<p>I was looking through the CSWE (accrediting body for social work programs) BSW list today, which has about 480 or so schools and was somewhat surprised to see that very few "selective" schools offer BSW programs. There are a few very good state schools (UMich, U Wisconsin, UT-Austin, IU, OSU, U Washington) on the last, one upper tier LAC (St. Olaf), one top 25 university (NYU) and a handful of "second tier" tier niche schools (McDaniel, Juniata), but other than that, most of schools are fairly unknown LACs, smaller state schools, and small branch campuses--no Vandy, no WUSTL, no Case Western, no Ivys, no top 30 LACs, no Seven Sisters, etc. Why do almost none of the "selective/very selective" schools have BSW programs? Many of these schools (UPenn, Columbia, WUSTL, Chicago, etc) have MSW programs, so if it's not as if they have some inherent bias against social work....</p>
<p>I know nothing about this, but I could guess that social work is seen as more vocational rather than an academic major, but if colleges applied this argument everywhere they wouldn't do nursing either</p>
<p>True, but as you said, they have nursing majors, engineering majors, business majors, etc.</p>
<p>When I was in graduate school I had a friend who was getting an MSW degree. One day, towards the end of the second year of her program, she told me that she had just learned all about the history of training in social work. It seems that in the old days there was no training at all. You just applied for the job and got hired and did it. So then around 1900 or so they set up a six week program to teach you how to do social work. And that was fine until all these professions started to get licensed by the states and six weeks was not long enough to set up an appropriate barrier. So they set up a two year graduate program and that's how it's remained to this day.</p>
<p>My friend's conclusion, toward the end of her training: six weeks would have been enough.</p>
<p>Well, the LACs (and many of the other selective schools) don't have it b/c it is not a liberal arts field of study. It's considered a professional or pre-professional (for an undergrad program) field of study . The same way most of the top LACs don't have pre-law, nursing, journalism, business, architecture, pre-dentistry, etc. (True, some selecive universities make a few exceptions for a handful of professional fields, most notably engineering). </p>
<p>That said, plenty of undergrads from top LACs go on to a vareity of grad school programs, including MSW. You don't need a BSW degree to get a masters in social work. Moreover, in that field the MSW degree is particularly meaningful (in terms of job opportunities) in ways that a BA in Social Work of BSW isn't. So, the theory goes, you can get a well-rounded undergraduate education--including a solid grounding in a traditional academic discipline like psychology or sociology or Spanish or whatever else floats your boat--and then go on professional training in graduate school, like MSW programs.</p>
<p>pointoforder is correct. I'd just add that you won't find vocational/pre-professional undergrad programs at most top private universities either--except, as noted, for engineering--with rare exceptions such as Penn's Wharton connection.</p>
<p>It seems like many selective colleges have business programs--is that still considered "liberal arts"?</p>
<p>And a BSW does provide some benefits, particularly in terms of entering MSW programs where it can reduce in length of the MSW program from two years to one. Also, some studies have shown that people entering social work jobs with social work degrees (BASW/BSSW/BSW) tend to do better and stay longer than those with degrees in other fields. That being said, however, plenty of people do get MSWs with degrees from other fields (often as second careers) and do well.</p>
<p>Business is not considered a liberal arts discipline. But, actually very few of the "most selective" colleges and universities--which are overwhelmingly committed to the liberal arts--have business majors for undergrads. For example, only one Ivy offers business. None of the top (in my opinion) LACs offer it either. </p>
<p>Thats's not to say there aren't exceptions (UPenn, Georgetown, come to mind), but they are just that exceptions.</p>
<p>dont you need an MSW to get a license?</p>
<p>For clinical license (LCSW), yes, but some states are beginning to offer non-clinical licensure for BSW holders.</p>
<p>I’m looking for good undergrad programs for Social Work as well. I’m from north Texas, but location isn’t too important. UNT has a program, but I want to look at a lot of options. Any luck finding something?</p>
<p>Michigan does NOT offer a BSW. It just started offering a minor in social work in collaboration with it’s highly rated graduate School of Social Work.</p>
<p>[SU</a> | College of Human Ecology | School of Social Work](<a href=“Home - Falk College – Syracuse University”>Home - Falk College – Syracuse University) </p>
<p>Syracuse University (NY) </p>
<p>This thread is over 3 years old!</p>
<p>Providence College is a solid liberal arts college in New England that has a good social work program. </p>
<p>[Providence</a> College - Social Work](<a href=“http://www.providence.edu/social+work/]Providence”>http://www.providence.edu/social+work/)</p>