In order to embark on your journey to becoming a social worker, you’ll need to study social work at a tertiary education level. There are several social work degrees that you can pursue in order to pursue your dream career.

Associate or Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)

If you’re fresh out of high school, or perhaps new to the world of higher education, then you’ll want to consider pursuing an undergraduate social work degree, namely an Associate or Bachelor of Social Work degree.

The associate degree, which typically takes two years to complete, will provide you with a foundation in some of the core concepts of social work while introducing you to fields such as mental health and ageing services. The drawback of an associate degree, however, is that there are few states that actually allow people with an associate degree in social work to receive their social work license.

For this reason, it is highly recommended that associate degree holders later pursue a bachelor of social work degree (BSW). While the BSW takes four years to attain without transferring existing credits, it will provide you with a deeper insight into several areas of specialization in this field, including child and family services, medical and healthcare social work, and nonprofit work. There are also far more states that enable you to pursue your social work license as a BSW degree holder.

Master of Social Work (MSW)

By pursuing a master’s degree in social work (MSW), you’ll be able to develop your expertise in some highly-specialized fields of social work. Not only do msw degree holders improve their prospects for earning higher salaries, but they also gain access to advanced social work licenses such as the Licensed Clinical Social Worker, which enable them to pursue highly-specialized careers in psychotherapy and clinical work and hold supervisory positions.

Usually, a masters in social work takes two years to complete. While there is sometimes the possibility to pursue an msw degree after obtaining a degree in a different field, most programs require students to have a bsw as well as a statement of recommendation.

Doctorate or PhD in Social Work (DSW)

The highest qualification in the field of social work, a DSW prepares candidates to take on the most specialized social work job roles. While a doctorate in social work is aimed at developing clinical practice and leadership skills, a PhD is more focused on providing you with research skills at a university level. For this reason, you will have to determine whether you are more interested in pursuing a role in practice or academia before choosing between a doctorate or PhD.

To be eligible for a doctoral or PhD program, you must hold an msw degree. Some programs also require a minimum amount of work experience as well as the submission of standardized test scores (most commonly GREs). In order to benefit from all the perks of having doctoral or PhD degree in social work, make sure that your chosen program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).

Online Social Work Programs

Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, we have seen a major shift towards remote interactions in terms of both academics and careers. Should you prefer to study at a distance, pursuing an online social work degree is certainly an option.

While it can be challenging to study from a distance without the physical presence of your lecturers, tutors, and classmates, distance learning does have its advantages. Not only are online programs often more affordable than their in-person counterparts, but you could also choose to attend a university in a different state without having to pay for transport and accommodation. As a result, you will open yourself up to a larger array of specializations than may be available to you at universities and colleges in your area.

Conclusion

Depending on your chosen specialization, there are plenty of ways that you can go about pursuing a career in social work. With online learning becoming increasingly present, you can set out to obtain your social work degree without financial or geographic limitations!

Starting Your Academic Journey