Social work is an incredibly rewarding field to work in. It can be challenging and difficult, but being able to help individuals and communities is very fulfilling. Different jobs in social work require different levels of qualifications, but a bachelor’s degree in social work can be a great way to gain knowledge, skills and experience in order to boost your career and open up new opportunities. If you are considering taking the next steps in your career by gaining new qualifications or furthering your education, here are a few ways in which a social work degree can help you and your career.
Characteristics
A BSW degree can help to nurture and develop the skills and traits that benefit a social worker. Patience, organization, empathy and compassion are just a few of the important characteristics needed to be a social worker. You may already have these skills or be wanting to improve on your existing ones – either way, a BSW degree can give you the technical knowledge and personal skills required. Patience is vital in social work, as you may be working with groups or individuals with different goals, or who may not want to work with you. Staying patient and resilient helps you to stay calm, work towards goals and not give up. Change is not immediate, and it can take time to achieve the goals and results you need.
Compassion is also an essential component of a social worker. You may be working with clients who have criminal backgrounds or who have gone through traumatic experiences. It is important to treat each cause with compassion and a lack of judgement as it is important to remain objective. Balancing objectivity with empathy can be a difficult line, but it is vital to strike this balance to serve your clients to the best of your abilities. Casting judgement and allowing your personal opinions to cloud your choices and work can prevent you from following the important ethical guidelines that you must stick to.
Career Outcomes
When studying a BSW degree, it is important to take into consideration the potential career you want to pursue. Many areas of social work require further education such as a master’s degree and a BSW degree is the first step in working toward this. A BSW degree is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, so you know you are receiving top-quality education. A bachelor’s degree can help you prepare for the workplace or further education by providing you with essential skills, knowledge and experience, and helping you to understand what kind of social work you would be interested in.
There are three levels of social work: Micro, mezzo and macro.
Micro: micro social work involves working one-on-one with an individual. Typical micro level social work includes school counsellors, family therapy or substance abuse counsellors. Micro social work is considered clinical and therefore requires further qualifications such as a master’s degree. At this level, some of the important roles that a social worker may play include helping individuals access housing, working with young people in foster care, or counselling people with mental health or behavioral issues.
Mezzo: mezzo level social work involves working with small groups or organizations. This can be in a variety of ways, such as mediating conflict resolution among employees in a workplace. The aim of the social worker here is to focus on changing the group as a whole, rather than the individuals in the group. Another example of this level of social work is working in a support group of strangers who have a shared experience of something like substance abuse or grief.
Macro: macro social work is when the social worker works with a community. This community may be linked by different factors, such as religion, location or politics. The social worker may lobby for change, create or shape policies, or train others to do so. Examples of careers on a macro level include lobbyists, community organizers or researchers. You could even become a professor, politician or attorney.
There is a huge range of careers within the social work field and a BSW degree can help you decide which you would work best in.
Another social work career is geriatric social work. The American population is aging rapidly, which is increasing the need for geriatric social workers. If you have a BSW degree and experience in gerontology or geriatrics, you may thrive in this area. Geriatric social workers work with individuals and families to assist in many of the challenges that come with aging. This can include clinical or service interventions and even advocacy.
Online Study Benefits
One huge benefit of a BSW degree is that the coursework can be completed 100% online and there is no residency requirement. For this course, there is plenty of support, both financially and academically. You have a tutor to help you with courses and internships, and financial support is also available to students. This can make the course a lot more accessible to many more people. There are lots of benefits of working from home and this option can mean that you can complete the degree whilst maintaining other commitments, such as work or family. When you study online, you can take the next steps in your education and career without putting the rest of your life on hold. Furthermore, your location matters a lot less, as you are studying online and therefore not limited to what your local college or institution may be offering. This means you can access the course and education that you really want, wherever it might be.
The cost of studying is a large concern for many people and one of the main factors that puts people off becoming a student. When you study online, there are many ways to reduce these costs and make your education more affordable. If you are studying a BSW degree online, you may also be able to save money on travel and commuting, as well as reducing your impact on the planet. Working from home means that you do not need to commute every day, which can be a huge cost. Whether you have your own vehicle or use public transport, using these every day has many costs associated and even with discounts or seasons tickets, it can become very expensive. Furthermore, commuting and travelling can take up a lot of time, often making you late or eating into your study or rest time. Studying at home can also allow you to save money on rent and accommodation, as you are working at home and do not have to worry about finding accommodation on or near campus. This can alleviate huge costs and make the course more accessible.
Furthermore, studying a course like a BSW degree from home means that you can work your studies around your existing commitments more efficiently, as you do not need to worry about being late home due to traffic or other elements that you cannot control. However, working from home means that you are responsible for creating a good working environment, which can be tricky at first, but once you understand how you work best, it can give you plenty of skills to use in the future. It is important to have a specific place to work from and that is separate to your relaxation areas if possible. This creates a clear distinction between study and relaxing, allowing you to be more productive and to fully relax when you need to.
There are plenty of ways you can create a productive and comfortable work environment at home and your institution may even be able to provide some equipment to help you achieve this, which again reduces costs for you.
Pace
If you struggle in a physical classroom setting, studying a BSW online can allow you to study and learn at your own pace. Some people do not work best in a classroom environment and this can hinder their experience of education. It can feel overwhelming and intimidating, which may put you off contributing or asking questions. However, when you work at home, you are able to work at a pace that suits you, asking questions when you need to and going over anything you find more difficult. This can really improve your learning experience and enjoyment of your studies and ensure that you take in as much information as possible.
There are also different styles of learning which you can use to adapt your study to best suit the way your brain takes in information. Visual, auditory and kinesthetic are a few of the different learning types. Understanding what type you are can make learning simpler and more enjoyable as you can use your time more efficiently. For example, when studying a BSW degree, you may benefit from listening to lectures and reinforcing information by speaking it aloud, which would make you more of an auditory learner. Visual learners use tools such as images and diagrams to best absorb information, so revising with colors and visual aids would be a great idea. Kinesthetic learners are physical, so learn best with practical demonstration and acting out information. Understanding how your brain takes in information can have huge impact on the way that you approach learning.
Soft Skills
Whether you are studying a BSW degree online or in person, studying gives you plenty of soft skills, as well as all the specific, technical knowledge from your course. Soft skills are non-technical skills that can affect your performance in the workplace. They include things such as time management, conflict resolution, motivation and teamwork, and are looked upon favorably by employers. By studying online, you have real life examples of these soft skills which you can give to potential employers in interviews.
Time management is an essential part of studying online. If you are taking a BSW degree, you will need to plan your day to make sure that you are completing your work on time, to a high standard, while also taking breaks and fulfilling your other commitments. Some people may find it difficult to do this when they are not in a physical classroom setting, so using equipment that will help you to do this, like lists, diaries and organizers, is very important. Organization is another vital characteristic for a social worker, as you will need to be organized and prepared in order to treat each case with the same level of professionalism and competence. An online BSW degree can also help you develop your ability to multitask and manage multiple things at once. This is another important skill for a social worker, as you will usually have multiple cases to work on at once.
Furthermore, being able to motivate yourself to get your studying done from home is a great skill to have and will benefit you hugely both in your studies and in the future. Having the discipline to work even when you are at home surrounded by distractions can be hard at first, but the more motivated, committed and disciplined you are, the easier it may become. There are many ways in which the online BSW degree can help prepare you for work as a social worker, as many of the skills involved in studying, such as patience, organization and resilience, are also useful in the field of social work. Not only this, but they are also valuable skills in many professions, which is why a BSW degree can act as a great platform to build your career upon.
There are many ways in which a BSW degree can help you to boost your career. The higher level of education can help prepare you for a variety of careers or further courses, while providing you with technical and non-technical skills that are very valuable. This can lead to you gaining more qualifications and licenses, opening-up many more career opportunities. Social work is a demanding and challenging area to work in, but it can also be incredibly rewarding and fulfilling, as you are helping people access services programs that can improve their lives.