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Exam Overview
What the Bachelors Exam Measures
The ASWB Bachelors examination measures the minimum competence needed for safe, ethical, entry-level generalist social work practice. State and provincial boards use it as part of licensure at the bachelor's level; the exact license title and eligibility rules are set by each board.
Exam Format at a Glance
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Questions | 122 multiple-choice: 110 scored and 12 unscored pretest questions, mixed together and not identified |
| Answer options | Three or four options per question |
| Time | 4 hours (240 minutes), in two sections of 61 questions with 2 hours each |
| Break | One optional scheduled break of up to 10 minutes after the first section; the clock stops |
| Delivery | Computer-based, at Pearson VUE test centers |
| Scoring | Pass/fail; based on the number of scored questions answered correctly |
| Fee | US$230 (nonrefundable) |
| Retake | Wait at least 90 days; your board may limit attempts or require approval |
Content Areas
ASWB builds the exam from its content outline, which now has three content areas. Each area is divided into competencies, and each competency into applied knowledge statements.
| Content area | Share | Competencies |
|---|---|---|
| I. Values and Ethics | 35% | Ethical principles and responsibilities; ethical service delivery; diversity and social justice |
| II. Assessment and Planning | 33% | Assessment concepts; assessment methods and techniques; assessment practices |
| III. Intervention and Practice | 32% | Practice concepts; intervention methods and techniques; practice evaluation and research; supervision and administration |
Question Style
Most questions describe a short practice situation and ask what the social worker should do FIRST or NEXT, what is BEST or MOST likely, or what is the PRIMARY purpose of an action. ASWB classifies questions as recall, application, or reasoning, and the updated exams include a higher share of questions that require applying professional knowledge. More questions now have three options instead of four.
Scoring and Results
- Results are pass/fail. Your score report shows how many scored questions you needed to answer correctly and how many you did.
- Each exam form is statistically adjusted for difficulty, so the number needed to pass can differ slightly from one form to another.
- There is no penalty for wrong answers, so answer every question.
- An unofficial score report is available in your ASWB account about 24 hours after the exam; official results go to ASWB and your board.
Registration Steps
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