What it’s about:

The social work major is professional degree program that provides the knowledge, values, and skill needed for generalist social work practice. You learn to help individuals, families, groups, and communities prevent and respond to social problems. As a practicing social worker, you modify harmful social conditions, promote social and economic well-*being, and increase opportunities for people to live fulfilling, dignified lives.

What the study of this major is like:

As a social work major, you gain a foundation in the liberal arts, with an emphasis on the social sciences. In your first two years to college, you generally take sociology, political science, economics, psychology, and human biology. In your third and fourth years, you take most of your social work courses, learning how to conduct a generalist social work practice.

In courses in social welfare policy and services, which describe the laws, programs, and benefits available to meet human needs, you consider the way social programs are developed and changed. Research courses teach basic methods and stress the evaluation of social welfare programs. At most colleges, the major emphasizes the understanding and acceptance of diversity in ethnicity, race, culture, gender, and sexual orientation.

Typically, social work professors use a variety of approaches in their courses: lectures, teamwork, role-playing, research projects, field trips, and skill-building exercises. An attractive feature of the major is the combination of theory and hands-on experience. Your most important educational experience is a supervised practicum (field internship), most likely in a social service agency. All undergraduates earning a Bachelor’s of Social Work (B.S.W.) must complete at least 400 hours of field experience under the supervision of a qualified social worker.

Early in your studies, you may have difficulty applying theoretical concepts to practical situations. Programs handle this challenge by closely supervising students as they complete their internships. You may also be troubled by differences between our personal values and those of the profession. In response, most programs encourage you to examine your values as well as those of social workers and society.

In many states, you must graduate from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) in order to be licensed and certified. Because of these standards, undergraduate social work programs tend to be very similar. Differences may exist in the number of course offered, but the choices you have are usually based more on program resources of regional mission than o program philosophies.

The sense of calling and commitment that can lead you to choose social work as a profession may generate a spirit of camaraderie and dedication among students. Although healthy competition is part of academic life, social work students often develop projects cooperatively, make group presentations, and form long-lasting professional relationships. In recent years many non-traditional and older students have found social work an attractive choice for a major and a career.

Career options and trends:

Generalist social work practitioner; clinician; administrator; case manager; social planner; researcher.

A bachelor’s degree prepares you for generalist social work in a wide range of settings, such as child welfare and public welfare agencies, hospitals and other health care facilities, schools, developmental disabilities services, services for the aged, the juvenile and criminal justice systems, industry, and business. A master’s degree is required for jobs involving supervision, administration, or complex research. All states license of regulate social workers, but regulations and procedures vary from state to state.

Job prospects are favourable for those going into social work. Generally, there will be more opportunities in the areas of mental health and substance abuse than in child, family and school social work.

Source: CollegeBoard 2012 Book of Majors