Bachelor of Science in Social Work
The School of Social Work at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley offers a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree which is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. The BSW is a professional degree built on a liberal arts foundation with supporting course content in the social and behavioral sciences. Courses provide basic knowledge of social welfare systems, the social work profession, theories relating to social work practice, skills, value, and knowledge necessary for generalist social work practice, and the evaluation of social work practice, as well as preparation of student to pursue graduate studies in social work and related professions. The School graduates approximately sixty BSW students yearly.The mission of social work is to 1) provide effective and efficient social work services to people in need; 2) alleviate poverty; oppression and discrimination; and 3) promote social and economic justice. This is accomplished through the application of ethical and responsible standards of practice, advocacy, activism and leadership in agency settings.
Social workers are employed in diverse settings including but not limited to:
- Public and private social service agencies
- Hospitals
- Mental health centers
- Rehabilitation facilities
- Geriatric services
- Child welfare organizations
- Substance abuse treatment centers
- Business and employee assistance programs
- Housing authorities
- Criminal justice settings
- Policy making agencies
- Schools
Beginning salaries range from $35,000 to $44, 000 depending upon the setting and geographic area. Upon graduation, a BSW student may become a Licensed Social Worker under the provisions of the Texas Professional Social Work Act.
Graduates with a BSW degree from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited social work program may apply for advanced standing in our Master of Science in Social Work (MSSW) program. This is a 33-credit hour program that consists of a 3- hour bridge course and 30 hours of advanced MSSW courses.
Know Your RoadMap to Graduation
Vaqueros begin with the end in mind! Taking your major field of study into account, Road Maps are a suggested sequence of courses that you may take during your time at UTRGV. As you review your own Road Map, we encourage you to pay close attention to additional course prerequisites and requirements such as course sequence, course grades, classification and/or course rotation. Additionally, in connection with your Core, take a few moments to review your RoadMap and observe how your graduation pathway intersects with the Categories listed in the Core.