Social Work

The bachelor of science in social work prepares students for entry-level careers to engage in social work practice with diverse populations in a variety of settings. All of our students are trained to work with vulnerable populations, not only to make a difference but to learn what motivates people and communities to make positive change, and to promote social justice and human dignity for all people.

Admission Information

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Quality classroom experiences

Students actively engage in scholarly research, either developing their own project or working with faculty, at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Our comprehensive degree program allows students to participate in service learning and field opportunities to gain hands-on social work practice while honing their skills in the classroom.

Stand Out in courses like

Social and Behavioral Sciences
Introduction to Social Work Profession
Diversity, Oppression & Social Justice
Lifespan Human Development

Curriculum

The social work program prepares students as entry-level generalist practitioners by providing them with the knowledge and skills needed for intervention and prevention with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Our students consistently pass the national licensing exam at above national norms.

The bachelor of science in social work is FULLY ACCREDITED by the Council on Social Work Education

Internships and Careers

Students are required to become involved in community service programs while they take courses which allows them to apply classroom knowledge to real-life situations. A major component of the program consists of a full semester of field instruction during senior year.

Social workers help people overcome some of life’s most difficult challenges; helping prevent crises and providing counsel to individuals, families, and communities to cope more effectively with the stresses of everyday life.

Average Starting Salary & BGSU Placement Rate

$32,734* — BGSU Social Work graduates average starting salary according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers

99% of Social Work graduates report they're employed, in graduate school or starting a business within six months of graduation

(BGSU data compiled from students who completed the related questions on the graduation survey.)

GO FAR in your career

Schools

Hospitals and Clinics

Mental Health Agencies

Senior Centers

Long-Term Care Facilities

Elected Office

Military

Corrections

Public and Private Agencies

Once a student is accepted into the social work program, ALL ADVISING is provided by social work faculty

More Information

The Social Work program is part of the Department of Human Services in the BGSU College of Health & Human Services

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the baccalaureate, Social Work students demonstrate competence in such practice behaviors as the following:

Engaging, assessing, intervening and evaluating individuals, families, groups, and communities
Analyzing the impact of social policy on client well-being and service delivery systems
Advocating for human rights and social and economic justice for people impoverished, disenfranchised, or devalued
Using professional ethics, critical reasoning, and research

Accreditation

Bowling Green State University [BGSU] is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. BGSU has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 01/01/1916. The most recent reaffirmation of accreditation was received in October 2011. Questions should be directed to the Office of Institutional Effectiveness.

The Social Work program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and is in good standing.

More information on accreditation

Professional Licensure

Bowling Green State University programs leading to licensure, certification and/or endorsement, whether delivered online, face-to-face or in a blended format, satisfy the academic requirements for those credentials set forth by the State of Ohio.

Requirements for licensure, certification and/or endorsement eligibility vary greatly from one profession to another and from state to state. . The Social Work program leads to professional licensure.

More information on professional licensure

Gainful Employment

Under the Higher Education Act Title IV disclosure requirements, an institution must provide current and prospective students with information about each of its programs that prepares students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation.

The Social Work program is not a recognized occupation that requires a Gainful Employment disclosure.

* Job placement and salary information was compiled by the Office of Academic Assessment through the Graduation Survey from AY2015-2018. The data are gathered around the time of Commencement and a follow-up survey six months post Commencement. For the salary question, data for programs with fewer than fifteen responses are not included. Salaries for those programs are from the National Association of Colleges and Employers Summer 2019 Survey. For questions regarding the data, contact assessment@bgsu.edu.

Updated: 12/08/2022 03:04PM