The Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work core mission is to enhance human well-being and promote human rights and social and economic justice for people who are disadvantaged to achieve an equitable, healthy, and productive society. At a time when the intersection of increased attention on racial injustice and the COVID-19 pandemic, which is disproportionately impacting people of color, social work seeks to actively confront racism.
Undergraduates in the Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work receive a liberal arts education in the social and behavioral sciences and their application to human problems that prepares them to be informed citizens involved in human services or social welfare problems and policies. Students majoring in social welfare leverage their understanding of the historical context of social work and the systems and policies that underlie our society, and learn strategies to address social, racial, economic, and environmental justice and political contexts. Students take courses in a variety of social sciences to enable them to view social welfare in its broad social, economic, and political contexts. The social welfare major offers an overview of current social problems and prepares students for further academic study or for employment in selected human service arenas.
Social work's special contribution rests on an established body of knowledge, values, and skills pertinent to understanding human relationships and the interaction between people as individuals, in families, groups, organizations, and communities. Social work courses offer a theoretical understanding of social problems and an introduction to practice methods used by social workers. The curriculum covers areas such as aging, family and child welfare, poverty, mental health, developmental disabilities, alcohol and drug abuse, diversity, race and ethnicity, criminal justice, oppression and social, economic and environmental justice, and at-risk populations.
Graduates of the Social Welfare major go on to work at non-profit organizations, and federal, state, and local governments. Many alums go on to complete graduate degrees in Social Work, Counseling, Sociology, Psychology, Gender and Women’s Studies, and Law, among other degrees in the Social Sciences and beyond.
The School's main undergraduate Guide page provides a broader overview of the School and its mission.
CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS
Students in social welfare major and BSW program often choose from a variety of certificate programs available. Common certificates include: Afro American Studies, American Indian Studies, Business, Chicano/a and Latino/a Studies, Criminal Justice Certificate, Gender & Women Studies, Global Health, LGBTQ Studies, South Asian Studies and South East Asian Studies, among others.
Students can declare the social welfare major as early as the freshman year as long as they are enrolled in SOC WORK 205 and/or SOC WORK 206. To declare the major, students should make an appointment and meet with one of the social welfare academic advisors at the School of Social Work.
University General Education Requirements
All undergraduate students at the University of Wisconsin–Madison are required to fulfill a minimum set of common university general education requirements to ensure that every graduate acquires the essential core of an undergraduate education. This core establishes a foundation for living a productive life, being a citizen of the world, appreciating aesthetic values, and engaging in lifelong learning in a continually changing world. Various schools and colleges will have requirements in addition to the requirements listed below. Consult your advisor for assistance, as needed. For additional information, see the university Undergraduate General Education Requirements section of the Guide.
| General Education |
* The mortarboard symbol appears before the title of any course that fulfills one of the Communication Part A or Part B, Ethnic Studies, or Quantitative Reasoning Part A or Part B requirements. |
College of Letters & Science Degree Requirements: Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
Students pursuing a bachelor of arts degree in the College of Letters & Science must complete all of the requirements below. The College of Letters & Science allows this major to be paired with either a bachelor of arts or a bachelor of science curriculum.
Bachelor of Arts degree requirements
| Mathematics | Complete the University General Education Requirements for Quantitative Reasoning A (QR-A) and Quantitative Reasoning B (QR-B) coursework. |
| Foreign Language |
|
| L&S Breadth |
|
| Liberal Arts and Science Coursework | Complete at least 108 credits. |
| Depth of Intermediate/Advanced work | Complete at least 60 credits at the intermediate or advanced level. |
| Major | Declare and complete at least one major. |
| Total Credits | Complete at least 120 credits. |
| UW-Madison Experience |
|
| Quality of Work |
|
Non–L&S students pursuing an L&S major
Non–L&S students who have permission from their school/college to pursue an additional major within L&S only need to fulfill the major requirements. They do not need to complete the L&S Degree Requirements above.
Requirements for the Major
Complete a minimum of 32 credits, to be attained via the requirements detailed below.
Social Welfare Policy & Services
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Complete both: | ||
| SOC WORK 205 | Introduction to the Field of Social Work | 4 |
| SOC WORK 206 | Introduction to Social Policy | 4 |
Social Science Concentration1
Complete two Intermediate or Advanced level courses from one of the following social science concentration areas available from ten departments:
Afro-American Studies
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AFROAMER 303 | Blacks, Film, and Society | 3 |
| AFROAMER/HISTORY 321 | Afro-American History Since 1900 | 3-4 |
| AFROAMER/GEN&WS 323 | Gender, Race and Class: Women in U.S. History | 3 |
| AFROAMER/GEN&WS 333 | Black Feminisms | 3 |
| AFROAMER/HISTORY 347 | The Caribbean and its Diasporas | 3 |
| AFROAMER/HISTORY 393 | Slavery, Civil War, and Reconstruction, 1848-1877 | 3-4 |
| AFROAMER/HIST SCI/MED HIST 523 | Race, American Medicine and Public Health | 3 |
| AFROAMER/ED POL 567 | History of African American Education | 3 |
| AFROAMER 631 | Colloquium in Afro-American History | 3 |
| AFROAMER 671 | Selected Topics in Afro-American History | 3 |
American Indian Studies
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AMER IND/ENVIR ST 306 | Indigenous Peoples and the Environment | 3 |
| AMER IND/ANTHRO 314 | Indians of North America | 3 |
| AMER IND/ENVIR ST/GEOG 345 | Managing Nature in Native North America | 3 |
| AMER IND/GEOG 410 | Critical Indigenous Ecological Knowledges | 3 |
| AMER IND 450 | Issues in American Indian Studies | 3 |
| AMER IND/HISTORY 490 | American Indian History | 3-4 |
| AMER IND/C&E SOC/SOC 578 | Poverty and Place | 3 |
Anthropology
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ANTHRO 300 | Cultural Anthropology: Theory and Ethnography | 3 |
| ANTHRO/AMER IND 314 | Indians of North America | 3 |
| ANTHRO 321 | The Emergence of Human Culture | 3 |
| ANTHRO/RELIG ST 343 | Anthropology of Religion | 3-4 |
| ANTHRO 345 | Family, Kin and Community in Anthropological Perspective | 3 |
| ANTHRO 348 | Economic Anthropology | 3-4 |
| ANTHRO 350 | Political Anthropology | 3-4 |
| ANTHRO/GEN&WS 443 | Anthropology by Women | 3 |
| ANTHRO 477 | Anthropology, Environment, and Development | 3 |
| ANTHRO 545 | Psychological Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTHRO/ED POL 570 | Anthropology and Education | 3 |
Asian American Studies
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ASIAN AM/SOC 220 | Ethnic Movements in the United States | 3-4 |
| ASIAN AM 240 | Topics in Asian American Studies | 3 |
| ASIAN AM 441 | Hmong American Social Movements in the 20th and 21st Centuries | 3 |
Chicana/o and Latina/o Studies
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CHICLA/POLI SCI 231 | Politics in Multi-Cultural Societies | 3-4 |
| CHICLA 301 | Chicana/o and Latina/o History | 3 |
| CHICLA/POLI SCI 302 | Mexican-American Politics | 3-4 |
| CHICLA 315 | Racial Formation and Whiteness | 3 |
| CHICLA/CURRIC 321 | Chicano/Latino Educational Justice | 3 |
| CHICLA 330 | Topics in Chicano/a Studies | 3-4 |
| CHICLA/GEN&WS 332 | Latinas: Self Identity and Social Change | 3 |
| CHICLA/HISTORY/LACIS/POLI SCI 355 | Labor in the Americas: US & Mexico in Comparative & Historical Perspective | 3 |
| CHICLA/LEGAL ST/SOC 440 | Ethnicity, Race, and Justice | 3-4 |
| CHICLA/LEGAL ST/SOC 443 | Immigration, Crime, and Enforcement | 3-4 |
| CHICLA/SOC 470 | Sociodemographic Analysis of Mexican Migration | 3 |
| CHICLA 501 | Chican@ and Latin@ Social Movements in the U.S. | 3 |
| CHICLA/COUN PSY 525 | Dimensions of Latin@ Mental Health Services | 3 |
Economics
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ECON/FINANCE 300 | Introduction to Finance | 3 |
| ECON 301 | Intermediate Microeconomic Theory | 4 |
| ECON 302 | Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory | 4 |
| ECON/HIST SCI 305 | Development of Economic Thought | 3-4 |
| ECON/A A E/REAL EST/URB R PL 306 | The Real Estate Process | 3 |
| ECON 311 | Intermediate Microeconomic Theory - Advanced Treatment | 3 |
| ECON 312 | Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory - Advanced Treatment | 3 |
| ECON/A A E/ENVIR ST 343 | Environmental Economics | 3-4 |
| ECON 355 | The Economics of Growing-up and Getting Old | 3-4 |
| ECON 370 | Economics of Poverty and Inequality | 3 |
| ECON/REAL EST/URB R PL 420 | Urban and Regional Economics | 3 |
| ECON 441 | Analytical Public Finance | 3-4 |
| ECON/ENVIR ST/POLI SCI/URB R PL 449 | Government and Natural Resources | 3-4 |
| ECON 450 | Wages and the Labor Market | 3-4 |
| ECON 464 | International Trade | 3-4 |
| ECON/HISTORY 466 | The American Economy Since 1865 | 3-4 |
| ECON 467 | International Industrial Organizations | 3-4 |
| ECON/A A E 474 | Economic Problems of Developing Areas | 3 |
| ECON 475 | Economics of Growth | 3-4 |
| ECON 521 | Game Theory and Economic Analysis | 3-4 |
| ECON 522 | Law and Economics | 3-4 |
| ECON/PHILOS 524 | Philosophy and Economics | 3 |
| ECON/A A E/F&W ECOL 531 | Natural Resource Economics | 3 |
| ECON/POP HLTH/PUB AFFR 548 | The Economics of Health Care | 3-4 |
| ECON 623 | Population Economics | 3-4 |
| ECON/SOC 663 | Population and Society | 3 |
| ECON/A A E/ENVIR ST/URB R PL 671 | Energy Economics | 3 |
Gender and Women's Studies
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GEN&WS 320 | Special Topics in Gender, Women and Society | 3 |
| GEN&WS/AFROAMER 323 | Gender, Race and Class: Women in U.S. History | 3 |
| GEN&WS 331 | Topics in Gender/Class/Race/Ethnicity (Social Sciences) | 3 |
| GEN&WS/CHICLA 332 | Latinas: Self Identity and Social Change | 3 |
| GEN&WS/AFROAMER 333 | Black Feminisms | 3 |
| GEN&WS 340 | Topics in LGBTQ Sexuality | 3 |
| GEN&WS 344 | Bi/Pan/Asexuality: Community & Representation | 3 |
| GEN&WS/HISTORY 353 | Women and Gender in the U.S. to 1870 | 3-4 |
| GEN&WS/HISTORY 354 | Women and Gender in the U.S. Since 1870 | 3-4 |
| GEN&WS/COM ARTS 418 | Gender, Sexuality, and the Media | 3 |
| GEN&WS 420 | Women in Cross-Societal Perspective | 3 |
| GEN&WS/LEGAL ST 422 | Women and the Law | 3 |
| GEN&WS 423 | The Female Body in the World: Gender and Contemporary Body Politics in Cross Cultural Perspective | 3 |
| GEN&WS/LEGAL ST/SOC 425 | Crime, Gender and Justice | 3 |
| GEN&WS/POLI SCI 429 | Gender and Politics in Comparative Perspective | 3-4 |
| GEN&WS 441 | Contemporary Feminist Theories | 3 |
| GEN&WS/ANTHRO 443 | Anthropology by Women | 3 |
| GEN&WS 446 | Queer of Color Critique | 3 |
| GEN&WS/POLI SCI 469 | Women and Politics | 3-4 |
| GEN&WS/HISTORY 519 | Sexuality, Modernity and Social Change | 3 |
| GEN&WS/PSYCH 522 | Psychology of Women and Gender | 3 |
| GEN&WS 523 | Framing Fatness: Gender, Size, Constructing Health | 3 |
| GEN&WS 534 | Gender, Sexuality, and Reproduction: Public Health Perspectives | 3 |
| GEN&WS/INTL ST 535 | Women's Global Health and Human Rights | 3 |
| GEN&WS 536 | Queering Sexuality Education | 3 |
| GEN&WS/HIST SCI 537 | Childbirth in the United States | 3 |
| GEN&WS 546 | Feminist Theories and Masculinities | 3 |
| GEN&WS 547 | Theorizing Intersectionality | 3 |
| GEN&WS/ED POL 560 | Gender and Education | 3 |
| GEN&WS/SOC 611 | Gender, Science and Technology | 3 |
Political Science
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| POLI SCI/LEGAL ST 217 | Law, Politics and Society | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI/CHICLA 231 | Politics in Multi-Cultural Societies | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 272 | Introduction to Public Policy | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI/CHICLA 302 | Mexican-American Politics | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 305 | Elections and Voting Behavior | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 311 | United States Congress | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 314 | Criminal Law and Justice | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 330 | Political Economy of Development | 3 |
| POLI SCI 335 | Social Identities | 3 |
| POLI SCI 338 | The Civil-Military Paradox in U.S. Politics and Society | 3 |
| POLI SCI 343 | Theories of International Security | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 345 | Conflict Resolution | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 347 | Terrorism | 3 |
| POLI SCI 348 | Analysis of International Relations | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 350 | International Political Economy | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 354 | International Institutions and World Order | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI/CHICLA/HISTORY/LACIS 355 | Labor in the Americas: US & Mexico in Comparative & Historical Perspective | 3 |
| POLI SCI 356 | Principles of International Law | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 359 | American Foreign Policy | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 408 | The American Presidency | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 411 | The American Constitution : Powers and Structures of Government | 4 |
| POLI SCI 412 | The American Constitution: Rights and Civil Liberties | 4 |
| POLI SCI 414 | The Supreme Court as a Political Institution | 3 |
| POLI SCI 416 | Community Power and Grass Roots Politics | 3 |
| POLI SCI 417 | The American Judicial System | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI/PUB AFFR 419 | Administrative Law | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI/GEN&WS 429 | Gender and Politics in Comparative Perspective | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI/INTL ST 431 | Contentious Politics | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI/INTL ST 434 | The Politics of Human Rights | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI/INTL ST 439 | The Comparative Study of Genocide | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI/ECON/ENVIR ST/URB R PL 449 | Government and Natural Resources | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 463 | Deception and Politics | 4 |
| POLI SCI/GEN&WS 469 | Women and Politics | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 470 | The First Amendment | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 511 | Campaign Finance | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 515 | Public Opinion | 3-4 |
Psychology
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSYCH 311 | Issues in Psychology | 3-4 |
| PSYCH 401 | Psychology, Law, and Social Policy | 3 |
| PSYCH 403 | Psychology of Personality | 3 |
| PSYCH 405 | Abnormal Psychology | 3-4 |
| PSYCH 413 | Language, Mind, and Brain | 3 |
| PSYCH 414 | Cognitive Psychology | 3 |
| PSYCH 428 | Introduction to Cultural Psychology | 3-4 |
| PSYCH/SOC 453 | Human Sexuality | 4 |
| PSYCH 456 | Social Psychology | 3-4 |
| PSYCH 460 | Child Development | 3-4 |
| PSYCH 464 | Adult Development and Aging | 3 |
| PSYCH 502 | Cognitive Development | 4 |
| PSYCH 503 | Social Development | 4 |
| PSYCH 508 | Psychology of Human Emotions: From Biology to Culture | 4 |
| PSYCH 510 | Critical Issues in Child Psychopathology | 4 |
| PSYCH 513 | Hormones, Brain, and Behavior | 4 |
| PSYCH 521 | The Structure of Human Thought: Concepts, Language and Culture | 4 |
| PSYCH/GEN&WS 522 | Psychology of Women and Gender | 3 |
| PSYCH 525 | Cognition in Health and Society | 4 |
| PSYCH 526 | The Criminal Mind: Forensic and Psychobiological Perspectives | 4 |
| PSYCH 532 | Psychological Effects of the Internet | 4 |
| PSYCH 607 | Introduction to Psychotherapy | 3 |
Sociology
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SOC 181 | Honors Introductory Seminar-The Sociological Enterprise | 3-4 |
| SOC/C&E SOC 210 | Survey of Sociology | 3-4 |
| SOC/C&E SOC 211 | The Sociological Enterprise | 3 |
| SOC/ASIAN AM 220 | Ethnic Movements in the United States | 3-4 |
| SOC/A A E/C&E SOC 340 | Issues in Food Systems | 3-4 |
| SOC/C&E SOC 341 | Labor in Global Food Systems | 3 |
| SOC 421 | Processes of Deviant Behavior | 3-4 |
| SOC/SOC WORK 422 | Social Issues in Aging | 3 |
| SOC/GEN&WS/LEGAL ST 425 | Crime, Gender and Justice | 3 |
| SOC/CHICLA/LEGAL ST 440 | Ethnicity, Race, and Justice | 3-4 |
| SOC 441 | Criminology | 3-4 |
| SOC/CHICLA/LEGAL ST 443 | Immigration, Crime, and Enforcement | 3-4 |
| SOC 444 | Social Psychology: A Sociological Perspective | 3-4 |
| SOC 446 | Juvenile Delinquency | 3-4 |
| SOC/PSYCH 453 | Human Sexuality | 4 |
| SOC/CHICLA 470 | Sociodemographic Analysis of Mexican Migration | 3 |
| SOC/C&E SOC 475 | Classical Sociological Theory | 3 |
| SOC 476 | Contemporary Sociological Theory | 3 |
| SOC/C&E SOC 532 | Health Care Issues for Individuals, Families and Society | 3 |
| SOC/C&E SOC 533 | Public Health in Rural & Urban Communities | 3 |
| SOC 535 | Talk and Social Interaction | 3 |
| SOC/C&E SOC/ENVIR ST 540 | Sociology of International Development, Environment, and Sustainability | 3 |
| SOC/C&E SOC 541 | Environmental Stewardship and Social Justice | 3 |
| SOC 543 | Collective Behavior | 3 |
| SOC/C&E SOC 573 | Community Organization and Change | 3 |
| SOC 575 | Sociological Perspectives on the Life Course and Aging | 3 |
| SOC/AMER IND/C&E SOC 578 | Poverty and Place | 3 |
| SOC/GEN&WS 611 | Gender, Science and Technology | 3 |
| SOC/C&E SOC/URB R PL 617 | Community Development | 3 |
| SOC 621 | Class, State and Ideology: an Introduction to Marxist Social Science | 3 |
| SOC 624 | Political Sociology | 3 |
| SOC 626 | Social Movements | 3 |
| SOC/C&E SOC 630 | Sociology of Developing Societies/Third World | 3 |
| SOC 632 | Sociology of Organizations | 3-4 |
| SOC 633 | Social Stratification | 3 |
| SOC 640 | Sociology of the Family | 3 |
| SOC/LAW/LEGAL ST 641 | Sociology of Law | 3-4 |
| SOC/C&E SOC/URB R PL 645 | Modern American Communities | 3 |
| SOC/ED POL 648 | Sociology of Education | 3 |
| SOC/C&E SOC 650 | Sociology of Agriculture | 3 |
| SOC/C&E SOC 652 | Sociology of Economic Institutions | 3 |
| SOC/ECON 663 | Population and Society | 3 |
| SOC/HISTORY 670 | Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy in America Since 1890 | 3-4 |
| SOC/C&E SOC 676 | Applied Demography: Planning and Policy | 3 |
Human behavior & the social environment
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Complete both: | ||
| SOC WORK 457 | Human Behavior and the Environment (junior year, spring semester) | 3 |
| SOC WORK 640 | Diversity, Oppression and Social Justice in Social Work (junior year, fall semester) | 3 |
Statistics & Research
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Statistics | ||
| Complete one course from: | 3-4 | |
| Introduction to Statistical Methods (recommended) | ||
or STAT 371 | Introductory Applied Statistics for the Life Sciences | |
or PSYCH 210 | Basic Statistics for Psychology | |
| Statistics for Sociologists I | ||
| Research | ||
| Complete one course from: | 3-4 | |
| Methods of Social Work Research | ||
or PSYCH 225 | Research Methods | |
| Methods of Sociological Inquiry | ||
| Total Credits | 6-8 | |
Electives in social welfare
Complete two Intermediate or Advanced level SOC WORK courses and at least 6 total credits of Social Work electives. Not all courses in the list below are offered in each semester or year.
List of elective Soc Work courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SOC WORK 299 | Directed Study | 1-3 |
| SOC WORK 420 | Poverty and Social Welfare | 3 |
| SOC WORK/SOC 422 | Social Issues in Aging | 3 |
| SOC WORK 453 | Substance Use Disorders | 3 |
| SOC WORK 454 | Small Groups in Social Work Practice | 3 |
| SOC WORK 462 | Child Welfare | 3 |
| SOC WORK 523 | Family Violence | 3 |
| SOC WORK 575 | Community Development in Social Welfare | 3 |
| SOC WORK 578 | Homelessness: A Service Learning Course | 4 |
| SOC WORK 624 | Social Work with the Small Group | 3 |
| SOC WORK 626 | Social Work with the Community | 3 |
| SOC WORK 627 | Sex Trafficking and Sex Trading | 2 |
| SOC WORK/AMER IND 636 | Social Work in American Indian Communities: The Indian Child Welfare Act | 3 |
| SOC WORK 639 | Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender (GLBT) Individuals and Social Welfare | 3 |
| SOC WORK 642 | Social Work and Adolescents | 3 |
| SOC WORK 643 | Social Work and Delinquency | 3 |
| SOC WORK 644 | Issues in Developmental Disabilities | 3 |
| SOC WORK 646 | Child Abuse and Neglect | 2 |
| SOC WORK 656 | Family Practice in Foster and Kinship Care | 3 |
| SOC WORK 659 | International Aspects of Social Work | 3 |
| SOC WORK 661 | Topics in Contemporary Social Welfare | 2-3 |
| SOC WORK 662 | Topics in Contemporary Social Welfare | 2-3 |
| SOC WORK 663 | Topics in Contemporary Social Welfare | 2-3 |
| SOC WORK 664 | Topics in Contemporary Social Welfare | 3 |
| SOC WORK 665 | Topics in Contemporary Social Welfare | 2-3 |
| SOC WORK 672 | Topics in Contemporary Social Welfare | 2-3 |
| SOC WORK 673 | Topics in Contemporary Social Welfare | 2-3 |
| SOC WORK 674 | Topics in Contemporary Social Welfare | 2-3 |
| SOC WORK 675 | Topics in Contemporary Social Welfare | 2-3 |
| SOC WORK 676 | Topics in Contemporary Social Welfare | 2-3 |
| SOC WORK 679 | Topics in Contemporary Social Welfare | 2-3 |
| SOC WORK 691 | Senior Thesis 2 | 2 |
| SOC WORK 692 | Senior Thesis 2 | 2 |
| SOC WORK 699 | Directed Study 2,3 | 1-3 |
Residence and Quality of Work
- 2.000 GPA in all SOC WORK and all major courses
- 2.000 GPA on 15 upper-level major credits taken in residence4
- 15 credits in SOC WORK, taken on the UW–Madison campus
Footnotes
- 1
Social Science Concentration courses listed are a selected list of eligible courses. Consult with a Social Work advisor for other exceptions or additions to the list.
- 2
Students with an interest in a particular area of study may develop a plan of independent work with the assistance of an interested Social Work faculty member. They may obtain information about instructors and their areas of interest from the School of Social Work website. Consent of instructor is required for the noted course offerings in independent work.
- 3
No more than 3 credits of SOC WORK 699 may be used to meet this requirement.
- 4
PSYCH 225, SOC/C&E SOC 357, STAT 301, STAT 371, PSYCH 210, and SOC/C&E SOC 360, and all SOC WORK courses designated as Intermediate or Advanced level count as upper-level in the major.
University Degree Requirements
| Total Degree | To receive a bachelor's degree from UW–Madison, students must earn a minimum of 120 degree credits. The requirements for some programs may exceed 120 degree credits. Students should consult with their college or department advisor for information on specific credit requirements. |
| Residency | Degree candidates are required to earn a minimum of 30 credits in residence at UW–Madison. "In residence" means on the UW–Madison campus with an undergraduate degree classification. “In residence” credit also includes UW–Madison courses offered in distance or online formats and credits earned in UW–Madison Study Abroad/Study Away programs. |
| Quality of Work | Undergraduate students must maintain the minimum grade point average specified by the school, college, or academic program to remain in good academic standing. Students whose academic performance drops below these minimum thresholds will be placed on academic probation. |
- Identify foundational aspects of the US social welfare system and the history of the social work profession.
- Recognize human differences and how social welfare systems interact with these differences to shape opportunities and outcomes for individuals, groups, and communities.
- Demonstrate an ability to critically evaluate research with respect to its relevance, quality, and utility for addressing social welfare issues.
- Synthesize and communicate knowledge relevant to social welfare issues.
- Practice self-awareness of one’s values, beliefs, and biases regarding the causes and consequences of social welfare issues.
- Connect awareness of self, systems and social welfare knowledge to promote human dignity and justice.
Sample Four-Year Plan
This Sample Four-Year Plan is a tool to assist students and their advisor(s). Students should use it—along with their DARS report, the Degree Planner, and Course Search & Enroll tools—to make their own four-year plan based on their placement scores, credit for transferred courses and approved examinations, and individual interests. As students become involved in athletics, honors, research, student organizations, study abroad, volunteer experiences, and/or work, they might adjust the order of their courses to accommodate these experiences. Students will likely revise their own four-year plan several times during college.
Social Welfare majors are encouraged to gain social service experience through volunteer work. See the Social Work advisors or contact the Morgridge Center for Public Service, 263-2432, for information on volunteering.
Students wishing to apply to the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program must do so in spring of Junior year.
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Communication A | 3 | Communication B | 3 |
| Quantitative Reasoning A | 3-4 | Elective | 3 |
| SOC WORK 1001 | 3 | Natural Science Breadth (or Physical Science if BS) | 3 |
| Foreign Language (if needed) | 4 | Foreign Language (if needed) | 4 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective (Intermediate/Advanced-level) | 3 |
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| SOC WORK 205 (can be taken Freshman or Sophomore year) | 4 | SOC WORK 206 (can be taken Freshman or Sophomore year) | 4 |
| Foreign Language (if needed) | 4 | Foreign Language (if needed; or Intermediate/Advanced level Comp Sci, Math, Stats if BS) | 3-4 |
| Biological Sciences Breadth | 3 | Physical Science Breadth | 3-4 |
| Humanities Breadth | 3-4 | Literature Breadth | 3-4 |
| 14 | 14 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| SOC WORK 640 | 3 | SOC WORK 457 | 3 |
| STAT 301, 371, PSYCH 210, or SOC 360 (Take STAT 301 or STAT 371 if BS) | 3-4 | SOC WORK 650, PSYCH 225, or SOC 3573 | 3 |
| Social Science Concentration course2 | 3-4 | Literature Breadth | 3 |
| Humanities Breadth | 3 | SOC WORK elective (Intermediate/Advanced level) | 2-4 |
| Electives (I/A-level) | 3 | Social Science Concentration course2 | 3-4 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| SOC WORK elective (Intermediate/Advanced level) | 2-4 | SOC WORK elective (Intermediate/Advanced level) | 2-4 |
| Natural Science Breadth (or Biological Science if BS) | 3 | Electives (Intermediate/Advanced level) | 3-4 |
| Electives (Intermediate/Advanced level) | 3-4 | Electives (Intermediate/Advanced level) | 3-4 |
| Electives (Intermediate/Advanced level) | 3-4 | Electives (Intermediate/Advanced level) | 3-4 |
| Electives (Intermediate/Advanced level) | 3-4 | Electives (Intermediate/Advanced level) | 3-4 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Credits 120 | |||
- 1
Note: SOC WORK 100 is a pre-major elective course that can be taken in the first year, if offered; it is not required for the major.
- 2
Take two Intermediate or Advanced level courses from one of the following social science departments: Afro-American Studies, American Indian Studies, Anthropology, Asian American Studies, Chicana/o and Latina/o Studies, Economics, Gender and Women's Studies, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology.
- 3
SOC WORK 650 is often available in the summer. Check with an Advisor for course availability and how summer courses might fit into your schedule.
Advising
Students interested in either the social welfare major or bachelor of social work meet with the social work advisors to discuss degree requirements; exploring career paths; declare the major; and confer on student issues and concerns. Advisors are an excellent resource for information about campus and community services. Students should see an advisor at least once each semester to review academic progress. Advising appointments are made through the school's website. Social work faculty members are available for advice about coursework, research, and the social work profession in general.
L&S career resources
Every L&S major opens a world of possibilities. SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science helps students turn the academic skills learned in their major, certificates, and other coursework into fulfilling lives after graduation, whether that means jobs, public service, graduate school or other career pursuits.
In addition to providing basic support like resume reviews and interview practice, SuccessWorks offers ways to explore interests and build career skills from their very first semester/term at UW all the way through graduation and beyond.
Students can explore careers in one-on-one advising, try out different career paths, complete internships, prepare for the job search and/or graduate school applications, and connect with supportive alumni and even employers in the fields that inspire them.
- SuccessWorks
- Set up a career advising appointment
- Enroll in a Career Course - a great idea for first- and second-year students:
- INTER-LS 210 L&S Career Development: Taking Initiative (1 credit)
- INTER-LS 215 Communicating About Careers (3 credits, fulfills Comm B General Education Requirement)
- Learn about internships and internship funding
- Activate your Handshake account to apply for jobs and internships from 200,000+ employers recruiting UW-Madison students
- Learn about the impact SuccessWorks has on students' lives
Professors: Lawrence M. Berger, MSW, Ph.D.; Marah H. Curtis, MSW, Ph.D.; Katherine Magnuson, Ph.D.; Stephanie A. Robert, MSW, Ph.D. (School director); Tracy Schroepfer, MSW, Ph.D., Kristen Slack, A.M., Ph.D.
Associate Professors: Tally Moses, MSW, Ph.D.
Assistant Professors: Lauren Bishop, Ph.D.; Pajarita Charles, MPA, MSW, Ph.D.; Lara Gerassi, MSW, Ph.D.; LB Klein, MSW, Ph.D.; Jooyoung Kong, MSW, Ph.D.; Jessica Pac, Ph.D.; Alejandra Ros Pilarz, Ph.D.; Tawandra Rowell-Cunsolo, Ph.D.; Tova Walsh, MSW, Ph.D.; Yang Sao Xiong, Ph.D.
Clinical Professor: Ellen Smith, MSSW
Clinical Associate Professors: Audrey Conn, MSSW, APSW; Alice Egan, MSSW, APSW; Amanda Ngola, MSW, LCSW; Angela Willits, MSW, LCSW
Clinical Assistant Professors: Laura Dresser, MSW, Ph.D.; Lynette Studer, MSSW, Ph.D.
A complete list of all faculty and staff in the school is available on the School of Social Work Directory.