Social Work

Social work professionals help people in need

Social work is a field in which professionals help individuals, families, and large groups of people overcome life’s challenges and embrace opportunities to improve their quality of life.

Social work professionals help people in need gain access to health care, mental health treatment, economic resources, and educational opportunities, often through services offered by government or non-profit organizations. They also help them examine their personal problems, relationships, and environments to find ways to be more productive. They are guided by the principles of justice, civil rights, economic empowerment, and collective goodwill, and are interested in the well-being of humanity as a whole and the individuals that live in it.

FVSU’s Bachelor of Social Work degree program is administered through the Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences. For major and minor requirements, please visit the department’s Degree Maps page.

Careers in Social Work

Careers in social work include social workers who specialize in mental health services, adoption and foster care, child protective services, education, elderly services, disease or drug prevention and treatment, housing, nonprofit work, disaster relief, and community organizing, among other areas.FVSU’s Bachelor of Social Work degree program prepares students for immediate employment or graduate study in mental health clinical services and social services. The curriculum utilizes class and field instructions to develop and strengthen the attitudes, values, skills and knowledge necessary for success in this field.

Program Downloads

• Download a fillable PDF version of the Social Work Student Application.
• Download a PDF version of the Social Work Student Handbook.
• Download a fillable PDF version of the Social Work Student Portfolio Checklist.
• Download a PDF version of the Social Work Field Practicum Manual.

CSWE Accreditation

Click here for the current CSWE Social Work Program Summary Data and Outcome Assessment, Form AS 4(B)

The FVSU Social Work Program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Founded in 1952, the CSWE is the national association representing social work education in the United States. Its members include over 800 accredited baccalaureate and master’s degree social work programs, as well as individual social work educators, practitioners, and agencies dedicated to advancing quality social work education. Through its many initiatives, activities, and centers, CSWE supports quality social work education and provides opportunities for leadership and professional development, so that social workers play a central role in achieving the profession’s goals of social and economic justice. CSWE’s Commission on Accreditation is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation as the sole accrediting agency for social work education in the United States and its territories.

The CSWE is a national association of social work education programs and individuals that ensures and enhances the quality of social work education for a professional practice that promotes individual, family, and community well-being, and social and economic justice. CSWE pursues this mission in higher education by setting and maintaining national accreditation standards for baccalaureate and master’s degree programs in social work, by promoting faculty development, by engaging in interprofessional and international collaborations, and by advocating for social work education and research.

Title IV-E Child Welfare Education and Training Program

The Title IV-E Child Welfare Education and Training Program is a competitive stipend program. There are limited spots and not all students that apply will be accepted. It is a rigorous selection process; therefore, applicants want to be sure they are submitting complete, high quality applications to be considered.

The intent of the program is to support public child welfare education and training to build and retain a competent, stable workforce to enhance the delivery of public child welfare services to families and children in foster care and/or going through adoption. The field of child welfare is not for everyone. Please be sure to explore resources related to the profession to help determine whether you are a good fit before you formally apply.

The Georgia State University, School of Social Work partners with the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) in various counties across the state. Students obtain their BSW and/or MSW degree here in the School of Social Work and complete their field education component working in direct public child welfare practice at a designated DFCS office.

All Title IV-E students are contractually obligated to work for DFCS one year for every academic year of Title IV-E Funding. Current DFCS employees/S.E.E.D. applicants are required to remain at DFCS for one additional year of employment for every academic year of Title IV-E funding.