BSSW Program Policies and Procedures

A student is deemed to be in Good Academic Standing with MSU Denver if they maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher. Other academic standards may apply to specific programs, such as in the Social Work department you must earn a C- or higher for the class to count toward major requirements. You also must achieve a 2.67 minimum social work GPA.  

Be aware of the Academic Standing Policy. 

All written communication in the classroom environment (online and on campus) will be in American Psychological Association (APA) style and it is the responsibility of the student to become familiar with APA style requirements.  Students are advised to purchase a copy of the most current edition of the APA Publication Manual and become familiar with the style. Instructors are not responsible for teaching the requirements. 

No credit is given for learning gained through life experience or previous work experience, and no life experience or previous work experience credit may be used toward the BSSW degree.  

A student must maintain a 2.0 overall cumulative MSU Denver GPA and a 2.67 Social Work course GPA to remain in good standing in the Social Work Program. Students failing to meet the minimum GPA requirements will be placed on departmental academic probation until they achieve the grades necessary to raise their GPA. 

Students must receive a “C-“ or better in all social work courses. Students earning a grade of less than “C-“ must meet with their social work advisor before the start of the next semester. 

BSSW Late Work Policy
As developing social work professionals, students are expected to demonstrate accountability and effective communication—important values in our field. Timely submission of assignments reflects these principles and prepares students for real-world practice. 

Timely Submission and Late Work:
Students are responsible for submitting assignments by the stated due date. If an assignment is submitted late, a 10% deduction will be applied for work submitted within the first week past the deadline. An additional 10% will be deducted for each subsequent week, up to a maximum of three weeks. After three weeks, late work will no longer be accepted unless prior arrangements have been made. 

Correct Submission Format and Method:
Assignments must be submitted in the required format (e.g., Word, PDF, Excel) and through the designated platform (e.g., Canvas, email, in-class). Submitting work in an incorrect format or to the wrong location may delay grading. If this occurs, students may be given a short window to resubmit correctly. The assignment may be marked late at the instructor’s discretion. 

Communication and Exceptions:
We understand that unexpected life events or personal challenges may arise. If you anticipate difficulty meeting a deadline, please communicate with your instructor as early as possible—ideally before the due date. In such cases, instructors may use their discretion to modify the late work policy. Proactive communication is a key professional skill and is highly encouraged. 

Course-Specific Policies:
This general policy may be adapted by individual instructors and included in the course syllabus. Always refer to your syllabus for course-specific expectations. 

Accommodations:
If you have accommodations through the Access Center, make sure to follow your accommodations and required communication around late assignments indicated on your Access Center letter.  

All BSSW coursework, including electives, must be completed and passed in the required sequential order as listed in the Academic Plans. Students who fall out of sequence may incur delays to graduation and must reach out to the Office of Social Work Student Services. A revised academic plan will be created between the student and their academic advisor. Students who fall out of sequence and do not seek advising for a new plan of completion will receive an automatic Student Success Assessment. 

Students who have a concern about a course instructor or grade should contact the instructor to discuss and seek resolution regarding their concerns. 

If a student needs further advice on the issue, they may discuss with their advisor or the program director. The advisor and program director do NOT have supervisory authority, so such a meeting would be to advise the student on steps and processes in place for problem-solving. In alignment with university policy, the student may take such matters directly to the chair and should be aware the chair will probably (unless dealing with severe situations) ask what steps the student has taken before bringing the concern to their office. 

Students are advised to review the university policy regarding Grade Appeals.  

If the concern regards unlawful discrimination, the student is advised to read and follow the complaint process through the Office of Equal Opportunity. 

Depending on the nature of the concern, the Social Work department may initiate the Informal or Formal Review process to facilitate resolution. The student and the department should also be aware of university policies related to Student Complaint Policy, Student Code of Conduct, as well as Student Rights. 

Students who graduate with a bachelor’s degree from an accredited social work program may apply for advanced standing (where available) in Masters-level social work graduate programs. Depending upon the graduate program, advanced standing students can complete their MSW in an accelerated course of study. Students are urged to contact graduate programs for their policies on advanced standing. 

Completing your bachelor’s degree in social work from MSU Denver does not guarantee your admission to the MSU Denver MSW program. All applicants are reviewed equally regardless of where they earned their bachelor’s degree. Email the Office of Social Work Student Services to inquire about our MSW program: [email protected].  

BSSW Program Attendance Policy 

Attendance and active participation are essential to your growth as a competent, professional social worker. Each class session offers important learning experiences that help prepare you for the responsibilities of the field. Social work is an academic discipline and profession that often serves people and communities that are quite vulnerable. Social work has important ethical obligations such as competence and integrity, thus, it is important to your future clients that you attend classes where important knowledge and skill building is gained and practiced. Clear communication is also a vital skill in social work, so be sure to contact your instructor if you need to miss class.  

We also understand that life happens—illnesses, emergencies, and other challenges can arise. To support your well-being and academic success, the BSSW program offers a flexible approach: 

Attendance Flexibility 

Each student is allowed one excused absence per course with no impact on their grade: 

• If your class meets once a week during a 16-week semester, you may miss one class without penalty. 

• If it meets twice a week during a 16-week semester, you may miss two classes without penalty.  

This applies to all students enrolled in social work courses, including majors and minors. 

However, individual instructors may tailor this policy in their course syllabi—always check your syllabus for specifics. 

 Maximum Absence Limit 

To meet academic and professional standards, students may not miss more than 25% of any course over a 16-week semester: 

• If your class meets once per week, missing more than 4 classes will result in a failing grade. 

• For classes that meet every other week (e.g., internship seminar), missing more than 2 sessions means failing the course. 

• For condensed courses (summer semester, Maymester, and Winterim), be sure to check with your instructor about how attendance will be measured. Students may not miss more than 25% of the course during these condensed courses.  

 Attendance by Course Format 

Face-to-Face Courses 

• Attendance is usually taken via a sign-in sheet at the beginning of class. It is your responsibility to sign in and track your attendance. 

• Please notify your instructor ahead of time if you need to miss a class—this shows professional courtesy and helps maintain open communication. 

Online Courses with Required Synchronous Meetings 

• Attendance is based on your presence at scheduled virtual class meetings (e.g., Zoom sessions). 

• Instructors may take attendance through end-of-meeting surveys or check-ins. 

• Participation in asynchronous activities such as discussion boards or assignments (e.g., via Hypothesis) does not count as attendance. Rather, these kinds of activities count as regular course assignments. 

Online Asynchronous Courses 

• You are considered absent if you do not complete any assigned asynchronous activities for a full week. 

 Final Reminder 

Most courses in the BSSW program will follow the stated attendance policy. However, make sure you are following the exact policy stated in your specific course syllabus and as indicated by your instructor. If you have questions, contact your instructor directly. 

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic concept—it is here, shaping the way we work, learn, and interact with the world. As a social worker and student, AI will influence your practice, whether through client interactions, research, administrative tasks, or policy advocacy. It is not a question of whether AI should be used but how it should be engaged with ethically, responsibly, and in alignment with the core values of social work.  

AI has the potential to enhance service delivery, improve efficiency, and increase access to critical information. However, it also presents ethical challenges, including issues of bias, misinformation, and professional integrity. Social workers must develop competency in using AI responsibly—ensuring transparency, maintaining accountability, and upholding the dignity and worth of every person.  

Additionally, the ethical use of AI extends beyond its immediate application in practice. The environmental impact of AI cannot be ignored. The energy consumption required for AI models, the extraction of resources for hardware, and the resulting electronic waste all raise concerns about sustainability. Ethical social work practice includes recognizing these broader implications and making informed decisions about technology use.  

The following questions are designed to guide your engagement with AI in ways that uphold social work values, including service, integrity, competence, and social justice. They are not rigid rules but reflective prompts to help you navigate the situational complexities of AI use—considering your needs, your clients’ needs, and the broader social and environmental impacts.  

Ethical Framework for the use of AI in social work  

1. Are you using AI to better the profession or your ability to excel as a social worker? 

1. Did you acknowledge any AI use to ensure accountability and professional integrity?  

1. Did you verify that the references provided are current, relevant, and accurate?  

1. Are you ensuring the information you use or upload is free from bias? 

1. Are you consistently working to make AI accessible to your clients if they choose to engage with it? 

The University policy on incomplete grades can be found here. 

In rare occasions, student face an unusual circumstances that prevents them from completing course work in time. Incompletes are NOT guaranteed and are approved only by the faculty member teaching the course and must be approved by the chair of the department. These should be given in rare situations when students are experiencing a crisis or situation beyond their control. Students must have already completed a large proportion of work in the course before it can be approved. 

Incomplete Policy 

The Incomplete notation indicates that a student is achieving satisfactory progress in a course but is unable to complete all class assignments due to extenuating circumstances, such as documented illness, military leave, disability, internships that fall outside traditional semester timeframes, or circumstances beyond their control. The Incomplete notation is composed of an “I” (noted on the student’s transcript) and the student’s default grade (A, A-, B+, B, etc.), which is the grade the student has earned at the time course grades are first entered for the course.  

An Incomplete notation may be assigned only if the student meets all these minimum requirements:  

• The student has participated in an academically-related activity after the 60% mark of the course’s part of term. Academically-related activity involves active participation by a student in an instructional activity related to the student’s course of study as defined by the last date of attendance.   

• The student has completed more than 50% coursework and/or course contact hours, as determined by the faculty member or department chair if the faculty member is not available.  

Incomplete grade notations are offered at the faculty member’s discretion, or at the discretion of the department chair if the faculty member is not available. Satisfying the minimum university requirements for an Incomplete notation does not guarantee that one will be awarded. Departments and programs may establish higher minimum standards for awarding Incomplete notations. Incomplete notations based upon accommodations related to a student’s documented disability should be determined in consultation with the Director of the Access Center or their designee.   

When an Incomplete notation is awarded, the following process applies:  

• When entering final course grades, the faculty member registers the Incomplete notation, the student’s default grade, and the student’s last date of attendance.  

• The faculty member and student submit the Incomplete Agreement Form to the Office of the Registrar. This form establishes the outstanding work that the student may/should submit within a designated timeframe.  

• The faculty member and student finalize additional Incomplete notation requirements established by their department or program, if any exist.  

•  The maximum timeframe for a student to submit remaining coursework is the end of the subsequent full term (i.e., the end of the next Fall or Spring semester). However, faculty members may require a shorter timeframe for submission of incomplete coursework, which will be documented on the Incomplete Agreement Form.  

• When all remaining course work has been submitted and evaluated, when the student indicates that they have submitted all work they will be able to within the timeframe the faculty member will enter a change of grade form.  

• If the work designated on the Incomplete Agreement Form is not completed within the established timeframe, the “I” notation will convert to the default grade submitted by the faculty member.  

Deadlines vary according to course’s formal schedule, also known as “part of term.” Students should refer to the Part of Term  dates published by the Office of the Registrar to review part of term date ranges, withdrawal deadlines, and such. 

Students may not graduate with an “I” on their MSU Denver academic record if:  

• The course in which the “I” was assigned is required for graduation, or  

• The default grade assigned for that course would result in an overall GPA less than 2.00.  

Students can switch sections and add/drop courses without approval up to the 100% add/drop date in any given semester (see the academic calendar for exact dates). 

After this deadline, students must submit a request to the Office of Social Work Student Services via the Registration Adjustment Request Form. This form is to be used by students as the first step in requesting a registration adjustment, which includes: 

• Adding a course after the start of the semester (late add request) 

• Requesting a section switch mid-semester 

• Requesting a section switch for a linked course 

This request should include the current section the student is registered for (for section switches), the section they would like to switch to or be added to (for section switch and late add requests), and the reason they are requesting this switch after the deadline. The Office of Social Work Student Services, Operations, and Finance will reach out to the student via email when a decision has been made or if additional information is needed. 

Note: Submitting a request does not guarantee approval and the request will only be reviewed if there are extenuating circumstances. A decision will be made on a case-by-case basis and if there is space in the new/requested section. 

The Bachelor of Science in Social Work Program does not provide an option to test out of any Social Work coursework at the graduate or undergraduate level. 

Departmental Note: If you drop or withdraw from some or all classes, please let us know. Email [email protected]  

Students should be aware that any kind of withdrawal can have a negative impact on some types of financial aid and scholarships. For further information, click on read the Withdrawals page.