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Social Work, B.S.W.

120 Credits  |   Main Campus

Become a champion of social justice issues and build your knowledge to advocate for others with a degree in social work!

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Pursue your passion for social justice and make a real difference in your community with a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree from Trinity Washington University.

Our BSW Program offers a rigorous curriculum that prepares students for successful careers in a variety of social work fields, particularly in the Washington, DC region.

Gain invaluable hands-on experience through your fieldwork placement and develop the skills and knowledge necessary to become a competent and compassionate social worker. Learn skills you need to serve diverse clients and communities in a variety of human service agencies, providing direct services and advocating for human rights and social and economic justice.

Our faculty include experienced practitioners who are committed to helping students achieve their academic and professional goals in the social work field. Join a community of passionate and driven social work professionals and prepare to take on the challenges of a rewarding and fulfilling career with a BSW degree

What You’ll Learn

Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) students are provided a range of opportunities to develop a broad knowledge and skills base to advocate for positive change and social justice as you help people navigate difficult circumstances. Students are expected to practice core social work values while practicing ethical decision-making. Field experiences, along with classroom instruction and activities, will prepare students to be competent in developing culturally sensitive, generalist social work practice.

Global Careers

  • Child Protective Services – Investigations and Assessments
  • Family Services Caseworker
  • Developmental Disabilities Specialist
  • Homeless Services Specialist
  • Licensed Qualified Mental Health Services Professional
  • Foster Care and Adoption Specialist
  • Hospice Social Worker
  • Case Worker
  • Case Manager
  • Youth Counselor

You May Also be Interested in These Programs

Students interested in Social Work, B.S.W. are sometimes interested in these other Trinity programs:

Bachelor’s Degree
Public Health

Bachelor’s Degree
Psychology

Master’s Degree
School Counseling

Applying to the Social Work BSW Degree program is a 2-step process:

We’re here to help at 202-884-9400 or admissions@trinitydc.edu.

Admissions Requirements

Application Process

Applying to the BSW Program is a 2-step process:

  • Step One: Apply to Trinity.
    • Upon admission to Trinity, pre-social work students complete their pre-requisite coursework before applying for acceptance into the social work program.
  • Step Two: Apply to the Social Work program. Pre-social work students apply for formal acceptance into the Social Work program when completing their last semester of pre-requisite coursework.
    • Social Work program application deadlines:
      • Spring admission – October 1
      • Fall admission – February 1
    • To apply to the social work program contact your advisor or Program Director, Dr. Portia Cole at ColeP@trinitydc.edu

A student’s application should contain the following:

  • Social Work Program Application (completed online by the student)
  • Pre-Social Work Curriculum Plan (from applicant’s academic advisor)
  • Transcripts (from all institutions where pre-requisite and general education/core curriculum courses have been taken)
  • Essay (students will be contacted via email with instruction on completing the essay after applications have been received)

Formal acceptance into the BSW involves consideration of the following criteria:

  • Overall GPA of at least 2.75
  • Personal Essay reflection on why this degree will further your personal and professional goals.

Pre-social work program students should direct any questions about the process for formal acceptance into the Social Work program to their undergraduate advisor in the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) or Dr. Portia Cole.

Students will be notified by the Director of the Social Work Program of the results of their application after all criteria for considering the application have been received and evaluated.

Other items to note:

  • For pre-social work courses, transfer credit is accepted based on Trinity’s transfer policy.
  • All pre-social work program students MUST earn a minimum of 120 credits to graduate with a BSW degree.

Apply Today!

Applying to Trinity is free, and Trinity reviews each application as soon as it is complete: you’ll get our decision right away.

We’re here to help at 202-884-9400 or admissions@trinitydc.edu.

Apply Now

Accreditation

  • Pre-Candidacy for a baccalaureate or master’s social work program by the Council on Social Work Education’s Commission on Accreditation indicates that it has submitted an application to be reviewed for Candidacy and had its Benchmark I approved in draft form to move forward with Candidacy review within one year. A program that has attained Pre-Candidacy has not yet been reviewed by the Commission on Accreditation or been verified to be in compliance with the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards.

  • Students who enter programs in Pre-Candidacy that attain Candidacy in the academic year in which they begin their program of study will be retroactively recognized as having graduated from a CSWE-accredited program once the program attains Initial Accreditation. The Candidacy process is typically a three-year process and there is no guarantee that a program in Pre-Candidacy will eventually attain Candidacy or Initial Accreditation.

  • Candidacy by the Council on Social Work Education’s Commission on Accreditation applies to all locations and 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.

  • For more information about social work accreditation, you may contact Accreditation –https://www.cswe.org/Accreditation.