Social Work Major (B.S.W.)

If you’re passionate about a helping profession, a career in social work at Marian University could be your calling. Social workers are critical thinkers and advocates for social and economic justice, driven to enhance the quality of life for diverse populations—children, adults, and the elderly—facing challenges like illness, substance abuse, mental health issues, housing instability, unemployment, or family crises. Guided by a person-in-environment framework, multicultural perspectives, and evidence-based knowledge, they work to eliminate barriers such as poverty, injustice, and oppression that limit human rights. By fostering respect for all people, social workers make a meaningful impact locally and globally, helping individuals and communities thrive.

Learn more about our Department of Applied Social Sciences and faculty

Request Information

Two women engaged in a conversation at a table in a modern office setting. One woman is wearing glasses and has curly hair, while the other has longer hair facing away.

What will you study?

To earn the 128-credit social work degree at Marian, you will complete general education, core, required, and elective courses.

Our general education curriculum is grounded in the liberal arts and sciences, so you will complete coursework that teaches you to be an excellent communicator, collaborator, and critical thinker.
Courses in the major provide you with a generalist foundation of the critical knowledge, skills, and values required for a career as a social work professional.
You will complete a senior capstone course that explores major issues and themes in the social work profession.

You will complete at least 48 credits of social work courses. Examples include:

SWK 110: Introduction to Social Work
SWK 200: Human Behavior and Social Environment
SWK 270: Social Welfare Policy and Programs
SWK 310: Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families
SWK 320/SOC 320: Race and Ethnic Relations
SWK 325/SOC 325: Social Class, Power and Inequality
SWK 350: Social Work Research and Assessment
SWK 360: Social Work Practicum I
SWK 410: Social Work Practice with Groups
SWK 415: Social Work Practice with Organizations and Communities
SWK 460: Social Work Practicum II
SWK 461: Social Work Practicum III
SWK 490: Social Work Senior Seminar

You will demonstrate mastery of learning outcomes based on CSWE competencies that include:

Demonstrate ethical and professional behavior
Engage diversity and difference in practice
Advance human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice
Engage in practice-informed research and research-informed practice
Participate in policy practice
Engage, assess, intervene, and evaluate individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities

Broadening your knowledge of interdisciplinary, interprofessional trends can make you even more marketable and attractive to potential employers.

Depending on your interests and career goals, you can work with your academic advisor to add an academic minor, concentration, or double-major to your plan of study.
Examples include sociology, psychology, public health, peace and justice studies, criminal justice, political science, and gender studies.

If you plan to continue your studies at the graduate level and earn a Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) or other degree, our curriculum will prepare you to be a competitive candidate for admission to the program of your choice. You'll work closely with your academic advisor to complete coursework that prepares you for success in graduate school.

4 Year Plan and Checklist

What are your career paths?

Social workers are employed in a range of professional settings:

Adoption agencies
Child and youth organizations and programs
Churches
Community and neighborhood centers
Criminal justice and correction agencies

Developmental disabilities organizations
Domestic violence centers and shelters
Family services agencies
Foster parent organizations or child welfare groups

Homeless shelters
Hospitals, healthcare centers, and hospice facilities
Mental health centers

Public health programs
Schools
Senior services agencies
Substance abuse programs

Why choose the B.S.W. at Marian?

As a student majoring in social work at Marian, you will acquire the values, knowledge, and skills you need to be a social worker who will help make our world a better place for all people.

The mission of Marian University Bachelor of Social Work Program is to educate professional generalist social work practitioners who are guided by social work values and ethics with an appreciation of Marian’s sponsorship Franciscan values. The program promotes transformative social work leaders working in interdisciplinary environments, who are research-informed in their practice grounded in the person-in-environment framework and devoted to human rights, social and economic justice, respect for diversity and human relationships.

Our curriculum is rooted in the university's Catholic faith and Franciscan heritage, which focuses on dignity of the individual, peace and justice, reconciliation, and responsible stewardship.
You will explore these values and their relation to recognized standards for professional social workers, including the Social Work Code of Ethics established by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW).
You'll also study social work competencies, developing an understanding of diversity in practice and the advancement of human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice established by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). You will master CSWE's nine practice competencies for generalist social work practice.
Our program prepares you to successfully pursue Licensed Bachelor Social Work (LBSW) professional practice licensure through the State of Indiana.

In addition, you will participate in hands-on learning opportunities through diverse field experiences that are woven into our curriculum, including supervised social work practicum (internship) placements at social service agencies, nonprofit organizations, or municipal and state government offices.

These are a few examples of the places where you might intern:

Upon graduation, you'll be well-prepared to apply what you've learned to help individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. You will also be prepared to serve as a community leader who makes a positive impact on others. 100% of our social work graduates are employed in social work jobs or have been accepted into graduates programs.

Your journey to graduation will include multiple opportunities to strengthen your leadership skills, engage in undergraduate research projects, study abroad, explore your faith, compete in varsity and intramural athletics, and serve the community.
On our close-knit campus, you will be at home by engaging in activities that enable you to build a professional network and personal relationships that last a lifetime. You'll find faculty who encourage, support, and challenge you to accomplish more than you ever thought possible.

U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics

Nationally, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports strong growth for social workers and related professionals, largely due to growth in the population of elderly adults, increased demand for substance abuse treatment, and increased demand for mental health services. The median annual salary wage for social workers was $51,760 ($24.88/hr) in May 2020.

Overall employment of social workers is projected to grow 12 percent from 2020 to 2030, faster than the average for all occupations.

Occupation	Employment, 2020	Projected Employment, 2030
Social workers	715,600	804,800
Child, family, and school social workers	335,300	377,400
Healthcare social workers	184,900	209,300
Mental health and substance abuse social workers	124,000	142,500
Social workers, all other	71,400	75,500

In Indiana, indianacareerready.com also reports social workers and related professionals are in demand.

Occupation	Flame ranking (out of five)	Average salary
Child, family, and school social worker	Four	$38,940
Community and social service specialists	Four	$37,650
Healthcare social worker	Four	$48,080
Mental health and substance abuse social worker	Four	$42,100
Social and community service manager	Four	$56,070

Accreditation

Marian University BSW Program has achieved Candidacy for the Accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education's Commission on Accreditation.

CSWE Logo

The Marian University Bachelor of Social Work Program has been granted accreditation from the CSWE Commission on Accreditation (COA). Students graduating from Marian University will be graduating from a CSWE-accredited social work program.

For more information about social work accreditation, you may contact Accreditation.

2023/2024 AS 4(B) BSW program assessment outcomes.

Professional Licensure Disclosure

In compliance with the U.S. Department of Education regulation 34 CFR 668.43 (a) (5) (v) the Marian University Bachelor of Social Work Program acknowledges:

The Bachelor of Social Work Program is an accredited program with the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and the BSW curriculum meets state educational requirements to apply for LBSW licensure exam in Indiana.

Licensure requirements vary from state to state and an individual seeking licensure other than in Indiana must comply with those state requirements.

Students planning to relocate to another state after completion of the program are encouraged to contact their state’s licensing board to identify other requirements for licensure. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact Dr. Matt Walsh, BSW Program Director, at mwalsh@marian.edu.