Social workers make the world a better place. They work with low-income families, children, recovering addicts and the elderly to provide them with housing, food, employment, health care—and most importantly — hope for the future.
Snapshot of the BSW Program
The mission of the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Program in the Department of Social Work is to provide students with a liberal arts and social work education that is focused on culturally competent practice. The BSW Program will prepare graduates for graduate Department or to enter the job market as competent entry-level generalist practitioners with a foundational understanding of culturally competent practice with individuals, families, small groups, organizations, and communities. Our mission aligns with the profession’s primary mission of enhancing human well-being and addressing the basic human needs of all people, particularly those vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty, by producing graduates who demonstrate generalist practice skills through a unique culturally competent lens.
A Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) 4+1 degree is an accelerated program that allows students to earn both a BSW and a Master of Social Work (MSW) in five years instead of six. After completing their BSW degree, social work students with a GPA of 3.0 or higher can qualify to enroll in an Advanced Master of Social Work (MSW) program. This accelerated program allows them to earn their MSW degree in just one additional academic year.
Students with a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) from an accredited social work program like the one we have here at Ƶ are eligible to participate in advanced standing programs, which allow them to complete their master's degree in one year. These programs typically allow students to focus on electives, concentration coursework, and advanced field education. Advanced standing programs have strict admission requirements, and students must have demonstrated strong academic and internship/professional performance during their BSW program.
The 4+1 social work degree path combines the BSW and MSW programs, providing a streamlined route for aspiring social workers to enter the workforce with a solid educational foundation and the potential for further specialization. BSW students who elect to take the 4 + 1 route will receive concentrated advising and a special orientation to assist them in transitioning from the BSW to the MSW curriculum.
Some of our program's points of pride.
Every person has certain basic needs that need to be met in order to live a healthy and happy life. According to psychologist Abraham Maslow, the most important needs are:
As a major in JCSU’s nationally accredited social work program, you’ll learn how to help people meet these needs. Your classes will focus on the behavioral reactions when these needs are not met and the psychological reasons behind them.
As a major in our social work program, your education won’t stay in the classroom.
All social work majors participate in internships that allow them to put what they’ve learned to good use. Whether they work with young children, low-income families, the elderly or survivors of domestic abuse, these internships set our majors on a path toward a rewarding career of service.
The Department of Social Work also offers our majors a resource library that features:
Our students often use the library as a skills lab to tape case presentations, simulations and case staffing for their class assignments.
JCSU is a private liberal arts university. What this means to you is that your education will broadly cover all areas of study. The diversity of your classes will help you look at “the big picture” in any career you choose.
Having a college education will give you the tools to succeed in life. Having a liberal arts education will give you the opportunity to take your success further.
Our social work program has been specifically tailored to meet the demands of today’s workplace.
Caring and compassionate social workers are needed now more than ever. At JCSU, you’ll learn the skills necessary to help those who need it most.
We know that to be an effective social worker, you have to know the people you’ll be serving. And although you can learn a lot from your classes, your best teacher will be experience.
Your JCSU professors have connections to a variety of service agencies throughout the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area. Based on your interests, they’ll help place you in an organization where you can learn firsthand the daily responsibilities of a social worker.
If your future plans involve graduate school, approximately 60% of all social work majors continue to graduate school to obtain a Master of Social Work degree, the experience you have in the field will stand out on your application.
Our students are active members of the community. Their research findings can help us better our neighborhoods and provide the citizens of Charlotte with a better quality of life.
Our students have researched important topics that include:
The Social Work Club will help you get to know your professors and classmates and take advantage of opportunities for fun, fellowship and service. Our club holds several community service projects a year, some of which include:
• A community service project with a local battered women’s shelter
• A clothing drive for Goodwill
• A mentoring program with older adults in the community
• An alumni mixer
• Department of Social Work socials
Phi Alpha Honor Society, the national social work honor society, is another organization where our students can exchange ideas with other social work majors.
As a member of the honor society, you’ll be able to participate in meaningful service projects in the Charlotte community. In the past, our students have helped mentor children in Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools.
Your path to a successful career begins the minute you step on campus.
Our program has enabled JCSU graduates to make an impact in the lives of community members across North Carolina, as well as the country. They’ve found work as social workers in organizations such as:
Our graduates have been accepted by some of the top social work graduate programs in the nation, including:
You’ll have the chance to make a difference in people’s lives working at a variety of organizations:
Review the BSW Program Assessment Data.
704.378.1163
Domestic violence
Mental health
Dating violence
Self care
Program evaluation
Depression/anxiety among young adults
Bachelors of Social Work East Carolina University
Masters of Social Work. Norfolk State University
PhD Norfolk State University
704.371.6508
Social Work Education
Social Work and the Media
Social Work Policy and Administration
Social Entrepreneurship
Social Impact
Social Work Congressional Initiative
BSW Congressional Internships
March is Social Work Month
Social Work and Social Entrepreneurship
BA Spelman College
MSW Clark Atlanta University
Phd Policy Planning Administration and Social Science Clark Atlanta University
704.378.1064
Social Work
Cultural Competence
Social Policy
Poverty
Healthcare
Cultural Competence
Social Justice
Social Work in Sports
Lafayette College Easton PA (BA)
The University of Georgia Athens GA (MSW PhD)
704.330.1309
Healthcare
Mental Health
School Social Work
Hospice
Human behavior and the social environment
Social services delivery systems
Diversity oppression and social justice
Social welfare policy
Assessment and diagnosis
Capella University: Doctor of Social Work
UNC Charlotte: Master of Social Work
NC State University: Bachelor of Social Work
704.378.1029
Clinical Social Work
Sexology
African and Indigenous Healing Modalities and Social Work Practice
Sexuality
Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy
African Spirituality and Social Work Practice
Social Work Civic Engagement
Widener University: MSW and PhD in Human Sexuality
New York University: MA in Health Education
Howard University: BS in Psychology