Internship Eligibility

BSW Eligibility

Students applying for the BSW Internship (SW 449/450) must meet the following criteria for admission to Field Instruction:

• Accepted into the BSW Program.
• GPA of 2.50 in social work and an overall GPA of 2.25.
• Completed all courses required for the BSW degree except Social Work Practice III (SW 448), which is taken concurrently with SW 449 and SW 450.
• Exceptions may be granted on a case-by-case basis due to extenuating circumstances.
• Apply for Internship Placement during the semester before the Internship Placement.

The BSW Program does not award academic credit for life or work experience under any circumstances. There are no exceptions to this policy.

MSW Eligibility

Foundation/Generalist Year: Two-Year Traditional

• Students must be accepted to the MSW Program
• Students must have completed SW 5150, SW 5160, SW 5118, and SW 5119 prior to registering for SW 5950 Foundation Internship.
• Students must meet a minimum cumulative 3.0 in practice courses and must meet all other academic requirements for the program.
• Adherence to a value system congruent with the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics. This will be assessed through student interaction in social work classes, interviews with faculty, and the completion of a self-awareness values exercise.

Advanced/Specialist Year:

• Students must be accepted to the MSW Program
• Students must have completed all specialization core courses (SW 5200, SW 5217, SW 5221, SW 5224, SW 5225, and SW 5700) before registering for SW 5951 Advanced Internship.
• Students must meet a minimum cumulative 3.0 in practice courses and must meet all other academic requirements for the program.
• Adherence to a value system congruent with the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics. This will be assessed through student interaction in social work classes, interviews with faculty, and the completion of a self-awareness values exercise.
• IF the student is a Two-Year Traditional student, they must have successfully completed their 450-hour Foundation Internship. If this internship was not completed as part of the Jax State MSW Program, the student must provide the learning agreement and verification of hours to the Internship Coordinator.
• IF the student is an Advanced Standing student, they must provide verification of hours of BSW internship. If fewer than 450 hours were completed at the BSW level, the student will need to complete additional hours to have a total of 900 hours at the end of SW 5951.

The MSW Programs do not award academic credit for life or work experience under any circumstances. There are no exceptions to this policy. 

Do you have a criminal conviction history?

Before you apply to study social work at Jacksonville State University, you should be aware that all students accepted into the BSW program must be eligible for field placement, and for required coverage under the College’s professional liability insurance policy, as well as individual liability insurance.

A criminal history may limit or possibly prevent a student’s eligibility for field placement. Successful completion of a intership(s) is required in order to complete the BSW degree. Many agencies used for internship require a background check and/or drug screening as a condition of placement or employment. It is possible that some agencies may not accept a student for a internship with certain criminal history backgrounds or a positive drug screen. Applicants to the BSW program who have concerns about a previous criminal history are encouraged to discuss their concerns with the Internship Coordinator prior to admission or enrollment.