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BSW Degree Online Courses

Curriculum Details

  • Number of Courses Varies
  • 120 Credit Hours
  • 400 Field Experience Hours
  • 8-Week Course Duration

Earn Delaware’s only Bachelor of Social Work accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). In DSU’s one-of-a-kind online program, you will engage with curriculum that is aligned with today’s latest industry standards. Upon graduation, you will be prepared to sit for the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) bachelor’s exam and qualify for entry-level licensure, such as the Licensed Bachelor Social Worker (LBSW). If you’re interested in pursuing DSU’s online Master of Social Work program, completing this BSW online will qualify you for our Advanced Standing program.

Field experience is a vital part of social work education, allowing you to apply your upgraded social work skills in a real-world setting with the support of an experienced supervisor. For this DSU Online degree, you will spend 200 hours for two semesters, totaling 400 hours, working with individuals, families, groups, organizations or communities in need.

You can finish your BSW online in two to four years, depending on your previously earned credits. Delaware State will consider transferring up to 60 credit hours from two-year community or junior colleges and up to 15 credit hours from four-year colleges.

 

General Education Courses

Credits

The course is designed to develop skills and competence in writing prose compositions, reading, and listening. Problems in logical thought, organization of ideas, and comprehension in reading will receive special attention. All students are required to earn a grade of “C” or better or they must repeat the course. Prerequisites: Exemption from taking placements tests, a passing score on the English placement test, or successful completion of ENGL 100. 

The course is a continuation of English 101. Emphasis will be placed on longer critical writing and the research paper. All students are required to earn a grade of “C” or better or they must repeat the course.

Introduction to writing as learning from research and communicating critical thinking. Emphasis on pre-writing, drafting, and revising for a specific purpose and audience. The course uses a multi-modal approach with focus on oral literacy and speech proficiencies. All students are required to earn a grade of “C” or better or they must repeat the course.

The course is designed to acquaint the undergraduate student with current and correct information concerning fitness and its components and wellness concepts. Lifetime fitness and wellness is a General Education core course providing life-long learning by addressing general information concerning fitness and wellness promotion, as well as HIV/AIDS, and drug abuse prevention.

The course is designed to develop persons with educated and informed perspectives on the world for the 21st century. These are individuals who know their world, and who can understand facets of globalism which transcend time, space, and place. Factors to be considered include global geography; global themes of the past; the global marketplace; and global political, social, and cultural developments. This will enable students to appreciate the past, comprehend the present, and be effective and knowledgeable global citizens for the future. A grade of “C” or better is required. Students must have a minimum of sixty (60) credit hours to register for Global Societies.

Social Work Core Courses

Credits

Development and application of Sociological concepts and perspectives concerning human groups including attention to socialization, culture, organization, stratification, and societies. Consideration of fundamental concepts and research methodology.
There has been increased attention on the role of indirect trauma and the need for burnout prevention for the frontline workforce in health and behavioral health disciplines. Burned-out social workers frequently do not deliver high-value empathetic services which can lead to poor service quality and shortages in service availability. This course focuses on increasing knowledge of burnout warning signs, building self-awareness and self-advocacy skills, practicing mindfulness activities, and developing and practicing a self-care routine.
The course is an introduction to the field of social work and the profession of social work. The historical background within which social welfare arose provides the context for in-depth learning about specific social problem areas. The course serves to introduce prospective social work majors to the field of social welfare and social work, help them arrive at career decisions, and prepare for future social work courses. Students are introduced to generalist social work practice, empowerment, the rural perspective and a Black perspective for social work practice, as a means for providing the necessary beginning knowledge, values, and skills for working with individuals, families, groups, communities, and organizations.

There has been increased attention on the role of indirect trauma and the need for burnout prevention for the frontline workforce in health and behavioral health disciplines. Burned-out social workers frequently do not deliver high-value empathetic services which can lead to poor service quality and shortages in service availability. This course focuses on increasing knowledge of burnout warning signs, building self-awareness and self-advocacy skills, practicing mindfulness activities, and developing and practicing a self-care routine.

The course provides an examination of the structure, function, and interaction of economics, politics, and social welfare. The interrelationship between the nature and scope of economic and political systems is explored. Focus is on social welfare policies and programs within the context of economic and political demands. Selected social welfare problems are surveyed and examined. The course will apply the principles of political economy to the world of Social Work. What is the basis of this discipline and how can this method of inquiry enhance our understanding? What, how, and why do we do what we do as social workers? Social Work Prerequisites: SCWK-101, SCWK-191 or with consent of the instructor.
This course is the first in a two-course foundation Human Behavior and Social Environment sequence. It emphasizes the significant biological, psychological, social and spiritual developmental factors that impact development and behavior during the life span. It studies the various components of human behavior and social environment and provides a framework for studying the person-in-environment from an ecological approach. Designed for the generalist practitioner, this course provides a conceptual framework for organizing and analyzing knowledge of human behavior and the social environment with a focus on individuals and families. Social systems, life course, and assets and resiliency based perspectives and theories are presented. Special attention is given to the impact of poverty, discrimination, and oppression on the ability to reach or maintain optimal health and well-being. In addition, it provides a conceptual model for viewing human behavior from a holistic perspective within the context of a Black Perspective, strengths perspective, empowerment, and professional values and ethics. Social Work Prerequisites: Fully admitted into the social work program.
The course is the first in a five-course practice sequence. The course gives the student an overview of generalist practice including knowledge about entry-level skills for the worker in activities and transactions with systems of all sizes (individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities). In this course, the generalist approach to social work practice will be introduced by both technological and traditional methods of instruction. Content to be highlighted includes systems theory and an ecological perspective. Students will become familiar with the problem solving/planned change process of: engagement and problem identification, data collection, assessment and planning, intervention, evaluation, termination, and follow-up. Within the context of a Black perspective and the philosophy of empowerment, application of social work values and ethics, promotion of social and economic justice, and service to diverse groups will be highlighted as they pertain to each topic. Social Work Pre-requisites: Second semester sophomore status.
Human Behavior and the Social Environment II (HBSE II) is the second part of a foundation course that focuses on understanding human behavior and the social environment. HBSE II builds upon the knowledge acquired in HBSE I to further advance the understanding of families, groups, organizations, communities and global systems from an ecological perspective. Designed for the generalist practitioner, this course explores various socio-structural, historical, economic and political factors that help shape families, groups, organizations, and communities. Specific attention is given to discrimination, oppression, and the impact of technology and poverty at various system levels. In addition, this course views human behavior from a holistic perspective (within the context of a Black, strengths and empowerment perspective) using professional social work values and professional ethics.
The course builds on the knowledge base of generalist social work practice that was covered in the preceding practice course, Seminar in Helping, and is structured as an experiential laboratory for skill development. Students will begin to develop practice skills for the appropriate application with different size client systems (individual and families). Emphasis is on skills, which promote social and economic justices as well as serve diverse clients within the context of a Black perspective, strengths perspective, empowerment, and professional values and ethics. Social Work Pre-requisites: Junior status with a declared Social Work major.
The course is the first in a two-course foundation policy sequence. It provides a framework for the understanding of social welfare policies and programs as well as the historical and contemporary forces that have shaped their development. The parallel historical development of the profession of social work, including the ways it responded to the demands of social problems across key periods of social welfare policy transformations, will be examined. The course also focuses on the role of the social work generalist in integrating the concepts of social and economic justice, a Black perspective, empowerment, advocacy, and social action, and on how these concepts have impacted the experiences of populations at risk. It introduces a framework for social policy analysis. Social Work Prerequisites: Junior status.
The ability to express the self well in the profession of social work allows the practitioner to contribute to the knowledge base, communicate effectively with other providers as well as the provision of effective service to the client. Additionally, the increased demand for accountability and the need to produce result on the part of social work practitioners have converged to require social work practitioners to be familiar with modern tools of measuring the effectiveness of their practice. This course seeks to guide students about the writing requirements in the social work profession.
Research and Evaluation Methods I is the first segment of a two-semester sequential course in the baccalaureate social work research curriculum. The course engages students in scientific inquiry within the context of generalist social work practice and social problems. The course examines ways in which theoretical models underpin knowledge and skills for the application of methods germane to generalist social work practice. It examines processes involved in research methodologies useful in studying individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Emphasis is directed toward framing hypothesis, research design, measurement, and analysis. Continued consideration is given to the logic of variable conceptualization operationalization analysis or any introductory statistics course. Social Work Prerequisites: Fully admitted to the BSW Program All 300 level social work courses.
The course exposes students to practice with groups, organizations, and communities in diverse practice situations. It also introduces students to various practice theories and models (e.g., crisis theory, task centered, role theory, cognitive behavioral theory, and empowerment theory). Students will be provided with an opportunity to acquire a greater knowledge of the problem solving/planned change process (a range of assessment tools as well as various intervention strategies), and the criteria necessary for choosing appropriate social work practice interventions. Practice issues such as alternative practice paradigms and health considerations are emphasized within the context of a Black perspective, strength perspective, empowerment, and social work values and ethics. Students are provided an opportunity to practice leadership skills through classroom activities, exercises, and group processes. Technological approaches are utilized throughout the course. Social Work Prerequisites: Junior status with a declared Social Work major, all 300 level social work courses, or consent of the instructor and Program Director.
This course is designed to help students understand what drives social welfare policy, how welfare policy affects people’s lives, and the ways in which social workers can influence the development and implementation of social policy as it affects practice with communities and organizations. Public concerns about education welfare reform, immigration, and health care in the United States have emerged as major issues of our time. Social workers face the challenge of understanding the influences of these current issues and their effect in providing quality services and developing social programs. This course provides a frame of reference for understanding the impact of these issues on rural social work practice and for social workers’ participation in policy formulation and change. Emphasis will be placed on current social, economic, political, and health issues that influence social work practitioners in analyzing and influencing public policy changes in rural America. The course will also address how public policy and legislative issues are affecting the rural Mid-Atlantic Region (particularly Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania). Special attention will be given to addressing the needs of Blacks, oppressed groups, women, and at-risk populations in rural and small town communities.
Building on SCWK 413, This course is the second course in a two-course foundation research sequence. At this level, students become active participants in conducting self-directed social work research. Additionally, students continue to deepen and extend their knowledge and skills as they relate to social work research and evaluation at the generalist practice level. Substantive topics include: techniques and tools involved in data analysis; techniques used in summarizing and describing data; basic concepts of statistical testing – probability, sampling distributions, statistical inference; and the use of selected statistical tests that are utilized by generalist practitioners to provide answers to practice questions. Focus will also be on the application of research methods to the evaluation of social programs and assessment of empirically based practice models. In follow-up to Research in Social Work Practice I, the course continues to explore social research as a means for promoting a Black perspective, strengths perspective, and for attending to cultural diversity and social and economic justice for all, especially populations-at-risk. Social Work Prerequisites: SCWK-413.
The course is the fourth in a five-course practice sequence. The content material is designed to address the basic and emerging issues in the broad area of service delivery. Emphasis is on the generalist social work practitioner working with micro, mezzo, and micro systems that reflect a broad-spectrum population at risk and diverse racial ethnic, sexual, gender, and cultural backgrounds and settings. The course also addresses social and practice issues such as perspectives on cultural competency, sexual orientation, social change, and advocacy, which are explored within the context of social work roles, responsibilities, and functions. Additionally, issues related to organizational culture, policies, and programs in a practice environment are assessed as to their mission and relevancy to the populations served. A Black perspective, strengths perspective, and empowerment serve as a framework for examining service delivery programs. Social Work Prerequisites: All 300 level social work courses, SCWK-441, senior status with a declared Social Work major, current enrollment in SCWK-450.

Students are placed in a social work agency for their first practical experience and are afforded an opportunity to integrate theory and knowledge base of social work learned in class with the actual setting of the social work field. Agencies selected for use as field placements are those that are committed to the value of training undergraduate social work students for generalist practice, and have indicated a willingness to actively structure a number of learning experiences for students. Agency Field Instructors have met the criteria set by the Council of Social Work Education. Students are responsible for making their transportation and housing arrangements. Social Work Prerequisites: Senior status, all prior required Liberal Arts; co-requisites, and Social Work courses as defined by the Social Work program.

The course is designed to provide an integrative experience of class and field. Students are given an opportunity to: 1) assess prior learning, and 2) assess their learning needs, practice skills, and theoretical understandings. Primary focus is on integrating theory and practice building on their field experience. Focus is on the development of an individual social work practice frame of reference. Careers and graduate systems are explored with emphasis on knowledge, values, and skills for entry-level generalist practice and post baccalaureate education. Social Work Prerequisites: All 300 level social work courses, senior status with a declared Social Work major, current enrollment in SCWK-451.

The course continues the experiential practice opportunities in a social service agency approved by the program. Students are exposed to continued in-depth correlation of theory and practice for entry-level generalist practice in the employment field. Agencies selected for use as field placements are those committed to the value of training undergraduate social work students for generalist practice and who have indicated a willingness to actively structure a number of learning experiences for students. Agency Field Instructors have met the criteria set by the Council of Social Work Education. Students are responsible for making their transportation and housing arrangements. Social Work Prerequisites: SCWK-450, senior status, all prior required General Education; co-requisites, and Social Work courses as defined by the Social Work program.

Additional Education Courses

Credits

Natural Science General Education Courses
Varies – 3 hours to be selected from the following:

  • Astronomy
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Ecology
  • Geology
  • Physical Science
  • Meteorology (w/ Lab)
  • Physics

Select One (1) Mathematics General Education Course

  • MTSC 107 Mathematics for Everyday Life
  • MTSC 121 College Algebra

Select One (1) Art/Humanities General Education Course

  • ART 101 Introduction to Art
  • MUSC 100 Introduction to Music
  • MUSC 101 African American Music
  • ENGL 113 Introduction to Theater
  • PHIL 201 Introduction to Philosophy
  • PHIL 202 Ethics
  • PHIL 204 Contemporary Moral Issues

Select One (1) History General Education Course

  • HIST 203 African American History to 1865
  • HIST 204 African American History from 1865

Select Two (2) Literature General Education Courses

  • ENGL 201 World Literature I
  • ENGL 202 World Literature II
  • ENGL 205 African-American Literature I
  • ENGL 206 African-American Literature II

Foreign Language

  • XXX XXX Foreign Language I
  • XXX XXX Foreign Language II

General Education Courses

  • PSYC 201 Introduction to General Psychology
  • MIS 105 Microcomputer Applications

Select Three (3) Social Work Electives

  • Social Work Elective I
  • Social Work Elective II
  • Social Work Elective III

General Elective Courses

  • General Elective I
  • General Elective II

Select One (1)

  • BIOL 101 General Biology I
  • BIOL 103 Human Biology
  • BIOL 111 Human Diseases
  • BIOL 107 Human Heredity
  • BIOL 207 Anatomy & Physiology I
  • BIOL 208 Anatomy & Physiology II

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