Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.)
Loyola University Chicago's School of Social Work introduces students to the dynamic, changing and challenging profession of social work. Social workers help people of all ages and varying social and economic backgrounds in many settings including child and family agencies, programs for the mentally ill, programs for the developmentally and physically disabled, vocational rehabilitation and employment counseling, the criminal justice system, community centers, the child welfare system, hospitals, day care and schools.
Loyola's social work program offers a unique blend of professional and experienced faculty, an excellent social work curriculum with a strong liberal arts base, and a wide range of opportunities for fieldwork and practical experience.
Admission
To apply for admission and scholarship consideration, please visit the Office of Undergraduate Admission and indicate your interest in social work on your application. For more information about the undergraduate social work program, please review the academic information on the Undergraduate Admission Web site.
Benefits
- Loyola social work graduates have been very successful in obtaining employment in their field, with some becoming employed in the agencies where they had their senior placement. Some graduates have chosen to work in corporate environments; others are pursuing advanced degrees in social work, law, industrial relations, business administration and public health.
- Social work employers recognize the specialized education and skills that empower B.S.W. graduates to make an immediate impact on their organizations and in the lives of their consumers.
Fieldwork
Field practicum is an integral and essential component of the B.S.W. degree curriculum. Field practicum places students in agency settings and engages the student in supervised social work practice. It provides valuable opportunities to apply classroom learning in the field. Field coordinators are college or university social work faculty members with M.S.W. degrees and a minimum of two years of work experience.
CSWE mandates that B.S.W. programs establish minimum standards for field supervision and that supervisors are experienced social service agency personnel, preferably with a B.S.W. or M.S.W. degree. This formalized supervision results in consistent high standards of quality.
B.S.W. students must have a minimum of 480 supervised hours of field experience. Through their field practicums, B.S.W. students refine their professional social work skills and integrate classroom course content with on-the-job experience in service provision, outreach, networking and resource development.
Financial Assistance
Loyola undergraduates are eligible for a wide range of financial aid to help finance their education. Students can take advantage of assistance ranging from government grants and loans to academic scholarships.