Why study Social Work?

The University of Cincinnati Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program will challenge you to look inside to learn about yourself and then to look outside to find ways to be of service in the world.

Social workers practice in a wide range of service areas providing a variety of services, as the following description illustrates. They work with families in economic distress, offering help with basic needs such as food and housing. They work with persons with physical and mental disabilities and with older adults, providing care management connecting these clients to resources in the community that promote their ability to live independently. They investigate allegations of child abuse and neglect and provide counseling to families to correct these problems. They work with children in foster care, helping them adjust to new families and schools. They work with people with substance use problems, helping them find ways to recover from addiction and to become productive members of their communities. They work with communities to help members organize and advocate for changes that will promote a better quality of life for all. In all of these settings, social workers use the knowledge and skills acquired in undergraduate education for social work.

As a first-year student in UC’s undergraduate Social Work program, you will start your educational journey as a member of the social work learning community, learning about the profession as well as completing general education requirements. Introductory courses in social work allow for the study of social problems and to experience social work through opportunities for service learning in the community.

The required courses for the social work degree begin in the junior year. You will begin to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for the achievement of the core competencies for generalist social work practice as defined by the Council on Social Work Education. In the senior year, you will have a year-long, two days per week field placement in a local social service agency, practicing the skills you have learned under the supervision of a professional social worker.

The School of Social Work has affiliations with over 200 social service agencies in the greater Cincinnati area, providing a wealth of options for field learning. Senior-year coursework and seminars allow you to connect the theories you have studied to what you experience in the field as you reflect on your developing professional self. Unique to UC is the two-term research sequence; you will learn basic research methods and then design and carry out a research project in your field agency.

At the end of your UC education, you will be prepared for entry-level, generalist social work practice, which means that you will have the knowledge and skills needed to work with individuals, families, groups, communities, and organizations in a variety of settings and can become licensed as a social worker in the state of Ohio after passing your licensing exam.

You will also have the foundation education necessary for graduate study in social work. You may be admitted to the accelerated, one-year Master of Social Work program at UC or similar programs around the country.

State Authorization

Federal regulations require the University of Cincinnati to publicly disclose whether completion of certain programs that lead or may lead to professional licensure or certification would meet a given state’s educational requirements for a specific professional license or certification required for employment in an occupation (regardless of whether the program is on-ground, online, or hybrid). To learn whether a University program meets a given state’s educational requirements, please visit the University of Cincinnati State Authorization webpage. 

Career Possibilities

Social workers work with individuals across the lifespan and are employed in both the public and private social service sectors. They work with people facing difficult life situations, such as homelessness, domestic violence, addiction, foster care, and the neglect and abuse of children. Other social workers are advocates for the community, working on policy and program development in government agencies.

Social Workers typically work in:

• Mental health clinics
• Schools
• Hospitals
• Corrections agencies
• Nursing homes
• Community development-based organizations
• Residential treatment centers
• Child welfare agencies
• Private practice

Major Maps

• Guide: Social Work (BSW) - Fall 2024

Advising

Advisors will be there to help you at every step of your academic journey. If you have advising related questions, please visit the College of Allied Health Sciences’ Academic Advising.

Admission Requirements

The University of Cincinnati has established academic success criteria for first-year applicants to bachelor's degree programs. All students are encouraged to apply. Please visit High School Student Admissions for more information about first-year student admission requirements.  

Program Volunteer Requirement 

Students without a human services degree requiring an internship will be required to volunteer for 30 hours prior to beginning the placement portion of the social work program. Volunteer hours must be completed within the past two years at one human services agency*. The agency must not be owned or led by a friend or family member of the student, and the student must not be supervised by a friend or family member. The supervisor for the student’s volunteer hours does not have to be a social worker. Students who are currently employed by a human services agency for three months or more are not required to complete volunteer hours, but are required to provide verification of employment. 

After the volunteer hours are completed, the student should complete the Social Work Volunteer Requirement Supervisor Request Form to request verification and evaluation from their supervisor  

Evaluations must be submitted by the supervisor via the form sent to their email by April 25 for the BSW-DL program, by July 15 for the BSW program, and by Aug. 1 for the MSW program of the year the student is to begin the placement for the social work program. Failure to provide this documentation by the deadline will mean that the student will not be permitted to begin the placement or any coursework that is concurrent with the placement and will delay their progression through the social work program.

Poor feedback on the evaluation could create the need for further requirements and training in order to begin placements. 

*A human services agency is defined as an agency providing social services to an under- or un-served population.  

Transferring to UC Requirements

Students who have earned a high school diploma or GED and have attended a college or university other than the University of Cincinnati since earning their high school credentials are considered transfer students. Please visit UC Admissions for information about applying to the university as a Transfer Student.

For more information, visit the Transfer Center within UC Admissions.

Transfer students should apply using our transfer student online application. 

Transfer Articulation Agreements & Pathways 

UC has developed clear pathways (articulation agreements) between select associate degrees at partner institutions and compatible bachelor’s degrees at UC. Each pathway includes a Transfer Degree Map that offers a semester-by-semester course comparison to assist with your transfer planning. 

The following institutions have Transfer Degree Maps for this major: 

• Sinclair Community College 

Changing Majors within UC Requirements

If you are currently enrolled in an undergraduate program at the University of Cincinnati (including UC Blue Ash and UC Clermont), but want to change your major to one in the College of Allied Health Sciences, please visit Transition Students for more information.

Application Deadlines

Application deadlines can be found at Admissions Deadlines.

Accreditation

The Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and Master of Social Work (MSW) programs are fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.