Updated 2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog | 20255

The social work profession is dedicated to improving the quality of life for individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. It addresses a variety of human needs and conditions in the context of complex personal and social situations, and promotes the positive use of resources. Social work settings include rural, suburban, and urban communities in public or private social service agencies, such as county social service agencies, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, residential youth programs, domestic abuse and sexual assault programs, adult day care, hospice, chemical dependency agencies, mental health organizations, family counseling programs, correctional programs, adoption and foster care agencies, and community outreach and social justice programs.

The Social Work Program emphasizes culturally responsive generalist social work practice and promotes an understanding of human interactions within the social environment. Content areas include social work values and ethics; diversity; promotion of social and economic justice; human behavior in the social environment, social welfare policy and services, social work practice with individuals, groups and communities; research; field placements; and a trauma-informed practice perspective. Graduates of the program are prepared for entry-level social work practice and for graduate study.

Accelerated Master’s Degree
As a graduate of BSU’s Social Work Program, students may qualify for advanced standing in an accredited Master of Social Work (MSW) program. Advanced standing is a graduate program designed for students who have earned a bachelor’s degree in social work from a university with a CSWE (Council of Social Work Education) accredited program, such as Bemidji State University with a GPA of 3.0 or higher (requirements vary). Advanced standing MSW programs typically take just one year to complete instead of two for students without a social work undergraduate degree.

The Social Work program offers a number of special activities and opportunities, including the following:

• Child Welfare Scholars Program -- stipends
• Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) certification courses Program Report
• Addictions Minor
• Mexico Consortium -- Social Work in a Latin American Context
• Social Work Program Field Expeditions
• Social Work Club

Addictions: The Social Work program offers both a minor and Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor certification coursework. The 18-credit Addictions minor provides students with the opportunity to expand their knowledge in addictions, but does not prepare students for educational eligibility for Alcohol and Drug Counselor licensure (LADC) application. The certificate in Chemical Dependency requires a four-year degree, 270 hour classroom training, and an 880 hour internship required for LADC application.

School Social Worker Licensure – To practice school social work in Minnesota, the following are required:

• Graduation with a Baccalaureate or Master's Degree from an accredited social work program, such as Bemidji State University;
• Social workers must pass the national, multiple-choice examination provided by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)
• Licensure by the Board of Social Work;
• Licensure at Tier 3 by the Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board

Supervised Practice: Supervision means a professional relationship between a licensing supervisor and a social worker in which the licensing supervisor provides evaluation and direction of the services provided by the social worker to promote competent and ethical services to clients through the continuing development of the social workers knowledge, skills, and values.

A minimum of 4,000 hours of supervised practice is required for the LSW after the license is issued.

• LSW: Minnesota Statutes, Section 148E.100

Social Worker Licensing Supervisor must be an LSW; LGSW; LISW; or LICSW; and have completed 30 hours of training in supervision.

Supervision is a one-time requirement for LSW and must include:

• 100 hours of supervision over 4,000 hours of practice at the rate of 4 hours of supervision for every 160 hours of practice
• 50 hours must be provided through one-on-one supervision, and
• a minimum of 25 hours of in-person supervision, and
• no more than 25 hours of supervision via eye-to-eye electronic media while maintaining visual contact, excluding e-mail
• Remaining 50 hours must be provided through:
• one-on-one supervision, or
• group supervision (limited to 6 supervisees)
• supervision may be in-person, by telephone, or via eye-to-eye electronic media while maintaining visual contact, excluding email

Minnesota Board of Social Work
2829 University Avenue SE, Suite 340
Minneapolis, MN 55414-3239
Toll free: 888-234-1320
Email: social.work@state.mn.us
Web: https://mn.gov/boards/social-work/

Alcohol and Drug Counselor (Minnesota Health Department, Health Occupations Program): An applicant for Alcohol and Drug Counselor licensure (LADC) in Minnesota must have completed a four-year degree, 270 hours of classroom training, and an 880 hour internship in the field as well as pass written and oral licensure tests. (See Addictions Minor and Certificate sections for contact information.)

School Social Work Preparation and Licensure: The Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board issues licensure for school social workers. A school social worker is authorized to provide social work services to prekindergarten through grade 12 students in a school setting. Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board school social worker licensure is not authorization to practice as a social worker in a school setting without current Board of Social Work licensure to practice as a social worker.

The Social Work faculty encourages students to take additional courses in education along with SOWK 3620 School Social Work to be well prepared for school social work practice.

Application Process:

A school social worker is required to obtain a Tier 3 license through the MN Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board.  A Tier 3 license issued under part 8710.0313 must be issued to a school social worker if the applicant:

• holds a baccalaureate or master's degree; and
• is currently licensed in Minnesota to practice as a social worker under the Board of Social Work.
• Note: social workers are not required to pass the MTLE content and pedagogy exams for tier 3 licensure.

Maintaining Licensure: In order to retain licensure as a school social worker, current Minnesota Board of Social Work licensure must be maintained at all times. Lapse of Board of Social Work licensure is grounds for revocation of the school social worker license.

Graduates will apply online with the Minnesota Professional Educator and Standards Board.
Go to: https://mn.gov/pelsb/aspiring-educators/apply/