Get Your Social Work Degree
Do you want to change the world? Make a difference? Do you like hands-on learning activities? Be the Heart of Communities!
Social work addresses societal problems such as racism and injustice, as well as individual and family problems. Courses on ethics, human behavior, social policy, social work practice (assessment, interviewing, intervention), and research will give you the knowledge, values, and skills for generalist practice. Many students go on to work in mental health, child welfare, substance abuse, healthcare, and more. Fulfill your passion for helping others with a Social Work degree.
Social Work Program Highlights
- Gain exposure to a wide range of social work settings and career paths, including school social work, counseling and mental health, child welfare, victim advocacy, trauma-informed youth programs, law enforcement, and services for veterans.
- Serve the community and help support social action through the Student Social Work Club and class activities.
- Learn by doing through dynamic, hands-on classroom experiences in small, engaging learning environments.
- 100% acceptance rate to competitive Master of Social Work graduate school programs for more than a decade!
糖心Vlog Social Work Mission
Our mission is to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and values of the profession that will prepare graduates for professional practice, guided by the principles and behaviors of anti-racism, anti-oppression, diversity, equity, and inclusion to promote human and community well-being and social justice, for direct practice as well as the preparation for advanced social work education.
- To provide frameworks for understanding human experiences through our knowledge base, built on scientific inquiry and the theoretical underpinnings of person-in-environment, the role of privilege, oppression, and intersectionality across the wide variety of human experiences.
- To provide the knowledge and skill base to work towards promoting human and community rights and well-being at all levels of human experience, including the elimination of entrenched human problems such as poverty and systemic racism.
- To instill the ethics and values of the profession, including service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, the respect and value of human diversity, the importance of human relationships, integrity, competence, and human rights
Modality & Benefits
Get a traditional college experience with lively in-person classroom discussions and close proximity to your professors, mentors, and best friends.
Start Dates:
January & August
- Semester-Based Timeline
- Face-to-Face Instruction (some Online options)
- In-Person Office Hours & Support
- Relationships & Networking
- Extracurriculars & Immersive Campus Experience
Social Work Curriculum
Major & Certificate Requirements
- Child Welfare Certificate
Students who want to earn a certificate in Child Welfare may be placed with local child welfare agencies, such as the South Carolina Department of Social Services, or with a child advocacy center for their field placement.
Popular Social Work Classes
- Social Work Practice
Learn the skills to facilitate counseling with individuals, groups, families, and communities. - Human Behavior in the Social Environment
Learn how to assess using the BioPsychoSocial model for diverse populations. - Contemporary Issues in Social Work Practice
Rotating topics covering current issues in the social work field.
Student Outcomes and Program Success
- Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Class of 2026 had six students, two of whom were in the top 30% and are now members of the Phi Alpha Social Work Honor Society.
- 100% of the BSW Class of 2026 were accepted into graduate school Master of Social Work Programs.
- Seven students developed research-based infographics promoting trauma-informed approaches in schools, prisons, and hospitals. They presented their projects at the South Carolina Victim Assistance Network Conference in March 2025.
- Qualitative survey data collected during the 2025-2026 academic year showed that 98% of students wanted more experiential learning opportunities in the classroom. Students expressed particular interest in additional agency field trips, role-playing activities, and community organizing experiences.
- Students in the Social Welfare Policy and Services course engaged with the campus community by hosting a Coffee Chat focused on self-love and self-care in February 2026. As part of the project, students developed and administered a participant survey and used the feedback and research to identify ways to strengthen and improve the experience for future events.
- The BSW Program uses the Social Work Education Assessment Project (SWEAP) to evaluate student progress across the nine competencies established by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Students demonstrated strong performance, earning a 90% score in Demonstrating Ethics and a 90% score in Assessment in Social Work Practice with Individuals, Groups, and Communities.
Next Steps for Your Degree in Social Work
Give Care Where it's Needed
The median annual salary for social workers is $61,780, with healthcare and other specialized areas offering even higher earning potential. Employment for social workers is projected to grow 6% through 2035, with approximately 69,100 job openings expected each year.
Pursue a Dynamic Career
- Medical Social Work
- School Social Work
- Financial Social Work
- Veterinary Social Work
- Mental Health Counseling
- Lobbying and Advocacy
Field Education Partnerships
Get a Strong Foundation
After graduation, you are eligible for advanced standing status at many Masters of Social Work (MSW) programs, including the University of South Carolina and Winthrop University. Admission with advanced standing means you will be exempt from the first year of a two-year graduate program.
- USC Advanced Standing Program
- Winthrop Advanced Standing Program
- North Carolina Central University Advanced Standing Program
Next Steps for Your Degree in Social Work
- Industry Outlook
- Career Paths
- Field Education Partnerships
- Graduate School
Student Experiences
"The BSW program encourages students to use their critical thinking in real-world situations centered around human interaction. This isn't something you can learn in a book; this course teaches you how to see and hear others in a way that benefits all parties."
