Major map compass icon
2023-2024

Social Work, Bachelor of

VCU

Community college:
Associate of Science: Social Sciences, Pre-Social Work Specialization (Reynolds Community College (program specific pathway))
Reynolds Community College
Reynolds Community College
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
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

Transfer major map
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2023-2024

Social Work, Bachelor of

Reynolds Community College (program specific pathway) (Associate of Science: Social Sciences, Pre-Social Work Specialization)

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
  • Register for SDV 100.
  • Use Navigate to schedule an appointment with your academic advisor each semester.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes and use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Explore GRASP financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
  • Attend Reynolds orientation (SOAR).
  • Attend cultural events at community college and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Familiarize yourself with the Career Services offered at Community College and VCU and explore Career Pathways on VCU Career Services’ Website.
  • Browse careers related to social work through the Virginia Wizard.
  • Explore the community college’s iGrad’s Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
  • Build a LinkedIn profile.
  • Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
  • Take a career assessment through the Virginia Wizard.
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.
Experience Year 2
  • Meet with your academic advisor.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Research scholarship opportunities and explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
  • Submit the FAFSA on time.
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or Social Work-related events.
  • Continue learning a foreign language, or make a plan for undertaking that study at VCU.
  • Become familiar with OMSA at VCU.
  • 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
  • Register for SDV 100.
  • Use Navigate to schedule an appointment with your academic advisor each semester.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes and use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Explore GRASP financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
  • Attend Reynolds orientation (SOAR).
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Attend cultural events at community college and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Familiarize yourself with the Career Services offered at Community College and VCU and explore Career Pathways on VCU Career Services’ Website.
  • Browse careers related to social work through the Virginia Wizard.
  • Explore the community college’s iGrad’s Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
  • Build a LinkedIn profile.
  • Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
  • Take a career assessment through the Virginia Wizard.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Meet with your academic advisor.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Research scholarship opportunities and explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
  • Submit the FAFSA on time.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or Social Work-related events.
  • Continue learning a foreign language, or make a plan for undertaking that study at VCU.
  • Become familiar with OMSA at VCU.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • 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
2023-2024

Social Work, Bachelor of

Reynolds Community College (program specific pathway) (Associate of Science: Social Sciences, Pre-Social Work Specialization)

Reynolds Community College (program specific pathway) courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
Students who earn this associate degree before enrolling at VCU will be eligible for a waiver of VCU's general education requirements.
SDV 100 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
ENG 112 College Composition II UNIV 200 3 General education
MTH 154 Quantitative Reasoning MATH 131 3 General education
Language Select one: ASL 101, FRE 101, or SPA 101 VCU equivalent 4 Major (Ancillary)
Language Select one: ASL 102, FRE 102, or SPA 102 VCU equivalent 4 Major (Ancillary)
BIO 101 General Biology I BIOL/Z 151 4 Major (Ancillary)
BIO 102 General Biology II BIOL/Z 152 4 Major (Ancillary)
History History elective (select 1): HIS 101, 102, 111, 112, 121, 122 HIST 3 Major (Ancillary)
PHI 220 Ethics PHIL 201 3 Major (Ancillary)
PSY 200 Principles of Psychology PSYC 101 3 Major (Ancillary)
PSY 230 Developmental Psychology PSYC 304 3 Major (Ancillary)
SOC 200 Principles of Sociology SOCY 101 3 Major (Ancillary)
SOC 211 Cultural Anthropology ANTH 103 3 Major (Ancillary)
ENG 210 Advanced Composition ENGL 304 3 Elective
HMS 100 Introduction to Human Services (students must complete a social work-designated section with a minimum grade of “B” to receive credits for the VCU equivalent) SLWK 201 3 Major
HMS 121 Basic Counseling Skills I (students must complete a social work-designated section with a minimum grade of “B” to receive credit for the VCU equivalent) SLWK 230 3 Major
Complete requirements for associate degree VCU equivalents 7 Elective
Reynolds credits transferred to VCU 60
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
Your GPA Doesn't Transfer With You Although you worked hard to earn your grades at your current institution, they will only be considered by VCU for an admission decision. Once you enroll at VCU, your GPA will reset to 0.0, and your new GPA will be determined by your level of success in your classes at VCU.
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 1 Major
PSYC 407 Psychology of the Abnormal 3 Major (Ancillary)
Open electives 17 Elective
REAL The REAL requirement may be satisfied by successfully completing a 300-level (or higher) course that has received a REAL attribute of Level 2, 3 or 4 or through an approved “REAL” co-curricular experience that has received a REAL attribute of Level 3 or 4. See VCU advisor for options. 0 Major
Credits completed at VCU 58
Bachelor's degree total 120