Prepare for a career in the helping professions by beginning college at Minnesota State College Southeast.
The 2 year Pre-Social Work Transfer Pathway degree offers a valuable route to a satisfying career, where you can be a resource for individuals and families who need help and guidance. By earning an Associate of Science degree in Pre Social work, you will be ready to transfer to any of the universities in the Minnesota State system.
You will complete the Minnesota Transfer Credit package of 40 general education credits and an additional 20 career-focused credits specific to preparation in the Social Work field. A work-related externship is required, providing you with an opportunity to explore your educational and career objectives through practical work experience in a social work related setting.
Graduates who go on to complete the Bachelors of Social Work or a higher degree may find work at local and regional service agencies as licensed social workers in the fields of school, family, medical, or clinical social work.
Apply now for admission to MSC Southeast
From the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics
The mission of the social work profession is rooted in a set of core values. These core values, embraced by social workers throughout the profession's history, are the foundation of social work's unique purpose and perspective:
- service
- social justice
- dignity and worth of the person
- importance of human relationships
- integrity
- competence
Transfer Pathways
The Pre-Social Work Transfer Pathway AS offers students a powerful option: the opportunity to complete an Associate of Arts degree with course credits that directly transfer to related bachelor's degree programs at Minnesota State universities.
The curriculum has been specifically designed so that students completing this pathway degree and transferring to one of the seven Minnesota State universities enter the university with junior-year status.
All courses in the Transfer Pathway associate degree will directly transfer and apply to the designated bachelor’s degree programs in a related field.
The Pre-Social Work Transfer Pathway (AS) degree transfers to the following 4-year degree programs:
| Transfer College | 4-Year Degree Name |
|---|
| Metropolitan State University | Social Work, BSW |
| Minnesota State University, Mankato | Social Work, BSSW |
| Southwest Minnesota State University | Social Work, BS |
| Winona State University | Social Work, BSW |
Download the Program Plan
Courses
Associate of Science Degree General Requirements for Pre Social Work Transfer Pathway
Download Pre Social Work Planning Worksheet (PDF)
- A minimum of 60 semester credits.
- A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0.
- A minimum cumulative MnTC GPA of 2.0.
- A minimum of 20 semester credits applied toward the degree must be taken at Minnesota State College Southeast.
- Completion of the specific degree requirements below.
A minimum of 40 credits to complete all 10 goal areas. A MnTC course may satisfy more than one goal area; however, the credits only count once.
CORE GOAL AREAS:
Goal 1 Communication (Three courses) - 9 credits
- ENGL1215 College Writing 1 (3 credits)
- ENGL2525 College Writing 2 (3 credits)
- COMM1218 College Speech
OR
COMM1228 Interpersonal Communications
Goal 2 Critical Thinking
(met when 40 MnTC credits satisfying all 10 goal areas have been completed)
Goal 3 Natural Science - 7 credits
- BIOL1200 Human Biology (4 credits)
- A second course from a different subject area (3 credits)
Goal 4 Mathematical/Logical Reasoning - 3 credits
- MATH1230 Introduction to Statistics (3 credits)
Goal 5 History and the Social and Behavioral Sciences - 9 credits
- PSYC1110 Introduction to Psychology (3 credits)
- PSYC1115 Lifespan Psychology (3 credits)
- SOCS1110 Introduction to Sociology (3 credits)
Goal 6 The Humanities and Fine Arts - 9 credits
- Three courses from two different subject areas
THEME GOAL AREAS:
Goal 7 Human Diversity (One course) - 3 credits
*Fulfilled by SOCS1110 Introduction to Sociology (See Goal 5)
Goal 8 Global Perspective (one course) - 3 credits
Goal 9 Ethical and Civic Responsibility - 3 credits
- POLS1120 American Government (3 credits)
Goal 10 People and the Environment (one course) - 3 credits
Total minimum credits to complete the MnTC ten goal areas: 40 credits
ADDITIONAL CAREER-FOCUSED CREDITS:
In addition to completing the MnTC, the remaining 20 credits will include:
- PSWK2510 Introduction to Social Work (3 credits)
- PSWK2525 Pre-Social Work Field Experience (3 credits)
- SOCS2545 Diversity and Social Change (3 credits)
*While a course may meet more than one goal, credit hours may only be counted once.
Estimated Costs for this Major
| Approximate Tuition/Fees: | $12,414 |
|---|
| Minimum Tool Cost: | N/A |
|---|
| Books/Supplies: | $540 |
|---|
| Estimated Total: | $12,954 |
|---|
Career Opportunities
- Child Welfare Case Worker
- Clinical Mental Health Social Worker
- Geriatric Social Worker
- Hospice Social Worker
- School Counselor
- Substance Abuse Counselor
Career Information
Use the MN DEED Career and Education Explorer Data Tool to learn about wages, job growth, And much more in this career field.
Outcomes
Program graduates will be able to:
- Describe the history of the social work profession and evolution of its delivery systems.
- Demonstrate knowledge of basic concepts, theories, and strategies used in social work, and apply basic skills related to general education curriculum requirements for the pre-social work degree.
- Apply the ethics, values, and attitudes necessary for successful social work practice, including:
- Understanding of the role of diversity in assessing and meeting needs of client populations;
- Interest in the social work profession;
- Critical thinking skills;
- Appropriate attendance and demeanor.
- Evaluate one's own attitude, personality, interpersonal skills, and limitations.
Important Documents
Pre Social Work Planning Worksheet (PDF)
Highlights
- Pre Social Work courses are taught by experienced social workers.
- Students take Pre Social Work courses along with a wide variety of general education courses, particularly in psychology and sociology.
- Students complete a practicum at a social services agency.
- Minnesota State College Southeast is in direct partnership with Winona State University's Social Work program, providing a seamless transfer experience.
Instructors
-
Angel Mytas
-
B.S., Psychology and Human Development, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
M.A.E., Educational Psychology, University of Northern Iowa
Angel Mytas has been teaching psychology since 2004. She loves all areas of psychology but has special interests in the areas of Health Psychology, Positive Psychology and Lifespan Psychology. She lives in Cashton, Wisconsin and spends most of her free time with her two sons Quinn and Isaiah and her daughter Eliza as well as her partner Vince and their boisterous labradoodle. She enjoys camping, swimming and reading dystopian fiction.
-
Amy Whitcomb
-
M.S., Psychology, Western Illinois University
B.A., Psychology, Iowa Wesleyan College
A.A., Southeastern Community College, West Burlington, Iowa
An Iowa native, Amy Whitcomb has been teaching psychology since 1999, and began teaching at MSC Southeast in the fall of 2010. In the past, she has done counseling and social work, but decided she loved teaching far more than trying to save the world. While she is interested in most areas of psychology and criminal justice, social psychology and criminology are her favorites. In her spare time, she likes reading true crime accounts, watching true crime shows, listening to opera and classic rock, and spending time with her children. She has become an excellent cook, but remains unfulfilled by it.