Social Work Major
Looking for a career where you can make a difference in the lives of individuals, families, communities, and organizations seeking to make changes to address a wide range of concerns? Social work focuses on promoting social welfare and improving the lives and conditions of our communities. Grand View offers two ways to complete the social work degree - as a daytime student in on-campus classes, or in the evenings through a combination of on-campus and online courses. Both options provide students with extensive experiences both in and outside the classroom to prepare for a meaningful career in social work.
Grand View University's social work program was selected for the 101 Most Affordable Bachelor's in Social Work (BSW) Programs in America. According to HumanServicesEdu.org, "Grand View's BSW program is an exceptional value in undergraduate education. This program is also prime with exciting opportunities to work on real-world projects, participate in career-related work experiences, study under a dedicated faculty of experienced practitioners, and learn in an intimate environment that boasts a low, student-to-faculty ratio of just 13:1. Plus, Grand View boasts an impressive 98-99% job placement rate among its graduates over the last two decades."
As a Grand View social work student, you'll develop the knowledge, skills, and values of the profession and learn to serve as an agent of change with individuals, families, groups, and organizations. Active learning opportunities in and out of the classroom prepare you to develop, carry out, and evaluate interventions that empower clients to meet their goals. You'll be prepared to work effectively with diverse populations in home-based services, schools, medical settings, mental health or substance abuse centers, and correctional institutions, and be competitive at both public and private agencies. To learn even more, explore our Grand View University BSW Program on Facebook!
Wondering whether you should pursue social work, psychology, or human services?
Explore the differences
Why Grand View?
- Exciting opportunities to work on real-world projects, participate in career-related work experiences, and study under a dedicated faculty of experienced practictioners.
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Every social work course embeds practice opportunities, so you can see what it is like to work with different populations in a wide array of settings. Students start right away in Introduction to Social Work (SWRK 101) by shadowing a credentialed social worker in agencies such as Calvin Community, Children & Families of Iowa, ChildServe, Community Youth Concepts, Des Moines Public Schools, EveryStep, Four Oaks, Iowa Homeless Youth Services/Lighthouse, LifeWorks, Orchard Place/PACE, Prelude Behavioral Services, ProjectIOWA, Woodward Community Based Services, and Youth Emergency Shelter & Services. Practice opportunities continue throughout the social work program.
- The program is shaped by input from local practitioners, who help social work faculty understand and respond to key trends in the field. This helps ensure students graduate with an understanding of what is required to be successful in the profession. Read more to meet the members of the Grand View Social Work Advisory Council.
- Strong advising relationships between faculty and students, which allows faculty to understand students’ academic and career goals.
- Face to face and online options for completing the program. Choose from:
- All courses face-to-face, either during the day or a combination of day and evening classes.
- Evening and online, allowing you to fulfill other responsibilities (such as work or caretaking) during the day. Some social work courses are fully online, while the rest are on-campus Monday evenings with additional coursework completed virtually.
- No foreign language requirement, although Grand View offers a major, minor, and certificate in Spanish, including courses on translation and interpretation. Students are encouraged to pursue this option as a way to broaden their reach to populations and enhance cultural understanding.
- BSW coursework fulfills requirements for a tCADC (temporary Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor) certification, which allows the student to apply for this credential upon graduation and have an edge in applying for jobs in this specialty area.
- Grand View University has been granted Initial Accreditation by the CSWE Commission on Accreditation. Read More
| Admission to the Program |
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Application to the social work program happens after you've begun your studies at Grand View. Students apply to the social work program during the semester they will have completed each of the prerequisites, SWRK 101, ENGL 101, PSYC 101, and SOCS 101.
Admission is selective and involves completion of an application with a personal essay and recommendation from a non-social work faculty member. Students applying to the major must have and maintain a 2.5 GPA, plus earn at least a C in all courses required for the major, including prerequisites.
Applications are due by December 1 for students enrolled in SWRK 101 in the fall term, April 1 for students enrolled in SWRK 101 in the spring term, and July 15 for students enrolled in SWRK 101 in the summer term. Students who have completed SWRK 101 but have not yet completed required prerequisites should apply in the term in which those prerequisites are expected to be completed. Students accepted to the program begin enrollment in classes toward the major the following fall.
See Social Work Student Handbook for details on the application process.
Social Work Application Checklist
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| A Guide for Transfer Students |
- Students who have an AA or AS may be able to complete the social work degree in two years, and summer classes may not be needed.
- Students who plan to complete the program taking day classes may choose to enroll in the summer section of Introduction to Social Work (SWRK 101) in order to complete remaining coursework in two years (four semesters consisting of two fall terms and two spring terms).
- Students who plan to complete this program taking a combination of evening and online classes should plan to enroll beginning in the fall to complete the remaining coursework in six terms (two fall terms, two spring terms, and two summer terms).
- Social work courses taken at another institution accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) will be reviewed to substitute for Grand View social work degree requirements.
- DMACC transfer students:
- Can cross-enroll in SWRK 101 during the fall or spring at no extra charge, as long as they are taking 12 or more credits at DMACC during the same semester.
- May substitute a combination of Introduction to Human Services (HSV 109) + Human Services Internship (HSV 804) for Grand View's SWRK 101, as long as the internship is under the guidance of a credentialed social worker (contact Grand View Admissions or the Grand View Social Work Program Director for additional information and guidance).
- DMACC's Discrimination and Diversity (HSV 185) may be substituted for Grand View's Cultural Competency in Social Work Practice (SWRK 210).
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| Scholarships for Social Work Majors |
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Catalyst Scholarship
The Catalyst Scholarship is intended to support the education of a full-time student majoring in social work who shows promise as a strong catalyst for change. This $1,000 scholarship gives preference to students whose personal characteristics reflect historically underrepresented populations in the profession, such as (but not limited to) diversity in race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, disability, language, socioeconomic status, national origin, age, faith, or culture. Students must meet these qualifications:
- Admitted to the social work program
- Enrolled in at least the first full year after acceptance to the major
- 3.0 cumulative grade point average at Grand View
- Financial need as indicated by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Applicants must submit an essay indicating how they see themselves as catalysts for change, both as students and as future social workers. Learn More
Application deadline: March 1 of each year
Discover Non-Grand View Scholarships
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| Career Opportunities |
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According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2018), social work employment is expected to increase by 11 percent through 2028. Read more about growth of the social work profession, including information about specialty areas growing at even higher rates than the field as a whole.
Grand View Social Work graduates make our world a better place to live by helping individuals make positive changes, promoting social and economic justice and respect for diversity. Consider a future in:
- Behavioral Health
- Advocacy / Community Organizing
- Child Welfare Programs
- School-based Services
- Health Care Settings
- Immigration and Refugee Services
- Developmental Disability Services
- Graduate School
- Aging Services
- Victim Services
- Juvenile Justice
- Adoptions
- Adult Corrections
Getting a job after graduation is important! After obtaining their BSW, Grand View social work students work in a wide variety of settings, including:
- Ankeny Community School District
- Boys Town
- Bridges of Iowa
- Children & Families of Iowa
- Community Support Advocates
- Department of Human Services
- Des Moines Area Community College
- Des Moines Public Schools
- Grand View University
- Iowa Total Care
- Johnston Public Schools
- LifeWorks
- Mercy Hospital
- Mid-Iowa Community Action
- Orchard Place
- UnityPoint Eyerly Ball Mental Health Services
- Urbandale Community Schools
- Vita Health Services
- West Des Moines Public Schools
- Youth Emergency Shelter and Services
The Grand View social work program prepares you for success in graduate school, should you wish to pursue an additional degree. Social work graduates have been accepted to institutions such as:
- Clark Atlanta University (Master of Social Work, Advanced Standing)
- Drake University (Master of Science in Counseling)
- Seattle School of Theology and Psychology (Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology)
- University of Iowa (Master of Social Work, Advanced Standing; accelerated and 2-year program)
- University of Wisconsin-Madison (Master of Social Work, Advanced Standing)
- University of Wyoming (Master of Social Work, Advanced Standing)
- University of Southern California (Master of Social Work)
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| Plans of Study |
Depending on whether you are transferring in applicable coursework, you can complete the social work degree in two, three, or four years. See the plans of study, with applicable coursework, below.
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