Bachelor’s Degree – Social Work Program Overview

Welcome

On behalf of the faculty and staff of the Department of Social Work, welcome to the Bachelor of Social Work Program. As the BSW Program Director it is my privilege to work alongside the BSW faculty in creating a rigorous and rewarding program of study for our students. I believe our students receive a BSW education that rivals any other program they might find. We are committed to engaging with our students to help them achieve their educational and personal goals.

Why study social work?

Social workers help people. We are the nation’s largest group of mental health providers; we are the therapists at work addressing the mental health crisis in our nation. There are more clinically trained social workers—over 200,000—than psychiatrists, psychologists, and psychiatric nurses combined. Be a part of a program that will prepare you to work directly with people, getting hands-on skills training that are essential for a clinical career.

-Social workers are in demand. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the social work job market will continue to grow at a rate more than double that projected for all other occupations from 2016-2026. Health care, mental health, and substance abuse social work are among the fastest growing careers. With your BSW you will be prepared to enter a robust and growing workforce of individuals making a difference in the world.

-Social workers are change agents. Social problems that face the world need dedicated and committed people who want to address climate change, environmental justice, poverty, human rights, and social justice. Our BSW program will prepare you to advance human rights and as a student you will engage in innovative, community-based learning opportunities. Our BSW students are prepared to effect change with individuals, organizations, and communities.

Dalton State’s BSW program, which is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), prepares social workers to practice in a variety of social service agencies including hospitals, mental health centers, home health agencies, child welfare agencies, nursing homes, hospices, substance abuse and criminal justice settings. The program also prepares students for graduate study in Master of Social Work (MSW) programs. Our BSW students are provided excellent experiential learning opportunities through a variety of service-learning courses, internships, and community-engaged learning and research endeavors including our community mental health initiative and our work to address the Grand Challenges of Social Work.

If you’re looking for a degree that allows you to make a difference in the lives of others and provides you with the skills needed for building a better world, consider majoring in social work. Our alumni are making significant contributions to the profession of social work throughout the United States and the world, and we look forward to seeing you do so also.

Please stop by the Social Work office if you have any questions or want to learn more about our program.