Bachelor of Arts in Social Work

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About

Eastern Washington University offers a full-time BASW degree that can be completed in two years. Classes are held on the Cheney campus during the first year and both the Cheney and the Spokane campus during the second year. Social work classes are held during the day in 2-4 hour blocks, and depending on the quarter, are held 2-4 days per week. The core curriculum is not offered in the evening or online. Electives are available in-person during the day on the Cheney campus, in the evening in Spokane or online.

Field Education (practicum) is three quarters and starts in the fall of the second year. Our practicum placement process is very structured and students do not seek their own placement. We work closely with the student and agency to assure learning goals are met.

Admissions Curriculum & Requirements

Admissions

Students must be admitted to EWU and be admitted to the Bachelor of Arts in Social Work Program.

  1. A minimum GPA of 2.5 is required to apply.
  2. Applicants must have earned a minimum of 80 college credits.
  3. Applicants must have no more than two EWU required courses or DTA courses to be completed at the time of their application.
  4. Courses that are in progress during the spring quarter in which the student is applying may be counted toward meeting the preceding criterion.
  5. Applicants must have completed English 201 or an equivalent course at another college or university with a minimum grade of 2.7 or B- at the time of their application.
  6. Applicants must have completed intermediate algebra with a minimum grade of 2.0 at the time of application.
  7. Previous Life or Work Experience cannot be substituted for course credit.
  8. Applicants must provide two professional or academic references. One reference must be from an individual who has supervised the applicant’s work for 40 hours or more.

Please contact Bipasha Biswas at 509.359.4247 or bbiswas@ewu.edu if you have any questions about criteria for admission.

Applicants must have either one of the following:

  1. A completed Direct Transfer Agreement (DTA) from a community college in Washington, an Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer (AAOT) from a community college in Oregon or a transfer degree from specific community colleges in Idaho and Montana. View the list of degrees that meet the DTA requirements.
  2. Those who have not completed a transfer degree and/or who are transferring from another university/college must have their credits evaluated on a course-by-course basis for approval of admission for the following requirements:
    1. A minimum of 80 College Credits
    2. Intermediate Algebra with a grade of 2.0
    3. English College Composition; Analysis, Research and Documentation with a grade of 2.7
    4. Two years of high school or one year of college foreign language

When applicants have criminal justice, child protective services (CPS), or adult protective services (APS) histories, such backgrounds can limit their opportunities in practicum placement and professional employment. Although discussing one’s criminal justice, CPS or APS background does not automatically guarantee or preclude admission to the BASW Program, failure to disclose all of the circumstances of any adult record with Criminal Justice, CPS or APS at the time of application to the BASW Program is grounds for immediate dismissal from the program when any failure to disclose such information is discovered. Before practicum placement can begin, all BASW students must submit to a background check. Disclosing criminal justice, CPS or APS involvement in an applicant’s history must include all of the following for each incident in their application:

1. When the event(s) occurred

2. What their age(s) was/were when the event(s) occurred

3. What the specific event(s) were, with a clear description of the applicants’ own behavior

4. How the event was resolved, including any consequences to the applicant

5. Any other information that is relevant for deciding about the appropriateness of the applicant working with vulnerable people.

Applications open November 1, 2024 for the 2025-2027 Cohort

Application Priority Deadline: June 15, 2025

Transfer students must apply to EWU before they can apply to the BASW Program.

Application Materials to Submit: 

A completed BASW application including the following items:

1. Unofficial transcripts from all postsecondary institutions attended

2. A BASW Program Eligibility Checklist 

3. A BASW personal statement

Address in no more than 1200 words and no less than 350 words:

  • What is your primary reason for wanting to become a social worker?
  • What previous accomplishments of yours best prepare you to be a social worker?
  • What will be your greatest challenge in meeting the demands of the BASW Program, including full-time coursework and 16 hours a week of practicum (during the second year of the Program) and what is your plan to address this challenge?

4. Email addresses from at least two (2), and no more than three (3) references:

One must be from someone who has supervised your work for at least 40 hours, such as an employment supervisor or volunteer activity supervisor

Other references may be from faculty members – high school teachers are acceptable, coaches, civic or academic club sponsors, such as science or chess club or gay-straight student alliances

References shall not be from family members, family friends, personal friends or romantic partners, clergy other than those who were your supervisors, personal therapists, counselors or recovery program sponsors

5. If applicable, a brief statement about how an applicant shall complete the requirement that no more than three EWU or DTA required classes shall be outstanding by the end of the summer quarter

6. If applicable, a statement is included in your online application about any and all criminal justice, CPS or APS involvement. For specific content see below.

Apply Now

Download the Application Instructions PDF. If you have questions about the BASW Program admission requirements, or how to meet them, please contact:

Bipasha Biswas
Professor/BASW Program Director
Senior Hall 102 (Office: SNR 332)
E: bbiswas@ewu.edu

Scholarship Opportunities

EWU awards over $5.5 million in scholarships to nearly 1,500 students each school year. Fill out our comprehensive scholarship application before Feb. 1, 2020 to be eligible for scholarships during the 2020-21 school year.

EWU Financial Aid

Student Learning Outcomes

2015 CSWE Core Competencies

  • Demonstrate ethical and professional behavior.
  • Engage diversity and difference in practice.
  • Advance human rights and social, economic and environmental justice.
  • Engage in practice-informed research and research-informed practice.
  • Engage in policy practice.
  • Engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
  • Assess individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
  • Intervene with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
  • Evaluate Practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

What You'll Learn

The following information comes from the official EWU catalog, which outlines all degree requirements and serves as the guide to earning a degree. Courses are designed to provide a well-rounded and versatile degree, covering a wide range of subject areas.

Social Work Major, Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Note: two years of a single high school world language or one year of a single college-level world language is required.

Grade Requirements: Social Work classes and support classes with a grade <C are not acceptable for graduation.

Required Courses
SOWK 273INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL WORK5
SOWK 378HUMAN DEVELOPMENT OVER THE LIFESPAN4
SOWK 381DIVERSITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE IN SOCIAL WORK4
SOWK 459SURVEY OF MICROSYSTEMIC PRACTICE THEORIES4
SOWK 464SOCIAL WORK CASE MANAGEMENT4
SOWK 467INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL WELFARE POLICY4
SOWK 468SOCIAL WORK RESEARCH4
SOWK 469DATA ANALYSIS FOR SOCIAL WORK4
SOWK 470SOCIAL POLICY ANALYSIS4
SOWK 473SOCIAL WORK IN ORGANIZATIONAL AND COMMUNITY CONTEXT4
SOWK 476SOCIAL WORK ENGAGEMENT AND ASSESSMENT4
SOWK 477SOCIAL WORK WITH COMMUNITIES4
SOWK 479SOCIAL WORK WITH GROUPS4
SOWK 480FIELD PREPARATION1
SOWK 482PRACTICUM/SEMINAR (1-6 variable credit course–must be repeated three times)15
Required BASW Elective - choose any 300 or 400 level SOWK, DSST, CDST or ADST course3
Required Capstone
SOWK 490SOCIAL WORK SENIOR CAPSTONE4
Total Credits76

The following plan of study is for a student with zero credits. Individual students may have different factors such as: credit through transfer work, Advanced Placement, Running Start, or any other type of college-level coursework that requires an individual plan.

Courses may be offered in different terms and not all courses are offered every term, checking the academic schedule is paramount in keeping an individual plan current. There may be some courses that have required prerequisites not listed in the plan, review the course descriptions for information. Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

All Undergraduate students are required to meet the Undergraduate Degree Requirements.

This major requires the completion of the World Language requirement. Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree must complete two years of a single language in high school or one year of a single language in college.

First Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
ENGL 1015MATH 1075ENGL 2015
Humanities & Arts BACR 115Social Science BACR 115Humanities & Arts BACR 215
Natural Science BACR 115Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Social Science BACR 215
 15 15 15
Second Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
Natural Science BACR 215Diversity - graduation requirement15Global Studies - graduation requirement15
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
 15 15 15
Third Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
SOWK 2735SOWK 3784SOWK 4594
SOWK 3814SOWK 4674SOWK 4734
SOWK 4684SOWK 4694SOWK 4764
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective4Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5SOWK 4801
 17 17 13
Fourth Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
SOWK 4644SOWK 4794SOWK 4774
SOWK 4704SOWK 4825SOWK 4825
SOWK 4825Social Work Elective23SOWK 490 (Senior Capstone - graduation requirement)4
 Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5 
 13 17 13
Total Credits 180
1

University Graduation Requirements (UGR) and Breadth Area Course Requirements (BACR) courses may be less than 5 credits and additional credits may be required to reach the required 180 total credits needed to graduate.  Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

2

Required BASW Elective - choose any 300 or 400 level SOWK, DSST, CDST, or ADST course.

Undergraduate Programs

Mission of the BASW Program

The BASW program, based in a regional, comprehensive public university, prepares competent generalist practitioners to educate, broker, coordinate services and advocate for social change through the development of critical thinking, ethical practice, and the use of research and theory to deliver culturally responsive services.

Goals of the BASW Program

  1. Preparing graduates for generalist practice that integrates strengths, empowerment, ecosystems and evidence informed frameworks.
  2. Preparing graduates for ethical and culturally informed generalist practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
  3. Preparing graduates for effective generalist practice that promotes social justice within and across multiple systems.
  4. Responding to regional baccalaureate social work education needs.
  5. Develop lifelong learners who engage in critical thinking.