Social Welfare, Minor
Build a foundational understanding of how social services are delivered across a wide variety of settings. Then pair this minor with your primary program to strengthen your knowledge of the field and advance your long-term professional goals.
Quick facts
Locations
Credits
Additional facts
Accreditation
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Minor description
Social Welfare minor description
The social welfare minor program prepares you for work in human service settings where a fundamental knowledge of human relations is required.
The minor program enhances and broadens your 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 your understanding of society and social behavior, encourages critical thinking and helps you develop your communication skills.
Why earn a social welfare minor at ASU?
Learn from full-time faculty members who teach these courses directly, rather than from faculty associates, so you gain insight from instructors dedicated to the field.
Additional details
You can connect with peers through a range of student organizations, including the American Indian Social Work Student Association, Compassion for Her, the Macro Social Work Student Network, the Phi Alpha Honor Society, the Social Work Advancement Team (SWAT) at the West Valley campus, the Social Work Student Organization (SWSO) at the Downtown Phoenix campus and the Tucson Student Council.
Courses
This undergraduate minor includes courses focused on a specialized topic, so you can advance your skills for further professional opportunities. Explore all courses below:
2026-2027 Catalog Year
The minor requires 18 credit hours. A "C" minimum is required for all courses in the minor, although students must maintain a 3.00 GPA in the post-baccalaureate certificate program.
| Requirement | Minimum grade | Credit hours |
|---|---|---|
|
The minor in social welfare requires 18 credit hours of graded coursework (internship and independent study courses are not applicable), of which 12 are upper division. At least 12 credit hours must be completed at ASU. A minimum grade of "C" (2.00 on a 4.00 scale) is required for all courses in the minor. Students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00 (on a 4.00 scale) in the minor. |
||
|
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 |
|
3 credit hours
Minimum
grade:C
|
C | 3 |
|
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. |
|
Prerequisite courses may be needed in order to complete the requirements of this minor.
|
||
|
Prerequisite: SWU 171 is required before enrollment in any upper-division course. |
Enrollment requirements
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
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 program or the minor. Courses taken for the minor may not count toward both the major and minor.
Here are the admission and application details
Paying for college
Use our calculator to estimate your full-time or part-time tuition fees for this program prior to any financial aid. Keep in mind that most of our students receive financial aid, which can reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Get an estimateCareer opportunities
Careers this social welfare minor prepares you for
Graduates 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.
Contact information
Use the contact information below to get in touch if you're a current student or have general questions.
School of Social Work
|
UCENT 800
social.work@asu.edu
602-496-0800
Frequently asked questions about degree programs
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
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.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
