The NMSU School of Social Work

Bachelor of Social Work

Coursework

Consistent with the overall mission of New Mexico State University--to benefit society through service, education and research--the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program provides academic and field work education to prepare undergraduate students for beginning level social work practice with an emphasis on the cultural diversity of the Southwest. Graduates of the program find employment in a diverse range of settings that include child welfare, corrections, services to the elderly, and health care.

The purpose of the BSW program is to provide the basic foundation that distinguishes social work from other helping professions. Social work focuses on the problem solving process with multiple levels of client systems, individuals, families, groups and communities.

The curriculum has been designed according to the requirements of the Council on Social Work Education. The educational model upon which the program is built is that of generalist practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities. Practice is unified by a common core of social work values, knowledge and methods. This core is based on a liberal arts education and draws heavily from the social sciences. Students entering the BSW program will have completed most or all of their university general educational requirements and electives.

Given this definition, social policy focuses on issues around social justice and humanizing systems, the human behavior courses focus on the basic knowledge and differing world views regarding how people operate in their environments, the research sequence centers on basic knowledge needed for both self-critical practice evaluation and accountability to sanctioning institutions. Both practice and field content focus on knowledge, values and skills essential for improving the well-being of people.

Social Work Values in the Generalist Curriculum

• Social workers are committed to the dignity, worth and value of all human beings, regardless of social class, race, color, creed, gender, sexual orientation, or age.
• People with problems, regardless of the nature of those problems, are not to be judged, condemned or demeaned.
• People have the right to autonomy and self-determination, that is, the right to determine courses of action that will affect their lives.
• The individual and/or family strengths are assessed and applied with professional social work interventions.

Full-time and Part-time Programs

Full-time and part-time programs are available. For those interested in either the full-time or the part-time program, it is important that you contact the School of Social Work Student Services Coordinator Irma Hernandez by e-mail or by telephone at (575) 646-3529 for an advising appointment.

Content Areas

The curriculum covers five content areas: Social Work Practice, Human Behavior and the Social Environment, Social Work Policy, Social Work Research and the Field Experience. The content comprises the practice approach at the BSW level--generalist practice.