Online Social Work Degrees
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Social work is a great choice for people who are naturally adept at helping others improve their lives. Obtaining this degree will provide you with many career options that involve working with people and assisting them with personal problems that affect their well-being. These issues range from life-threatening diseases and unemployment to foster care and domestic violence, just to name a few. You will more than likely have a job with a flexible schedule that also offers a great deal of opportunities for advancement. Within the social work degree, you will have the option to specialize in medical and public health; mental health and substance abuse; and child, family, and school social work.
The field of social work is geared toward individuals who are nurturers by nature. This is a field that requires individuals to provide a service to many different people for many different reasons, ranging from mental health issues to counseling. It requires professionals who feel naturally inclined to help others in many different situations in order to improve their quality of life. As mentioned before, this degree can be broken down and studied further in a specialized area as you obtain your master's, but the bachelor's in social work requires that students study the basics of directly serving many different people.
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USC School of Social Work
Programs:- Master of Social Work
Learn more about USC School of Social Work
What are some of the specializations within this degree program?
- Medical and Public Health: In this area of social work, one would be in charge of providing psychosocial assistance to families and individuals in order to help them better deal with issues such as chronic, acute, or terminal illnesses like Alzheimer's, cancer, or AIDS. Medical and public health social workers also provide advice for patients' caregivers and help plan for and counsel patients after they are discharged from the hospital.
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse: This social work specialty involves treating patients who are dealing with mental health and substance abuse problems. Professionals may also provide care and counseling services for the family members of those suffering with mental health and substance abuse problems.
- Child, Family, and School: In this specific area of expertise, social workers are in charge of helping to improve the social and psychological function pertaining to children and their families. They assess the families' needs and develop a plan that will help resolve them. Individuals can specialize in one particular problem such as child protective services, adoption, homelessness, domestic violence, or foster care.
What degree levels are available?
- Bachelor's Degree: 4 years
- Master's Degree: 2 years
What are the educational and certification requirements?
In order to become a licensed social worker, the minimum amount of education that you must have is a bachelor's degree in social work. This will open many doors for you in the field of social work and provide you with information to make your career successful. If you make the decision to further your education, or decide that you really want to work in a specific area of expertise, you will then enroll in graduate school and earn a master's degree in your specific area.
Some states require that social workers with their bachelor's and master's degrees obtain extra clinical hours in order to stay certified. Individuals obtaining degrees in sociology and psychology can also acquire entry-level positions in the social work field. In order to advance within this area of expertise, you must achieve a master's degree in social work or a relatable field. The bachelor's degree in social work prepares graduates for direct service occupations, while the master's degree in social work prepares students for work in their chosen concentration.
What kinds of classes will I be expected to take?
Undergraduate social work degrees are designed to prepare students for a Master of Social Work degree, or to begin a career as a social services assistant. Most of these degree programs are very theoretical, with the social work core curriculum made up of psychology and sociology classes in human behavior and interaction. These undergraduate degrees are also meant to give students an educational foundation in a breadth of subjects, and students will complete liberal arts classes in math, natural science, English, history, and the humanities, as well.
About half of the classes in the bachelor's degree in social work are in the major curriculum in sociology and psychology. Psychology classes like Growth and Development and Abnormal Psychology discuss the human emotional and cognitive state, while sociology classes such as Social Problems and Marriage and Family cover the different interpersonal issues that arise in modern society. Since many social workers are employed by local and state governments, many programs also include a few political science and public policy classes. Classes such as State Government and The Social Services System discuss the particular issues that can come up in social service organizations funded by taxpayer money, and how changes in government can affect these organizations.
If I pursue this program online, will I be required to complete any on-site training?
Typically, the online format will not require on-campus training, but once the student has finished their coursework, they will usually have a practicum that will be to be completed locally and approved through the student's advisor.
What are some other degrees that are related to this program?
Psychology is related to social work in that graduates in both fields must have excellent interviewing skills and the ability to see past the initial appearance of an individual. Counseling is another related degree since like psychology, it deals with interviewing, and as with social work, it teaches students how to help others make their lives better.
Communications studies is similar to social work in that it requires excellent communication skills and direct contact with people to enrich their lives. Public administration typically deals with nonprofits or government areas that help to administer the policies within their state. It is thought to be a thankless area and often is representative of religious groups, political groups, or special interests arenas.
