About a Social Work Degree
Monday, February 20th, 2012Is taking care of people something you can do well? Do you have a desire to help and support people in order to make a difference in their lives and society as a whole? A social work degree course should be pursued by people who have answered yes to all of these questions.
In the case of social work, what you have here focuses on changing the quality of live people lead for the better from people to communities. Actions like community organizing work, lobbying new social policies, and direct social work practice apart from teaching and researching, can lead to the accomplishment of the goals of social workers. The thing about social work is that this covers topics such as education, economics, and medicine together with sociology, psychology, and philosophy.
Having a social work degree is the gateway to becoming a licensed social worker. Aside from being able to help children, you will also be able to help those who have been on the receiving end of abuse if you become a social worker. Most of those who engage in social work say that the career is fulfilling.
Students in the USA can choose from several social work degree programs that have been accredited. Students across the United States could choose from over 500 of these undergraduate level programs back in 2009. Year by year, the number of available programs continues to rise allowing more flexible options for students.
The bachelor’s degree in social work is generally a four-year program that includes classroom instruction and fieldwork. Such forms of training gives students skills that will land them entry level jobs. Masters programs in social work can help people advance in their chosen profession.
The thing about a social work degree is that it comes with several courses including social welfare policy, social research methods, and social work practice. Oppression and human rights are other topics that the program focuses on. Biology, anthropology, sociology, and psychology are some of the electives that you can choose from.
When it comes to this kind of degree course, students get to work with agencies that are involved in social work. Here, the agencies handle concerns pertaining to nursing homes, detention centers, and the like. Mental health and substance abuse cases may also be tackled when it comes to fieldwork.
The amount of fieldwork included in the program differs for each school. Juniors need about 200 hours in the field while seniors have to do 400 hours of fieldwork. In this case, the program resorts to heavy fieldwork that serves as a learning method for students.
Upon completion of a social work degree, what can you expect? Graduates of this undergraduate degree program should take an exam, which is commonly a multiple-choice type of test, in order to become a certified social worker. Exam requirements vary from state to state.
If you want to be hired as a social worker, upon completion of your social work degree, you should be able to pass a certifying exam with flying colors. They can find employment in both the private and government sectors. Employment possibilities for social workers look good, as there are many jobs available for them, particularly in the fields of social assistance and healthcare.