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2021-2022

Social Work, Bachelor of

VCU

Community college:
Associate of Science: General Studies (Northern Virginia Community College)
Northern Virginia Community College
Northern Virginia Community College
Associate degree

Associate of Science: General Studies

Program description

The goals of the profession of social work are to provide services to persons who are vulnerable due to a lack of personal, social and/or institutional resources to meet their emotional, health and economic needs. Social work practice is the application of professional knowledge, skills and values across a range of settings and populations. The focus of practice is on individuals, couples, families, groups and communities.


In addition to direct clinical social work practice, social workers are involved in the administration of human service programs, social planning, the development of social policies, research and evaluation, and teaching. In order to achieve the goals of promoting social justice and enhancing well-being for individuals, families, groups and communities, social workers provide a variety of services primarily in public and nonprofit organizational contexts. Examples of the range of settings in which social workers practice include community centers, public social services, child welfare, residential treatment facilities, schools, community mental health agencies, family and children’s service agencies, psychiatric and acute care hospitals, substance abuse treatment facilities, services for the elderly, court services and adult and juvenile rehabilitation facilities.


Social work practice is designed to enrich quality of life by enabling individuals, groups, communities and organizations to achieve their greatest potential development. The goal of the School of Social Work at VCU is to provide professional education in response to these needs.

Career opportunities

A B.S.W. enables our graduates to empower others and effect change in prevalent areas such as addiction, substance abuse and behavioral health, aging, child welfare, community development, corrections/justice, developmental disabilities, employment/occupational social work, family services/group services, health care services, homelessness/housing, international social work, mental health, public welfare, rehabilitation, and school social work. When our students enter the field as professionals, they do so equipped with a nuanced understanding of the day-to-day demands of the job and a commitment to meeting the challenges of social work with strength and compassion.

Bachelor-level job titles
  • Child, Family, and School Social Worker
  • Community and Social Service Specialist, Other
  • Community Health Worker
  • Health Educator
  • Healthcare Social Workers
  • Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker
  • Patient Representative
  • Probation Officer and Correctional Treatment Specialist
  • Social and Human Service Assistant
  • Social Workers
Graduate and professional level job titles
  • Clinical Social Worker
  • Counselor
  • Government Agency Administrator
  • Higher Education Administrator
  • Policy Advocate
  • Supervisor
  • Therapist
Contact information

 

VCU Transfer Center

Telephone: (804) 827-1349

Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu

Transfer Advising Request

VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist


Office of Admissions

Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638

Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.

Guaranteed transfer admission requirements

Completion of associate degree
Minimum GPA of 2.5
All courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better

Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
  • MATH 131
Science required
  • 1-2 additional science courses
Foreign language requirements
  • Yes
Additional tuition/fees
  • Yes
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • 2.5+ cumulative GPA to declare, 2.0+ cumulative GPA to graduate
VCU Major Maps

View VCU Major Map for Social Work

Transfer major map
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2021-2022

Social Work, Bachelor of

Northern Virginia Community College (Associate of Science: General Studies)

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Use Navigate to connect with your advisor and create a program plan.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Register for SDV 100 or SDV 101.
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor or counselor each semester.
  • Cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Attend cultural events at NOVA and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Browse careers related to Social Work through the NOVA career planning system.
  • Explore the community college’s iGrad’s Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
  • Build a LinkedIn profile.
Experience Year 2
  • Consider taking SLWK 201 and SLWK 230 at VCU over the summer.
  • Meet with your academic advisor or counselor.
  • Complete requirements for the associate’s degree. Earn at least a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5.
  • Continue to use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Research scholarship opportunities and explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
  • Continue to partner with diversity leader/ facilitator/ mentor to move towards cultural competence.
  • Get involved with service-learning opportunities.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on campus and in your community (i.e. international festival).
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options at VCU.
  • Become familiar with OMSA at VCU.
  • Find out about VCU REAL and learn about REAL graduation requirement.
  • Speak with employers that visit campus throughout the year.
  • Acquire career related experience (e.g., job, internship, organization involvement).
  • Run for leadership in your student organization.
  • If your GPA is 3.5 or higher, consider applying for the VCU Honors College.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Use Navigate to connect with your advisor and create a program plan.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Register for SDV 100 or SDV 101.
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor or counselor each semester.
  • Cultivate relationships with your professors.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Attend cultural events at NOVA and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Browse careers related to Social Work through the NOVA career planning system.
  • Explore the community college’s iGrad’s Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
  • Build a LinkedIn profile.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Consider taking SLWK 201 and SLWK 230 at VCU over the summer.
  • Meet with your academic advisor or counselor.
  • Complete requirements for the associate’s degree. Earn at least a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5.
  • Continue to use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Research scholarship opportunities and explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Continue to partner with diversity leader/ facilitator/ mentor to move towards cultural competence.
  • Get involved with service-learning opportunities.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on campus and in your community (i.e. international festival).
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options at VCU.
  • Become familiar with OMSA at VCU.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Find out about VCU REAL and learn about REAL graduation requirement.
  • Speak with employers that visit campus throughout the year.
  • Acquire career related experience (e.g., job, internship, organization involvement).
  • Run for leadership in your student organization.
  • If your GPA is 3.5 or higher, consider applying for the VCU Honors College.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2021-2022

Social Work, Bachelor of

Northern Virginia Community College (Associate of Science: General Studies)

Northern Virginia Community College courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
SDV 100 (or SDV 101) College Success Skills UNIV 101 1 Elective
ENG 111 College Composition I Note: students with credit for AP English Language and Composition will only receive credit for UNIV 111 at VCU and should take ENG 112 to fulfill the VCU composition requirement. UNIV 111-112 3 General education
ITE 115 or ITE 119 ITE 115 Introduction to Computer Applications and Concepts OR ITE 119 Information Literacy INFO 3 Elective
MTH 154 Quantitative Reasoning MATH 131 3 General education
Physical or Life Science w/ Lab BIO 101 General Biology I BIOL/Z 151 4 Major (Ancillary)
CST Select 1: CST 100 Principles of Public Speaking OR CST 110 Introduction to Communication OR CST 126 Interpersonal Communication SPCH 121 3 Elective
ENG 112 College Composition  II UNIV 200 3 General education
HIS Elective Select 1: HIS 101 History of Western Civilization I OR HIS 102 History of Western Civilization II OR HIS 111 History of World Civilization I OR HIS 112 History of World Civilization II OR HIS 121 United States History I OR HIS 122 United States History II HIST 3 General education
Humanities/Fine Arts Elective Select 1: ART 101 History and Appreciation of Art I OR ART 102 History and Appreciation of Art II OR ENG 241 Survey of American Literature I OR ENG 242 Survey of American Literature II OR ENG 251 Survey of World Literature I OR ENG 252 Survey of World Literature II OR MUS 121 Music Appreciation I OR REL 100 Introduction to the Study of Religion OR REL 231 Religions of the World I VCU equivalent 3 General education
Physical or Life Science w/ Lab Select 1: BIO 102 General Biology II OR CHM 101 Introductory Chemistry I OR CHM 102 Introductory Chemistry II OR GOL 105 Physical Geology OR GOL 106 Historical Geology OR PHY 101 Introduction to Physics I OR PHY 102 Introduction to Physics II OR PHY 150 Elements of Astronomy VCU equivalent 4 General education
Humanities/Fine Arts Elective Select 1: PHI 111 Logic I OR PHI 220 Ethics OR PHI 227 Biomedical Ethics PHIL 3 Major (Ancillary)
Open Elective #1 PSY 230 Developmental Psychology PSYC 304 3 Major (Ancillary)
Open Elective #2 PSY 215 Abnormal Psychology PSYC 407 3 Major (Ancillary)
Open elective #3 SOC 211 Principles of Anthropology ANTH 103 3 Major (Ancillary)
Social/Behavioral Science 1 PSY 200 Principles of Psychology PSYC 101 3 Major (Ancillary)
Open Elective #4 Select 1: DIT 121 Principles of Nutrition OR HLT 230 Principles of Nutrition and Human Development OR PSY 240 Health Psychology OR PSY 270 Psychology of Human Sexuality VCU equivalent 3 Major (Ancillary)
Open Elective #5 Select 1: ECO 120 Survey of Economics OR ECO 201 Principles of Macroeconomics OR ECO 202 Principles of Microeconomics OR HIS 101 History of Western Civilization I OR HIS 112 History of World Civilization II OR HIS 121 United States History I OR PLS 135 American National Politics OR PLS 140 Comparative Politics OR PLS 241 International Relations I VCU equivalent 3 General education
Open Elective #6 Select 1: ECO 120 Survey of Economics OR ECO 201 Principles of Macroeconomics OR ECO 202 Principles of Microeconomics OR HIS 101 History of Western Civilization I OR HIS 112 History of World Civilization II OR HIS 121 United States History I OR PLS 135 American National Politics OR PLS 140 Comparative Politics OR PLS 241 International Relations I VCU equivalent 3 General education
Open Elective #7 Select 1: PSY 216 Social Psychology OR PSY 235 Child Psychology OR PSY 236 Adolescent Psychology OR SOC 266 Race and Ethnicity OR SOC 268 Social Problems VCU equivalent 3 Elective
Social/Behavioral Science 2 SOC 200 Principles of Sociology SOCY 101 3 Major (Ancillary)
Northern Virginia Credits Transferred to VCU 60
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
Foreign Language Foreign language through the 102 level 8 General education (not waived by associate's degree)
SLWK 201 Introduction to Social Work (prerequisite for upper-level SLWK courses) Note: consider taking this course in the summer prior to your fall enrollment at VCU. 3 Major
SLWK 230 Communication in the Helping Process (prerequisite for upper-level SLWK courses) Note: consider taking this course in the summer prior to your fall enrollment at VCU. 3 Major
SLWK 311 Social Work and Oppressed Groups 3 Major
SLWK 313 Person in Society I 3 Major
SLWK 330 Person in Society II 3 Major
SLWK 332 Social Work Practice: Fundamentals 3 Major
SLWK 380 Foundations of Social Work Research I 3 Major
SLWK 381 Foundations of Social Work Research II 3 Major
SLWK 393 Junior Field Instruction 3 Major
SLWK 422 Social Welfare Legislation and Services 3 Major
SLWK 431 Person in Society III 3 Major
SLWK 441 Social Work Practice I 3 Major
SLWK 442 Social Work Practice II 3 Major
SLWK 494 Senior Field Instruction I 3 Major
SLWK 495 Senior Field Instruction II 3 Major
SLWK 499 Senior Seminar (capstone) 1 Major
Open electives 6 Elective
Credits Completed at VCU 60
Bachelor's degree total 120