Determine if you want to attend a local college or university that offers a bachelor's degree in social work, or earn your Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree online. A variety of schools across the country, including Columbia University, Florida State University, Rutgers University, University of Washington, University of Chicago and Smith College, offer BSW degrees, but do not allow students to earn their BSW online. A handful of accredited institutions, including Walden University, Anderson University, Brescia University and Campbellsville University, allow enrolled students to earn a BSW online. Though flexibility is a huge advantage of online degree programs, students lack the social aspect of attending classes and conversing face-to-face with other students and instructors.
Research schools that offer a bachelor's degrees in social work and review each school's social work programs. Many colleges have diverse social work programs that allow students to explore areas of human behavior, mental health assistance, social welfare policies, child psychology, social work practices, residential counseling and substance abuse. Enrolling in a school that offers a diverse social work program can assist you in choosing a specialized field in social work after you've completed school.
Apply to each school that piques your interests. Consider the cost of tuition for each school, the diversity of the social work program, and the amount of time it will take you to earn your BSW when you are applying to different schools. Most schools that offer BSW degrees require you to take at least 60 credits of classes related to your field and tuition costs may exceed $30,000 per year as of 2011, depending on the school. Though multiple application fees may cost you a couple hundred of dollars, applying to multiple schools will increase your chances of being accepted. If you are accepted into a certain school, you will be notified by mail.
Select your preferred school. Carefully review each school's social work program for a second time. If you want to specialize in a specific area of social work, such as social welfare policies, mental health assistance or child psychology, make sure your preferred institution provides you with that option. Depending on the school, you may have the option to accept the college's admission online or via mail.
Complete the required classes for your bachelor's degree, which includes classes that are required for a degree in social work, as well as required and elective courses that are mandatory for graduation. Many social work programs require students to take prerequisite courses, including introductory classes on psychology, sociology, human biology and statistics.
Apply for an internship through your school. Many colleges and universities require or encourage students to accept an internship in their field, and accepting a social work internship will give you field experience. Depending on the internship, you will receive supervised training in clinical work, collect data, assist social workers with supportive counseling for individuals or families and learn outreach skills that will help you in your social work career. You can also list your internship on your resume, which may lead to a gratifying career opportunity.