Becoming a social worker involves getting a formal education in the correct field. If you are interested in serving people by offering counseling, education, or therapy to your clients, then you may be a great candidate for social work. The steps that you must take to go from someone who is interested in the field to a professional who works in the field can be time-consuming. This is why it is crucial that you know just what the requirements are to enter the field and which path is most direct. If you have begun to student sociology, you might be wondering if the sociology degree that you are pursuing will suffice. Read on, and find out what types of degrees will prepare you for a career in social work.
Featured BSW Programs
What Can You Do With a Degree in Sociology?
Sociology students have a lot of options following graduation. Once you have earned a BA or a BS in Sociology, you will be prepared to enter the work force or for an advanced degree program. If you decide to enter the work force immediately following your graduation, you will be able to apply for an accept positions that fall within the discipline and even fall outside of the discipline in both the education and the business sectors.
Some examples of opportunities outside of the discipline include: consumer relations specialist, public relations manager, recruiter, admissions counselor, corrections officer, rehabilitation counselor and more. If you are would like to stay in the discipline of social work, there are a bunch of titles that you can pursue with your degree. Just some of the many different types of social work positions you will be qualified for with your degree include: caseworker, case manager, community aide, family planning worker, find raising director, housing coordinator, substance abuse counselor, youth outreach worker, public assistance worker, and rehabilitation counselor.
How Do You Become a Social Worker?
Earning your Bachelor's degree in Sociology is the first step to working in the field. The reason that this is a good major to choose is because you cover several different subject areas like principles of sociology, sociology of business, urban sociology, social deviance, race and ethnicity, statistical analysis and more.
In most states, becoming a social worker involves possessing a professional license. If you are not sure where to start obtaining your social work license, you will need to learn about the requirements. In some states, a Bachelor's degree will satisfy the educational requirements. All states where a social work license is required will offer licensure to alumni who have graduated from accredited and relevant Master's degree programs. This is why you should always verify that a school is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education before you apply or enroll with the goal of getting licensed.
Social work is a very large field that encompasses several different types of opportunities where you can work with all types of different clients within your community. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the need for social workers is projected to grow by 19% by 2022. This is a fast rate of growth because of the increased demand for social and health services in the country. Now is the time to start studying for your future. Choose a sociology program and you can truly work towards becoming a social worker.