Social Welfare ,Minor
Advocacy, Community, Human Services, Policy, Prevention, Social Work, family
Are you interested in exploring how social services are delivered in a variety of settings and enhancing your ability to work in human service environments? You can combine your primary program with this minor's educational emphasis to help change the world.
The social welfare minor program prepares students for work in human service settings where a fundamental knowledge of human relations is required.
The minor enhances and broadens students' abilities to analyze complex family, individual and societal problems in the context of societal values, cultural humility, and other social and economic variables. The program contributes to students' understanding of society and social behavior, encourages critical thinking and helps students develop their communication skills.
- College/school:
Watts College of Public Service & Community Solutions
- Location: Downtown Phoenix, West Valley or Online
2025-2026 Catalog Year
| Requirement | Minimum Grade | Credit Hours |
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| Requirement | Minimum Grade | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Minor Requirements: | ||
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Students should be at least sophomore standing to take 300- or 400-level courses.
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Complete 18 credit hours of graded coursework (internship or independent study not applicable).
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Complete a minimum of 12 credit hours of resident credit at ASU.
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Complete SWU 171 as the prerequisite for all upper-division SWU courses.
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Earn a grade of "C" (2.00 on a 4.00 scale) or better for all courses in the minor.
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Maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.00 (on a 4.00 scale) or higher.
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Take a minimum of 12 credit hours of upper-division coursework from the approved list.
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| Required Courses | ||
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SWU 171 Introduction to Social Work
(SOBE)
3 Credit Hours
Minimum
Grade:C
|
C | 3 |
|
SWU 291 Social Service Delivery Systems
3 Credit Hours
Minimum
Grade:C
|
C | 3 |
|
SWU 332 Social Policy and Advocacy
(CIVI)
or
SWU 432 Social Policy and Services
3 Credit Hours
Minimum
Grade:C
|
C | 3 |
| Governance and Civic Engagement | ||
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3 Credit Hours
Minimum
Grade:C
|
C | 3 |
| Elective Courses | ||
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Select two courses from the elective list. Students may select one additional course from the Governance and Civic Engagement options above.
6 Credit Hours
Minimum
Grade:C
|
C | 6 |
|
SWU 456, SWU 457, and SWU 461 cannot be used to meet both the Governance and Civic Engagement requirement and the elective requirement.
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Prerequisite courses may be needed in order to complete the requirements of this minor.
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GPA Requirement: 2.00
Incompatible Majors: BSW in social work; BA in public service and public policy (social services delivery); BA in community advocacy and social policy
Other Enrollment Requirements: None
Students should meet with a social welfare advisor prior to registration.
Current ASU undergraduate students may pursue a minor and have it recognized on their ASU transcript at graduation. Minor requirements appear on the degree audit once the minor is added. Certain major and minor combinations may be deemed inappropriate by the college or department of either the major or the minor program. Courses taken for the minor may not count toward both the major and the minor.
ASU offers this program in an online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. Applicants may view the program’s ASU Online page for program descriptions and to request more information.
Graduates with a minor in social welfare are prepared for work in a variety of human service settings. This minor complements careers in journalism, communications, public administration, nursing and related fields, and it provides a foundation for students who seek to pursue a Master of Social Work degree.
School of Social Work
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UCENT 800
social.work@asu.edu
602-496-0800
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.


