Social Work Degree Programs in Nevada

Online Social Work Programs For You

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

School of Social Work

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas originally opened as an extension program. Students today might find it hard to believe, but the first group of students met in classrooms at the local high school. As more students enrolled in the college's programs, it needed to establish its own campus. Now known as UNLV, the university received a ranking as the 115th best college in the country by Washington Monthly in 2013. With a population of nearly 30,000 students, it's one of the biggest colleges in the state. Thanks to donations from alumni, the college keeps growing and adding new programs and buildings.

Bachelor of Social Work

The School of Social Work through UNLV hopes that all its graduates can handle sometimes harsh working conditions in the field. The goals and outcomes established by the school include:

• Students will remain professional at all times.
• They learn how to look at situations with a critical eye before making a decision.
• Students will understand that all situations are different and that some families use different methods of punishment.
• They will discover the cultural differences that exist between people of different backgrounds.

Assessing and evaluating are two of the main focuses of this program. Students learn how to look at each case they see and how to determine which steps to take next. Though the classes in the program change every few years, students take classes on communications, the values of social workers, the laws and ethics that those workers must follow and how to be more sensitive to those from different backgrounds.

Master of Social Work

Depending on the field that interests you, you might find that you need a Master of Social Work. The Master of Social Work program at UNLV is suitable for those with an undergraduate degree in social work, psychology or counseling, but it's also a good choice for those employed as an entry-level social worker. The program lets students choose a concentration area on community practice or direct practice. Direct practice social workers work directly with clients and families. They often work in the field and investigate claims made by others. Community practice social workers work behind the scenes. They organize and run public agencies and government organizations, and they often work as advocates. Advocates attempt to change public policies by first researching those policies and later finding alternative solutions. The program requires that students complete a certain number of hours working for a social work agency or organization.

Related Resource: What Does a Community Organizer Do?

Accreditation

•Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
•Council on Social Work Education Office of Social Work Accreditation (CSWE)

Contact

4505 S. Maryland Pkwy.
Las Vegas, NV 89154
(702) 895-3011
[email protected]
Program Website

University of Nevada, Reno

School of Social Work

Established in 1874, the University of Nevada, Reno opened with a different name (The State University of Nevada) in the town of Elko. Just 11 years later, the school moved to Reno, and 21 years after that, it officially became the University of Nevada. Though the campus changed quite a bit over the years and added other campuses, its Reno branch remains the main campus of the school. In 2013, Washington Monthly listed the school at number 235 on its list of top colleges in the country, while U.S. News and World Report gave the school a higher ranking, listing it at number 189 out of all schools.

Bachelor of Social Work

The School of Social Work at the University of Nevada, Reno offers undergraduates the chance to gain hands on experience through its community outreach programs. These programs allow students to work with children, teens, the elderly and other groups to learn the problems that affect them. The college also established a unique partnership with Great Basin College. This program lets students take social work classes and work on their degrees for three years at GBC before transferring to Reno for their last year. Successful completion of a Bachelor of Social Work teaches students how to:

• Apply the principles and skills they learn in the classroom to their future professions.
• Perform research into the social work field and make changes to policies.
• Respond to calls made by those in need and find solutions to their problems.
• Understand more about how an individual's surroundings can affect his or her life.

Master of Social Work

The Master of Social Work program at the University of Nevada, Reno is a more intensive program that the Bachelor program. UN Reno is highly selective when it comes to picking applicants for the program, which results in lower class sizes of 30 students or less. Unlike other programs, which allow teaching assistants to run classes, professional social workers teach many of the graduate courses in this program. The program begins with one year of core classes and foundation work. Students can only go on to the second year after receiving high grades in their first year classes and demonstrating that they have a commitment to the subject matter. During the second year of the social work program, students can focus their studies on a concentration that lets them learn more about direct practice or community practice. Choosing the right concentration helps students gain professional skills that they can use when working with clients or as managers.

Accreditation

•Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
•Council on Social Work Education Office of Social Work Accreditation (CSWE)

Contact

1664 N. Virginia Street
Reno, NV 89557
(775) 784-1110
[email protected]
Program Website

Do you care about the well-being of others and want to help reduce the risk of elderly abuse and child abuse? Social workers handle problems like this every day. They spend time working in an office and time working outside and visiting homes. Many of those working in the state received social work degrees in Nevada.