INSTRUCTIONS FOR
APPLICATION TO THE BSSW PROGRAM
Please read the instructions to the BSSW Program Application to the major overview and instruction packet
carefully before you begin to complete the application. It contains detailed information about all parts of the
application with tips and instructions. Failure to complete the application in professional and timely manner
can result in a delay or denial of consideration of your application for admission to the BSSW Program.
Dear Applicant:
Applying to the BSSW major is a serious professional decision. Acceptance to the social work program
represents a major step in your life. It is also a statement of the faculty’s belief in your academic readiness
for the advanced curriculum as well as our trust that you are ready to commit to the highest level of
professional and ethical practice standards as a student and as a graduate of the BSSW Program.
The application to the major is very detailed. It is designed to assist you to demonstrate to the social work
faculty that you have met a set of rigorous expectations and that you are well-prepared to continue your
development as a generalist social work practitioner. It is in your best interest to begin the process well in
advance of the application deadline.
Successful applicants to the social work program have demonstrated through their academic and preprofessional accomplishments their commitment to the profession of social work. Graduates of Minnesota
State University, Mankato’s Department of Social Work make significant and lasting contributions to the
quality of life for the citizens and communities they serve. We look forward to your future as a generalist
social work practitioner.
Sincerely,
Department of Social Work Faculty
Minnesota State University Mankato is committed to providing equal education and employment
opportunities to all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, veteran’s
status, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, physical and mental disability, creed,
status due to receipt of public assistance, or any other group against which discrimination is prohibited
by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Minnesota
Statute Chapter 363, and other applicable state or federal laws, or State University System policy.
BSSW Application to Major, 2015-16. V2. _ Page 1
ADMISSION CRITERIA
The Department of Social Work’s BSSW Program admits 34 students per semester. The BSSW faculty reserves
the right to limit class size and cap admissions as needed.

Students who meet the following criteria by the end of the semester in which they are applying are given
priority in the BSSW Program’s admission decision-making process.

Students who apply to the BSSW Program in the spring semester can complete these requirements by
the end of the summer session that follows the spring semester in which they apply for admission into
the BSSW Program.
ACADEMIC PREPARATION
1. Grades
 Applicant submits evidence of grade point average (GPA) of 2.8 or better for both cumulative
coursework and all courses required for the BSSW degree.

Applicant has earned a grade of C-* or better in all required general education courses*, all
required social work courses, and a grade of ‘P’ in SOWK 315 (or equivalent SOWK 312).
*NOTE: Math/Stats courses used to meet General
Education category #4, Math, must have earned grade
of ‘C’ or better.
*Statistics course, if not used to meet General Education
category #4, does not need to be completed prior to first
semester accepted into the BSSW Program.
2. General Education Goal Categories: Applicant has completed ALL General Education and Graduation
Requirement categories or will have them completed by the end of the semester in which they are applying
to the BSSW Program.
3. Required Social Work General Education Courses


If using catalog/bulletin from 2012-2013 to present, applicant has completed or is in the process
of completing all required Social Work General Education Goal Area Courses and Graduation
Requirements which include the following categories: Human Development; Values, Ethics &
Critical Thinking; Biology; Human Diversity A and B; Social, Economic & Political Perspectives;
and Statistical Methods
If using catalog/bulletin from 2011-2012 or previous years, applicant has completed or in the
process of completing all required Social Work General Education Courses, which include the
following courses BIOL100, ECON 100, ETHN100, KSP 235, POL 111, SOC 101, and an
approved statistics course.
4. Introductory Social Work Courses
Applicant has completed or is in process of completing
 SOWK 180W (or SOWK 190W), SOWK 212 (OR SOWK 210), and SOWK 214 (waived if not
completed prior to Fall 2014).
 SOWK 310 (or SOWK 305) and SOWK 315 (or SOWK 312)
BSSW Application Instructions. Revised Jan. 2016
2
5. Graduation Credits and Course Workload


Applicant has completed or in the process of completing 75 or more credits by the end of the semester
in which they are applying, such that the student can complete the program in three regular semesters.
Applicant submits a Course Plan (See BSSW Application Form) that:
o Meets or exceeds the 120 credits (or 128 if using catalog/bulletins before 2010-2011) required for
graduation.
o Demonstrates the appropriate sequencing of remaining upper-division Social Work courses.
o Presents a carefully considered and realistic course workload that reflects applicant’s academic
strengths/limitations, work, family, and other responsibilities and for completing courses for a
minor or second major (if applicable).
PROFESSIONAL SKILLS, BEHAVIORS AND ATTITUDES
1. Oral and Written Communication Skills
 Applicant can write well, think critically, and engage in verbal communication skills to apply the
knowledge, values, and skills of the profession at a level required for successful completion of the
advanced BSSW curriculum and for beginning generalist social work practitioner as demonstrated
through three required essays (See Essay Instructions).
2. Pre-Professional Development Activities
 Applicant demonstrates preparation for generalist social work practice through participation in paid
or unpaid work or service in social service programs, service organizations, or other types of
volunteer activities that provide applicant with the opportunity to develop knowledge and skills
applicable to becoming a successful generalist social work practitioner.
 Applicant has demonstrated positive academic, personal, and pre-professional behaviors and attitudes
in multiple environments (including but not limited to classes, BSSW and Institutional program
activities, field practice, and social media) that are indicative of ethical and successful social work
education and practice.
3. Commitment to Diversity, Advocacy, and Social Justice
 Applicant demonstrates, through resume of employment history, volunteer experiences, and/or
organizational involvement and three essays, an understanding of the importance of, preparation for,
and a commitment to practice in diverse communities, and to advocating social and economic justice,
in rural and/or global contexts.
4. University, Department, Program, and Professional Policies
 Applicant commits to conduct himself/herself professionally and ethically, and commits to following
policies in MSU, Mankato’s Student Handbook (esp. Statement of Student Responsibilities), BSSW
Student Handbook, NASW Code of Ethics, International Social Work Code of Ethics, and Minnesota
State Statue 148E. Failure to meet or violating any of these standards and policies may result in
disciplinary actions up to and including dismissal from the BSSW Program.
BSSW Application Instructions. Revised Jan. 2016
3
PREPARING TO APPLY TO THE SOCIAL WORK MAJOR
The BSSW Faculty recommends that you follow the steps below to ensure a successful application process.
1. Make sure you have been ASSIGNED and MET with a BSSW Program Advisor before completing the
application. Contact Department Secretary if you do not know who you advisor is or need one assigned.
2. Review the application and requirements carefully, make note of any questions, and make an appointment
to meet with your BSSW Program advisor as soon as possible to get clarification. DO NOT wait until the
week that the BSSW Program application is due.
3. Read/Review the following documents:
•
Minnesota State University, Mankato Department of Social Work Undergraduate Social Work
Handbook, in particular the information about BSSW Program requirements.
•
MSU, M Student Handbook, paying particular attention to policies such as the Statement of
Student Responsibilities.
•
Minnesota Board of Social Work Statutes and Practice Act (Minnesota Statute 148E)
•
National Association of Social Workers (NASW) NASW Code of Ethics and the International
Social Work Association’s Code of Ethics. (See BSSW Academic and Professional
Responsibilities Contract in application for more information).
4. Sign up for the Social Work Program’s Listserv to ensure that you do not miss communication about the
program’s policies, procedures and related activities between the BSSW Program and students at
http://sbs.mnsu.edu/socialwork/undergraduate/listserve.html
5. Complete the application and gather ALL supporting documents.
6. Meet with your advisor again for signature. Your advisor’s signature is required on the completed
application. Waiting to meet with advisor until the week the application is due may result in a your being
unable to submit an application on time, as the advisor(s) may not be available to meet or may choose to not
sign your application. The BSSW Program does not accept applications that are not signed by a BSSW
Program Faculty Advisor.
7. Make and keep a copy of all application materials. Submit the completed application in a file folder to the
Department of Social Work’s Secretary in the main office (TN 358) by the posted deadline.
If parts of the application including signatures are not submitted, the BSSW Program
may not review your application.
BSSW Application Instructions. Revised Jan. 2016
4
When you are ready to submit your application, place your documents in the following order, in a file
folder and give to the Department Secretary.
Complete application packet contains:





Student Applicant Information (page 1), SIGNED by you and your Social Work Advisor.
Signed Request for Exception(s) (page 2) and Supporting Letter/Documents (if needed)
Professional Resume (See Career Development Center for assistance)
Academic/Curriculum information including Course Plan.
DARS run as a Social Work major with cover sheet SIGNED by CSBS Advising U and
supplemental transcripts and Course Substitution/Waiver forms, if needed.
 Signature page of Academic & Professional Responsibilities Contract
 Essays -- stapled with cover page and separate from the application documents above.
 Other documents, if needed.
BSSW PROGRAM APPLICATION REVIEW PROCEDURES
After you have submitted all required materials to the Department, your application is reviewed by the BSSW
Program Director and BSSW Graduate Assistant to ensure that it is complete.



Applications missing multiple parts or that are very disorganized will not be sent forward to faculty for
final review.
Applications that are missing minor documents/content may be not be reviewed until after the review of
complete applications.
Applicants who do not meet one or more significant components of the requirements (i.e. 54 credits
instead of 75; SOWK 315 cannot be completed in same semester or after SOWK 441) are informed that
they are applying too soon and will be invited to resubmit their application in a semester that better fits their
academic status.
The BSSW Faculty members review your application and make a recommendation
regarding your readiness for admission to the BSSW Program. Students will receive
notification of one of the decisions in the list to the right.
Applicants who were “Admitted with Standard Conditions” will receive an informal
email notifying the student of their acceptance with information about the required
Welcome to Major Meeting. All applicants will receive a formal letter with the
admission decision and information about the next steps.
BSSW Application Instructions. Revised Jan. 2016
Admission Decisions:
(A) Admit - standard
conditions;
(B) Admit - delay 1
semester;
(C) Deny - Reapply;
(D) Deny - See
Advisor.
5
STEP-BY-STEP APPLICATION INFORMATION
Contact Information: Self Explanatory. Let us know which address you want your acceptance letter mailed to.
Make sure we have your correct Mavmail email address. This is most important if your name/email address are
similar to others on campus and your email address has a number in it.
Application Status: Read, complete, and check the boxes that are specific to you.
Request for Exceptions, Notice of Exceptions, Academic or Professional Concerns and Supporting Letter:
 If you have no exceptions to the admission criteria or do not have areas of concern, please check the
appropriate box on the first page of the application packet.
 If you have one or more exceptions or are aware of other concerns that may impact your status in the
BSSW program, attach a signed letter addressed to the BSSW Program that addresses each exception
and/or area of concern.
Student and BSSW Program Advisor Signature: The most important content on this page is the signature box
where you sign to indicate you believe you are ready to apply to the BSSW Program and that you have a complete
application. Please do not wait until the week that applications are due to request a meeting with your advisor.
The advisor’s signature indicates the application is complete and accurate to their knowledge. Their signature is
not a statement that you meet all conditions, nor is it a guarantee that you will be accepted to the BSSW Program.
RESUME
Please include a professional resume that indicates prior evidence of work and/or volunteer experiences as well
as involvement in your educational and/or community environments. The BSSW Program is particularly
interested in work experiences and opportunities that demonstrate interaction with diverse communities of people,
leadership, service, or advocated for social justice or economic justice issues. We welcome any work experience
that will help us to determine better your readiness to meet the professional demands of a social work career.
To complete this section, submit a resume of not more than 2 pages.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TO WRITE A RESUME (SEE PAGE 7):
HTTP://WWW.MNSU.EDU/CDC/RESUMES/
FOR SAMPLES AND TEMPLATES (SEE PAGE 18-19):
HTTP://WWW.MNSU.EDU/CDC/DOCUMENTS/JOBSEARCHHANDBOOK.PDF#PAGE=4
ACADEMIC AND CURRICULUM READINESS
Applicants to the MSU, Mankato BSSW Program are required to demonstrate that they have met a rigorous set
of academic and curriculum requirements. This section allows students to document their academic readiness for
formal admission to the social work major. Information related to student’s completion of General Education
categories and graduation requirements, GPAs, and Social Work courses (past, current and future) is reported.
General Education and Graduation Requirements. Students must work to meet the University General
Education and Graduation Requirements while completing the required social work curriculum. We require that
students submit a DARS run as a social work major which helps us determine if you have met our admission
requirements and if you are on track to graduate in a timely manner.
BSSW Application Instructions. Revised Jan. 2016
6
Degree Audit Reporting System (DARS). To document that you have
met or are in process of meeting academic requirements by the end of the
semester in which you are applying to the BSSW Program (Fall semesters
for Spring semesters or Spring/Summer semesters for Fall semesters) you
must submit a Degree Audit Reporting System, referred to as ‘DARS’.
It must be run as a Social Work major. You can get this run at the HUB
in CSU or from Advising U (Armstrong Hall 114), but must be signed by
the Advising U is located in Armstrong Hall 114 and is a ‘walk-in, no
appointment needed (usually)..
If the Advising U staff signed
cover sheet is not attached to
your DARS, the BSSW
Program faculty will not
consider your application.
The DARS may not be accurate for transfer students. These applicants should submit a current copy of their
MSU, Mankato transcript as well copies of any transcripts from previous academic institutions attended that
will help the BSSW faculty reviewers make informed decisions. If you are not sure whether you should submit
prior transcripts, please meet with either your BSSW faculty advisor or with the BSSW Program Director for
more clarification
Additional Academic Information. If your DARS does not accurately reflect all required social work courses
or substitution/waived, or appealed courses that you are indicating that you have completed in this application,
you must submit supporting documents including substitution/waiver forms completed by BSSW Program
Faculty Advisors or appeal letters/forms, that you have completed for the registrar’s office.
SOWK 315 (or SOWK 312 or equivalent course): Junior Field Experience. This is a critical component of
the BSSW Program. Successful completion allows faculty and student to assess the student’s readiness to work
in social services and social work. It is also an opportunity for faculty to observe and assess students’ ability to
demonstrate professional practice behaviors and engage in ethical practice activities. Applicants usually
complete the SOWK 315 course (formerly SOWK 312 or equivalent course) Junior Field Experience, in the
semester prior to the fall, spring or summer semester they formally enter the Social Work program (i.e. begin
SOWK 441). Some students may have completed this course at another academic institution. If so, that student
will need to have a substitution form completed with BSSW Program Faculty Advisor. Please indicate where
you completed your internship on the BSSW Program Application. Select the appropriate responses that best
describe your status as a student in SOWK 315 (formerly SOWK 312 or equivalent course).
General Information: Let us know if you are pursuing a second major, a minor, etc. This helps us to understand
the workload schedule you present for yourself.
Grade Point Average (GPA): Students who apply to BSSW Program must have 2.8 total cumulative or overall
(Mankato + transfer) GPA and 2.8 GPA for all required general education and social work foundation
courses completed to date including Social Work Foundation, Introductory, Integrative, and Advanced
Curriculum Courses.
Cumulative GPAs can be found on your DARS run as a SOCIAL WORK MAJOR. Typically DARS
when run as SOWK major from the HUB will have MSU Cumulative, Transfer Cumulative, and Total
Cumulative GPAs reported. DARS run from your e-service account will present with different formats
and finding your GPAs is not as simple.
Social Work GPAs are found on DARS run as a Social Work major in the section after all General
Education requirements have been presented and below the header that indicates you are viewing social
work courses. If all your course work is clearly showing on the DARS, the SOWK GPA is accurate and
reflects all courses from Foundation through Advanced. However, it is wise to ‘eyeball’ to see if your
BSSW Application Instructions. Revised Jan. 2016
7
GPA appears to be accurate. Sometimes, you may have courses that are not yet on the DARS that are
not counted in your GPA.
All grades earned in courses that are required by the BSSW Program must be included, such as D’s
and F’s in the Social Work required Foundation, Integrative, and Advanced courses that you have taken.
If you have retaken a required course, record and compute the highest of your recorded grades for that
course for your Social Work GPA.
How to Calculate your Social Work Grade Worksheet. If it appears that your DARS run as a Social
Work major is not reflecting all courses (unfortunately, this is too often true for TRANSFER students) or
if in doubt, please see ‘How to Calculate your Social Work GPA’ worksheets which can be found on the
BSSW Program webpage with the BSSW application information and forms.
If your SOWK GPA does not appear accurate on your DARS run as a Social Work Major, include the
“How to Calculate your Social Work GPA” form with your application. Occasionally, the BSSW faculty
who review your application will be able to tell that your SOWK GPA is not correctly reported and will
request that you complete the correct ‘How to Calculate your Social Work GPA’, in order to move your
application forward for consideration.
Catalog/Bulletin Years: This refers to the year that you began attending Minnesota State Mankato. Your
catalog/bulletin year is in the upper right hand corner of the first page of your DARS. Students can formally
switch catalog/bulletin years as General Education requirements and the BSSW Program curriculum requirements
sometimes change from year to year. Consult with your BSSW Program Faculty Advisor and Advising U staff as
to best catalog/bulletin year for you.
Catalog/Bulletin 2012-2013 to Present Worksheet. Check the box that is the catalog year you are using.
This refers to the year or one of the years in which you began your study at MSU Mankato in Fall 2012
or later and are using catalog/bulletins from 2012-2013, 2013-2014; 2014-2015.
Catalog/Bulletin 2011-2012 and Prior Worksheet. For students who must complete this page if you
began your study at MSU, Mankato before Fall 2012 and are using catalog/bulletin 2011-2012 or earlier,
this form is at the end of the application and can be copied/pasted into this section. It may be to your
advantage to change to a newer bulletin. Consult with Advising U staff or BSSW Program Faculty Advisor
about this.
COURSE PLAN – CURRENT AND FUTURE ADVANCED CURRICULUM
As you prepare to complete the Advanced Curriculum Course Plan, consult with your BSSW Program Advisor
to ensure that your COURSE PLAN fulfills ALL Social Work degree requirements. If you need another course plan
page, please insert a copy of this page.
Course Plan: This plan ensures that the applicant has developed a course plan to complete the BSSW Program
courses in a timely and appropriately sequenced order. Applicants, working with their advisor, develop a plan for
the final 1.5 to 2 years (approximately 45 credits). Most applicants apply in their first semester of their junior
year. Most are able to complete the upper-division, advanced portion of the BSSW curriculum in 3 semesters
after being accepted into the program, unless they are pursuing a second major or a minor degree, have decided
to complete the degree on a part time status, or plan to study abroad.
Faculty use this form to evaluate a student’s credit workload plan is in light of their previous academic history.
We are particularly interested in making sure students understand the program’s expectations related to the
BSSW Application Instructions. Revised Jan. 2016
8
required sequencing of the advanced curriculum. We also pay attention to the student’s presentation of their
course workload while considering their academic skills, grades, course workload, etc.
Place information about the courses you plan to take in one semester in one box. Next semester in the next
box. And so on. Do not forget to include summer sessions if you plan to take courses.
General Education classes: If you have General Education requirements yet to complete, list the course(s) in
the semester you plan to take it (them) and indicate the General Education Goal Area ## it is fulfilling in the
“course name” column.
Social Work courses: If you have not completed or must retake one or more of the required foundation or social
work courses you must include these courses on the COURSE PLAN.
Advanced Social Work courses: Your Course Plan must show the three practice courses in appropriate
sequence/semesters. The advanced curriculum is completed in the following order:
1) Semester 1 (Semester after application): SOWK 412, SOWK 441, SOWK 4XX Elective(s)
2) Semester 2: SOWK 435, SOWK 443, SOWK 446, Elective(s)
3) Semester 3: SOWK 450, SOWK 455
Minor/Major. If you are completing a minor or another major, indicate the major/minor area by the course name
in the “course name” column.
Credit hours for graduation. Students MUST have at least 120 credit hours to graduate if they began study at
Minnesota State Mankato in Fall 2011 to present or 128 credits if you began MSU, M before Fall 2011.
EXAMPLE COURSE PLAN
Credit Hours EARNED PRIOR to current semester:
____60_____
CURRENT SEMESTER/YEAR: SPRING/15
Course #
SOWK 310
SOWK 315
SOC 202
CORR 215
Course Name
HBSE
Junior Field
Stats --GenEd #4
Corrections --for Minor
# Credits Current Semester //Total # Cumulative Credits
#Credit Hours
4
4
3
3
+ 14 =
74 (60+14)
SEMESTER/YEAR: FALL/15
Course #
Course Name
#Credit Hours
SOWK 441
Practice I – Generalist Social Work Practice
4
SOWK 410
Social Welfare Issues Policy
4
SOWK 415
Child and Family Welfare
3
GEOG 101
Introduction to Physical Geography – GenEd #3
3
CORR 452
Victimology Minor
3
# Credits Current Semester //Total # Cumulative Credits +17= // 91
BSSW Application Instructions. Revised Jan. 2016
9
BSSW ACADEMIC & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES CONTRACT
Retain this
document.
Turn in
signature
page only.
Applicants must be fully informed of the commitment they are making to the profession as
future generalist social work practitioners. They must be prepared to accept the responsibility
and the consequences of this commitment. Read the BSSW Academic and Professional
Responsibilities Contract CAREFULLY and THOUGHTFULLY. Read documents that are
linked. BSSW Program faculty take our academic and professional responsibilities very
seriously and we expect the same from our students. The signature page of this document
MUST BE signed, dated, and submitted with your application to the BSSW Program. If this
document is not submitted with your application or is submitted but not signed, your
application to the BSSW Program will NOT be considered. If you do not feel you can uphold
the expectations, ethics, and policies in these documents, you should consider if social work
is a good major for you. If you have prior legal charges that may arise in any background
check, you should speak with your advisor about that now.
APPLICATION ESSAY INSTRUCTIONS
Generalist social work practitioners must be able to communicate clearly, orally and in written form, their
professional worldview and understanding of the knowledge, values, and skills of the profession. The BSSW
Program application requires that applicants write three (3) essays. These provide applicants the opportunity to
demonstrate their writing skills, academic readiness, professional development, and understanding of the social
work profession.
Evaluation of the Essays. The BSSW Program faculty reviews these essays to assess the applicant’s academic
and professional writing skills. Each essay is individually scored on a rubric that measures each essay’s content
on a scale of 0 (Low) to 5 (High). All essays are collectively scored for writing mechanics on a scale of 0
(Low) to 10 (High) for a maximum of 25 points. Students who score below established ranges are either
recommended or required to participate in writing support activities as a condition of their acceptance into the
BSSW program. (The Essay Scoring Rubric used by faculty is also available online.)
Having your essays reviewed before submitting them. Most BSSW Program faculty advisors are willing to
review your essays and discuss broad areas of concern. Most will not formally edit your writing, as we want
your essays to be a reflection of your writing skills at this point in your academic career. You may received help
in writing from the Center for Academic Success.
Instructions for completing Essays. Read the essay content for Essays A-C and respond to the prompts under
each essay. For each essay,
 Write a 2-page, double-spaced essay using a 12-point font and 1 inch margins. Include page numbers.
 Cover page is not required, but you may submit 1 cover page for all 3 essays.
 Label each essay; start each essay on a new page.
 Use APA style, writing guidelines for your writing.
BSSW Application Instructions. Revised Jan. 2016
10
ESSAY A PROMPT: ACADEMIC READINESS
In this essay, assess your strengths and challenges in each of the four areas:
1. Academic abilities and achievements
2. Oral and written communication skills
3. Teamwork skills
4. Leadership abilities
Provide examples or illustrations of your experiences which not only highlight your abilities, but also identify
areas that are challenging for you. Describe the steps that you have taken or plan to take to improve areas you
identified as challenges. Examples of student learning activities that can be cited as evidence include, but are
not limited to:




Scholarships and/or university honors;
Membership in Honor societies;
Faculty evaluation and feedback of class
assignments, class presentations, or
participation in class discussions;
Evaluations of class experiences requiring
cooperative learning;
Exemplary papers from social work classes;





Volunteer experiences in human service area;
Participation in campus or community organizations;
Service-learning projects;
Holding a position of responsibility in university or
community organizations
Voluntary attendance at university, community or
professional; lectures/workshops related to the social
work field;
ESSAY B PROMPT: DEFINITION OF SOCIAL WORK
The term ‘social work’ has many meanings and often the public has a limited understanding of social work. In
this essay, present an explanation of social work drawn from the professional literature in your social work
courses that would be understandable by the general public. Show that you understand what is expected of you
as a generalist social worker in your chosen field of practice by:
 Providing a definition of social work as a profession.
 Discussing a social work field of practice in which you are interested.
 Describe and apply one (1) core social work theories/perspectives/models to your selected field of
practice.
 Describe discuss two (2) roles and tasks of social work professionals in the field of practice you
identified above.
ESSAY C PROMPT: PROFESSIONAL COMMITMENT TO VALUES, ETHICS, AND DIVERSITY
People choose the social work profession for many reasons. In this essay:
 Explain the reasons you chose social work as your profession and describe your future goals as a
generalist social work practitioner.
 Identify, describe, and apply one (1) NASW Code of Ethics core social work values/principles that will
guide your future practice as a generalist social worker.
 Identify and discuss your experience(s) with diverse communities, social justice, and/or advocacy.
Discuss your strengths and challenges as a social worker in an increasingly diverse society. Highlight
social justice or advocacy related activities in which you have experience. If you have limited
experiences with diversity, social and economic justice, or advocacy, identify the steps you will take to
increase your experiences in these areas.
 Define and identify privilege in your life. How do you plan to address the issue of privilege in your
future as a generalist social work practice?
BSSW Application Instructions. Revised Jan. 2016
11