BSSW Social Work at University of North Dakota

Programme overview

Prepare to become a professional social worker through UND's top-ranked program. UND's Social Work degree is flexible to meet your needs with online and on-campus course options. You'll graduate ready to serve vulnerable people and communities with a special focus on rural settings.

Faculty: College of Nursing & Professional Disciplines | Duration: 4 years (120 credit hours) | Study mode: full-time; online | Intake: Fall (Aug. 15), Spring (Dec. 15), Summer (May 1), Fall (March 15* | June 15), Spring (Oct. 15) | Location: Grand Forks, ND, United States

What you will study

Required courses include SWK 255 Introduction to Social Work: Changing Lives Changing Society; SWK 257 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I; SWK 317 Social Work Research; SWK 357 Human Behavior and the Social Environment II; SWK 360 Human Service Experience; SWK 424 Generalist Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families.

Career pathways

An on campus or online Social Work degree offers graduates a wide range of career opportunities in various practice areas. Social work stands apart from other social science degrees in that most states license social workers at the bachelor's level. Roles include Addiction/Chemical Dependency, Adoption and Foster Care, Advocacy, Consulting and Planning, Child Welfare Services, Crisis Intervention, Development Disabilities, Disaster Relief, Employee Assistance.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Programme-specific admission: Criteria Completion of SWK 255 Introduction to Social Work and SWK 257 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I with a grade of C or higher Overall GPA of at least 2.75 (includes all transfer work) Willingness to adhere to the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics and the UND Code of Student Life Completion of 45 semester hours of coursework at the end of the term in which the application is submitted Application due dates are listed on the Department website. Requirements 120 credits are required (36 of which must be numbered 300 or above and 30 credits from UND) including: I. Essential Studies Requirements (see University ES listing). II. The following curriculum. University-wide undergraduate admission (not specific to this major): complete 14 units of high school core courses (English 4, math 3 of Algebra I or above, lab science 3, social studies 3, plus 1 additional unit from those areas or a world language); a high school GPA of 2.75 or higher is recommended (3.25 for Aviation Management and Commercial Aviation); ACT/SAT scores are not required. Source: UND Freshmen admissions page.

Domestic applicants: USD 10,487 a year (2026-27). North Dakota resident rate. On-campus tuition for 2026/2027 as shown in the programme's tuition table (fall and spring semesters, rate band 'Social Work'); excludes mandatory student fees, housing and books. The same table lists Minnesota residents $11,74 Source

International applicants: USD 20,974 a year (2026-27). International student rate. On-campus tuition for 2026/2027 as shown in the programme's tuition table (fall and spring semesters, rate band 'Social Work'); excludes mandatory student fees, housing and books. Source

Entry terms: Fall, Spring and Summer. Applications are accepted up to one year before the start term.

Terms run Fall (August-December), Spring (January-May) and Summer (May-August).

First-year applicants: Fall priority deadline Feb. 1, Fall final deadline Aug. 15, Spring Dec. 15, Summer May 1. The Feb. 1 priority deadline applies to automatic freshman scholarships. ACT/SAT scores are not required. Application fee $35 (non-refundable, no waivers), submitted through the UND admissions application.

Transfer applicants: Fall Aug. 15, Spring Dec. 15, Summer May 1. Application fee $35 (non-refundable, no waivers).

Aviation Management and Commercial Aviation: applications for fall 2027 opened Aug. 1, 2026 and close Oct. 31, 2026; these degrees are not available on the Common App and require the UND application. Minimum unweighted high school GPA 3.25 (2.60 college GPA for transfers).

International undergraduate applicants (outside Canada): Fall June 15, Spring Nov. 15, Summer March 15. Canadian applicants and international students transferring from another US institution: Fall July 15, Spring Dec. 15, Summer April 15. Application fee $35 (US funds), non-refundable.

Apply through the official page: https://und.edu/programs/social-work-bssw/how-to-apply.html

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