<p>To be an international social worker should I get </p>
<p>1.a bachelors in social work and a masters in international relations</p>
<ol>
<li><p>double bachelor degree in international studies and social work and a masters in international relations</p></li>
<li><p>a bachelors in international studies and masters in social work (what I'm thinking about doing)</p></li>
<li><p>or any combination of international studies, international relations and social work?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I'm currently majoring in International Studies and am learning 3 languages.
Thanks</p>
<p>Option #1: A BSW won’t prepare you properly for an IR masters’s. The BSW coursework is generally unrelated to what you’d study in an IR master’s program, and it may not allow sufficient time/opportunity to focus on econ, quantitative/analytic tools, and languages/area studies to prepare you for IR.</p>
<p>Option #2: See above. Also the BSW provide a sufficient professional credential (i.e., to allow independent practice of SW). You can complete SW requirements in a more concise manner at the MSW level with the course material taught at a higher level and many of your fellow students already will have practical experience that will add to your overall learning experience. Many MSW programs also have tracks that will allow you to specialize after completing your basic SW courses.</p>
<p>Option #3: Your best choice. You’ll have the time, etc. to get a better background in languages/area studies, etc. You’ll end up with a higher level credential in SW. In picking this option, howeverm make sure you use some of your electives to take some in relevant preparatory coursework in psychology, anthropology, and sociology.</p>
<p>If you want to work in international aid, major in civil engineering. Who will seriously hire you over a native social worker in another country?</p>
<p>^^ I second this. Technical skills are far more useful.</p>
<p>I think there’s something to what some of the other posters say about technical skills, particularly in international work.</p>
<p>Have you ever considered a grad program in international nursing:
[Penn</a> Nursing Science](<a href=“http://www.nursing.upenn.edu/academic_programs/grad/masters/program_detail.asp?prid=41]Penn”>http://www.nursing.upenn.edu/academic_programs/grad/masters/program_detail.asp?prid=41)</p>
<p>[Frances</a> Payne Bolton School of Nursing: International Health Programs](<a href=“Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing”>Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing)</p>
<p>or the grad program in nutrition policy at Tufts?
[Home</a> - Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy - Tufts University](<a href=“http://nutrition.tufts.edu/]Home”>http://nutrition.tufts.edu/)
Coursework options include a fair amount in the area of humanitarian assistance and related areas. I’m guessing one could also take courses at the Fletcher School.</p>
<p>These are just some examples to expand the range of possibilities for you to consider.</p>
<p>Nursing is an awesome suggestion.</p>
<p>My wife is a nurse and worked in Italy for awhile, and her good friend has done nursing programs (aid) in Napal and a bunch of other countries.</p>