Once the student has attained sophomore status and has declared social work as a major, they are assigned a social work faculty member as an advisor.  Faculty advisors teach full time in the social work department and assume the following responsibilities:

• Assist students in understanding the university's policies and procedures outlined in the BSU catalog and in the Advising and Student handbooks;
• Assist students in selecting courses, complementary or alternative majors and minors;
• Assist students in interpreting the Degree Analysis Progress Report (DAPR);
• Create with the student a plan of study specific to the social work major;
• Identify elective courses relevant to the students' interests and needs;
• Focus upon the student's professional and career planning as well as their academic progress, including discussing volunteer and extra-curricular experiences and opportunities, personal attributes and values and the choice of major;
• Identify barriers to academic and professional development and inform students of appropriate remedial and support services such as the Career Center or the Counseling Center;
• Assist the student with formal admission to the major.  Formal admission occurs after the student has completed SOCWK 200 Social Work Practice I and SOCWK 230 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I, and prior to registering for SOCWK 330 Human Behavior and the Social Environment II. See information on formal admission to the social work major.
• Explain policies and procedures regarding the field practicum (internship) placement process and assist students in preliminary practicum planning.

Please Note:  The role of the faculty advisor is not a therapeutic one.  Social work faculty do not provide personal counseling to social work majors, since this could easily place faculty in a dual relationship with a student, which is a violation of the Code of Ethics.   The Department's policy is to refer students needing personal counseling to the university's Counseling Center.

Student Responsibilities Regarding Advising

There is no university regulation requiring all students to meet with their advisor on a regular basis.  However, students are encouraged, and all freshmen are required, to see their advisor regularly.  Students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with all relevant university policies and regulations found in the BSU catalog and in the Advising and Student Handbooks.  Advisors will assist student in meeting all university and departmental requirements, but the student is ultimately responsible for understanding and completing all graduation requirements.

Seeking assistance from an advisor in a timely fashion is important.  Students who are experiencing life circumstances which are, or have the potential for, temporarily limiting their otherwise capable performance within the BSW program, are encouraged to inform their advisor as soon as possible.  The program strives to make and enforce policies that take personal circumstances into account while at the same time retaining the right to dismiss students who are not meeting BSW performance standards.