May 15, 2026

2026-2027 Binghamton University Academic Guide

Social Work, BSW

Location(s): University Downtown Center

The Social Work BSW program prepares students for generalist practice, focusing on understanding social work values, ethics and professional behavior. The BSW curriculum is designed to create explicit linkages between practice, policy and research. We prepare our students to be both consumers of, and contributors to, research efforts that aim to build knowledge and improve social work practice. Utilizing a generalist lens, students obtain the knowledge and skill to work with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities. Our program also helps students explore historical oppression, structural and social inequality, and work toward navigating complex systems so they can better empower their clients and communities to reduce their experiences of oppression and institutional violence.

The BSW program prepares students to work in a variety of human service and policy-related settings, including: physical and mental healthcare, social services (such as child welfare, juvenile justice, residential services and nursing homes), community services, education and civic engagement.

Admission Requirements

Students typically apply for the BSW program in the spring semester of their second year. Admission to the BSW program is for the fall semester only.

In line with the SUNY Transfer Path requirements, the prerequisites for admission to the BSW program include versions of Introduction to Social Work, Introduction to Psychology, Introduction to Sociology, Human Biology and Introduction to Statistics.

Admission requirements are:

A strong liberal arts base (minimum of 52 credits in LAS)
A minimum of 56 credits previously earned and awarded per program and college policy
A recommended GPA of 3.0
Resume
Personal Statement
The following transfer path requirement has to be met:
- Intro to Social Work Practice (SW 300 or SW 250 for Binghamton University students)
- Recommended that the following four transfer path requirements are met (minimally two need to be completed for admission to the BSW program):
  - General Psychology (PSYC 111 for Binghamton University students)
  - Introduction to Statistics (MATH 147, SW 243, or PSYC 243 for Binghamton University students)
  - Introduction to Sociology (SOC 100 for Binghamton University students)
  - Human Biology (SW 200, BIOL 113, BIOL 114, BIOL 251, or BIOL 341 for Binghamton University students)

Additionally, applicants will be required to participate in group or individual interviews. Students may petition the academic advisor or program director for the BSW program to see if other coursework may fulfill a transfer path requirement. Admission into the BSW program is competitive, and is not guaranteed even if prerequisites and other criteria are met.

Program Requirements

University General Education Requirements

All Binghamton University undergraduate students are required to fulfill this set of university-wide requirements to ensure that every graduate acquires the essential core of a SUNY university undergraduate education. Please refer to the general education section in the Academic Policies and Procedures for Undergraduate Students or the General Education page for more information.

Major Requirements

Prerequisites

Courses in the BSW Program are intended to be taken sequentially. As such, most BSW courses have prerequisites to force completion in the order described in the “BSW Major Coursework” section below. Consult the course catalog, BSW Student Handbook, and/or the BSW academic advisor for additional information about prerequisite classes. Note that BSW courses are typically offered only once per academic year.

Course Requirements

Junior Year (24 credits)

Fall semester

SW 304 - Fnd of Sci Inquiry w/Soc Sys
SW 410 - Generalist SW Work Prac w Indv
Upper-Division Social Science Elective (4 cr.)

Spring semester

Senior Year (28 credits)

Fall semester

Spring semester

SW 412 - Generalist SW Practice III
SW 492 - Field Instruction II
SW 496 - Field Instr Integration Sem II
Social Work Major-Restricted Elective (4 cr.)

Note:

Students are also required to take an additional written, oral or combined written/oral communication course beyond what is required for the General Education requirement. Harpur “W” credits may be considered in place of an additional written, oral or combined written/oral communication course.

Transfer of BSW Course Credits

Undergraduate core BSW courses successfully completed at another institution’s CSWE-accredited BSW program may be accepted for credit toward the BSW degree in lieu of any of the BSW required courses, provided such courses covered content similar to that taught in Binghamton University’s required courses. This will be subject to review and approval by the BSW program director.

A minimum grade of a B is required for transfer credit of core BSW courses. Undergraduate courses for which BSW transfer credit is sought must have been taken within the last five years in order to be considered for degree completion. Residency requirements still apply to students who may be given BSW transfer credit, and therefore students for whom this applies should work closely with their academic advisor to carefully plan their program of study.

Specific policies governing transfer credits can be found in the BSW Student Handbook.

Academic credit is not given for life experience or previous work experience.

Additional Information About the BSW Program

In order to remain in good standing in the Department of Social Work, all students, as stated in the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics, “must not allow their own personal problems, psychosocial distress, legal problems, substance use, or mental health difficulties to interfere with their professional judgment and performance or to jeopardize the best interests of people for whom they have a professional responsibility” (p.23, NASW Code of Ethics).

For additional information on BSW policies and procedures, please consult the Department of Social Work Department Undergraduate Student Handbook.

Grade Policies

Core courses (which include pre-requisite classes) in the BSW program, with the exception of SW 491 and SW 492, must be completed with a grade of C or better to count toward major requirements. Core courses, including pre-requisite classes, may not be taken on a Pass/Fail basis.

Students need a grade of P (pass) in SW 491, Field Instruction I, to move onto SW 492, Field Instruction II. In order to receive the degree, students need a grade of P (pass) in SW 492, Field Instruction II, and a grade of C or better in SW 495, Field Instruction Integration Seminar I, and SW 496, Field Integration Seminar II.

Students may retake required major courses only once. Any student who fails a major course twice will be dismissed from the social work major.

Field Instruction

Field instruction is a pivotal and integral part of the BSW curriculum. Students acquire practice experience and develop competence in skills helpful for them to attain their personal and professional goals within a framework of social work values and ethics. BSW students must enroll in their Field Instruction and Field Instruction Integration Seminars concurrently. BSW students must achieve a grade of Pass in SW 491, in addition to a grade of C or better in SW 495 (Field Integration Seminar I) in order to proceed to SW 492 and SW 496. Students must be attending a current field placement/practicum in order to enroll and attend a field integration seminar (e.g. SW 495, SW 496)

Sequential Completion: Students must pass both SW491 and SW495 in order to advance to SW492 and SW 496.

Prerequisites: You cannot enroll in SW492 and SW496 until you have successfully passed SW491 and SW495.

Linked Grading: The Instruction and Seminar courses are tethered. A failing grade in one automatically results in a failing grade for the other:

Fail SW491 → Fail SW495 (and vice versa)
Fail SW492 → Fail SW496 (and vice versa)

Repeating Courses: If you do not pass SW491 and SW495, you must repeat both SW491 and SW495 to continue in the program.

Field education coursework and field seminar are two classes that are connected and must be taken together and at the same time and in sequence when they are offered. Students must remain in compliance with Binghamton University’s policies on advancement and academic integrity.

Consult the BSW Field Manual for additional policies and procedures that govern student internship experiences.

Double Degree

Students wishing to complete both a BSW and an additional degree in another school or college at Binghamton University (for example: a BS in psychology in Harpur College and a BSW in CCPA, or a BS in management in SOM and a BSW in CCPA) will need to apply for admission as a Double Degree student. Students who wish to earn a Double Degree within CCPA (for example, a BSW in addition to a BS in human development) will need to complete a request form which can be found online.

All students pursuing a Double Degree require completion of a minimum of 156 credit hours. Students complete the two baccalaureate degrees simultaneously and the degrees are awarded together.

Advancement Policy

The faculty and staff of the Binghamton University Department of Social Work are responsible for creating an educational environment that fosters student growth, academic success and professional development. The nature of the social work profession demands that practitioners use sound professional judgment and exercise professional and ethical conduct in all aspects of their work. When students apply to the program, they sign an academic contract agreeing to advance their professional development and to have it assessed by social work faculty and staff throughout their time in the program. The Social Work Department Advancement Policy supports this responsibility by addressing criteria including academic, professional and ethical conduct (e.g., being respectful; displaying integrity and honesty; addressing concerns in a clear and constructive manner; and responding to evaluation and criticism with appropriate self-reflection and modification of behavior) to ensure that graduates of the program have the necessary professional conduct to effectively serve clients. The advancement policy is used to address global concerns about a student’s academic performance and/or ethical and professional conduct. This policy may be applied to students who do not meet minimum grade requirements in major courses, demonstrate deficits in professional and ethical conduct in the classroom and/or in field placement, or a combination of the above issues.

When there is evidence of unprofessional behavior, the Department of Social Work has the right and responsibility to terminate the enrollment of the student. Alternatively, any student, who, at any time in the program is determined by the Social Work Department faculty and administration to have engaged in unprofessional behavior may be required to participate in the Social Work Advancement Process to assess and support their professional readiness for social work practice. In the Advancement Process, students are assigned an Advancement Advisor, who will work with them to develop a plan to correct identified weaknesses in academic and/or professional and ethical skills. Students will not be approved for graduation if they have unexecuted/unresolved concern(s) in relation to the Advancement Policy on file.

For more information about the Advancement Policy and Process, please visit the Social Work program website or contact the Social Work department.

Withdrawl

It is the policy of the Department of Social Work that students who are considering withdrawal from the program meet their academic advisor and/or BSW program director to discuss the challenges they are facing and explore options that may help support their continuation in the program. The academic advisor and/or BSW program director can offer guidance regarding the process of officially withdrawing from the program or from classes. The student must inform all faculty from whom they are currently receiving instruction (i.e., for the courses in which the student is currently enrolled) or make a plan to inform faculty with the assistance of the academic advisor and/or BSW program director.

For more information on the University’s withdrawal policies, see the Academic Policies and Procedures for All Students .

For additional information on the BSW program, please refer to the Social Work Department website. To apply to the Social Work BSW program, please visit the University Admissions website.