Education Requirements For Social Worker Jobs

Introduction

Social workers can hold different positions and many of those positions may be within the state or local government. Before becoming a social worker there are some educational requirements that must be met.

Bachelors Degree as a Minimum Requirement

In today’s society there is a great need for dedicated and well educated social workers. Social worker jobs consist of helping deal others deal with things like traumatic events in their lives, illnesses, relationship issues, or other difficult situations. You will also find social workers in positions such as those who assist you in applying for public or government assistance.

If a person has the desire to become a social worker they will need to complete an accredited program and earn their bachelors or masters degree. The degree level required is dependent on the type of job the social worker does. Some jobs will require the bachelors and some will require a master’s degree.

A 4 year degree in social work is called Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and most often this will be the minimum requirement in order to accept a position as a social worker. While studying to earn this degree, students learn a variety of skills they will be required to use in social worker jobs. Some of those skills include but are not limited to:

• Interview skills
• Case management
• Problem solving
• Occupational research
• Human Behavior

There will be much more included in the educational process for social worker jobs and there may be some different classes included while training for the occupational field.

Masters Degree as a Requirement for Some Social Worker Jobs

After earning a Bachelor of Social Work degree, a person may want to consider the option of going forward and earning a Master of Social Work (MSW). Most of the social worker jobs in the clinical area, schools, and administrative fields will require that you have a Master of Social Work degree in order to be fully qualified as a candidate for such a position.

In the Master of Social Work degree studies, you will be taking courses such as:

• Social work practice
• Human behavior
• Child welfare
• Environment

Those are just some examples and in the 2nd year of studies you will be required to gain experience in specialized fields such as child welfare. Requirements for degree completion may vary from state to state. You will also find that all universities don’t have the exact same curriculum for completion.

Social worker jobs also require that a person obtain a license in the state in which they practice. Licensure procedures and exams may vary from state to state. Whatever your job focus may be in social worker jobs, you will find there are continuing educational requirements as well. These are generally programs offered by your employer that may include things such as special certifications or seminars.

You must realize that earning your degree is not the stopping point for social worker jobs and you will continue to learn during your entire career. Organizations or government agencies want to make sure they provide the most comprehensive up-to-date information for the social workers they employ so they can serve the community in the best way possible.

For more information about earning a degree in social work, you can contact your local college or university.

 

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