51爆料

Image
Hands Together in a Circle

Social Work - B.S.W.

The Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) meets a growing need in our region - and in rural communities in general - for the development of skilled and licensed social work and mental health professionals. The program teaches you how to help people, families, and communities鈥攅specially those who need it most.

Highlights

  • Social workers are in high demand. Even before COVID-19, agencies needed more qualified workers鈥攏ow that need is even greater.

  • This strong job outlook is expected to continue.

  • Graduates of accredited BSW programs can take the exam to become Licensed Social Workers in Ohio, opening the door to even more career options.

  • BSW graduates may qualify for Advanced Standing in MSW programs, helping them earn a master鈥檚 degree in half the time.

  • Social work is a flexible, wide-ranging career.

  • Social workers help in many settings, including mental health, schools, hospitals, child welfare, addiction recovery, public policy, elder care, and more.

  • Social work is rooted in strong values: service, social justice, dignity, relationships, integrity, and competence.

  • 51爆料鈥檚 BSW program focuses on rural social work, preparing students to serve small towns and rural communities.

Students at any 51爆料 Regional Campus can enroll in this College of Applied and Technical Studies program, which is housed at the campuses of Ashtabula, Salem and Tuscarawas. 

Contact Information

Program Director: Matt Butler, MSSA, LISW-S, LICDC-CS

APPLY NOW
Request Info
Schedule a Tour

Apply Now
Request Info
Schedule a Visit

Bachelor鈥檚 Degree in Social Work

The Bachelor of Social Work equips students with the skills and knowledge on how to help people and communities thrive. With a focus on rural social work, gain real-world experience and explore specialties like mental health, addiction, trauma care and more or continue on to a master's degree program.
 

Program Information for Social Work - B.S.W.

Program Description

Program Description

Full Description

The Bachelor of Social Work degree prepares students to work at a generalist level across many social work areas or to continue on to the Master of Social Work degree. Students in the program apply their academic knowledge to the practical realities of making a difference in the lives of individuals, families and communities. The curriculum includes a focus on rural social work, with options for students to specialize in mental health, substance use disorder, gerontology, child welfare settings, suicide prevention and trauma-informed care.

Professional Licensure Disclosure

This program is designed to prepare students to sit for applicable licensure or certification in Ohio. If you plan to pursue licensure or certification in a state other than Ohio, please review state educational requirements for licensure or certification and contact information for state licensing boards at 51爆料's website for professional licensure disclosure.

Social workers, all other

Social workers, all other

  • 5.1% faster than the average
  • 62,500 number of jobs
  • $64,210 potential earnings

Admissions for Social Work - B.S.W.

Admissions

Admission Requirements

The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students.

First-Year Students on the Kent Campus: First-year admission policy on the Kent Campus is selective. Admission decisions are based upon cumulative grade point average, strength of high school college preparatory curriculum and grade trends. Students not admissible to the Kent Campus may be administratively referred to one of the seven regional campuses to begin their college coursework. For more information, visit the .

First-Year Students on the Regional Campuses: First-year admission to 51爆料’s campuses at Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas, as well as the Twinsburg Academic Center, is open to anyone with a high school diploma or its equivalent. For more information on admissions, contact the Regional Campuses admissions offices.

International Students: All international students must provide proof of proficiency of the English language (unless they meet specific exceptions) through the submission of an English language proficiency test score or by completing English language classes at 51爆料’s English as a Second Language Center before entering their program. For more information, visit the admissions website for international students.

Former Students: Former 51爆料 students who have not attended another institution since 51爆料 and were not academically dismissed will complete the re-enrollment process through the Financial, Billing and Enrollment Center. Former students who attended another college or university since leaving 51爆料 must apply for admissions as a transfer or post-undergraduate student.

Transfer Students: Students who attended an educational institution after graduating from high school or earning their GED must apply as transfer students. For more information, visit the admissions website for transfer students.

Admission policies for undergraduate students may be found in the University Catalog's .

Students may be required to meet certain criteria to progress in their program. Any progression requirements will be listed on the program's Coursework tab

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

  1. Use social work skills to assess and treat micro-, mezzo- and macro-level challenges.
  2. Apply ethical standards in interactions with social work clients.
  3. Demonstrate cultural competence in social work practice.
  4. Advocate for oppressed individuals and groups through social justice.
  5. Apply social work skills using the person-in-environment focus to work with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.
  6. Effectively communicate as a professional social worker using written and verbal language skills.

Coursework

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

Major Requirements (courses count in major GPA; min C/S grade required in all courses)
SWK 24140INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL WORK 3
SWK 24146PERSPECTIVES ON BEHAVIOR AND ENVIRONMENT I 3
SWK 24147PERSPECTIVES ON BEHAVIOR AND ENVIRONMENT II 3
SWK 25100SOCIAL WORK IN RURAL SETTINGS 3
SWK 25248SOCIAL WELFARE POLICY 3
SWK 34140PRACTICE CONTENT FOR SOCIAL WORK I 3
SWK 34141PRACTICE CONTENT FOR SOCIAL WORK II 3
SWK 34149APPLIED RESEARCH IN SOCIAL WORK 3
SWK 44192FIELD EXPERIENCE I (ELR) 3
SWK 44210INTEGRATIVE SEMINAR 3
SWK 44292FIELD EXPERIENCE II (ELR) 3
SWK 44299SOCIAL WORK CAPSTONE (ELR) (WIC) 3
Major Electives, choose from the following:12
SWK 25195
SPECIAL TOPICS IN SOCIAL WORK
SWK 35120
SOCIAL WORK IN MENTAL HEALTH SETTINGS
SWK 35121
SOCIAL WORK IN SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER SETTINGS
SWK 35122
SOCIAL WORK IN CHILD WELFARE SETTINGS
SWK 35123
SOCIAL WORK AND TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE
SWK 35124
SOCIAL WORK PERSPECTIVES ON AGING
SWK 35125
INTERPROFESSIONAL APPROACHES TO SUICIDE PREVENTION
SWK 35195
SPECIAL TOPICS IN SOCIAL WORK
SWK 35196
INDIVIDUAL INVESTIGATION IN SOCIAL WORK
Additional Program Requirements (courses do not count in major GPA)
UC 10001FLASHES 101 1
6
3
9
6
6-7
6
General Electives (total credit hours depends on earning 120 credit hours, including 39 upper-division credit hours)35
Minimum Total Credit Hours:120

Progression Requirements

Prior to enrolling in SWK 44192, students must complete the following requirements:

  1. Complete the required college courses as specified on the roadmap, with a minimum 2.000 GPA in all social work (SWK) courses.
  2. Submit an application to be considered for a field placement.
  3. Meet with the program's field director or program director to determine options for placement sites.
  4. Complete the background check and other orientation or pre-placement requirements as dictated by placement site.

Graduation Requirements

Minimum Major GPA Minimum Overall GPA
2.000 2.000
  • Minimum 400 hours of supervised field experience
Roadmap

Roadmap

Roadmap

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this program. Students will work with their advisor to develop a sequence based on their academic goals and history. Courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

Plan of Study Grid
Semester OneCredits
SWK 24140 INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL WORK 3
UC 10001 FLASHES 101 1
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
 Credit Hours16
Semester Two
SWK 24146 PERSPECTIVES ON BEHAVIOR AND ENVIRONMENT I 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
 Credit Hours15
Semester Three
SWK 24147 PERSPECTIVES ON BEHAVIOR AND ENVIRONMENT II 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
 Credit Hours15
Semester Four
SWK 25100 SOCIAL WORK IN RURAL SETTINGS 3
SWK 25248 SOCIAL WELFARE POLICY 3
General Electives 8
 Credit Hours14
Semester Five
SWK 34140 PRACTICE CONTENT FOR SOCIAL WORK I 3
SWK 34149 APPLIED RESEARCH IN SOCIAL WORK 3
General Electives 9
 Credit Hours15
Semester Six
SWK 34141 PRACTICE CONTENT FOR SOCIAL WORK II 3
Social Work Electives 6
General Electives 6
 Credit Hours15
Semester Seven
SWK 44210 INTEGRATIVE SEMINAR 3
SWK 44192 FIELD EXPERIENCE I (ELR) 3
Social Work Elective 3
General Electives 6
 Credit Hours15
Semester Eight
SWK 44299 SOCIAL WORK CAPSTONE (ELR) (WIC) 3
SWK 44292 FIELD EXPERIENCE II (ELR) 3
Social Work Elective 3
General Electives 6
 Credit Hours15
 Minimum Total Credit Hours:120

Program Delivery

Program Delivery

  • Delivery:
    • Mostly online
  • Location:
    • Ashtabula Campus
    • Salem Campus
    • Tuscarawas Campus

Accreditation for Social Work - B.S.W.

Accreditation

The 51爆料 Bachelor of Social Work Program has achieved candidacy for accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education鈥檚 (CSWE) Board of Accreditation (BOA).

Candidacy for a baccalaureate or master鈥檚 social work program by the BOA indicates that it has made progress toward meeting standards of program quality evaluated through a peer review accreditation process. A program that has attained candidacy status has demonstrated a commitment to meeting the standards set by the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) but has not yet demonstrated full compliance. Students that are admitted to candidate programs in the fall (or later) of the academic year in which the program is granted candidacy status will be retroactively recognized as graduates from a CSWE-BOA accredited program as long as the program attains initial accreditation. Candidacy is typically a 3-year process and attaining candidacy does not guarantee that a program will eventually attain initial accreditation.

Candidacy applies to all program options, which includes locations and delivery methods.

Accreditation provides reasonable assurance about the quality of the program and the competence of students graduating from the program.

Review our program鈥檚 candidacy status in CSWE鈥檚 Directory of Accredited Programs (). For more information about social work accreditation, contact CSWE鈥檚 Department of Social Work Accreditation.

Ashtabula Spring 2025 Commencement Student Speaker Amanda Good
Amanda Good '25

When I completed my associate degree in human services, I really wanted to pursue my bachelor鈥檚 degree and looked into doing it elsewhere, but the challenges of doing it outside of Ashtabula made that dream seem far-fetched. But then this program came along just at the right time, accessible to anyone in my community, including me, and was the perfect fit for someone who wanted to make a difference in their community and in people鈥檚 lives.

Graduates of 51爆料's Bachelor of Social Work are prepared for various careers as social work generalists focusing on rural social work, or to specialize in mental health, substance use disorder, gerontology, child welfare settings, suicide prevention and trauma-informed care.

  • Career possibilities
    Addictions treatment counselorAfter school program facilitator
    Case worker
    Child welfare/children鈥檚 services worker
    Criminal justice/corrections specialist
    Health care social worker
    Mental health or crisis response intake worker
    Policy advocate
    Policy and planning specialist
    Prisons and correctional facilities social worker
    Probation officer
    Research analyst
    Youth mentor
  • Career options with additional education or experience
    Executive director of a social service agency
    Forensic social worker
    Hospice social worker
    International social worker
    Mental health social worker
    Occupational social worker
    Policy analyst
    Private practice therapist
    Program manager
    School social worker
 
Female social worker greeting a client at the door

FIELD EDUCATION EXPERIENCE

Field placements in social service agencies working with individuals, families, and groups are an integral part of the learning experience and a central component of the BSW education. Internships prepare you for your career by letting you work with people and groups. You will be required to complete one field placement during the seventh and eighth semesters of studies. Through this experience, you will gain an understanding and recognition of what it means to be a professional social worker.

* The program will seek precandidacy status and then initial accreditation through the Council on Social Work Education, a process that should be completed within approximately three and a half years.  Prior to that, students will be permitted to take courses in the program and declare social work as a major.

 

 

Image
jobs icon of a handshake
54,000 Job Openings
Estimated by 2033
Image
51爆料 in Ohio
$61,330
Median Yearly Salary
Image
blue and gold barn icon
Rural Focus
Serving our local communities

Accreditation Candidacy

51爆料 has achieved candidacy for accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education鈥檚 (CSWE) Board of Accreditation (BOA). Candidacy for a baccalaureate or master鈥檚 social work program by the BOA indicates that it has made progress toward meeting standards of program quality evaluated through a peer review accreditation process. A program that has attained candidacy status has demonstrated a commitment to meeting the standards set by the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) but has not yet demonstrated full compliance. Students that are admitted to candidate programs in the fall (or later) of the academic year in which the program is granted candidacy status will be retroactively recognized as graduates from a CSWE-BOA accredited program as long as the program attains initial accreditation. Candidacy is typically a 3-year process and attaining candidacy does not guarantee that a program will eventually attain initial accreditation. Candidacy applies to all program options, which includes locations and delivery methods. Accreditation provides reasonable assurance about the quality of the program and the competence of students graduating from the program. Review our program鈥檚 candidacy status in CSWE鈥檚 Directory of Accredited Programs. For more information about social work accreditation, contact CSWE鈥檚 Department of Social Work Accreditation.

IN THE NEWS

First BSW Cohort Graduates, Filling Critical Gaps for Underserved Communities (May 6, 2025)

(Sept. 13, 2023)

VIDEO: (July 26, 2023)

(July 15, 2023)

  (July 15, 2023)

(July 13, 2023)

VIDEO: (July 7, 2023)

AUDIO:  (April 6, 2023)

VIDEO:  (March 22, 2023)

(March 22, 2023)

With Focus on Rural Social Work, New Bachelor's Program Aims to Meet Growing Need (March 14, 2023)

(Dec. 26, 2022)

(Mar. 11, 2022)

(Mar. 8, 2022)

51爆料 Board of Trustees Approves Establishing New Bachelor of Social Work Degree (Mar. 8, 2022)

 

Tell us about you

Loading...