Social Work Overview

Are you the type of person who has dreams of improving the lives of people who are less fortunate than you are? When you witness injustice, poverty, crime, and abuse, does the experience make you want to do something about it? If this describes you, then you could be the ideal candidate for a bachelor’s degree in Social Work.

Although having a passion for helping people and society is an impressive trait to have, there are important skills to learn, and a broad range of subject areas to understand before you can apply for most social work positions.

The majority of private and public social service agencies only hire employees at certain levels who hold a bachelor’s degree. A bachelor’s degree in social work provides you with a solid foundation of skills and knowledge to handle complex issues and situations that confront all social workers. The majority of undergraduate social work students will spend between four and five years of full-time study to complete the requirements for a bachelor’s degree.

In addition, a majority of social work degree programs also requires fieldwork or internships for credit toward the degree. The advantage of this is an exposure to the real world experiences of a social worker. Your career aspirations will determine the elective courses you can take to satisfy degree requirements. For example, if you are interested in helping the elderly, you will likely need to take courses and gerontology in addition to your social work core curriculum. Many graduates of social work programs go on to earn advanced degrees in fields such as psychology, counseling, education, and public administration. You can find social workers in hospital administration, in counseling centers, or child service agencies. These represent only a few of the career choices available to you.

In conclusion, if social work is in your future, your next step is to apply for a Social Work degree program. You can search the internet for social work programs offered on traditional college or university campuses, or through online universities. Make sure that you only choose a fully accredited college or university.