What do you learn in a bachelor's in social work?

Supporting individuals, families, and children is a tall task that professionals in the social work field largely shoulder. With a bachelor's in social work, you'll be equipped with the skills needed to help marginalized populations within your community. Here's what you can expect to learn through these programs.

What to expect from a social work bachelor's program

The primary goal of a social work bachelor's program is to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and practical know-how to support individuals or communities.

As a traditional four-year degree, you'll understand human behavior, learn about social support programs, and explore different career options.

A successful social work bachelor's program prepares students to apply for jobs with local, state, or federal organizations. Some popular careers include child welfare specialist, caseworker, adoption service specialist, probation officer, activities director, and mental health technician.

Bachelor's in social work curriculum

Bachelor's in social work curricula typically include a mix of practical and foundational courses designed to help you better understand the field. Here are a few examples:

• Social work case management with special populations: This course teaches students the basics of case management for marginalized populations. The focus is generally on poverty, hunger, gender equality, and job placement.
• The American social welfare system: In this course, students learn how to use policy to advocate for oppressed groups.
• Child maltreatment and child welfare: This course dives into family dynamics and how to address child abuse or neglect.

Specializations and concentrations

Many bachelor's in social work programs offer concentrations in areas like:

• Mental health: Learn the skills needed to serve people with mental health conditions like depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or anxiety.
• Substance use: Understand the root causes of substance use and the treatments available.
• Disaster and crisis intervention: Help disaster-affected communities in need by coordinating mental health and counseling services and helping to determine and triage the needs of affected individuals.

Graduation requirements for a social work bachelor's degree

Most bachelor's in social work programs include a mix of in-class education and supervised fieldwork. You typically need to complete 120 credits of general education, major-specific, and elective courses to graduate.

Social work programs usually also include a supervised fieldwork component that allows students to apply their knowledge. In your fieldwork, you'll work with a company, group, or individual, putting your social work skills to practice. Exact hour requirements may vary by program, so be sure to check program requirements for more details.