Social Work Career Opportunities
Looking for a challenging and rewarding career that offers the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives?
Social work may be the choice for you. Social work is a profession devoted to helping individuals and families to be healthier and stronger by providing counseling or therapy; making policies and programs relevant and responsive to clients’ needs; and helping groups and communities become safe and supportive places to live and work.
Who are social workers and where do they work?
Social workers are therapists, educators, researchers, managers, supervisors and administrators. More and more, they are elected political leaders and legislators. They are employed in a broad range of settings – public and private agencies, hospitals, schools, private practice, corrections/juvenile justice, adoption agencies, child welfare, nursing homes, home health, substance abuse programs, residential treatment, police departments, courts, community mental health, corporate businesses and government offices.
What are the educational requirements to become a social worker?
A Master of Social Work (MSW) is the professional degree. This is the most advanced degree needed to practice in the profession and is earned by completing the MSW program at a graduate school of social work. The degree is recognized in every state and accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). It is also recognized internationally.
OCC Website: http://www.usc.edu/dept/obp/occ/dept_socialwork.html
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
What are the requirements for admission to USC’s School of Social Work?
Applicants to USC should have a GPA of 3.0 overall and a bachelor of arts degree in a liberal arts major.
Experience in the field of social work is preferred but is not required. The Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) is not required!
School of Social Work main website: http://sowkweb.usc.edu/prospectivestudents/criteria.html
Admissions Criteria
- A bachelor's degree (or equivalent) from an accredited college or university, with an interdisciplinary liberal arts background, spanning both social and biological sciences
- A minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 (based on a 4.0 grading scale)
- Strong academic promise to perform successfully at the graduate level
- Experience in providing service to people preferred
- Potential for professional competence, strong interest and motivation, and commitment to social work values such as the appreciation for cultural and ethnic diversity; belief in the dignity and freedom of every individual; promotion of social justice and equal access to resources; and institutional responsiveness to human needs and social change
- Personal qualifications such as maturity, emotional stability, sensitivity and responsiveness in relationships, capacity for self-awareness, concern for the needs of others, ability for abstract reasoning, conceptual thinking and strong communication skills.
ORANGE COUNTY PROGRAM
Can I take classes in Orange County?
Yes, USC offers the only fully accredited part- and full-time Master of Social Work program in Orange County. Classes are held during both day and evening hours, weekdays and Saturdays, at the USC Orange County Center in Irvine.
Is this the same program that’s offered in Los Angeles?
Yes, same curriculum, same program, same faculty. Students attend classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays and are in field placements in communities throughout Southern California Counties, typically on Mondays and Wednesdays.
What are field placements?
Field placements are a required part of the MSW curriculum and provide you with the practical, hands-on mentored experience in community settings needed to work in the profession.
Do I choose my field placement?
The first year field placement is selected for you by field coordinators based on your experience, interests, geographic and financial needs. You will participate in the selection of your field placement in the second, concentration year.
What are concentrations?
USC School of Social Work offers the following five fields of concentrated study in social work practice in the second half of the program: Families and Children, Mental Health, Health, Industrial Social Work (ISW) and Community Organization/Planning/Administration (COPA) plus 5 sub-concentrations and 8 dual degrees.
How large is the Orange County program?
Current enrollment in Orange County is over 200 students, including both full and part-time programs.
Will I have to go to Los Angeles for any classes?
Students in all concentrations except Work and Life can complete all MSW coursework at the Orange County Academic Center.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
Interested? Want more information? Call (949) 437-0043, contact Leslie Wind, Director & Clinical Associate Professor, 2300 Michelson Drive, Irvine, CA 92612, or email to wind@usc.edu. Additional information regarding the school is available online (www.usc.edu/dept/socialwork).