As is typical with most undergraduate programs, students who are pursuing a degree in social work must take core classes in English, mathematics, science and social studies. They will also study social work values and ethics, human behavior and environment, at-risk and diverse populations, social and economic politics and justice, social research methods and the history and philosophy of social welfare.
Students in social work programs must also spend a minimum number of hours gaining practical experience outside of the academic environment. Common settings for such field work or internships include child welfare offices, community centers, hospitals, schools, substance abuse agencies, nursing homes and youth service agencies.
While a bachelor's degree in social work will qualify an applicant for entry-level social work positions, a master's may be required for clinical work, supervisory jobs and positions in health and school settings.
To be eligible for the master's program, a candidate must have a bachelor's degree in social work or a bachelor's degree with an emphasis in psychology, biology, economics, sociology, social science or political science. A master's degree generally entails two years of in-class instruction and 900 hours of internship-style training.
Students pursuing a master's degree can expect more advanced coursework covering social welfare policy, social work ethics, clinical social work practice and human behavior. Based on their areas of interest, students would also study more specialized subjects, such as poverty, child abuse, substance abuse and family violence. Fieldwork specifics would depend on school requirements and the student's chosen specialty.
A student who aspires to a teaching position or research appointment would pursue a doctoral degree in social work. To be eligible for the doctorate program, a student must already have a master's in social work or a related discipline. Doctoral level courses would cover research methods and statistics, advanced training in social welfare theory and history, social science theories and social work method specialization. Besides the coursework, doctoral candidates must also pass specialty-related exams, complete a research practicum and complete and defend an acceptable dissertation.
Specific requirements vary, but most states require practicing social workers to be certified, licensed or registered. Typically, a successful applicant will have attained at least a bachelor's degree in social work, performed a certain number of applicable hours in the profession and passed a state-specific exam.