Online Social Work Degree Programs

Social work include a variety of professions that are concerned with providing social services to members of the community that need it. It is a profession that is committed to the pursuit of social justice, to quality of life, and involves the application of social theory and research methods to study, examine, and improve the lives of invidious and communities. With an online social work master degree, you work directly with counselors and health care managers, nurses, etc to provide social services. Social workers provide support, counseling and advice to people with depression, disability, substance abuse and homelessness. Social work careers are available in private companies, public agencies, hospitals and mental health facilities, K-12 schools, police departments, etc as project managers, case managers, supervisors, advocates, researchers, analysts, etc.

Social Work Degree and Related Programs

Walden University

• Ph.D. in Human Services
• Ph.D. in Human Services (Counseling)

Capella University

• MS in Human Services - Addiction Counseling
• MS in Human Services - Counseling Studies
• MS in Human Services - General Human Services
• MS in Human Services - Gerontology
• MS in Human Services - Health Care Administration
• MS in Human Services - Management of Nonprofit Agencies
• MS in Human Services - Marital, Couple, & Family Counsel / Therapy
• MS in Human Services - Mental Health Counseling - CACREP Accredited
• MS in Human Services - School Counseling
• MS in Human Services - Social and Community Services
• PhD in Human Services - Counseling Studies
• PhD in Human Services - Counselor Education and Supervision General
• PhD in Human Services - General Human Services
• PhD in Human Services - Health Care Administration
• PhD in Human Services - Management of Nonprofit Agencies
• PhD in Human Services - Social and Community Services

Post University

• M.S. in Human Services

Social Work Education and Training

Often, the social work degree is offered at the masters level, i.e. the masters in social work (MSW). Courses may vary by program but may include: Social Welfare, Human Behavior, Social Policy, Understanding Social Change, Health Policy among other courses.

Some courses that may be required outside the social work core may include abnormal psychology, gerontology, developmental psychology, communications, values, ethics, social welfare policy, and human growth and development, and program monitoring and evaluation. Social work education online programs offer various options, where you can specialize in:

• Child Social Work
• Clinical Social Work
• Family Social Work
• Medical Social Work
• Substance Abuse Social Work
• Social Work Policy Maker
• School Social Work

In addition to earning the degree, social work programs often require students to completed a given number of practicum/clinical hours in addition to taking and passing a certification exam before one can practice as a social worker.

Social Work Careers

Most careers in social work require social workers to have at least a bachelor's degree but many employers want a masters degree, most states also require state certification whether that is a campus-based or online social work degree.

Clinical and Health-related jobs require a Masters in Social Work degree, and any supervisory, administrative or training positions will also require an advanced degree - Master’s in Social Work (MSW) degree. Some jobs with an online social work degree include working in foster care, rape crisis centers, working with probation officers, suicide hot lines etc.

Caseworkers are in direct contact with their clients. Many social workers are certified to do counseling, while many counselors are licensed to do social work. The main difference between the two is that counselors are usually more specialized in talking and working through tough issues with individual patients, while social workers often work with populations, in more community-based situations.

Estimated Income and Projected Career Growth

Social work is a professional area that requires a commitment to the pursuit of social justice, and to the development of individuals, groups, and communities. In the United States, social workers earn $25,000 and $42,500 a year.

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports the estimates for social work income levels to be a median annual salary of $45,800. The lowest 10% earn about $27,000 while the 10% earn over $72,000. The BLS also reports that most of social workers are child, family, and school social workers, and in 2008, social workers earned an average of $43,120. In some online social work degree programs, with specializations in health and substance abuse social workers, you can earn about $52,000.