Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Program - NMU Social Work

Effective Fall 2007

Note: Some courses in Cluster Minor also fill Liberal Studies requirements:

To ensure your successful progression through the bachelor of social work program at Northern Michigan University, please click on the links below and read through the pages carefully.

• Admission and Retention Policies
• Course Policies
• Warning or Academic Probation

Social work licensure has been in effect in Michigan since July1, 2005. Although obtaining a social work license is required for many social work jobs, it is not a universal requirement by any means.  Health care settings, community mental health and organizations that rely on Medicaid or third party reimbursement are more likely to require staff be licensed.One of the key issues is obtaining supervised experience. Normally, you must have MSW supervision through your employer or arrange your own supervision by a licensed MSW social worker in order for experience to qualify.  In Michigan, Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) is responsible for most professional occupation licensing.  You can obtain an application packet and other information from their website.

Licensed Bachelor’s Social Worker (LBSW)

Application Criteria

Public Act 61 requires an applicant for licensure as a Licensed Bachelor’s Social Worker to have:

• A bachelor’s degree in social work from an accredited social work program.
• Completed at least two years of full-time post bachelor’s degree experience, or the equivalent in part-time hours, in the practice of social work at the bachelor’s level under the supervision of a licensed master’s social worker. (Until July 1, 2008, the supervision can be done by a person with a master’s or doctoral degree in social work from a college or university school of social work).

The Administrative Rules clarify that the work experience must consist of at least 4,000 hours accrued over not less than two years.

The Rules also require LBSW applicants to pass the Basic or Bachelor’s exam given by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB). The passing grade is 75. (Note: For exam information: See http://www.aswb.org/ or call the Association of Social Work Boards at 800-225-6880 for additional information and exam preparation materials. Another source of examination preparation material is Social Work Examination Services, 800-933-8802, www.swes.net. )

Scope of Practice

The Act defines the scope of practice at the bachelor’s level as including all of the following, applied within the scope of social work values, ethics, principles, and skills:

• Applying social work theory, knowledge, methods, and ethics to restore or enhance social, psychosocial, or bio-psycho-social functioning of individuals, couples, families, groups, organizations, or communities with particular attention to the person-in-environment configuration.
• Social work case management and casework, including assessments, planning, referral, and intervention with individuals, families, couples, groups, communities, or organizations within the context of social work values, ethics, principles, and skills
• Helping communities, organizations, individuals, or groups improve their social or health services by using social work practice skills
• Administering assessment checklists that do not require special training or interpretation

A person who performs one or more of these functions, but not all of them, will not be considered engaged in the practice of social work at the bachelor’s level.

The practice does not include the practice of medicine or osteopathic medicine and surgery, including prescribing drugs or administering electroconvulsive therapy; the practice of psychotherapy and other advanced clinical skills specified in the master’s level scope of practice; or the administration or interpretation of psychological tests except as described in the bachelor’s scope of practice.

Qualifying Work Experience – Functions

Qualifying work experience for the LBSW would include, but not be limited to, any of the following:

• Social casework assessment, planning, and intervention with individuals, couples, families, or groups to enhance or restore the capacity for social functioning.
• Case management of health and human services.
• Providing information about and referring individuals to resources.
• Planning and collaborating with communities, organizations, or groups to improve their social or health services.
• Working with clients in accessing, coordinating, or developing resources to develop solutions for interpersonal or community problems.

Note: For supervision and other requirements concerning qualifying work experience for LBSWs see “Qualifying Work Experience – General Requirements: LMSWs, LBSWs, SSTs” at this website

The undergraduate social work program at NMU has been continuously accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) since 1974. Accreditation was last reaffirmed in 2013. A program review for reaffirmation of accreditation is expected to be completed in 2021. The BSW Program self-study report can be accessed here in a three volume set:

1. BSW Program Self-Study  Vol I  Report
2. BSW Program Self-Study Vol II Program Course Syllabi
3. BSW Program Self-Study Vol III Supporting Documents (includes field manual and department by-laws)
4. CSWE Competency Reporting Form 2012
5. CSWE Competency Reporting Form 2014
6. CSWE Competency Reporting Form 2016

Why accreditation is important:

To see which license the BSW program prepares you for by state, visit our Licensure Disclosure.

To complete the BSW degree requirements in four years, students are recommended to follow a schedule similar to this example illustration.

Illustrated Four Year Schedule

Social Work - Undergraduate Courses

• SW 100 Exploring Social Work
• SW 208 Methods of Social Research I
• SW 230 Human Behavior in the Social Environment I
• SW 272 Basic Crisis Intervention Skills
• SW 283 Tribal-Centered Victim Services
• SW 308 Methods of Social Research II
• SW 331 Human Behavior in the Social Environment II
• SW 341 Social Welfare Policy
• SW 345 Comparing Global Approaches to Social Protection and Social Development
• SW 370 Generalist Practice Methods I
• SW 371 Apprenticeship
• SW 372 Generalist Practice Methods II
• SW 401 Child Welfare
• SW 405 Aging Public Policies and Programs
• SW 411 Social Work in the Health Fields
• SW 413 Social Work with Families
• SW 415 Addictions: Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention
• SW 417 Social Work in Mental Health
• SW 440 Social Work Policy Analysis
• SW 472 Social Work Practice with Diverse Populations
• SW 473 Integrative Seminar I
• SW 474 Integrative Seminar II
• SW 480 Senior Field Placement I
• SW 481 Senior Field Placement II
• SW 483 Teaching and Research Assistant
• SW 495 Special Topics in Social Work
• SW 498 Directed Study in Social Work

The Council on Social Work Education requires a minimum of 400 clock hours of field instruction for a BSW degree.

• NMU requires 8 credit hours of field instruction: SW 480 (4 credits) and SW 481 (4 credits). Usually, this translates into about 15 hours per week for 30 weeks during the senior year for a total of 450 hours. A minimum of 400 hours is required for a passing grade.
• Field Instructors should have either an MSW Degree or a BSW degree with experience. Exceptions can be made with additional supervision provided by NMU faculty.
• Only students who have been admitted to the advanced BSW curriculum and who have a GPA of at least 2.5 are eligible for placement.
• The NMU Field Coordinator arranges prospective placements between the student and the agency. Field agencies interview each prospective student (typically in April) before the placement is approved for the following Fall.
• Each student prepares a learning agreement with assistance from the field instructor; this learning agreement operationalizes how the student will address CSWE competencies during field placement. The learning agreement is reviewed and revised each term.
• Field students are concurrently enrolled in a seminar while in placement.
• An NMU faculty member is the instructor of record and serves as the NMU liaison with the agency field instructor.
• Students provide a weekly log of activities to their Field Instructor and the Field Placement Coordinator to document hours.
• The field instructor completes a rating form each semester as part of the student evaluation process assessing competency development
• Students also complete a self-assessment each term of their competency development.
• Field placement is graded on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis. The NMU faculty liaison is responsible for assigning the semester grade.​
• Download the Field Manual here

For more information, please contact:

Ann Crandell-Williams, Field Coordinator
Northern Michigan University
1401 Presque Isle Avenue
Marquette, MI 49855
Email: acrandel@nmu.edu

Beginning Stage: Exploring the Curriculum Foundation

This component includes the following courses:

• SW 100 Exploring Social Work 
• SW 230 Human Behavior and Social Environment I 

The overall goal of this component is for students to come away with a clear conception of what the profession of social work is about, especially generalist practice. Students will have explored their own values and competencies in comparison to the expectations of the profession and made a decision through application to the advanced BSW program that they are prepared to make mastery of the professional foundation their goal. SW 100 provides an overview of the profession, basically providing a rationale for the entire curriculum. It includes guest presenters from several work practice settings and includes a volunteer experience. SW 230 introduces students to the systems approach for organizing knowledge about people and their social environments. 

Upon completion of this component, the following will have been accomplished:

1. The student understands and can describe core social work competencies, generalist practice and how the Social Work curriculum prepares them to enter generalist practice.
2. The student will have assessed personal values, strengths, weaknesses, and goals for professional growth.
3. The Social Work faculty will have directly observed the student in order to make recommendations concerning potential for continuance in the program. 
4. A decision will be made for continuance or termination in the BSW curriculum.
5. At this point the student may apply to and be admitted to the advance program; the student may apply and be denied admission, or the student may voluntarily chose to pursue another career path 

Middle Stage: Building the Knowledge and Skills for Generalist Practice 

This component includes the following courses: 

• SW 331 Human Behavior and Social Environment
• SW 341 Social Welfare Policy 
• SW 370 Practice Methods I
• SW 372 Practice methods II
• SW 308 Research Methods II 

The goal of this component is to provide in-depth coverage of social work core competencies.   Upon completion of this section of the curriculum students will:

1. Be able to discuss of all 10 core social work competencies.
2. Have applied competencies in classroom activities, course assignments and exams.
3. Have demonstrated practice behaviors that show mastery of core competencies.
4. Show a level of intellectual, psychological and emotional maturity to suggest readiness for senior field placement.   

EP 2.1.1. Identification as a Professional Social Worker is covered extensively in SW 370 and SW 372 Practice Methods I and II.  SW 370 and SW 372 also include in-depth coverage of EP 2.1.2 Social Work Ethics and EP 2.1.4. Diversity and Difference in Practice.  SW 341 focuses primarily on EP 2.1.3 Critical Thinking, EP 2.1.5 Human Rights and Social and Economic Justice, and EP 2.1.8 Policy Practice.  EP 2.1.6 Research-Informed Practice and Practice-Informed Research are highlighted in SW 308.  EP 2.1.7 Human Behavior in the Social Environment and EP 2.1.9 are the focus of SW 331 Human Behavior in the Social Environment II.  EP2.1.10., which includes the major practice skills of Engagement, Assessment, Intervention, and Evaluation, are the primary focus of SW 370 and SW 372 Practice Methods I and II, which are taken concurrently.  SW 370 focuses on direct practice interventions within generalist practice and SW 372 focuses on indirect practice interventions within generalist practice.  

Final Stage: Social Work Competencies Action

This component includes the following courses: 

• SW 440 Social Welfare Policy Analysis 
• SW 473 Integrative Seminar I 
• SW 474 Integrative Seminar II 
• SW 472 Social Work Practice with Human Diversity 
• SW 480 Field Placement I 
• SW 481 Field Placement II 

This component is a sequence of courses for the senior year of the program. All prerequisites must be completed before entry and each of these courses is completed concurrently with field placement. The primary goal of this component is to integrate the competencies covered and demonstrated in previous courses with practice in the field. SW 472 emphasizes issues of human diversity in social work practice (EP 2.1.4). SW 473 emphasizes issues of social work professionalism and conduct (EP 2.1.1) and serves as a forum for processing field practice experiences. SW 474 continues this function during the winter semester. Students prepare for entry into the profession by developing a resume and by working on career planning. Policy is integrated with practice through SW 440. Building on SW 341, the course focuses the student's attention on policy issues in the field and the role of policy in professional social work (EP 2.1.8).  SW 440 also addresses critical thinking (EP 2.1.3.), and human rights and social and economic justice (EP 2.1.5) through assignments that require students to evaluate a social problem or issue related to their field placements and create policy and program recommendations to address the problem or issue.  SW 480 and SW 481 provide 30 weeks of field practicum in which the student completes assignments that demonstrate mastery of each of 10 core competencies. Field placement is where students apply generalist practice knowledge, values and skills in an actual social work settings. Students are assessed in terms of these 10 competencies.