Pre-Social Work

  What is Pre-Social Work?

Social workers are community troubleshooters. Through counseling, referral services or policy-making and advocacy, they help individuals, families and groups cope with problems. Those in the area of planning and policy help people understand how social systems operate and prepare ways of bringing about needed change in institutions such as health services, housing or education.

  Success Factors

People who are successful in this career field possess people-oriented skills that allow them to help individuals in crisis situations. Other successful attributes of these individuals should be a willingness to help people, good organizational skills and good assessment and intervention skills. 

  Career Possibilities

Settings in which social workers are employed vary widely. In the public sector, they are employed primarily in departments of human resources, social services, mental health, health, housing, education and corrections. Those in the private sector work for nonprofit agencies, community and religious organizations, hospitals, nursing homes and other human service agencies. Some are also employed in business and industry, where they may counsel employees. In agencies facing a flood of job applicants, a master of social work (MSW) degree is becoming more desirable. It is generally required for positions in the mental health field and is almost always necessary for supervisory, administrative or research positions.

  Majoring in Pre-Social Work

A bachelor’s degree is the minimum requirement for most professional positions in this field, and the program at Raymond Walters College (RWC) comprises the first two years of this degree. Credits earned for this associate of arts degree are transferable to baccalaureate programs in social work, criminal justice and urban affairs at the University of Cincinnati, or to the Department of Sociology at the College of Mount St. Joseph.

  Curriculum

This curriculum information is intended as a general information guide for students considering enrollment in this program. These online tools are designed to assist you, but are not a substitute for planning with an academic or faculty advisor.

If you are currently confirmed or enrolled, you can check your degree requirements online. If you are considering transferring to this major from another school use the Course Applicability System (CAS) to see how credits you have earned will apply to this major at UC. For course descriptions by college, click here.

FIRST YEAR
Course Name	Credits
English Composition 1	3
English Composition 2	3
The Social Welfare Institute	3
American Government 1	3
American Government 2	3
American Government 3	3
Biology in the Human Context	5
Introduction to Sociology 1	3
Introduction to Sociology 2	3
Contemporary Social Issues	3
Introduction to Psychology 1	3
Introduction to Psychology 2	3
Introduction to Psychology 3	3
Electives	6
Total	47

 

SECOND YEAR
Course Name	Credits
Intermediate English	3
Literature 1	3
Literature 2	3
Literature 3	3
American History 1	3
American History 2	3
American History 3	3
Principles of Economics 1	3
Principles of Economics 2	3
Principles of Economics 3	3
Computer Science	3
Topics in Math 2 or Statistics for the Health Sciences	3
Topics in Math 1 or Topics in Math 3	3
Fine Arts elective	3
Sociology elective	3
Psychology elective	3
Philosophy elective	3
Total	51

 

  Special Programs

Transfer programs are specially designed so that students successfully completing two years of full-time work at RWC may transfer into a four-year program with junior-year status.

  Admission Requirements

This program is open to all students with a high school diploma or GED and the desire to succeed in college. Although admission is open, students accepted into the program must meet the academic standards of the program to advance to upper levels of study.

All students entering RWC, except those who have taken college-level math and English, must take the college's placement test prior to registering for classes.

  Transferring to UC Requirements

Transferring to UC Raymond Walters College
Transfer applications are individually reviewed, and acceptance is based on receipt of application materials, as well as official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended. An official evaluation of transfer credit from other colleges will be processed after the student’s file is complete.

Credits are accepted from any institution currently accredited by any of the six regional accrediting agencies. Enrollment Services shall have discretionary authority to accept credits from other institutions in consultation with program directors or department chairpersons. Application of transfer credit to the student's program is at the discretion of the appropriate program director or department chairperson.

  Changing Majors within UC Requirements

Students changing majors from other programs or colleges within UC will be considered based on the same criteria as outside transfers.

  International Student Requirements

Students who did not graduate from a high school in the United States of America must take an ability-to-benefit test and achieve the minimum specified score to be eligible for admission to a degree or certificate program at Raymond Walters College. The scores will be used for placement in English courses and general advising for all courses.

  Graduation Requirements

To qualify for a degree, you must fulfill the requirements of the program from which you expect to graduate and must have at least a 2.0 cumulative RWC grade point average. It is your responsibility to take the courses necessary for graduation. After freshman requirements have been completed for RWC, no more than nine sophomore credits should be taken in another college. Those credits and courses must have the approval of the academic adviser before they are taken. A student who changes programs or extends work beyond a two-year period must meet the published requirements of the program in the year of expected graduation. Transfer students must take at least one-half of the required course work in a selected program at RWC to qualify for graduation.

You must complete an application for degree, usually the quarter before you expect to graduate. You should see your advisor for specific information well in advance of your final quarter.

  Application Deadlines

Students may enter the program during any quarter. Several classes are sequential, however, and are offered only one quarter per academic year. Entering during winter or spring quarter may extend the length of the program.

  Accreditation

The University of Cincinnati is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.