The University of Iowa School of Social Work

H. Wayne Johnson BA in SW

H. Wayne Johnson H. Wayne Johnson served on the faculty of the School of Social Work and was the BA Coordinator for 38 years, until his retirement in 1999. The H. Wayne Johnson BA Program in Social Work is named in honor of his commitment to and leadership in undergraduate education at The University of Iowa. Professor Johnson and his wife Donna have established a scholarship for undergraduate social work students.

Overview

The Bachelor of Arts program in Iowa City and Des Moines prepares students for beginning professional social work practice as generalists. The goals of the program are to prepare students for employment in public and private social services in home and community based settings such as public welfare, child welfare, health, mental health, elderly services, and corrections; to prepare students for informed community participation in social welfare issues; and to provide a base for graduate study in social work or allied professions. The program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. A complete description of the program is available from the University Catalog.



Selective Admission

The School of Social Work seeks to maintain a heterogenous student body by enrolling students who represent diverse backgrounds and cultural perspectives. A limited number of students are admitted to the major. The application deadline is March 1. Admission to the undergraduate program in social work requires:

  • completion of SW:022 (042:022 or 034:022) Introduction to Social Work with a grade of C or higher (should be taken by sophomore year);
  • a cumulative grade-point average of at least 2.50; (exceptions may be made for persons who do not meet the grade-point average requirement if they are strong candidates on the basis of other criteria); and
  • completion of application forms and statement

Meeting these requirements does not guarantee admission. Admission often is limited by available instructional resources and opportunties for field placement.



BA Social Work Admissions Policy Statement

and Guidelines for Application

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Criteria for Admission for Fall 2013:
Applicants to the BA Social Work program must have met the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) requirements and be admitted to CLAS. Students are admitted to the CLAS on the basis of three criteria: completion of a set of high school unit requirements; high school class rank or college transfer grade-point average; and ACT/SAT results or a combination of high school/college records and standardized test scores. These requirements are further explained on the web: http://www.uiowa.edu/admissions/undergrad/index.html and in the current University of Iowa General Catalog: http://www.registrar.uiowa.edu/registrar/catalog/liberalartsandsciences/socialwork/ Applicants to the School of Social Work must meet additional criteria detailed below. Due to class size restrictions, not all students who meet the criteria are admitted when the applicant pool is large.

I. School of Social Work Criteria for Selective Admission for BA Social Work

A. Academic qualifications

1. A cumulative GPA of 2.50 (on a 4.0 scale) at the time of admission. Applicants who do not meet the minimum GPA but demonstrate strengths/potential in other areas may be granted consideration for admission on an individual basis.

2. A grade of C or above in SSW:2222(042:022)-Introduction to Social Work or comparable course taken in another college and approved by the School of Social Work.

B. Application form and personal statement

    Completion of a current application form and a comprehensive statement which evidences the applicant’s personal qualities and values that are considered essential for the professional practice of social work, including: good intellectual capacity and analytical skills combined with an ability to work constructively with others; good communication skills, judgment, adaptability, sense of responsibility, resourcefulness, caring and compassionate qualities; and a personal commitment to social justice, empowering individuals, and serving underrepresented groups. Applicants’ willingness and interest in addressing social justice issues that affect human beings as a consequence of oppression, poverty, marginalization and alienation because of the intersection of multiple factors, including those identified by CSWE: class, color, culture, disability, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, immigration status, political ideology, race, sex, sexual orientation, and religious, non-religious or spiritual beliefs is fundamental to a successful experience in the School. These qualities are to be evidenced in the application.

 

The Personal Statement is a significant part of the application materials. This document should be approximately 5 pages (double spaced) and must be typed. Note that your Personal Statement itself will be used to evaluate your written communication ability. The Personal Statement should address the following qualities and competencies:

PART 1:

  • A discussion of how paid, volunteer, and life experiences relevant to social work have influenced the applicant’s decision to pursue or continue a career in social work at the B.A. level.

  • A description of any experience relative to working with those different from the applicant in background or other characteristics and any experience relative to problems of economically and socially disadvantaged, marginalized or oppressed people.

  • Discussion of how these experiences demonstrate that your personal values are congruent with the Social Work Code of Ethics*.*Code of Ethics may be found online: www.socialworkers.org/pubs/Code/code.asp

PART 2:

  • Discussion of the applicant’s motivation for, expectations regarding, and commitment to the social work program at The University of Iowa. Discuss any factors which have assisted toward the decision to enter or continue in the field of Social Work, and any experiences which the applicant believes will be helpful as a student in Social Work, including: 1) employment; 2) education; 3) special interests; 4) family influences; 5) volunteer service, and/or other.

  • Identification of particular assets that the applicant would bring to the School and to the profession, as well as areas in which the applicant would most like to grow academically and professionally.

  • Discussion of the applicant’s readiness to undertake study toward a professional degree and anticipated satisfaction or challenges with regard to the choice of the social work profession.

  • Identification of short and long term goals as a professional social worker.

C. The accuracy and quality of writing in this statement will be evaluated as evidence of the Candidate’s potential for professional written communication.

D. Materials must be submitted by the application deadline of Thursday, March 1, 2013 for the next academic year.


II. Who Can Apply
Applicants for the Social Work major may include Social Work Interest majors, students transferring from other majors such as sociology or psychology, or students transferring from other institutions. All applicants must complete the BA Social Work application (described above) which is reviewed by members of the admissions panel. Transfer students who have completed the Introduction to Social Work course, or equivalent course at another institution, are required to submit a completed reference form from that course instructor. No other references will be accepted. Applicants who are not accepted on their first attempt may apply the following year. There is a maximum of two attempts to apply to the BA program.

Social Work Interest Majors
Students interested in applying to the School of Social Work may declare 42P (Social Work Interest) through the University's Academic Programs Office at any point during the first 3 years in her or his academic program but usually when sufficient time remains to complete the program within the normal four year schedule. Students who have earned more than 72 hours are not permitted to declare 42P. The pre-major declaration qualifies them to be advised by Social Work faculty (once they have at least sophomore standing) and to participate in the Student Association and other activities of the School, but they are not permitted to register for required social work major courses. (Freshman students are advised by The Academic Counseling Center. The BA Program Director and/or Program Administrator confer with these advisors upon request and meet annually with the advising staff to provide updates on social work requirements.) The student will remain a Social Work Interest major until formal admission to the BA Social Work major or until they exceed 72 hours when they must declare another major to register for classes. Students are expected to enroll in 042:022 Intro to Social Work and apply to the major in their sophomore year. Juniors are permitted to apply and if they do so, it is with the expectation that at least one additional summer semester of coursework will be necessary to complete all of the requirements of the major, due, in part, to the sequencing of social work courses.

Transfer students
Transfer students should follow the admissions process delineated above, noting the March 1, 2013 deadline for application. If the transfer student has taken the introductory social work course at another institution, the student shall obtain a letter of reference from a social work instructor at the previous institution. The letter should be sent to Admissions Coordinator: Susan Dirks, UI School of Social Work, 308 North Hall, Iowa City IA 52242 prior to the March 1, 2013 deadline.

Upon admission to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, transfer students' transcripts are evaluated by Undergraduate Admissions and the Registrars' Office and the student is informed of their remaining general educational requirements by the University's Office of Admissions Degree Evaluation form. Transfer students who have taken an equivalent introductory social work course elsewhere may apply to be reviewed for admission during the annual review period. Previously earned credits which may apply to the major are evaluated by the Undergraduate Program Director on a case-by-case basis for applicability to the Social Work major. Generally, courses earned more than 10 years ago will not be accepted. Transfer students are expected to present a transcript and syllabi of courses for which they are requesting social work course requirement equivalency or waiver. The BA Program Director or Program Administrator meets individually with each student to determine if equivalent course content has been covered. A plan is developed, based upon this review and filed for the student and student's advisor's information. In the case of social work courses, only courses earned in a CSWE accredited program are considered equivalent, except for the Intro to Social Work course. If sufficient similar course content has been covered, an individual study may be designed or waiver granted but the hours must be taken in social work.

III. Admission Decisions
The applicant will be notified prior to the early registration period in the spring of his/her acceptance or non-acceptance. Decisions regarding applicants who are currently enrolled in but have not yet completed the introductory social work course, or for applicants who do not meet the minimum GPA, may be delayed until the spring semester's grades have been submitted. Effort is made to assure representation of persons underrepresented in social work practice and from a diversity of social, cultural, and economic groups. Diversity includes, but is not limited to, gender, ethnicity, age, religion, sexual orientation, ability, and socioeconomic class.

IV. Records
All admission materials will be retained until the student graduates, at which time they will be destroyed. All materials submitted by a non-accepted student will be retained for two years.

V. Review Procedures
The admission criteria, policies, and procedures are reviewed annually by the Program Administrator. Major changes in policies or procedures are reviewed by the Admissions Committee and reported to the Faculty of the Whole. Questions regarding the Undergraduate Admissions Policy should be directed to the Program Administrator, Kate Kemp, 319-335-1254, or email: kate-kemp@uiowa.edu.

Please refer to the BA Program Handbook for more details

APPLY 2013