Curriculum Courses)
Any student may declare a Social Work major and may enroll in SOWK 1350, SOWK 2375, as well as SOWK elective courses. Social work students should complete most of the following general education core curriculum and liberal arts courses before applying to Phase II of the Social Work major. They must complete at least 45 credit hours, including the following: COMM 1310, ENG 1310 and 1320; MATH 1315, 1316 or 1319; PHIL 1305 or 1320; ENG 3303; SOWK 1350 and 2375; Any core 030 Natural Science Course; HIST 1310 and 1320 and US 1100, if required. Applicants must complete SOWK 1350 & SOWK 2375 with a C or above.
A minimum 2.50 overall GPA (at the time that final grades post during the semester within which applications are received) is required for the application for Phase II to be fully considered. Students interested in Social Work must contact the College of Applied Arts Academic Advising Center for advisement.
Students submit a formal application for admission to Phase II. Application materials are due to the School of Social Work office by 5:00 p.m. on the third Monday of November for spring admission to the major or the third Monday in April for fall admission to the major. An Admissions Committee screens applicants, considering academic record and suitability for social work practice, and informs applicants in writing of their decision to admit to full major status, conditionally admit to full major status, or deny admission to full major status. Students admitted to Phase II must attend a mandatory orientation to the major prior to beginning Phase II of the degree program. Information regarding the orientation is provided in the written notification of admission to Phase II of the major. When students are admitted to Phase II, they are eligible to register for the first semester of full major courses.
Admission into Phase II does not guarantee permission to remain in the degree program, nor does it guarantee advancement to Phase III of the major which is Field Placement. Social Work faculty will continuously assess a student’s progress. To be retained, the student must maintain the required minimum Texas State GPA of 2.50. Students must also earn a minimum grade of “C” in each social work course and each supportive course. The School of Social Work outlines academic progress and advancement to graduation requirement, including policies on retaking major courses and sequencing in the Student Handbook. To remain in Phase II, students must agree to adhere to the NASW Code of Ethics, and demonstrate emotional and behavioral stability, competent communication skills, effective interpersonal relationship skills, and high levels of self-awareness.
Phase III: Field Placement
Students who have completed all required courses for the BSW, excluding SOWK 4374 and SOWK 4975, demonstrate emotional and behavioral stability, and who have met all the requirements noted above may apply for field placement. Students apply for field placement with the School of Social Work's Field Office. Students must take the Phase II Competency Exam and meet all Field Office requirements prior to full advancement into Phase III Field Placement. BSW students complete one block internship with 420 contact hours in a field placement in one semester.
The School prefers that students take SOWK 4374 and SOWK 4975 during the same semester, which requires that the student limit his/her enrollment that semester to field placement, totaling 12 hours. Under exceptional circumstances, students may request permission from the Field Coordinator to take SOWK 4374 and SOWK 4975 over two consecutive semesters (6 hours each semester).
Competency Exam
To be eligible for graduation a student must complete all degree requirements, passthe Phase II Competency Exam with a grade of 70%, and must have a minimum Texas State GPA of 2.50 with a GPA of 2.75 in social work and supportive courses. Students seeking either a dual degree or a second bachelors’ degree in Social Work will need to complete all requirements for the B.S.W. degree. Similarly, to be eligible for graduation a student must complete all degree requirements and must have a minimum Texas State GPA of 2.50 with a GPA of 2.75 in social work and supportive courses.
