Undergraduate Programs
The Department of Social Work is proud to offer students the opportunity to pursue a first or second bachelor of science degree in Social Work or to earn an interdisciplinary minor in Gerontology or Chemical Dependency with an option to seek licensure through the Addiction Counselor Training Program.
Bachelor of Science in Social Work
The Bachelor of Science in Social Work (B.S.S.W.) program has a history dating back to 1905 when social work courses were first offered at UND and the B.S.W. degree formally being offered beginning in 1939. The program has been accredited by the Council on Social Work Education since 1974, when undergraduate accreditation first began.
Social work stands apart from other social science degrees in that North Dakota licenses social workers at the bachelor's level, and only those who hold social work degrees can call themselves social workers. Social workers practice on the micro, mezzo, and macro planes to understand and intervene in individual-level and societal-level problems. Social work job opportunities are available at both the bachelor's and master's levels.
The B.S.S.W. Program provides students with knowledge, values, and skills for generalist social work, with an emphasis on culturally responsive practice in rural communities.
Program Goals
- Build upon students' liberal arts foundation to provide the knowledge, values and skills necessary for competent social work generalist practice.
- Prepare students for culturally responsive practice in rural communities.
- Prepare students for service and leadership within the community and the social work profession.
- Prepare students for continued professional development opportunities.
On Campus or Online - First or Second Degree
Students interested in pursuing a social work education have options! Freshman or transfer students can pursue a traditional 4 year degree on campus or online. Students with a bachelor's degree in a related field can purse a B.S.S.W. in as little as one year on campus or online.
The application process is competitive. All factors including grade point average, strength of written materials, and volunteer experience will be given consideration in decision surrounding admission.
Requirements and Application Details
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS & UND APPLICATION INFORMATION
Application Deadlines
- Fall Admission: Apply by June 15
- Spring Admission: Apply by October 15
- Summer Admission: Apply by March 15
B.S.S.W. Program Admission Criteria
- Completion of SWK 255 Introduction to Social Work and SWK 257 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I with a grade of C or higher
- Overall GPA of at least 2.75 (includes all transfer work)
- Willingness to adhere to the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics and the UND Code of Student Life
- Completion of 45 semester hours of coursework at the end of the term in which the application is submitted
How to Apply to the B.S.S.W. Program
Complete the Program Application
The application will ask you to respond to several essay questions. Please respond using one to two paragraphs per essay question (listed below). We recommend that you type up your essay responses ahead of time so that you can copy and paste them in to the application.
- Describe the professional and personal experiences which influenced your decision to enter the profession of social work
- Discuss the importance of diversity to the practice of social work
- Explain how your own values and beliefs correspond with social work ethics
- What are your professional goals?
- What challenges or obstacles do you expect in completing the B.S.S.W. Program?
- What supports do you have in place to assist you with these expected challenges?
You will also need to upload a resume. Things you should include in your resume are:
- Educational background
- Work experience (include approximate time frames and brief description of duties)
- Volunteer work (include approximate time frames and brief description of duties)
- Clubs or service organizations you belong to
- References are NOT required
Record and submit an interview video (3-5 minutes) of yourself answering the following questions:
- Describe the strengths you possess which you believe would contribute to your success as a social worker.
- Explain in detail a situation in the workplace (or school) where there has been conflict with another employee/person. What would that person say about how you dealt with the conflict?
- Discuss a current social justice issue that you feel passionately about and explain why.
- OPTIONAL: Is there any additional information you want us to know about you?
You can submit your video to the B.S.S.W. Academic Advisor, Lani Moen as an attachment in an email, a link to a OneDrive file, or a YouTube video link. A live interview may be requested if the Admissions Committee has any further questions.
Sample Curriculum Plans
Classes will typically be offered weeknights from 6:00-8:30pm CST
Fall Admission Course Schedule
First Fall
- SWK 255 Intro to Social Work (4 credits)
- SWK 257 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I (3 credits)
First Spring (**Pending Admission**)
- SWK 317 Social Work Research Methods (3 credits)
- SWK 357 Human Behavior and the Social Environment II (3 credits)
First Summer
- SWK 424 Generalist Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families (3 credits)
- SWK 434 Generalist Social Work Practice with Task and Treatment Groups (3 credits)
- NOTE: 4-day campus visit required during the summer; room and board not included in tuition.
Second Fall
- SWK 442 Social Policy (3 credits)
- SWK 454 Generalist Social Work Practice with Communities and Organizations (3 credits)
- Social Work Elective (2 credits)—will require some Wednesday evenings
Second Spring
- SWK 481 Field Instruction I (5 credits), SWK 482 Field Instruction Seminar I (1 credit)
- SWK 483 Field Instruction II (5 credits), SWK 484 Field Instruction Seminar II (1 credit)
- Note: this is a 40-hour a week field placement. It can be taken part time over two semesters.
Classes will typically be offered weeknights from 6:00-8:30pm CST
Spring Admission Course Schedule
First Spring
- SWK 255 Intro to Social Work (4 credits)
- SWK 257 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I (3 credits)
First Summer (**Pending Admission**)
- SWK 424 Generalist Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families (3 credits)
- SWK 434 Generalist Social Work Practice with Task and Treatment Groups (3 credits)
- Note: 4-day campus visit required during the summer; room and board not included in tuition.
First Fall
- SWK 317 Social Work Research Methods (3 credits)
- SWK 357 Human Behavior and the Social Environment II (3 credits)
Second Spring
- SWK 442 Social Policy (3 credits)
- SWK 454 Generalist Social Work Practice with Communities and Organizations (3 credits)
- Social Work Elective (2 credits)—will require some Wednesday evenings
Second Summer
- SWK 481 Field Instruction I (5 credits), SWK 482 Field Instruction Seminar I (1 credit)
- SWK 483 Field Instruction II (5 credits), SWK 484 Field Instruction Seminar II (1 credit)
- Note: this is a 40-hour a week field placement. It can be taken part time over two semesters.
Classes will typically be offered weeknights from 6:00-8:30pm CST
Summer Admission Course Schedule
First Summer
- SWK 255 Intro to Social Work (4 credits)
- SWK 257 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I (3 credits)
First Fall (**Pending Admission)
- SWK 317 Social Work Research Methods (3 credits)
- SWK 357 Human Behavior and the Social Environment II (3 credits)
First Spring
- SWK 442 Social Policy (3 credits)
- SWK 454 Generalist Social Work Practice with Communities and Organizations (3 credits)
- Social Work Elective (2 credits)
Second Summer
- SWK 424 Generalist Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families (3 credits)
- SWK 434 Generalist Social Work Practice with Task and Treatment Groups (3 credits)
- Note: 4-day campus visit required during the summer; room and board not included in tuition
Second Fall
- SWK 481 Field Instruction I (5 credits), SWK 482 Field Instruction Seminar I (1 credit)
- SWK 483 Field Instruction II (5 credits), SWK 484 Field Instruction Seminar II (1 credit)
- Note: this is a 40-hour a week field placement. It can be taken part time over two semesters.
Sample of a Full-Time Second Degree Schedule for B.S.S.W. (39 hours) - Campus Option Only*
Fall
- SWK 255 Introduction to Social Work (4 credits)
- SWK 257 HBSE I (3 credits)
- SWK 317 Social Work Research (3 credits)
- SWK 424 Generalist SWK Individuals and Families (3 credits)
- SWK Elective (2 credits)
- Total: 15 credit hours
Spring
- SWK 357 HBSE II (3 credits)
- SWK 434 Generalist SWK Task and Treatment Groups (3 credits)
- SWK 442 Social Policy (3 credits)
- SWK 454 Generalist SWK Communities and Organizations (3 credits)
- Total: 12 credit hours
Summer
- SWK 481 Field Instruction I (5 credits)
- SWK 482 Field Instruction Seminar I (1 credit)
- SWK 483 Field Instruction II (5 credits)
- SWK 484 Field Instruction Seminar II (1 credit)
- Total: 12 credit hours
*Students needing to fulfill the University of North Dakota's Essential Studies requirements may require a longer period to complete the Second Degree Program.
*Students may also enroll in the Second Degree Program on a part-time basis.