Overview
Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW) at Tribhuvan University
Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW) is a four-year undergraduate program under the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (FoHSS) of Tribhuvan University (TU). The program combines Social Work theory with related social sciences, field-based learning, research, academic writing, and report writing.
TU describes the program as preparation for generalist Social Work practice. Its academic objectives include understanding Social Work principles and methods, identifying social problems, carrying out research, using service systems in response to problems, and developing self-awareness for professional practice. Human rights and social justice are also identified within the program objectives.
Answer Summary: TU's Bachelor of Arts in Social Work is a four-year annual program that combines Social Work theory, sociology, psychology, casework, group work, fieldwork, research, academic writing, and report writing. The curriculum sets academic eligibility requirements and provides for an entrance examination when such an examination is provisioned. Students complete internal and external assessment, while fieldwork and practicum connect classroom learning with supervised Social Work practice.
Key Takeaways:
-
BASW is a four-year annual program under TU's Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.
-
The program combines classroom study with fieldwork and practical learning.
-
Social Work, sociology, psychology, casework, group work, research, and writing form major areas of study.
-
The curriculum states academic eligibility requirements for applicants.
-
An entrance examination may be used when provisioned under the admission framework.
-
Evaluation combines internal and external assessment.
-
The program is intended to prepare students for Social Work practice and further study in related disciplines.
What Is BASW at Tribhuvan University?
BASW is TU's bachelor's-level program in Social Work under the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. It is designed around generalist Social Work education rather than a single area of specialization.
The curriculum combines core Social Work study with related disciplines and practical components. It identifies fieldwork, research work, academic writing, and report writing as parts of the academic program. Compulsory learning also includes English, Nepali, Nepal Studies, and academic writing.
Social Work in the curriculum is treated as both an academic discipline and a helping profession. Students study how Social Work relates to individuals, families, groups, communities, institutions, and wider social conditions.
The course content also connects Social Work with sociology, anthropology, history, political science, and economics. This gives students a wider social-science context for understanding the problems and situations they may encounter in practice.
What Are the Objectives of the BASW Program?
The BASW program aims to develop knowledge of Social Work theory and methods alongside skills learned through fieldwork.
Tribhuvan University's curriculum identifies several specific objectives. Students are expected to develop:
-
understanding of Social Work concepts, principles, methods, and practice;
-
ability to conduct research related to problems faced by communities;
-
ability to identify social problems within their particular context;
-
understanding of how service systems can be used in responding to problems;
-
self-awareness in relation to responding to problem situations; and
-
awareness of human rights and social justice within Social Work education.
These objectives show that BASW is not limited to learning definitions or theories. Research, analysis, professional conduct, field experience, and reflection are built into the academic purpose of the program.
How Long Is the BASW Program?
The BASW program runs for four academic years and follows an annual examination structure.
The curriculum states that a final examination is held at the end of each academic year. It also identifies regularity of attendance as an important condition for eligibility to appear in internal and final examinations.
This academic structure means students progress through the program year by year while combining theoretical courses with practical and written work.
What Is the Eligibility for TU BASW?
The BASW curriculum sets two academic routes for eligibility.
According to the curriculum, students seeking admission in Social Work must have:
-
secured at least D+ in all subjects in Grade 11 and Grade 12; or
-
passed +2, Intermediate, or PCL from Tribhuvan University or another institution recognized by TU with a minimum of 45 percent marks.
The admission section further states that a student holding a higher-secondary-level qualification recognized by Tribhuvan University is considered eligible to apply for bachelor's-level admission.
These criteria are part of TU's BASW curriculum and should be read together with the program's admission framework.
How Does the BASW Admission Framework Work?
The BASW curriculum provides for an entrance examination when an entrance examination is provisioned.
Under that arrangement, the curriculum describes a one-hour entrance examination conducted by the Office of the Dean, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, or managed by the Department of Social Work. Applicants who do not appear in a provisioned entrance examination or do not obtain the required qualifying score are not admitted under that process.
The curriculum also states that admission is based on the merit list and enrollment quota approved for the campus or college through the Dean's Office. FoHSS and the Department of Social Work may apply relevant enrollment policy within the university's academic framework.
What Does the BASW Curriculum Cover?
The BASW curriculum combines Social Work theory, social-science knowledge, practical work, research, and academic communication.
Rather than treating Social Work as an isolated subject, the curriculum builds knowledge across several connected areas.
Foundations of Social Work
The introductory Social Work content establishes the concepts, values, methods, and practice processes used throughout the program.
Students study areas such as:
-
Social Work as a discipline and profession;
-
goals and fields of Social Work practice;
-
roles of social workers;
-
development of Social Work as a profession;
-
Social Work perspectives and systems;
-
levels of intervention;
-
primary and secondary Social Work methods;
-
social-service delivery systems;
-
professional values and ethics; and
-
principles used in Social Work practice.
The curriculum identifies casework, group work, and community organization as primary Social Work methods. It also covers social action, social welfare organization, and Social Work research as related methods.
Social Work Practice Process
Students are introduced to the stages involved in working systematically with problems and service situations.
The curriculum includes:
-
intake;
-
assessment;
-
planning;
-
intervention;
-
evaluation;
-
termination or integration of gains; and
-
follow-up.
These areas help students understand Social Work as an organized professional process rather than a series of informal helping activities.
Sociology for Social Work
Sociology is included to help students understand people within wider social relationships and institutions.
The curriculum covers topics such as culture, norms and values, status and roles, social change, everyday interaction, families, socialization, health and disability, social institutions, and social inequality.
It also connects sociology directly with Social Work by examining how sociological knowledge can support identification, assessment, planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of social problems and projects.
Psychology and Human Behavior
Psychology provides another foundation for understanding behavior relevant to Social Work practice.
The course introduces basic psychological concepts and processes, including biological and socio-cultural influences on behavior. It also covers areas such as sensation and perception, emotion, motivation, memory, learning, intelligence, personality, values, and attitudes.
The purpose is not to train students as psychologists. The psychology component is included to help Social Work students understand human behavior and recognize where psychological concepts are relevant to practice.
Casework and Group Work
Individual and group practice form part of the professional-method component of BASW.
Casework study addresses working with individuals and includes interviewing, communication, recording, assessment, and intervention-related skills. Group-work study considers the use of groups in Social Work settings and the processes involved in working with different types of groups.
These areas connect theoretical methods with communication, observation, documentation, and supervised practical work.
Social Issues and Practice in Nepal
The curriculum places Social Work within the social context in which practitioners work.
Topics include poverty, homelessness, unemployment, family and youth issues, health and rehabilitation, older adults and persons with disabilities, education, criminal justice-related concerns, and other social issues.
Students also study Social Work practice in Nepal, including institutional practice, voluntary and professional Social Work, Social Work education, and the opportunities and challenges associated with the field.
Research, Academic Writing, and Report Writing
Research and written communication are built into the BASW academic structure.
The curriculum requires students to work with research, project reports, academic writing, and field documentation. Project work may draw on field-based or secondary sources and requires students to prepare reports under faculty guidance.
Students may also present their work through viva-voce as part of practical assessment.
These components develop the ability to record observations, organize information, explain findings, and connect academic concepts with field experience.
Compulsory Language and Academic Subjects
BASW also includes compulsory subjects outside the core Social Work papers.
The curriculum requires:
-
Reading and Writing in English in the first year;
-
Compulsory Nepali in the second year;
-
Alternative English in place of Compulsory Nepali for international students; and
-
Reading and Writing Across the Disciplines in the third year.
The broader curriculum description also identifies Nepal Studies and academic writing among the supporting areas included in the program.
How Does Fieldwork Work in BASW?
Fieldwork is an academic component used to connect classroom learning with supervised practice.
The Social Work Practicum Guidelines describe a 50-hour internship in a social service organization or another field setting. Students are expected to apply theoretical learning, develop practical skills, and prepare a detailed study report based on their field experience.
During placement, students may work with documentation and organizational activities such as:
-
proposal development;
-
record keeping;
-
correspondence;
-
event reporting; and
-
participation in activities connected with the organization or field setting.
The practicum is supervised by responsible persons from both the university and the placement agency. Regular reporting is also part of the practicum process.
The practicum guidelines state that field engagement may exceed the allocated hours where the nature of practical work requires additional involvement.
How Are BASW Students Evaluated?
The curriculum states that BASW evaluation is based on 30 percent internal assessment and 70 percent external assessment.
The internal assessment components listed in the curriculum total 30 marks:
-
class attendance: 5 marks;
-
class participation, discussion, and presentation: 5 marks;
-
assignment: 10 marks; and
-
class test: 10 marks.
The 70 percent external evaluation is conducted through Tribhuvan University's examination system. For theoretical papers, the external component is a written examination.
Social Work practicum and fieldwork courses are handled differently because practical performance forms part of their evaluation. The curriculum states that the external component for these practical courses is also evaluated practically by the department or campus under the coordination of TU's Department of Social Work.
What Skills Does BASW Develop?
The skills emphasized in BASW come directly from its academic objectives and practical components.
Students work on:
-
understanding Social Work concepts and methods;
-
identifying social and community problems;
-
research and information gathering;
-
communication and interviewing;
-
assessment and planning;
-
individual and group practice;
-
field observation;
-
documentation and record keeping;
-
academic and report writing;
-
project work;
-
presentation;
-
professional self-awareness; and
-
applying Social Work principles in supervised field settings.
The curriculum therefore requires both academic study and practical participation. Written examinations are only one part of the learning process; fieldwork, reports, assignments, presentations, and supervised practice also contribute to student development.
What Does BASW Prepare Graduates For?
Tribhuvan University describes BASW as preparation for entry-level Social Work practice and for further study in Social Work and related disciplines.
The course introduces students to work involving individuals, groups, communities, organizations, and social-service systems. Its combination of Social Work methods, social sciences, research, communication, and field experience provides an academic foundation for roles where Social Work knowledge and related practical skills are relevant.
Actual employment requirements depend on the position and employing organization. BASW itself should therefore be understood as an undergraduate academic and practice-oriented qualification rather than a guarantee of a particular job or career outcome.
Conclusion
Tribhuvan University's Bachelor of Arts in Social Work combines four years of academic study with field-based learning. Students study Social Work principles and methods alongside sociology, psychology, casework, group work, research, writing, social issues, and related social-science subjects.
The program's structure gives substantial importance to practical learning. Field placement, project work, reports, presentations, and internal assessment operate alongside annual external examinations. For students considering BASW, the defining feature of the program is this combination of Social Work knowledge, interdisciplinary study, research, and supervised field practice.
