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- How to enroll
- Career services
Looking for inspiration? Find programs and careers based on your skills and interests.
844-937-8679
online social work bachelor's degree
Bachelor of Science in Social Work Degree
Start your online social work degree
With our Bachelor of Science in Social Work degree, you can prepare to address societal problems and advocate for social change. Gain a foundation in social work theory and application and become an effective, ethical and culturally aware professional. You’ll gain real-world experience through our online social work program’s curriculum and supervised field education component. Plus, become educationally prepared to pursue state licensure or certification so you can enhance the lives of diverse groups and individuals.
Transfer credits
Your eligible transfer credits could cover up to 75% of your bachelor's degree.
Scholarships
Explore over $1 million in scholarship opportunities for new or transfer students.
Apply free
No application fee
No SAT/ACT
No essay required
Ignite Your Passion
Start when you're ready
Courses
Browse courses for your social work degree
Education should hold practical value. That’s why our courses meet rigorous academic standards and provide you with skills and knowledge immediately applicable to your career.
Look for this icon to see which skills you’ll learn in a course.
Requirements: 120 credits
You’ll need 120 credits to complete this online social work program. Your course schedule may vary based on transferable credits or credits earned through the University’s Prior Learning Assessment.
To learn more about field education, preparation and placement, view the BSSW Field Education Handbook.
There is no in-person residency requirement for the BSSW, but there is an in-person field component. To learn more about class requirements and to gain a general program overview, view the BSSW Program Handbook.
Schedule
Your academic counselor will help you schedule courses for your online social work degree.
Program Purpose Statement
The Bachelor of Science in Social Work (BSSW) is an undergraduate degree program that provides a foundation in social work theory and teaches the application of professional social work values, principles, standards and techniques to educationally prepare graduates to pursue state licensure or certification as a bachelor’s-level social worker in select states. Licensure requirements vary by state. There may be additional qualifications and/or disqualifications applicable in order to become a social worker. See the licensure requirements and contact information for your state.
Earn career-relevant skills in weeks – not years.
Learning shouldn’t take years to put into practice. That’s why we’re empowering you to build career-relevant skills with every five- to six-week course.
We’ve worked with labor market researchers like Lightcast to find in-demand skills for occupations and mapped those to our related associate, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs.
Tuition
Transfer credits
Your previous eligible college credits can save you time and money – helping you to graduate faster. That’s why we’ve accepted transcripts from 5,000+ institutions, so you can apply eligible transfer credits from an institutionally accredited university or college toward a degree of your choice.
75%
Of your bachelor's degree could be covered with eligible transfer credits.
Affordable, fixed tuition
Lock in the peace of mind that comes with fixed, affordable tuition. You’ll enjoy one flat rate from the moment you enroll until the day you graduate from your program. That’s your Tuition Guarantee.
University of Phoenix social work degree vs other universities
| Phoenix | |
|---|---|
|
Cost per credit
|
$398
|
|
Credits per course
|
3
|
|
Tuition per course
|
$1,194
|
|
Total program length in credits
|
120
|
|
Length of course in weeks
|
5
|
|
Fees
|
One fee per course
|
|
Tuition guarantee
|
YES
|
|
|
Data pulled on March 31, 2023
[1] $357 per 1000-2000 level credit; $415 per 3000-4000 level credit
Source of data: For each institution, the data are publicly available in multiple locations, including Academic Catalogs, Program pages, Tuition and fees pages, and syllabi. All data are publicly available on the websites.
Certain licensure programs and coursework in other degree programs may have additional fees. Please check with your advisor or course catalog for additional info.
| COA Components | Bachelors Social Behavioral Licensure/Certification |
|---|---|
|
Tuition and Fees¹
|
$9,384
|
|
Books, course materials, supplies and equipment
|
$1,416
|
|
Transportation
|
$1,360
|
|
Miscellaneous personal expenses
|
$550
|
|
Living Expenses²
|
|
|
Food
|
$2,650
|
|
Housing³
|
$5,120
|
|
Federal student loan fees
|
$60
|
|
Professional Licensure/certification⁴
|
$375
|
|
Dependent care expenses
|
$0
|
|
Disability related expenses
|
$0
|
|
Total COA
|
$20,915
|
|
|
1The tuition component is based on a per credit weighted average for the credential level across the entire University.
2The University allows the same living expense amounts for students in all living arrangements and dependency statuses.
3The living expense component for students receiving Military Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) only includes an allowance for food.
4The licensure/certification component included in the final academic year of the program is an average of fees charged by all states the program is offered in by credential level and college.
Scholarships
Starting with your first course, every new, qualifying student will be awarded up to $1,000 to up to $3,000. Because scholarships shouldn’t just be for the chose few – they should be accessible to all working adults, like you.
$1 Million
In scholarship opportunities
Financial aid
You have options when it comes to paying for college tuition and expenses, such as federal grants and loans. Our finance advisors can answer your questions about financial aid and can help guide you through the process.
Federal Student Loan Basics
Careers & Outcomes
What can you do with a Bachelor of Science in Social Work degree?
Learning can lead to earning. Discover where your degree might take you and make informed choices about your future.
A BSSW can prepare you to be a:
- Case Manager
- Child Protection Specialist
- Family Service Worker
- Foster Care Worker
- Social Service Coordinator
Ready to get started?
Start your application for free or request additional information.
What you’ll learn
When you earn your online social work degree, you’ll be equipped with a concrete set of skills you can apply on the job. You’ll learn how to:
- Analyze practice outcomes with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities
- Apply assessment and intervention skills with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities
- Apply ethical and professional behavior in a social work setting
- Employ anti-racism, diversity, equity and inclusion in practice strategies
- Explore policies related to social work practice
- Use advocacy strategies to advance human rights and social, racial, economic and environmental justice
- Use social work skills to engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities
- Utilize practice-informed research and research-informed practice in a social work setting
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job growth for social workers is projected to be faster than average between 2021 and 2031. However, it is important to note that this job growth accounts for career outcomes for professionals in bachelor’s and master’s prepared roles.
The BLS Projected Growth for 2021-2031 is published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This data reflects the BLS’ projections of national (not local) conditions. These data points are not specific to University of Phoenix students or graduates.
Admissions
Apply for free – no application fee, no obligation.
Starting your degree is a big decision — and we want you to feel great about it. That’s why we remove obstacles from your application.
- No cost to request transcripts
- No SAT/ACT required
- No essay required
- No cost, risk-free trial for eligible students
How to enroll at University of Phoenix
Receive highly rated 1-on-1 support
You’ll have a support team of real people you can lean on to encourage your success as a student. Start a conversation about your future with one of our enrollment representatives today.
Call or chat with us 7 days a week.
Gabriel G., Enrollment Rep
Receive highly rated 1-on-1 support
You’ll have a support team of real people you can lean on to encourage your success as a student. Start a conversation about your future with one of our enrollment representatives today.
Call us at 844-937-8679 or chat with us 7 days a week.
An education that fits your busy life
Balancing family, work and school
Work toward your degree without giving up what matters most. Start your degree year-round and take one class at a time.
Online learning
Enroll in online classes and attend class whenever it fits your life, day or night.
Around-the-clock support and resources
You have a support team available up to 20 hours a day, 5 days a week. And our academic counselors, who are with you every step of the way, have earned a 5-star rating from 90% of our surveyed students.[1]
[1] Transactional Survey, August 2021-22 (18,645 respondents)
Faculty Spotlight
Professionals dedicated to you
Your success is a top priority for our deans and faculty members. They bring an average of 26 years of experience and hands-on perspective to the classroom, and help bridge the gap between academics and industry knowledge.
Accreditation
Count on the quality of your education
University of Phoenix’s Bachelor of Science in Social work is accredited by the Council on Social work Education’s Board of Accreditation.
Accreditation of a baccalaureate social work program by the Council on Social Work Education’s Board of Accreditation indicates that it meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of program quality evaluated through a peer review process. An accredited program has sufficient resources to meet its mission and goals and the Board of Accreditation has verified that it demonstrates compliance with all sections of the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards.
Accreditation applies to all program sites and program delivery methods of an accredited program. Accreditation provides reasonable assurance about the quality of the program and the competence of students graduating from the program.
Frequently asked questions about the Bachelor of Science in Social Work degree
Social work addresses social problems and advocates for social justice. Earning our social work degree online helps prepare you to become an effective, ethical and culturally aware professional. Our coursework and curriculum give you the knowledge and tools to work with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities toward these goals.
An online social work degree, along with the appropriate licensure in your state, could open opportunities in the field of social work, such as family protection specialist, foster care social worker and youth services specialist. You could work in settings such as child protective services, healthcare agencies and community outreach and advocacy organizations.
Many social work professionals work in government and non-profit settings, but graduates gain a well-rounded, versatile social work foundation that can translate to a variety of practice settings.
Our online social work degree curriculum is designed specifically so working professionals like you can get an education. Our social work coursework helps students build a strong foundation in social work while teaching leadership skills that can help prepare you for a career in the field.
In our online social work degree, you’ll learn from faculty who are practitioners in the field, and you’ll be able to join our large alumni network. Enjoy a flexible learning environment as well as robust resources and support for your local community-based field placement.
The BSSW program provides the academic preparation for bachelor’s level social work licensure or certification in select states. Students must meet the licensure requirements in any state in which they desire to practice.
Bachelor’s level social work licensure or certification requirements vary by state. Program requirements may change based upon your home state’s agency licensure requirements. Please visit the social work licensure page for state specific requirements prior to reaching out to your state agency.
While widely available, not all programs are available to residents of all states. Please check with a University Enrollment Representative.