School of Public Service

We offer a bachelor’s degree in Social Work, accredited by the prestigious Council on Social Work Education, that prepares you for a rewarding career as a generalist professional helping individuals, families, groups, communities and organizations. Classroom instruction, by faculty members who are both scholars and leading practitioners, covers the knowledge, values and skills of helping to improve human functioning and addressing social justice issues. Field work in a great variety of settings, including schools, homeless shelters, child and family counseling centers, charitable organizations, senior citizen facilities, and social service agencies enhances academic learning and allows you to make a real impact on society. A very active student club provides you with opportunities for numerous and exciting community service activities.

Admissions Requirements
In addition to the admission requirements of Long Island University, students applying for acceptance into the Social Work program must meet the following:

• Freshman must have a minimum high school average of 80 and ranked in the upper half of their class;
• Transfers must have a GPA of 2.5 or better;
• Students not meeting the required academic standards may be admitted with special permission of the program director;
• Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or better in the major to retain standing in the program.
• Students must take the following Prerequisites: PSY 1, 2; SOC 1; BIO 1, 2; ECO 11; PHL 13.
• To be formally admitted to the major students are required to go through a formal admissions process.

Academic Counseling
An Academic Counselor for the Social Work program is available in the Academic Counseling Center in Kumble Hall. The counselor is available to assist in academic planning, career opportunities and the resolution of difficulties that may arise in connection with campus life. The Social Work program provides additional guidance through faculty members.

Financial Assistance
Financial assistance for Social Work majors is available through various programs offered by Long Island University to C.W. Post students. For detailed information, please contact the Office of Financial Assistance.

Center on Aging/Center for Management Analysis
All students in the Social Work program have access to the Center on Aging and the Center for Management Analysis. These centers are affiliated with the Department of Health Care and Public Administration within C.W. Post’s College of Management. They provide students with opportunities for research and linkages with the professional community.

Social Work Major - Bachelor of Science
All candidates are required to complete 129 credits in the Liberal Arts, Competencies, the Social Work Major (Foundation) and Free Elective Areas.

The Program of Study
The only courses in the major that are open to freshmen and sophomores are SWK 1, SWK 50, the Related Requirements and Social Work Electives. All Social Work foundation requirements will be offered as a unit beginning in the junior year. Upper class students, those who began their course of study at CW Post as well as transfer students, will progress as a collective unit to foster professional identification and promote a collaborative student-teacher learning approach. Transfer students from community colleges will be given credit for courses that are judged equivalent to CW Post courses and may need to take additional prerequisite courses concurrent with foundation Social Work courses.

Field Work Requirement
Field work is a critical part of the Social Work educational experience. The program offers intensive field experience and supervised individual and group instruction.

Liberal Arts Requirements and College 101 - 51 credits

Social Work Requirements - 47 credits

SWK 1 Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare
SWK/HPA 18 Research Methods
SWK/HPA 19 Statistics for Administrators
SWK 50 Social Welfare Programs and Policies I
SWK 51 Social Welfare Programs and Policies II
SWK 60 Human Behavior in the Social Environment I
SWK 61 Human Behavior in the Social Environment II
SWK 70 Social Work Practice I
SWK 71 Social Work Practice II
SWK 75 Diversity-Sensitive Social Work Practice
SWK 79 Introduction to Field Instruction
SWK 80 Field Instruction I (4 credits)
SWK 90 Field Instruction II (6 credits)
SWK 91 Field Instruction III (6 credits)

Social Work Electives - 6 credits

Choose from the following:

SWK 30 Interdisciplinary Helping Professions

PSY 25, 26, 29, 30, 32, 63, 70

SOC 2, 15, 22, 24, 33, 70

ANP 1, 2

PHL 8, 14, 19

Related Requirements 9-12 credits

HPA 20 Computer Based Management Systems

SOC 1 Introduction to Sociology
POL 80 Administrative Behavior

ECO 11 Introduction to Macroeconomics

Free Electives – 13-16 credits

Total - 129 credits