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What Can You Do with a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work?
Wondering what you can do with a bachelor of social work? Discover what careers are available and how you can get started with our bachelor of social work program.
Reviewed by Dr. Shelly Statz, DSW, MSW, LCSW – Program Chair - Bachelor of Social Work
Social work is more than just a career—it's a calling to make a meaningful difference in people's lives. If you're passionate about helping others and creating positive changes in your community, a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) could be the perfect foundation for your future. This comprehensive degree can help prepare you for diverse roles in behavioral health and healthcare, health and human services, aging services, child and family welfare, criminal justice and substance abuse counseling.
In Herzing University's online BSW program, your courses are 100% online and you complete 400 hours of in-person or virtual field education with an approved practicum site.
Online BSW at a Glance
| Program detail | Herzing University online BSW |
|---|---|
| Format | 100% online coursework with 400 hours of in-person or virtual field education |
| Total credits | 120 semester credit hours |
| Time to complete | 36 months on average for full-time students |
| Transfer credits | Up to 90 approved credits from prior college coursework |
| Field education | Two 16-week practicum courses of 200 hours each. Herzing helps you find a site, and paid and employment-based practicums are allowed |
| Accreditation | Candidacy for Accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Board of Accreditation (BOA)✝ |
| Tuition | $530 per credit; financial aid and scholarships available to those who qualify (tuition and financial aid) |
| Admissions | Rolling admissions with no application deadlines; high school diploma, GED or equivalent required. |
| Career outlook | Social worker employment projected to grow 6% from 2025 to 2035 (BLS)* |
| Next step | Eligible graduates may apply to the Advanced Standing MSW |
Building Your Foundation in Social Work
A BSW program provides students with essential skills across multiple social work domains, preparing them to work effectively with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities. At Herzing, the BSW curriculum includes courses such as Ethics in Behavioral Sciences, Counseling and Communication Skills, Case Management and Crisis Intervention, Human Behavior in the Social Environment, Child Welfare Services and Social Work Policy and Advocacy. This generalist foundation helps prepare you for the diverse challenges you may encounter in human and social services settings.
How the Online BSW Works
An online BSW combines online classes with supervised, real-world experience in a practicum setting. Here is what that looks like at Herzing.
Online coursework
Your courses are 100% online and delivered asynchronously, so you can study around work and family commitments instead of commuting to campus. The 120-credit degree includes 59 credits of core social work and behavioral health courses, 36 credits of general education, 12 credits of open electives (which may include graduate-level courses) and 2 credits of professional development. If you have previous college credit, you may be able to transfer up to 90 approved credits toward your degree.
In-person field education
Field education is where you apply what you learn online. You complete 400 hours of supervised field experience across two 16-week practicum courses, Field Practicum I and Field Practicum II, at 200 hours each. Placements can include health and human services departments, community agencies and policy organizations.
Herzing assists you in finding a practicum site that matches your interests and career goals and paid and employment-based practicums are allowed. You also have support from the Director of Field Education, along with Practicum Readiness Training and a Practicum Orientation before you begin.
Capstone
The program finishes with a capstone seminar that brings your coursework and field experience together as you prepare for entry-level generalist practice.
Entry-Level Career Opportunities
Earning a BSW can help prepare you for entry-level generalist social work roles. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a BSW is the standard requirement for entry-level nonclinical social work positions. Here are some roles BSW graduates may consider:
| Role | Where you might work | What the work can involve |
|---|---|---|
| Case manager | Health and human services agencies, community organizations | Connecting clients with essential resources and coordinating support |
| Child welfare specialist | Child protective services, family service agencies | Helping families through challenging situations while supporting the safety and well-being of children |
| Mental health assistant | Behavioral health settings | Supporting individuals with mental health challenges or substance use disorders |
| Community outreach worker | Community agencies and nonprofits | Connecting underserved populations with services and helping bridge gaps in care |
| Probation officer | Criminal and juvenile justice settings | Supporting individuals in the justice system and connecting them with services |
| Policy advocate | Policy organizations and advocacy groups | Raising awareness and advocating for solutions at the local, state or national level |
The BLS projects employment of social workers to grow 6% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the average for all occupations, with about 50,400 new jobs over that period. In May 2025, the BLS reported an annual mean wage of $64,000 for child, family and school social workers, $68,030 for mental health and substance abuse social workers and $71,790 for healthcare social workers.
Your Educational Journey Continues
While a BSW opens many doors, it also serves as an excellent steppingstone toward advanced education. Many social workers choose to pursue a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree, which is required to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and opens opportunities in clinical services, supervision and management.
If you earn a BSW from a CSWE-accredited program, you may be able to finish an MSW faster through an advanced standing program. Herzing's Advanced Standing MSW is 36 credits and can be completed in 12 months full time or 24 months part time. Eligibility requires a BSW from a CSWE-accredited program (or an active BSW license in good standing) and a minimum 2.75 cumulative GPA. If you don't have a BSW, you can explore Herzing's Master of Social Work (Traditional Path).
The educational ladder in social work extends even further, with doctoral degrees (DSW or PhD) preparing professionals for high-level roles in clinical mental health, research, policy development, academia, and systems leadership. This clear pathway allows you to continue growing professionally throughout your career.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Many BSW programs offer online coursework. At Herzing, all BSW courses are online, and students complete 400 hours of in-person field education at an approved practicum site, often in or near their community.
Most bachelor's degrees in social work require about 120 credits. Herzing's online BSW takes 36 months on average for full-time students, and transfer credits from previous college coursework (up to 90 approved credits) may shorten your time to graduation.
In some states, yes. Several states offer a bachelor's-level social work license, which typically requires a BSW from an CSWE-accredited program and a passing score on the ASWB Bachelors exam. Requirements vary by state, so check with your state social work board. Becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) requires an MSW, supervised clinical experience and a clinical licensing exam.
A BSW is a professional degree that prepares you for generalist social work practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities in a variety of behavioral health, healthcare, aging, child and family welfare and criminal justice settings. The Bachelor of Science in Health and Human Services is an interdisciplinary degree focused on case management, client advocacy, program coordination and organizational leadership in community settings.
At Herzing, health and human services courses cover nonprofit management, grant writing, fundraising and program planning, while social work courses focus on counseling and communication skills, crisis intervention, interpersonal violence and child welfare services. Both fields share a commitment to improving social outcomes, and choosing one now doesn't prevent you from moving into the other later. Compare the two in Human Services vs. Social Work.
Yes. If you're a nurse, you can potentially build on your healthcare education and experience in social work, and you may choose to stay in healthcare as a medical social worker. CNAs, LPNs and RNs with an associate degree might consider the online BSW to develop new skills for the field. If you already hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), you may be eligible to apply to Herzing's Master of Social Work (MSW), which is required if you want to become a clinical social worker.
If you're looking for a 2-year pathway, you might consider Herzing's Associate of Science in Health and Human Services or Associate of Science in Criminal Justice. Both fields include entry-level positions that can give you valuable experience for a future career in social work. For roles specifically in social work, Herzing recommends a bachelor's degree or higher. An admissions advisor can help you decide which path fits your goals.
Start Your Journey at Herzing University
At Herzing, we understand that flexibility is crucial for today's students. That's why our BSW offers 100% online coursework, rolling admissions with no application deadlines, and practicum placement support so you can gain field experience close to home. Our curriculum covers all essential competencies for diverse social work settings, ensuring you are ready to graduate and make an impact immediately.
When you're ready to take the next step, eligible graduates may apply to our Advanced Standing MSW and begin working toward becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW).
Whether you're drawn to working with children and families, supporting individuals in healthcare settings or advocating for vulnerable, marginalized, and disadvantaged individuals and communities, a BSW provides the foundation you need to turn your passion for helping others into a meaningful and rewarding career.
Explore our bachelor of social work program
†The Bachelor of Social Work program has achieved candidacy for accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education’s (CSWE) Board of Accreditation (BOA).
Candidacy status indicates that has made progress toward meeting standards of program quality evaluated through a peer review accreditation process. A program that has attained candidacy status has demonstrated a commitment to meeting the accreditation standards but has not yet demonstrated full compliance.
Students that are admitted to candidate programs in the fall (or later) of the academic year in which the program is granted candidacy status will be retroactively recognized as graduates from a CSWE-BOA accredited program as long as the program attains initial accreditation. Candidacy is typically a 3-year process and attaining candidacy does not guarantee that a program will eventually attain initial accreditation.
Candidacy applies to all program options, which include locations and delivery methods.
Accreditation provides reasonable assurance about the quality of the program and the competence of students graduating from the program.
Review our program's candidacy status in CSWE's Directory of Accredited Programs. For more information about social work accreditation, contact CSWE's Department of Social Work Accreditation.
* BLS pay estimates calculate the median annual wage for various occupations. Per the BLS the median wage for an occupation is: "The wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount, and half earned less. Median wage data are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey." Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook 2025. BLS median wage estimates do not represent entry-level wages and/or salaries. Multiple factors, including prior experience, age, geographic market in which you want to work, and degree level and field, will affect career outcomes, including starting salary and earnings as an experienced employee. Herzing neither represents that its graduates will earn the median salaries calculated by BLS for a particular job nor guarantees that graduation from its program will result in a job, promotion, particular wage or salary, or other career growth.