The work of a social worker is so important to the community, leaving a lasting impact on making it a much better environment for those being catered to. With the gravity of this work, much goes into becoming a social worker, both educationally and emotionally. Here is how you can pursue a career in Social Work in the U.S.
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2-Year Degree 4-Year Degree2-Year Degree
One doesn’t typically begin a career as a social worker with a 2-year degree, but there are opportunities to take introductory courses in social work and transfer to an institution to complete a 4-year degree. Types of jobs related to social work that require a 2-year degree or less include community healthcare workers, personal care aides, childcare workers, and social and human service assistants.
4-Year Degree
A bachelor’s degree in social work is typically required for entry-level jobs, although people may be hired with degrees other areas like psychology or sociology. Typical entry-level jobs are mental health counselors; health educators; and healthcare, child, family and school social workers. Classes in a 4-year degree program can include learning about human behavior, the welfare system, social work case management, sociology, practice in menthal health, and introduction to social work.
Depending on your aspired specialty, you may need to pursue a graduate degree which could support more advanced careers in child, family or school social work. Both of these educational degrees (4-year degree and graduate degree) may include a certain number of hours of hands-on experience in the field to prepare for professional employment in areas of interest.
Technical Routes
Internships
Due to the nature of social work, cases of child, family and welfare social work tend to be confidential to protect the privacy of those involved. If you’re interested in studying and pursuing a career in social work, reach out to someone working in the field for an informal interview about what their job involves.
Resources
Check with your institution of interest to find out more about their admissions application and the social work major requirements.
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