Name: ______________________________________________ Banner ID: ________________________________________ Date: ______________________________________________ UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA WILMINGTON SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK Application for Admission to the Bachelor of Social Work Program Revised 3/27/14 1 APPLICATION INFORMATION The School of Social Work offers the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and Masters of Social Work (MSW) degrees. The BSW degree prepares beginning generalist social work professionals for social work practice within a liberal arts education. Graduates of the undergraduate social work program receive a BSW degree from the University of North Carolina Wilmington, which is fully accredited by the North Carolina Association of Colleges and Universities, the Commission of Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and the Council on Social Work Education. The School of Social Work reflects the commitment of the social work profession to encourage diversity both in our society and in the profession. This commitment thus seeks the development of a community of students and faculty that reflects the diversity of our regional community. Students must submit an application by the deadlines as posted on the SSW website and be admitted to the program in order to be designated as a Social Work major and eligible to register for the next sequence of social work courses. Admission Requirements Admission to the BSW degree program requires: 1. Completion of the 45 university basic studies or university studies credit hours 2. Completion of 13 hours of the following collateral courses with a “C” grade or better. Required for admission to SWK 320: o BIO 105 or BIO 160 (4) o SOC 105 (3) o PSY 105 (3) Required for admission to SWK 335 o PLS 101 (3) 3. Students must enroll in the fall semester of the foundation year in the following courses: o o o o SWK 240 (Basic Working Relationship Skills), SWKL 240 (Working Relationship Lab), SWK 355 (Issues in Diversity for Generalist Practice), and SWK 320 (Human Behavior and the Social Environment I, including 25 hours of service-learning). We would also prefer that a student has taken or is enrolled in SWK 235: Introduction to Social Work and the Social Welfare System at the time of the social work application. 4. An overall UNCW GPA of at least a 2.50. If a transfer student, the cumulative transfer GPA will be considered. All students must meet University and School of Social Work admission requirements to continue in the program. Students must read the BSW Student Handbook, which can be found on the School of Social Work website, for a more detailed discussion concerning the BSW program and the application process. 2 Denial of Admission/Conditional Admission Denial of admittance is based the student’s qualifications, both academic and professional, as communicated in his or her application. If a student’s essay reveals a poor fit with the major, or if the student’s GPA is below the standards required for admittance or retention (using criteria set forth in the University Undergraduate Catalog), that student may not be admitted. If a student is denied admission, the applicant will be formally notified in writing by the BSW Coordinator regarding the reason for denial. Students denied admission into the BSW program have a right to appeal the decision. Students appealing a denial decision must inform the BSW Program Coordinator, in writing, within a week of receipt of the decision. The letter of appeal should provide a rationale for the appeal, including evidence or documentation that the student is capable of completing the rigorous requirements of the undergraduate social work program. Upon receiving the appeal letter, the BSW Program Coordinator will review all relevant materials supplied by the student. If a student’s appeal is deemed suitable for admission into the BSW program, the Program Coordinator will meet with the student to discuss the terms for a “conditional” acceptance. Students denied admission into the program may reapply at a later date once they meet all the requirements for admissions into the BSW Program. Conditional acceptance may be granted when a student's grade point average is below the required 2.50 if the BSW Coordinator or BSW Assistant Coordinator feels that the student has good career potential and the ability to meet the academic requirements within the following semester. Conditions may include requiring students to complete specific coursework prior to beginning the practice or field internship sequence. Students who are admitted with a conditional status are informed that they must comply with the stipulations contained in their conditional agreement. This agreement contains a contract between the student and the BSW Program Coordinator or Assistant Coordinator listing the efforts to be made and the grade requirements for the following semester. Such a plan might include utilization of services provided by the University Learning Center and other mentoring programs on campus. Both the student and the faculty advisor continually monitor the student’s progress to ensure compliance and to determine if successful progress is being made. The student’s academic progress will be reviewed by the BSW Program Coordinator or Assistant Coordinator after each of the following semesters to determine his/her continuation in the program. If the student is showing progress and the ability to successfully complete the BSW degree and still does not have a 2.50 GPA, then a continuance of the “conditional agreement” may be granted by the BSW Program Coordinator. Admission and continuance decisions for BSW students remain within control of the program faculty, subject to general university regulations and the appeals process described in the BSW Student Handbook. If a student is uncertain about their fit with the major and a social work career, they can meet with a social work advisor or the BSW Coordinator or Assistant BSW Coordinator to discuss their plans. Retention in the BSW Program To be retained as a BSW major, students must make no less than a "C" in all social work (SWK) courses and must have a 2.50 overall UNCW grade point average to be admitted into the BSW Program and the Field Internship, which is required for completion of the requirements for the BSW degree. Students must also meet the university requirements for completion of any degree awarded by the university. Students should carefully read the section on Retention and Reinstatement in the UNCW Undergraduate Catalog (available on-line on the UNCW website.) for information regarding requirements for retention at the University. Students should pay careful attention to the GPA retention chart in the Catalog. 3 Students with Special Needs The School of Social Work supports the profession’s commitment to recognize and serve populations with special needs; and in accordance with State and Federal law, the School does not discriminate or deny admission on the basis of disability to any person who is otherwise qualified. In order to give students with visual, learning, motor, or other conditions or learning disabilities the assistance they require, the program must be aware of these needs. Although students are not required to reveal disabilities during the application process, such information will be maintained in confidence and will help the faculty and staff in planning and advising around special needs. If a student desires special assistance, it is suggested that s/he advise the BSW Program Coordinator, the Assistant BSW Coordinator, and/or the Field Education Coordinator. 4 APPLICATION FORM Please complete this Form by deadlines from the SSW website (Feb., May, Aug.) and attach all materials requested. Return packet to School of Social Work Administrative Assistant. Name: _______________________________________________________________________ (Last) (First) (Middle) Permanent Address: ____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ Local Address _________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Home Phone Number: ________________Work/Cell Phone Number: _____________________ UNCW Email Address (required of all students): _____________________________________ Students are encouraged to have completed the following courses or should make every effort to complete the following courses prior to applying to the BSW program. A grade of “C” or better in each course is required for graduation. Please check which of the following Collateral/Intro courses you have completed or in which you are currently enrolled: Taken or Enrolled? Course Semester/Year Course Grade SOC 105 PSY 105 PLS 101 BIO 105 or BIO 160 SWK 235 Please check the following social work courses in which you are currently enrolled: Enrolled? Course SWK 240 SWKL 240 SWK 320 SWK 355 Present overall UNCW GPA _________ Present overall Social Work GPA _____________ If you are transferring to UNCW this semester, what is your transfer GPA? _________________ 5 Please indicate any Basic Studies* or University Studies courses you have not yet completed: Requirements ENG 100 or 101 (Or ENG 103 covers both 100 & 200) ENG 200 or 201 (Or ENG 103 covers both 100 & 200) PED 101 (Lifetime Wellness) Math/Stats Foreign Lang. course 1 (or proficiency at 201 level) Foreign Lang. course 2 (or proficiency at 201 level) Aesthetic, Interp. & Lit. course 1 (Literature for BS) Aesthetic, Interp. & Lit. course 2 (Fine Arts for BS) Historical Approaches Philosophical Approaches Scientific Approaches (in addition to BIO) Diverse Nation Global Society UNI 101 (Incoming Freshmen must take in 1st semester) Basic Studies * * * * * Not completed * * * * * The following questions address potential criminal convictions. We request this information solely to determine implications for field placement and career issues. Admissions decisions are not based on whether a student has any criminal violations. Your responses will be viewed only by School of Social Work faculty and the Office of the Dean of Students. Have you ever been found guilty of a felony? Yes: ____ No: _____ Have you ever been found guilty of a misdemeanor? Yes ____ No _____ If you answer yes to either of the questions above, please explain in your written statement (requested below). WRITTEN MATERIALS Written statement: Please submit (below) a statement that answers the following questions. This should be one full page. 1. What life circumstances or other events and concepts led to your decision to pursue a Bachelor of Social Work degree? 2. What strengths do you have that will be an asset to the BSW program and to the profession of social work? 3. What goals do you have for yourself following the completion of your BSW? 4. If you answered “yes” to having been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor, please explain the circumstances and the outcome of the conviction. Note: The material in your personal statement will be held in confidence and retained in your folder in the School of Social Work files. It will be used to help you begin to focus on your commitments to working with others, to help the faculty better understand the needs and plans of our students, and to help faculty better advise you. 6 7 Social Service Resume: Please list all service-learning, volunteer, and work experience you have had in working with people or social concerns (i.e., summer camps for special children, crisis lines, homeless shelters, scouting leadership or other youth programs, mission trips, political or community activities, etc.). Please give approximate dates. Even if you described your service history in your statement, please include the material on your service resume. Jobs not in a social service (i.e., restaurant jobs, sales positions, etc.) should not be included in this service resume. Please feel free to include any additional information you think would be important for your faculty to know with your application. We want to give your application the best consideration. Note: Completion of this application to the BSW Program does not guarantee admittance into the program. Admission to the BSW program is on a selective basis, determined by the academic preparation and personal qualifications of the applicants. Students deemed as intellectually and emotionally capable of completing the rigorous BSW curriculum will be admitted. 8