Bachelor of Science in Social Work

Bachelor of Science in Social Work (BSSW) is a four year degree program designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills in social work practice, social welfare policies and human welfare. It helps students understand the different units of society, such as families and communities, the problems and issues that surround them and the possible solutions that can empower and improve their way of living.

The BS in Social Work program teaches students important skills in assessment, interviewing, service planning, case management, crisis intervention, problem solving, program evaluation, community outreach, community organizing, advocacy, research and networking. It also aims to educate students on how to deal with different groups or individuals, including people who have disabilities, mental illnesses, criminal backgrounds and addictions.

• Active Listener – the ability to listen carefully, ask pertinent questions and retain verbally transmitted information is vital to the counseling aspect of social work.
• Socially Perceptive – the ability to recognize body language, social cues, implications and cultural patterns of behavior.
• Interpersonal skills – the ability to relate effectively and sensitively to different people of all ages and walks of life.
• Tolerance – since you will deal with different types of people, there will be times when problems and issues are the same and repetitive, this can become stressful over long periods of time therefore you need to be tolerant to survive this course.
• Empathy – the ability to identify with or vicariously experience another person’s situation.
• Patience – the people that you will encounter may not always be open, cooperative and eager to share with you their problems so being patient is a very important trait that you must possess.
• Able to set boundaries – maintain the capacity to set boundaries and accept the limits of what can be accomplished during a specified period of time.
• Service oriented – the willingness and desire to actively help people.
• Organization – you may be dealing with a heavy caseload, and so time management, clear note-taking, and a logical filing system are important to help you maximize the amount of time
• Problem-solving skills – the ability to identify, assess, create alternative solutions and solve the actual problem while continuously evaluating for outcomes.