Students can pursue a traditional social work education with OHIO’s Bachelor of Social Work program. It empowers students to participate in generalist social work practices and qualifies them for entry-level positions, covering topics ranging from human behavior in the social environment to social welfare history and policy.
Bachelor of Social Work | BASW & BSW Degrees
Earn a Bachelor of Social Work from Ohio University to Serve Your Community!
Social work is a vast and versatile field that is based on a universal passion — the desire to help and serve others. At Ohio University, our students are a part of the state’s oldest and most respected social work degree programs within one of the nation’s largest health-focused colleges, OHIO’s College of Health Sciences and Professions. This social work degree major prepares our graduates for success from day one.
Not only do our students major in social work — they live it. Undergraduate students working to obtain a degree in social work can participate in a living/learning community that offers the opportunity to bond with peers as they gain confidence under the guidance of esteemed faculty mentors — faculty who share their passion for assisting others.
Choose What You Want to Learn
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Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW)
Students can optionally complete a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work, with the same classes and practical experiences as our BSW degree. However, it also requires four semesters of a foreign language, so it’s ideal for future social workers planning to work with non-English-speaking communities. Many students take American Sign Language courses and earn a Professional Deaf Resources Liaison Certificate.
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Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW) | Honors Tutorial College
The social work program in the Honors Tutorial College (HTC) offers high-achieving and motivated students the chance to explore evidence-based clinical practices and social welfare issues and policies within an interdisciplinary framework. In the HTC program, students participate in one-on-one or small-group tutorials, conduct independent research, and write an Honors Thesis paper.
Choose Where You Want to Learn
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Athens, OH, Residential Campus
Immerse yourself in one of the most beautiful campus towns for a residential living and learning experience that extends beyond the classroom. Ranked the best college town in Ohio, the Athens campus has an idyllic setting, and the area offers plenty of cultural and outdoor recreation activities.
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Our Regional Campuses
Take classes that fit your schedule on a regional campus near where you live and work.
Careers in Social Work
What can you do with a social work degree, you ask? Well, social work is an ever-expanding field of human connection and one of the fastest-growing professions. A student earning a bachelor’s degree in social work is eligible to apply for LSW licensure in the state of Ohio. A social work graduate also can pursue employment in several traditional fields, including social work jobs such as:
- Child welfare
- Mental health services
- Foster care and residential treatment
- Adoption services
- Nursing homes
- Schools
- Governmental agencies
- Medical facilities
- Veteran services
A bachelor's in social work is also an important stepping stone to a graduate degree in social work. Once graduates earn a Master of Social Work degree, they qualify for higher-level positions in the sector. Students earning the master’s degree, completing two years of supervised experience, and passing the required ASWB licensure exam are eligible to apply for LISW licensure in OHIO.
Post-grad Opportunities for Social Work Majors
Because many of the most impactful and highest-paying jobs in the social work industry require graduate degrees, many OHIO students continue their education with graduate-level programs.
Ohio University offers a Master’s in Social Work program, which can be completed with five different scheduling options. Recent graduates of accredited undergraduate social work programs such as OHIO's can complete the master's degree in one year.
The same master’s degree in social work is available 100% online, which may be ideal for practicing social workers. Of course, thanks to the experiential learning you’ll complete as part of your social work program, you’ll also be ready to head straight into the workforce upon graduating with your bachelor’s degree!
Get Hands-on Experience with Your Social Work Degree
Our social work program provides important experiential learning opportunities for students. What you learn in the classroom is also valuable and applicable in the field, so you’ll get experiences on campus and in the community.
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Participate in Social Work Student Organizations
Students pursuing a BASW or BSW degree enjoy opportunities to interact and collaborate with peers through social work student organizations that sponsor a broad range of activities, including feeding the community at Thanksgiving, inviting social workers from the community to share their career perspectives, and organizing self-care events.
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Pursue Undergrad Social Work Research Opportunities
Along with opportunities for field service learning throughout their four years, seniors are given undergraduate research field placement and a caseload. Students work for local organizations including:
- United Campus Ministries
- Big Brother/Big Sister
- Athens County Children Services
- Appalachian Behavioral Healthcare
- CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates)
- Hopewell Health Centers
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Complete Fieldwork
All OHIO social work students must complete fieldwork, which enhances your understanding of the topics you learned in the classroom and gives you real-life experience with a practicing social worker. You’ll work with your faculty mentor and academic advisor to finish a senior practicum in the local community, totaling between 196 and 224 hours per semester. The practicum is so effective that many senior social work students have job offers or internship opportunities prior to graduation day.
Social Work Degree Requirements & Accreditation
Find out more about the courses you'll take and how our program is accredited.
Why Choose a Social Work Degree?
For many social work students, helping others is a personal calling. With a bachelor’s degree in social work, you’ll have what you need to contribute to communities, develop helpful policies for groups and individuals alike, and provide guidance and support to those who need it most. Becoming a social worker is fulfilling and enlightening.
A social work degree gives you the tools and confidence needed to make a real, positive difference in the world around you. On an academic level, a social work degree examines some of the root causes behind our society’s most complex and challenging issues, such as inequality and substance abuse.
Put another way, a BASW or BSW degree from Ohio University reveals and enables – and it’s precisely what many young professionals seek in their future careers.
Student Support Resources for Social Work Majors
Ohio University is committed to providing our students with everything they need to thrive while in pursuit of a degree in social work. That extends to faculty support, with professors who are more than willing to offer one-on-one mentorship and advice to future social workers, and our academic advising staff. Remember, each student gets a dedicated success advisor to help keep to the graduation schedule.
You’ll also find that the peers and professors at the College of Health Sciences and Professions form a new family, lending helping hands whenever they’re needed. In pursuing internships and field experiences, you’ll never feel alone or wonder what to do next. Furthermore, the CHSP is dedicated to helping first-generation students and students of minority groups find success.
The OHIO Experience for Social Work Majors
Ohio University delivers a remarkably high return on student life experience for social work programs statewide. As one of the nation’s largest health-focused colleges and a leader in population health, Ohio University’s College of Health Sciences and Professions prepares students to solve complex social issues that influence health and well-being. We embrace community partnerships to build collaborative, scalable solutions to meet the era’s biggest crises and challenges.
Our students are encouraged to build practical solutions that can improve outcomes from the front lines of a major city trauma unit to the most remote corners of Appalachia. In addition, our graduates are recognized as exceptionally professional and well-prepared. They impress employers out of the gate, giving them a leg-up at the start of their careers!