Social Work Major, Bachelor of Arts (BA)
BASW Program Options
Eastern Washington University School of Social Work offers a full-time Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW) degree that can be completed in two years. Students can choose the path that best fits their life: an on-campus BASW or an online BASW.
On‑Campus BASW: Engage in a collaborative, cohort‑based learning experience with daytime classes held at our Cheney campus. Social work classes are scheduled in 2- to 4-hour blocks and, depending on the quarter, are held 2 to 4 days per week, usually beginning at 8 a.m. Note that the core curriculum is not offered in the evening. Electives are available during the day on the Cheney campus, in the evening, or online.
Online BASW: Earn the BA degree from anywhere in Washington with online coursework designed for working adults, caregivers, and place‑bound students. The online format is ideal for students living outside the Spokane/Cheney region, community college graduates seeking a seamless transfer pathway, or anyone who requires flexibility. Practicums will be completed in person at the student’s local community. Note that additional fees may apply for the online BASW. Get more details here.
World Language Requirement: Two years of a single high school world language or one year of a single college-level world language is required.
Grade Requirements: Social Work courses and support courses with a grade <C are not acceptable for graduation.
| Required Courses | ||
| SOWK 273 | INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL WORK | 5 |
| SOWK 378 | THEORIES OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR IN DIVERSE ENVIRONMENTS | 4 |
| SOWK 381 | REFLECTIVE PRACTICES IN SOCIAL WORK | 4 |
| SOWK 459 | THEORIES FOR APPLIED PRACTICE WITH INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND GROUPS | 4 |
| SOWK 464 | SOCIAL WORK CASE MANAGEMENT | 4 |
| SOWK 467 | SURVEY OF SOCIAL WELFARE POLICY | 4 |
| SOWK 468 | USE OF RESEARCH IN SOCIAL WORK | 4 |
| SOWK 469 | UNDERSTANDING DATA IN SOCIAL WORK | 4 |
| SOWK 470 | SOCIAL ACTION TO CHANGE PROGRAMS AND PRACTICES | 4 |
| SOWK 473 | SOCIAL WORK IN ORGANIZATIONS | 4 |
| SOWK 476 | SOCIAL WORK ENGAGEMENT AND ASSESSMENT WITH INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES | 4 |
| SOWK 477 | SOCIAL WORK WITH COMMUNITIES | 4 |
| SOWK 479 | SOCIAL WORK WITH GROUPS | 4 |
| SOWK 480 | FIELD PREPARATION | 1 |
| SOWK 482 | BASW PRACTICUM AND SEMINAR (1-6 variable credit course–must be repeated three times) | 15 |
| Required BASW Elective - choose any 300 or 400 level SOWK, DSST, CDST or ADST course | 3-5 | |
| Required Capstone | ||
| SOWK 490 | SOCIAL WORK SENIOR CAPSTONE | 4 |
| Total Credits | 76-78 | |
Plan of Study
The following plan of study is for a student with zero credits. Individual students may have different factors such as: credit through transfer work, Advanced Placement, Running Start, or any other type of college-level coursework that requires an individual plan.
Courses could be offered in different terms, checking the academic schedule is paramount in keeping an individual plan current. Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.
All Undergraduate students are required to meet the Undergraduate Degree Requirements.
This major requires the completion of the World Language requirement. Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree must complete two years of a single language in high school or one year of a single language in college.
| First Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall Quarter | Credits | Winter Quarter | Credits | Spring Quarter | Credits |
| ENGL 101 | 5 | MATH 107 | 5 | ENGL 201 | 5 |
| Humanities & Arts BACR 11 | 5 | Social Science BACR 11 | 5 | Humanities & Arts BACR 21 | 5 |
| Natural Science BACR 11 | 5 | Elective - minor or general elective | 5 | Social Science BACR 21 | 5 |
| 15 | 15 | 15 | |||
| Second Year | |||||
| Fall Quarter | Credits | Winter Quarter | Credits | Spring Quarter | Credits |
| Natural Science BACR 21 | 5 | Diversity - graduation requirement1 | 5 | Global Studies - graduation requirement1 | 5 |
| Elective - minor or general elective | 5 | Elective - minor or general elective | 5 | Elective - minor or general elective | 5 |
| Elective - minor or general elective | 5 | Elective - minor or general elective | 5 | Elective - minor or general elective | 5 |
| 15 | 15 | 15 | |||
| Third Year | |||||
| Fall Quarter | Credits | Winter Quarter | Credits | Spring Quarter | Credits |
| SOWK 273 | 5 | SOWK 467 | 4 | SOWK 464 | 4 |
| SOWK 378 | 4 | SOWK 468 | 4 | SOWK 469 | 4 |
| SOWK 381 | 4 | SOWK 476 | 4 | SOWK 480 | 1 |
| Elective - minor or general elective | 4 | Elective - minor or general elective | 5 | Social Work Elective2 | 4 |
| 17 | 17 | 13 | |||
| Fourth Year | |||||
| Fall Quarter | Credits | Winter Quarter | Credits | Spring Quarter | Credits |
| SOWK 459 | 4 | SOWK 470 | 4 | SOWK 477 | 4 |
| SOWK 479 | 4 | SOWK 473 | 4 | SOWK 482 | 5 |
| SOWK 482 | 5 | SOWK 482 | 5 | SOWK 490 (Senior Capstone - graduation requirement) | 4 |
| Elective - minor or general elective | 4 | ||||
| 13 | 17 | 13 | |||
| Total Credits 180 | |||||
- 1
University Graduation Requirements (UGR) and Breadth Area Course Requirements (BACR) courses may be less than 5 credits and additional credits may be required to reach the required 180 total credits needed to graduate. Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.
- 2
Required BASW Elective - choose any 300 or 400 level SOWK, DSST, CDST, or ADST course, 3-5 credits.
General Education Requirements (GER)
- Minimum Quarter Credits—180 cumulative credit hours
- 60 upper-division credits (300 level or above)
- 45 credits in residence (attendance) at EWU, with at least 15 upper-division credits in major in residence at EWU
- Minimum Semester Credits—120 cumulative credit hours
- 40 upper-division credits (300 level or above)
- 30 credits in residence (attendance) at EWU, with at least 10 upper-division credits in major in residence at EWU
- Minimum Cumulative GPA ≥2.0
University Competencies and Proficiencies
Writing
Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning
Placement and Clearance
Prior Learning/Sources of Credit AP, CLEP, IB
Breadth Area Core Requirements (BACR)
Humanities and Arts
Natural Sciences
Social Sciences
University Graduation Requirements (UGR)
Diversity Course List
Global Studies Course List
Minor or Certificate
Senior Capstone Course List
World Language (for Bachelor of Arts)
Application for Graduation (use EagleNET) must be made at least two terms in advance of the term expected to graduate (undergraduate and post-baccalaureate).
Use the Catalog Archives to determine two important catalog years.
- The catalog in effect at the student's first term of current matriculation is used to determine BACR (Breadth Area Core Requirements) and UGR (Undergraduate Graduation Requirements).
- The catalog in effect at the time the student declares a major or minor is used to determine the program requirements.
Students who earn a BA in Social Work from EWU should be able to:
- Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior.
- Advance Human Rights and Social, Racial, Economic, and Environmental Justice.
- Engage Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI) in Practice.
- Engage In Practice-informed Research and Research-informed Practice.
- Engage in Policy Practice.
- Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities.
- Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities.
- Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities.
- Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities.
(Council on Social Work Education, 2022)