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 take courses in a variety of social sciences to enable them to view social welfare in its broad social, economic, and political contexts. The Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree prepares students as beginning-level professional social workers.
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 such areas as aging, family and child welfare, poverty, mental health, developmental disabilities, substance use disorders, diversity, race and ethnicity, criminal justice, oppression, at-risk populations, and social, economic, and environmental justice.
Bachelor of Social Work Mission and Goals
Read more about the School and its mission: socwork.wisc.edu/about
Guided by the core values of the social work profession and grounded in the generalist practice framework, the Bachelor of Social Work's mission is to provide social work education that will nurture competent, ethical entry-level social work professionals committed to scientific inquiry, evidence-based practice, respect for human diversity, the promotion of human and community well-being, human rights, and social, economic and environmental justice.
Certificate Programs
Students in the Social Welfare major or the Bachelor of Social Work degree often choose from a variety of certificate programs available. Common certificates include African American Studies, American Indian and Indigenous Studies, Business, Chicano/a and Latino/a Studies, Criminal Justice, Gender and Women‘s Studies, Global Health, LGBTQ+ Studies, South Asian Studies, and Southeast Asian Studies, among others.
Master of Social Work Advanced Standing
Bachelor of Social Work students may be considered for advanced standing if they apply and are accepted to one of the Master of Social Work programs. Advanced standing qualifies a student to exempt out of all or part of their “generalist” year. For more information, please refer to the Advanced Standing page on the School of Social Work website and the MSW Social Work Advanced Standing, MSW Guide page.
How to Get in
| Requirements | Details |
|---|---|
| How to get in | Application required. Meeting the requirements listed below does not guarantee admission. (https://socwork.wisc.edu/admissions/bsw-application/) |
| Courses required to get in | Students are required to complete SOC WORK 205 and SOC WORK 206 prior to applying to the program. Students must have completed or be enrolled in a course that satisfied the BSW's Statistics requirement to be eligible to apply to the program. Visit the "Statistics and Research" section of the Requirements page for a list of approved courses. |
| GPA required to get in | Minimum 2.500 University GPA, computed on at least 12 credits in-residence at UW–Madison. |
| Credits required to get in | At least:
|
| Other | Students who apply to the BSW program must be declared in the Social Welfare major. Applications from students who have not yet established residence credit at UW–Madison will not be considered. Students must plan to transfer to UW–Madison at least one semester in advance of applying to the program. Students must submit transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended. The BSW admissions committee will conduct a holistic review of all prior academic work to help assess readiness for the BSW program. |
| Semester | Deadline to apply | Decision notification timeline |
|---|---|---|
| To apply for a fall start: | Late January | Late February/Early March |
| To apply for a spring start: | This program does not accept applications to start in the spring. | |
| To apply for a summer start: | This program does not accept applications to start in the summer. |
Students in the BSW program must be in the College of Letters & Science. Applicants may be enrolled in another School or College, but must transfer to Letters & Sciences if they are accepted into the BSW program and choose to pursue the degree.
University Requirements
All undergraduate students must complete both the following Core General Education (Core GenEd) and University Degree and Quality of Work requirements. The requirements below apply to students whose first term at UW-Madison or whose earliest post-high school college attendance at any institution is Summer 2026 or later.
Students whose first term at UW-Madison or whose earliest post-high school college attendance at any institution occurred before Summer 2026 should refer to the archived Guide for the requirements that apply to them.
Core General Education (Core GenEd) Requirements
| Civics & Perspectives | 3 credits of Civics & Perspectives coursework. |
| Communication & Literacy | 6 credits of Communication & Literacy coursework. This requirement may be partially satisfied by a qualifying placement test score. More information: https://go.wisc.edu/qualifyingenglishplacement |
| Humanities & Arts | 6 credits of Humanities & Arts coursework. |
| Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning | 6 credits of Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning coursework. This requirement may be partially satisfied by a qualifying placement test score. More information: https://go.wisc.edu/qualifyingmathplacement |
| Natural Science & Wellness | Complete both:
|
| Social & Behavioral Science | 3 credits of Social & Behavioral Science coursework. |
| Total Credits | 30 credits. |
For more information see the policy.
University Degree and Quality of Work Requirements
All undergraduate degree recipients must complete the following minimum requirements. Requirements for some programs will exceed these requirements; see program requirements for additional information.
| Total Degree | 120 degree credits. |
| Residency | Complete 30 credits in residence. A course is considered “in residence” if it is taken when in undergraduate degree-seeking status and:
|
| Quality of Work | Achieve at least the minimum grade point average specified by the school, college, and/or academic program. |
| Math | Demonstrate minimal mathematics competence by: |
| English Language | If required to take the UW-Madison English as a Second Language Assessment Test (MSN-ESLAT), demonstrate minimal English language competence by:
|
| Language | Complete one:
|
| Major Declaration | Declare and complete the requirements for at least one major. |
College of Letters & Science Degree Requirements: Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)
The Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work is a professional school within the College of Letters & Sciences (L&S). The College confers the BSW degree. The BSW is a special degree program; it is not considered a major. The BSW degree is not available to students who intend to earn a degree outside the College of Letters & Science.
Students pursuing a Bachelor of Social Work degree in the College of Letters & Science must complete all of the requirements below. Some courses satisfy more than one L&S degree requirement (visit College of Letters & Science: Requirements for details).
Bachelor of Social Work Degree Requirements
| Communication | Complete both:
|
| Quantitative Reasoning | Complete both:
Students complete Quantitative Reasoning B within the requirements of the BSW degree program. |
| Ethnic Studies | Complete at least 6 credits of coursework with the Ethnic Studies designation. |
| Language | Complete either:
|
| Breadth in the Degree: Humanities | Complete 12 credits with the Humanities or Literature designation, which must include at least 6 credits with the Literature designation. |
| Breadth in the Degree: Social Sciences | Complete 12 credits with the Social Science designation. |
| Breadth in the Degree: Natural Sciences | Complete 12 credits with the Natural Science, Biological Science, or Physical Science designations, which must include both:
|
| Liberal Arts and Science (LAS) Coursework | at least 108 credits |
| Depth of Intermediate/Advanced Coursework | at least 60 credits at the Intermediate or Advanced level |
| Major | Gain admission to and complete the Bachelor of Social Work degree program. |
| Total Credits | at least 120 credits |
| UW-Madison Experience |
|
| Quality of Work |
|
Requirements for the Program
Complete a minimum of 47 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 Concentration
Complete two Intermediate or Advanced level courses and at least 6 total credits with the Social Science Breadth designation from one of the following subject areas:
- African American Studies (AFROAMER)
- American Indian and Indigenous Studies (AMER IND)
- Anthropology (ANTHRO)
- Asian American Studies (ASIAN AM)
- Chicanx/e and Latinx/e Studies (CHICLA)
- Economics (ECON)
- Gender and Women's Studies (GEN&WS)
- Political Science (POLI SCI)
- Psychology (PSYCH)
- Sociology (SOC)
Human Behavior & the Social Environment
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Complete all: | ||
| SOC WORK 457 | Human Behavior and the Environment | 3 |
| SOC WORK 612 | Psychopathology in Generalist Social Work Practice | 2 |
| SOC WORK 640 | Diversity, Oppression, and Social Justice in Social Work | 3 |
Social Work Practice Sequence
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Complete all: | ||
| SOC WORK 400 | Field Practice and Integrative Seminar I 1,4 | 4 |
| SOC WORK 401 | Field Practice and Integrative Seminar II 1,4 | 4 |
| SOC WORK 441 | Generalist Practice with Individuals, Families and Groups 6 | 3 |
| SOC WORK 442 | Generalist Practice with Communities and Organizations 6 | 2 |
Statistics and Research
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Statistics | ||
| Complete one course from: | 3-4 | |
| Introduction to Statistical Methods | ||
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
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 Social Work Elective Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SOC WORK 316 | Power, Possibility, and the Practice of Social Justice | 3 |
| SOC WORK 336 | Making Sense of Mental Health & Mental Illness | 3 |
| SOC WORK 375 | Contemporary Issues in Social Welfare | 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 462 | Child Welfare | 3 |
| SOC WORK 578 | Housing Precarity and Social Policy | 4 |
| SOC WORK 623 | Interpersonal Violence | 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 | Social Work Practice with LGBTQIA2S+ Individuals and Communities | 3 |
| SOC WORK 644 | Issues in Developmental Disabilities | 3 |
| SOC WORK 646 | Child Abuse and Neglect | 2 |
| SOC WORK 648 | Social Work Practice in Palliative Care | 2 |
| SOC WORK 656 | Child Welfare Practice in Foster and Kinship Care, Permanency, and Adoption | 2 |
| SOC WORK 675 | 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 5 | 2-3 |
Residence and Quality of Work
- 2.000 GPA in all SOC WORK courses and all major courses (cumulative)
- Minimum 2.000 GPA on 15 upper-level major credits, taken in residence3
- 15 credits in SOC WORK, taken on campus
Footnotes
- 1
BSW students take two semesters (16 hours per week—256 hours/semester) of field education during their senior year (SOC WORK 400 fall semester, SOC WORK 401 spring semester).
- 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
PSYCH 225, SOC/C&E SOC 357, STAT 301, STAT 371, PSYCH 210, SOC/C&E SOC 360, and all SOC WORK courses designated as Intermediate or Advanced count as upper-level in the major.
- 4
Please refer to the Advising and Careers tab for more information on field education placements.
- 5
No more than 3 credits of SOC WORK 699 Directed Study may be used toward fulfillment of this requirement.
- 6
Please refer to the Advising and Careers tab for more information on Practice Course sequencing.
Learning Outcomes
- Articulate and demonstrate foundational ethical and professional behavior
- Identify the historical foundations of the US social welfare system and the social work profession.
- Recognize and engage in foundational practices to advance human rights and social, racial, economic, and environmental justice.
- Demonstrate foundational knowledge, critical reflection, and analytic skills that inform anti-oppressive and anti-racist practice.
- Demonstrate a foundational understanding and ability to use research to inform practice and to use practice experiences to inform research.
- Describe and demonstrate foundational policy practice skills.
- Describe and demonstrate foundational knowledge and skills in engaging, assessing, intervening, and evaluating practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
Four-Year Plan
This Four-Year Plan is only one way a student may complete an L&S degree with this major. Many factors can affect student degree planning, including placement scores, credit for transferred courses, credits earned by examination, and individual scholarly interests. In addition, many students have commitments (e.g., athletics, honors, research, student organizations, study abroad, work and volunteer experiences) that necessitate they adjust their plans accordingly. Informed students engage in their own unique Wisconsin Experience by consulting their academic advisors, Guide, DARS, and Course Search & Enroll for assistance making and adjusting their plan.
Students wishing to apply to the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program must do so in spring of Junior year.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Communication A | 3 | Ethnic Studies | 3-4 |
| Quantitative Reasoning A | 3-4 | Literature Breadth | 4 |
| Biological Science Breadth | 3 | Physical Science Breadth | 3 |
| Language (if needed) | 4 | Language (if needed) | 4 |
| 14 | 14 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| SOC WORK 205 | 4 | SOC WORK 206 | 4 |
| Humanities Breadth | 4 | Communication B | 4 |
| Literature Breadth | 4 | Science Breadth | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Electives | 5 |
| INTER-LS 2101 | 1 | ||
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| SOC WORK 640 (fall-only)2 | 3 | SOC WORK 457 (spring only) | 3 |
| Social Science Concentration2 | 3-4 | STAT 301, 371, PSYCH 210, or SOC 360 (also meets Quantitative Reasoning B) | 3-4 |
| Science Breadth | 3 | SOC WORK elective (Intermediate/Advanced-level) | 3-4 |
| Electives (Intermediate/Advanced-level) | 6 | Social Science Concentration2 | 3-4 |
| Elective (Intermediate/Advanced-level) | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| SOC WORK 400 (fall only) | 4 | SOC WORK 401 (spring only) | 4 |
| SOC WORK 441 (fall only) | 3 | SOC WORK 612 (spring only)3 | 2 |
| SOC WORK 442 (fall only) | 2 | SOC WORK 650 (spring only)3 | 3 |
| Electives (Intermediate/Advanced-level) | 6 | SOC WORK elective (Intermediate/Advanced-level) | 3-4 |
| Elective (Intermediate/Advanced-level) | 2-3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Credits 120 | |||
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.
- 1
The College encourages students to take INTER-LS 210 in their second year (or anytime); it is recommended but not required.
- 2
SOC WORK 640 counts towards the BSW ethnic studies requirement, providing three of the six credits needed.
- 3
SOC WORK 612 and SOC WORK 650 are often available in the summer. Check with an Advisor regarding availability and how summer courses might fit into your schedule.
Advising and Careers
Students interested in either the Social Welfare major or Bachelor of Social Work meet with the Social Work advisors to discuss degree requirements; explore 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: socwork.wisc.edu/students/advising
Advising appointments for current UW–Madison students are made through Starfish or by calling 608-263-3660.
Social Work faculty members are available for advice about coursework, research, and the social work profession in general.
Field Education
The Director of Field Education makes final unit placement decisions and field instructors make final agency-placement decisions.
The types of agencies working with the field education program are varied. Field units are organized around a social problem area or a field of practice. Each unit has a range of field placement agencies and settings appropriate to its theme. The emphasis for undergraduate placements is on applying the knowledge and skills of generalist social work practice with systems of all sizes. The focus is on learning and applying analytic and intervention skills within an ethically based, problem-focused approach.
Social Work students should be advised that the Wisconsin Caregiver Law requires a Wisconsin background check (Caregiver Check and Wisconsin Criminal History) for all potential field-education students prior to the field placement. More information regarding this process is available at Field Education on the Social Work website.
For more information about field units, the agencies they work with, and field course expectations see the Field Education Handbook. Field unit availability may vary from year to year.
Study Abroad
Learning in Letters & Science emphasizes discovery, growth, understanding different perspectives, and challenging yourself, which makes studying abroad an excellent fit for many L&S students: studyabroad.wisc.edu
As a university with global influence, we have more than 300 study abroad programs in over 80 countries. These vary in length, academic focus, teaching format, language requirements, cost, and level of independence. There are many programs to complement every major and any year of college (including the final semester)—and all meet UW–Madison’s high academic standards. Students admitted into Letters & Science can even choose a short program in the summer before they start college or their whole first year: studyabroad.wisc.edu/launch. Talk with your academic advisor about how studying abroad might fit with your academic plan.
SuccessWorks
SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science helps you turn the academic skills learned in your classes into a fulfilling life, guiding you every step of the way to securing jobs, internships, or admission to graduate school.
Through one-on-one career advising, events, and resources, you can explore career options, build valuable internship and research experience, and connect with supportive alumni and employers who open doors of opportunity.
- What you can do with your major (Major Skills & Outcomes Sheets)
- Make a career advising appointment
- Learn about internships and internship funding
- Try “Jobs, Internships, & How to Get Them,” an interactive guide in Canvas for enrolled UW–Madison students
Certification/Licensure
Exam Pass Rates
Association of Social Work Boards BSW exam pass rates.
Many students pursuing a BSW will go on to earn a Master in Social Work, which does not require taking the bachelor's level exam. Thus, no data is available from ASWB for UW-Madison attempts in years when the number of students taking the exam is low. As of 2022, ASWB no longer posts national results for repeat exam-takers, only first-time. Exam results nationally, by state, and by institution are publicly available on the ASWB website for the prior year.
| Year of Exam | UW-Madison Graduates: All Attempts | National: All Attempts | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 100 | No data | |
| 2023 | 100 | No Data | |
| 2022 | 100 | No Data | |
| 2021 | No Data | 61 | |
| 2020 | 100 | 61 |
| Year of Exam | UW-Madison Graduates: First Attempt | National: First Attempt | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 100 | 67 | |
| 2023 | 100 | 68 | |
| 2022 | 100 | 65 | |
| 2021 | No Data | 69 | |
| 2020 | 100 | 69 |
Professional Certification/Licensure Disclosure (NC-SARA)
The United States Department of Education (via 34 CFR Part 668) requires institutions that provide distance education to disclose information for programs leading to professional certification or licensure. The expectation is that institutions will determine whether each applicable academic program meets state professional licensure requirements and provide a general disclosure of such on an official university website.
Professional licensure requirements vary from state-to-state and can change year-to-year; they are established in a variety of state statutes, regulations, rules, and policies; and they center on a range of educational requirements, including degree type, specialized accreditation, total credits, specific courses, and examinations.
UW-Madison has taken reasonable efforts to determine whether this program satisfies the educational requirements for certification/licensure in states where prospective and enrolled students are located and is disclosing that information as follows.
Disclaimer: This information is based on the most recent annual review of state agency certification/licensure data and is subject to change. All students are strongly encouraged to consult with the individual/office listed in the Contact Information box on this page and with the applicable state agency for specific information.
The requirements of this program meet certification/licensure requirements in the following states:
Illinois, Wisconsin
The requirements of this program do not meet certification/licensure requirements in the following states:
Not applicable
Updated: 1 June 2026
Accreditation
Council on Social Work Education
Accreditation status: Accredited. Next accreditation review: 2029.
Social Work Competencies
At the conclusion of the BSW program we expect students to have achieved the following core competencies at a generalist level:
- Demonstrate ethical and professional behavior
- Advance human rights and social, racial, economic, and environmental justice
- Engage anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion (ADEI) in practice
- Engage in practice-informed research and research-informed practice
- Engage in policy practice
- Engage with individuals, families, groups, communities, and organizations
- Assess individuals, families, groups, communities, and organizations
- Intervene with individuals, families, groups, communities, and organizations
- Evaluate practice with individuals, families, groups, communities, and organizations