Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) (CSWE Accredited)

Gain a distinct advantage when it’s time to define your professional path with Walden’s CSWE-accredited program.
CSWE

Channel your passion for social justice into a rewarding social work career. Our Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)-accredited Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program places you at a distinct advantage, signaling to employers that you graduated from a program that meets high standards in preparing you for the field.

Open the door to choosing the advanced-standing option in our Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program and gaining real-world experience through hands-on training and evidence-based practices:

  • Real-life decision-making scenarios in Walden’s documentary-style video series.
  • Five optional focus areas that allow students to align their program with the community they wish to serve.
  • Face-to-face interaction and guided instruction from academic practitioners and experts in the field in our Social Work Skills Lab.

Fast Facts

Next Start Date: November 28, 2022

Transfer Credits: Up to 135 credits

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Academic Interests
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Curriculum

Course Content

Walden’s Bachelor of Social Work program focuses on helping you build the practical skills and knowledge needed to be an ethical and competent practitioner. Our CSWE-accredited program includes 400 hours of field experience and invaluable face-to-face interaction to help you prepare for the real-world practice and state license. Course topics include:

  • Policy and advocacy
  • Diversity and multiculturalism
  • Human behavior in the social environment

Lifelong Learning Ladder

Walden offers a lifelong learning ladder that includes our CSWE-accredited online Master of Social Work (MSW), PhD in Social Work, and Doctor of Social Work programs. BSW graduates with a 3.0 GPA or better at graduation are eligible to enter our MSW program in the Advanced Standing option, which may reduce the credits required for completion of the program. This allows you to earn your MSW faster and at a lower overall cost.

Optional Focus Areas

With Walden’s online BSW degree program, you can focus your studies on the area of greatest interest to you:

  • Addiction
  • Forensics and the Criminal Justice System
  • Crisis and Trauma
  • Courts and the Legal System
  • Healthcare Settings

More about our BSW program

As a graduate of the Bachelor of Social Work online program, you can look forward to moving into a field where the job outlook is growing at a rate of 16% from 2016 to 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.*

With Walden’s Bachelor of Social Work degree, you can effect social change in your community through a career as a:†*

  • Case manager
  • Child life specialist
  • Discharge planner
  • Family services worker
  • Geriatric social worker
  • Hospital social worker
  • Mental health case manager
  • Military/veteran social worker
  • Residential counselor
  • Program coordinator
  • School social worker
  • Substance abuse counselor

*Source: www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/social-workers.htm. National long-term projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.

†*Career options may require additional experience, training, or other factors beyond the successful completion of this program.

Admission is considered for adult students who hold a high school diploma or its equivalent. Applicants must also meet one of the following criteria:

  • You are 21 years of age or older.
  • You are less than 21 years of age and have 12 quarter credit hours.
  • You are an active member of the military or a veteran with documentation of service.

Your enrollment specialist will help you gather all of the required materials, starting with your application, and support you through your first day of classes.

Tuition costs will vary depending on your previous education. Get in touch with a Walden Enrollment Specialist today at 855-203-5779, to learn more about tuition costs for this program and financial aid options.

Walden’s Enrollment Specialists are committed to helping identify and leverage opportunities for you to save money on your education.

Our Enrollment Specialists are ready to answer any questions you may have regarding this program. Fill out the form on this page to be contacted or call 855-203-5779.

Why earn your BSW at Walden?

learn-with-leaders-small

Relevant Curriculum

Coursework is based on the latest research and current best practices in the social work field.

exceptional-student-services

Exceptional Student Services

Benefit from our 24/7 tech support, Writing Center, Career Services Center, and more.

relevant-curriculum

Save Time and Money

Transfer up to 135 of the 182 required quarter credits from previous college coursework.

learn-with-leaders-small

Relevant Curriculum

Coursework is based on the latest research and current best practices in the social work field.

exceptional-student-services

Exceptional Student Services

Benefit from our 24/7 tech support, Writing Center, Career Services Center, and more.

relevant-curriculum

Save Time and Money

Transfer up to 135 of the 182 required quarter credits from previous college coursework.

"What surprised me most about my Walden experience was the ease of completing my degree while working full time."

Jimmy Watson | MHA student, BS in Health Studies graduate

Find additional detailed information for this program.

Enrollment Restrictions by State

Walden currently cannot enroll residents of the following states/districts into the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Program: Washington.

Accreditation

Walden University's Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). CSWE’s Commission on Accreditation is responsible for developing standards that define competent preparation for professional social workers and ensuring that social work programs meet these standards.

Note on Licensure

Walden University’s Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program meets the academic requirements to obtain the required credential to practice as a bachelors-level social worker in many states.

State licensing boards are responsible for regulating the practice of social work, and each state has its own academic, licensure, and certification requirements for practice as a social worker at the bachelor’s degree level. Walden recommends that students consult the appropriate social work licensing board in the state in which they plan to practice to determine the specific academic requirements for licensure or other credentials. Walden enrollment specialists can provide information relating to the state-by-state requirements for licensure. However, it remains the individual’s responsibility to understand, evaluate, and comply with all licensing requirements for the state in which he or she intends to practice. Walden makes no representations or guarantee that completion of its coursework or programs will permit an individual to achieve state licensure, authorization, endorsement, or other state credential as a social worker.

 

ONGOING MILITARY OFFER:

A 15% tuition reduction for servicemembers, veterans of the U.S. armed forces, employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and their spouses.*

*A 15% tuition reduction is available to new students who are servicemembers, veterans of the U.S. armed forces, or employees of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). This tuition reduction is also available if you are a spouse of a servicemember, veteran, or employee of the VA. This tuition reduction cannot be retroactively applied. Tuition reductions are applicable to tuition only and do not apply toward books, materials, and other supplies or fees needed for a course.

Walden may change the tuition reduction offered hereunder at any time, but such change will not affect the tuition reduction for students who are currently enrolled at Walden and using the existing tuition reduction. All tuition reductions, grants, or scholarships are subject to specific eligibility requirements. Contact a Walden University Enrollment Specialist for details.

Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, https://www.hlcommission.org/.