Social Work
Credits Required
48
DELIVERY
Online
START TERMS
Fall, Spring
Within the College of Social Work, the Bachelor of Social Work Program educates and trains professional social workers to become agents of change who work on behalf of society and their fellow human beings. More specifically, the BSW Program seeks to establish mutually respectful and supportive relationships with marginalized communities (e.g., people of color, indigenous and aboriginal communities, refugee and immigrant communities, LGBTQ communities, people with mental illness, and rural communities) to assist in the development of community leaders and programs needed to achieve social justice and improve the human condition of all community members.
Application into this closed major requires both application to the University of Utah and into this program.
The program at the University of Utah is 1 of only 16 online BSW programs accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
Are you interested in working with children and families? If so, consider applying for the Child Welfare Title IV-E Career Path, a grant administered by the Utah State Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS) for students admitted to the University of Utah’s Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Program.
At the University of Utah, our courses combine the flexibility of online teaching with the advantages and direct engagement of traditional teaching. Enjoy the benefit of studying online at your own pace while still engaging with classmates and instructors. This flexible way of teaching improves your overall experience and your ability to retain what you learn.
Interactive learning comes in a variety of ways:
- Group assignments, where you collaborate via email or a discussion forum to answer a problem set.
- Contributions to a discussion forum, where you directly respond to previous posts.
- Peer reviews, where you review and comment on assignments from other students.
Our classes also offer multiple routes to stay connected and get help:
- Communicate directly with the instructor via email.
- Participate in and guide online discussions.
- Attend online office hours in discussion threads or on the phone.
- Instructors are available in “real” office hours for students on or near campus; for some courses we offer Q&A sessions in a classroom.
48 Semester Hours: Program hours only. Does not include any general education or prerequisites.
Students can expect to complete the major-specific BSW coursework and internships in three to four semesters at 12-15 credits per semester.
For more information, please visit the Academic Advising page for the College of Social Work to schedule an appointment with any of our advisors.
Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)
All of the courses at the University, whether online or on campus, are taught by the same high-quality faculty members. There’s no distinction on your diploma that you completed courses online.
Because social work is a profession that draws wisdom and knowledge from a variety of disciplines, social work majors are required to complete courses in a number of behavioral, physical science, and humanities areas. Each course has been selected because it provides a sound background for content that will be covered in required social work courses.
Please visit the College of Social Work Core BSW Courses page for a full list of program courses as well as prerequisite courses
*Effective Fall 2024. Subject to change without notice.
For an estimate of the full course, use the TUITION Estimator
New students enrolling in UOnline beginning Fall 2024 may be able to apply university employee tuition reduction in some situations. For more information please email us at uonline@utah.edu.
The BSW Program operates under the transfer policies and procedures of the University of Utah. Under these policies, the Office of Admissions completes an assessment of a student’s academic record with specific focus on general education requirements.
The BSW Program assists that office by providing a list of course equivalencies developed based on our review of syllabi from other schools in the state, including other accredited BSW programs. If the BSW Program has indicated that a particular course is the equivalent of a BSW course, the Office of Admissions makes a notation of acceptance of credit in the student’s record. If the course is not one for which prior approval has been given, the Office of Admissions will send the student to the BSW Program director for an individual case-by-case assessment. In these cases students are often asked to provide syllabi, course descriptions, and sometimes information on textbooks and instructors to help determine the degree of comparability. The decision by the BSW Program director regarding course equivalency is final.
Social work’s primary concern is people and their relationships within society. The ultimate value of the profession is its ability to help people realize their own potential. Social work is based on the belief in the worth and dignity of all people and on the positive value of cultural, gender, and experiential differences.
Social work is a challenging and rewarding profession for those willing to give of themselves.
The College of Social Work graduates approximately 75 BSW students each year. Our graduates accept positions in a variety of social service agencies and organizations:
- Human services
- Healthcare
- Family services
- Policy analysis
- Child welfare
- Juvenile justice
- Aging and gerontology
- Developmental disabilities
The average salary for starting positions is above $30,000.