Bachelor of Arts in Social Work

The Social Work Program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education and provides students with a general base for beginning professional social work practice. Social workers and social welfare programs help individuals, families, groups, and communities meet basic human needs and enhance the quality of life. The social work curriculum is designed to:

  1. Prepare the student for competent entry-level social work practice.
  2. Prepare the student for successful graduate education in social work or related professions.
  3. Provide a humanities and social science base for non-social work majors to enhance an understanding of and participation in a democratic society.
  4. Provide opportunities for continuing education and training of social work and other social service practitioners.
  5. Prepare the student to apply for licensure as a social worker in the State of Idaho.
Many excellent career opportunities for social workers are available in the areas of children's services, community planning, corrections and criminal justice, family services, community mental health, senior services, mental retardation, public assistance, rehabilitation, and educational institutions. Graduation Requirements for Major in Social Work

General University Requirements

As part of the general university requirements, the following courses are required of the major:

BIOS 120	Biology and Human Concerns		4 cr
PSYC 111	Introductory Psychology I		3 cr
ECON 100	Economic Issues				3 cr
Departmental Requirements

SOC 101		Introduction to Sociology		3 cr 
SOC 207		Social Statistics			3 cr 
SOC 248		Local and National Minorities		3 cr
SOC 301		Principles of Sociology			3 cr
Social Work Course Requirements

SOWK 271	Introduction to Social Work		3 cr
SOWK 272	Human Behavior and the 
		Social Environment			3 cr 
SOWK 308	Social Work Research			3 cr 
SOWK 371	Social Welfare Policy			3 cr 
SOWK 372	Practices with Individuals and
		Families				3 cr 
SOWK 373	Group Work				3 cr 
SOWK 476	Social Work Field Practicum I		6 cr
SOWK 477	Social Work 
		Field Practicum II			6 cr 
SOWK 497	Community Organization 
		and Social Change			3 cr 
SOWK 498	Integration of Social Work 
		Methods					3 cr
An additional six units of upper division course work from any sociology, anthropology or social work courses are required.

Social Work Electives Include

SOWK g482	Independent Problems			6 cr 
SOWK g491	Seminar					3 cr
Associate of Arts in Criminal Justice

This two-year degree program provides two career goal options. Option A, Law Enforcement, is for those who are, or are seeking to be, law enforcement officers. Option B, Female Corrections, is for those interested in a career working in correctional institutions and agencies which serve female offenders. Graduates from either option of this program will have fulfilled the majority of the General Education Requirements applicable to a four-year degree. Option A, Law Enforcement, recognizes that many law enforcement agencies encourage or require personnel to obtain a higher education in order to better meet increased demands to perform more effectively in the face of complex legal, social, political and economic situations. For admission into Option A, a person must have been admitted as a student in the College of Arts and Sciences at ISU and must immediately contact one of the Criminal Justice Program Advisors to declare a major. The advisors are Dr. Clifford Bryan, Sociology, and Mr. Noble Taylor, School of Applied Technology Law Enforcement. Option B, Female Corrections, provides an academic background specifically directed at issues associated with correctional approaches toward female offenders. This program is based on the premise that correctional workers should truly be able to provide corrective assistance in mathematics, English, and the various sciences in addition to fulfilling the more traditional custodial tasks. Admission into Option B requires three letters of reference, a minimum of 3.0 GPA, and a formal interview with the Criminal Justice Advisors prior to the declaration of a major.

Required Courses

I. General Education Requirements (45 credits minimum), as listed in the catalog excepting as specified for Goals 10A, 10B, 11, and 12 provided below.

Goal 10A

ANTH 238	Peoples and Cultures of 
	 	the New World				3 cr 
Goal 10B 
LANG 108-109	Elementary Spanish			8 cr 
		OR 
		Satisfactory completion of a 			
		language proficiency examination.
Goal 11

POLS 101	Introduction to American 
		Government				3 cr 
Goal 12 
SOC 112		Social Problems				3 cr
II. Social Science Requirements (24 credits)

POLS 101*	Introduction to 
		American Government			3 cr 
POLS 248	Politics and the Administra- 
		tion of Justice				3 cr 
		OR 
POLS 249	Introduction to Criminal Law		3 cr
PSYC 200	Child Abuse				3 cr 
SOC 112*	Social Problems				3 cr 
SOC 231		Juvenile Delinquency			3 cr 
SOC 248		Local and National Minorities		3 cr
SOC 250		Women, Crime and 
	 	Corrections				3 cr 
SOC 295**	Criminal Justice Internship		4-6 cr
W S 201		Introduction to Women's 
		Studies					3 cr 
IN ADDITION:	Two electives with consent
		of advisor				6 cr
*If SOC 112 and POLS 101 are taken to satisfy Goals 11 and 12, two more elective three-credit courses must be taken with the consent of the advisor. **The Criminal Justice Internship provides an option for those students who seek careers outside of law enforcement or women's correctional facilities. Credits for this course can also be obtained as described below.

General Information

Please note the following guidelines:

  1. Students enrolled in Option A who have certificates in law enforcement from the ISU School of Applied Technology may transfer 12 credits of general electives into the Associate of Arts Criminal Justice degree.
  2. Students enrolled in Option A who have completed the Idaho Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Academy may obtain six credits of general electives which may be applied toward the AA degree.
  3. Students Enrolled in Option B who have completed the Correctional Officer Standards and Training (COST) Academy may obtain six credits of general electives which may be applied toward the AA degree.
  4. Students who do not meet the criterion for 1, 2, or 3 above, must arrange individual field internships or have other internship experience approved by the Criminal Justice Advisors.