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What you will study

At the start of the Å·ÃÀÊÓƵ’s undergraduate Social Work degree program, you’ll spend 40 hours in a social service agency learning everything about how it's run — from how to get funding to how to help clients. This experience gives you the insight to make sure becoming a social worker is right for you.

From there, you’ll take courses that build up important skills for social work practitioners, such as how to prepare case reports, provide social services, counsel and advise people, analyze social science data and more. Classes you may take include:

• Human Behavior Across the Lifespan
• Social Policy and Economic Justice
• Social Services and Policy With Older Adults
• Methods of Inquiry and Evaluation for Social Workers
• Social Work Practice: Intervention With Communities and Organizations

In your senior year, finish out your social work schooling in the Field Practicum class. Spend significant time working with a local agency under the supervision of a professional social worker. This immersive field experience is what gives you the skills and knowledge that employers say they value most about UCM graduates. In fact, many students end up getting hired full time because of their practicum experience.

 

 

Unique learning opportunities in social work

Face-to-face interactions are essential for social workers to ensure we connect with those we serve. It’s why fully online degrees in social work can’t compare to UCM’s focus on providing a truly experiential education to our undergraduate students. 

Hands-on learning opportunities in our Social Work BSW program include: 

• Undergraduate research: Connect with a faculty mentor who shares your research interests, and work toward solving a problem together as part of your social work schooling.
• Volunteering: Volunteer for a local organization in the Warrensburg or Kansas City metro area to get an up-close look at what social workers do in the field. 
• Social Work Program’s Annual Conference: Attend this annual event to learn how to participate in a professional meeting and network with fellow social workers.
• Student life: Join fellow Social Work majors in field-specific student organizations, such as the Phi Alpha Honor Society or the Association of Social Work Students.
• Project Community Connect: Assess the needs of community organizations, and connect them with available local resources.
• Pursuit of Happiness Day: Join in events with the Warrensburg community to celebrate all the things that bring joy to our lives.
• Take Back Your Time Day: Take part in activities focused on promoting wellness as it relates to work-life balance.

 

What can you do with a degree in Social Work from UCM?

Be prepared to help people through social, economic and emotional crises in a variety of ways as a professional social worker. Rely on your skills and training to make personal connections with those in need at community agencies and social organizations that serve people of all ages.

As a graduate of the Bachelor of Social Work degree program at the University of Central Missouri, you can find work in places such as:

• Adult protective services
• Community action agencies
• Job training programs
• Juvenile justice centers
• Nursing homes
• Rape crisis centers
• Schools
• Substance abuse treatment centers

You can also choose to continue your social work schooling in a master’s program. Benefit from UCM’s accreditation if you apply to an advanced standing program for graduate school. As a graduate of our BSW program, you can apply credits from your undergraduate degree toward your master’s to save time and money. 

Careers with a Social Worker degree

Use the interactive tool below to explore the wide range of career options you have available with a Bachelor of Social Work degree. Learn about salary ranges, industry growth, job openings and more.

 

 

Financial assistance options for your Social Worker degree

The Å·ÃÀÊÓƵ’s bachelor’s degree in Social Work is a more affordable option than many of our competitors’ programs. On top of our cost-competitiveness, we offer a number of ways to help you finance your social work schooling. Financial assistance includes university scholarships and tuition awards, as well as federal loans and grants.

In addition, UCM makes certain scholarships and cash awards available just to students in the Bachelor of Social Work degree program. Those include:

• C. James Britton Scholarship
• Dr. J. Mark Wehrle Sociology & Social Work Scholarship
• Dr. Theresa Gordon Social Work Senior Scholarship
• HCBPS Outstanding Student in Social Work
• Riley H. Pittman Awards in Sociology & Social Work

You can learn more about program-specific scholarships at the UCM Scholarship Finder.

Accreditation and Competencies

The Å·ÃÀÊÓƵ’s Bachelor of Social Work degree program is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). 

Accreditation of a baccalaureate or master’s social work program by the Council on Social Work Education’s Board of Accreditation indicates that it meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of program quality evaluated through a peer review process.  An accredited program has sufficient resources to meet its mission and goals and the Board of Accreditation has verified that it demonstrates compliance with all sections of the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards. 

Accreditation applies to all program sites and program delivery methods of an accredited program. Accreditation provides reasonable assurance about the quality of the program and the competence of students graduating from the program.

Graduates of accredited programs bring up-to-date knowledge and skills to work with groups, organizations, and communities in addition to individuals and families in any social service agency. Graduates from UCM are eligible for licensure at the baccalaureate level in Missouri and in Kansas; graduation from an accredited program is required for social work licensure and/or registration in all states that license/register baccalaureate social workers. Graduates of accredited programs may apply for advanced standing admission to graduate social work programs; if admitted to an advanced standing program, the student can complete the MSW degree in a shorter time period, typically 12 months (although program length may vary). Regular MSW program admission typically requires two years of graduate study. 

2021-2022 BSW Competency Report