Become a change agent by actively contributing to solutions for social issues, using your voice to advocate for those who are underserved. A Bachelor of Science in Social Work prepares you with the skills to advocate for people in need. From individuals and families to neighborhoods and communities, our program takes an innovative approach to assessing, intervening, and evaluating across diverse social scenarios. Take the next step to make a difference in the lives of others.
To learn more about class requirements and to gain a general program overview, view the BSSW Program Handbook.
Earn your bachelor's degree faster and for less with eligible transfer credits.
Your work, life, and school experiences may give you a head start on your degree.
No application fee
No SAT/ACT
No essay required
Ignite Your Passion
Start when you're ready
Courses
The program includes core courses for your foundational knowledge as a case worker addressing human services across diverse communities. General education courses and electives are also required to enhance the soft skills like critical thinking and diversity training you’ll need as a social worker.
Look for this icon to see which skills you’ll learn in a course.
You’ll need 120 credits to complete this Bachelor of Science in Social Work degree. Your course schedule may vary based on transferable credits or credits earned through the University’s Prior Learning Assessment.
Your core courses introduce you to our revolutionary social work practice methodology through a 4-course series, along with critical coursework such social work policy, advocacy and more. Gain hands-on experience mapping client systems and developing advocacy strategies and practices.
The elective course requirement helps fulfil much-needed experience in diversity that will help as you encounter a wide range of social and cultural backgrounds in your profession. Psychology, sociology, and other social science electives help sharpen your knowledge of the complex socio-economic environment you will manage every day.
General education courses emphasize additional skills that will round out your experience as a social worker. Critical thinking, writing and reasoning help you communicate better and make informed decisions in the field.
Your academic counselor will help you schedule your classes for your social work degree online.
The Bachelor of Science in Social Work (BSSW) is an undergraduate degree program that provides a foundation in social work theory and teaches the application of professional social work values, principles, standards and techniques to educationally prepare graduates to pursue state licensure or certification as a bachelor’s-level social worker in the states in which the program is offered.
Learning shouldn’t take years to put into practice. That’s why we’re empowering you to build career-relevant skills with every five- to six-week course.
We’ve worked with the labor market researcher Lightcast to identify in-demand skills for occupations and mapped those to our related associate, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs.
Tuition
Tuition is based on number of credit hours per course. Courses are typically 3 credits, but can range from 1-6 credits. Costs do not include savings opportunities like transfer credits and scholarships.
What affects the overall cost of my program?
Your full program cost can vary by:
With our Tuition Guarantee, you pay one flat, affordable rate from the moment you enroll to the day you graduate from your program.
Discover ways to save time and money on your degree with our Savings Explorer® tool:
Your prior eligible college credits can save you time and money, helping you graduate faster. That’s why we’ve accepted credits from 5,000+ institutions. Check to see if you can apply eligible transfer credits from an institutionally accredited university or college toward your bachelor’s degree in social work.
Save time and money when you transfer in eligible credits toward your degree.
Phoenix | |
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Tuition rate
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$398
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Typical credits per course
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3
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Resource fee
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$170
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Estimated cost per course
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$1,364
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Total program length
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120 cr.
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Length of course
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5 wks
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Tuition guarantee promise
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Yes
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Data pulled on September 27, 2024
[1] $365 per 1000-2000 level credit; $415 per 3000-4000 level credit
Source of data: For each institution, the data are publicly available in multiple locations, including Academic Catalogs, Program pages, Tuition and fees pages, and syllabi. All data are publicly available on the websites.
Certain licensure programs and coursework in other degree programs may have additional fees. Please check with your advisor or course catalog for additional info.
Tuition is based on number of credit hours per course. Courses are typically 3 credits, but can range from 1-6 credits.
Eligible students saved:
$11,000 & 1 year
Students with eligible credits and relevant experience on average saved $11k and 1 year off their undergraduate degree with University of Phoenix.
Eligible students saved:
$11,000 & 1 year
Students with eligible credits and relevant experience on average saved $11k and 1 year off their undergraduate degree with University of Phoenix.
Careers & Outcomes
When you earn your Bachelor of Science in Social Work, you’ll be equipped with a concrete set of skills you can apply on the job. You’ll learn how to:
Top skills learned in this program:
A BSSW can prepare you to be a:
8% growth
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job growth for social workers is projected to be faster than average between 2023 and 2033. However, it is important to note that this job growth accounts for career outcomes for professionals in bachelor’s and master’s prepared roles.
The BLS Projected Growth for 2023-2033 is published by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. This data reflects the BLS’ projections of national (not local) conditions. These data points are not specific to University of Phoenix students or graduates.
Admissions
Starting your degree is a big decision — and we want you to feel great about it. That’s why we remove obstacles from your application.
How to enroll at University of Phoenix
You have a support team of real people you can lean on. And our academic counselors, who are with you every step of the way, have earned a 5-star rating from 90% of our surveyed students.[1] Start a conversation with an enrollment representative today.
[1] Transactional Survey, August 2021-22 (18,645 respondents)
Call or chat with us 7 days a week.
Gabriel G., Enrollment Rep
You have a support team of real people you can lean on. And our academic counselors, who are with you every step of the way, have earned a 5-star rating from 85% of our surveyed students.[1]
[1] Transactional Survey, September 2022-August 2023 (23,739 respondents)
Start a conversation with an enrollment representative today.
Call us at 844-937-8679 or chat with us 7 days a week.
Student Experience
Work toward your BSSW degree without giving up what matters most. Start your degree year-round and take one class at a time.
Your program gives you flexibility. Enroll in online classes and attend class whenever it fits your life, day or night.
You have a support team available up to 14 hours a day, 5 days a week.
The need for social advocacy today places the social worker at the forefront as champions of human rights, and advocates for equity across social, racial, economic, and environmental spheres. Case workers frequently assume a pivotal role as catalyst of positive change, advocating and empowering individuals as they navigate through challenges exacerbated by complex social dynamics.
Social workers more than ever need to be more prepared as they enter the field. Understanding the many evidence-based factors that affect an individual or a community come into play. A more multi-faceted social work education is necessary to effectively communicate with cultural sensitivity to a diverse population, as well as how to conduct research and implement a strategy to provide culturally adaptive support that is grounded in that research and care.
Your Bachelor of Science in Social Work requires the latest social work knowledge including timely coursework in social work advocacy which develops skills in human rights. Communication techniques, research and evaluation in social work practice are also part of the program to properly prepare you for your time in the field.
Faculty Spotlight
All social work faculty at University of Phoenix have a master’s degree in social work (MSW) that was granted by an institution accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. All faculty are practitioners in social work, in many diverse fields, ranging from child protective case workers to executive directors.
Accreditation
University of Phoenix’s Bachelor of Science in Social work is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education’s Board of Accreditation.
The accreditation of the Bachelor of Science in Social Work demonstrates that it meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of program quality evaluated through a peer review process.
An accredited program has sufficient resources to meet its mission and goals and the Commission on Accreditation has verified that it demonstrates compliance with all sections of the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards.
Accreditation applies to all program sites and program delivery methods of an accredited program. Accreditation provides reasonable assurance about the quality of the program and the competence of students graduating from the program. Learn more about the CSWE.
Social work addresses social problems and advocates for social justice. Earning our social work degree online helps prepare you to become an effective, ethical and culturally aware professional.
Social workers help people cope with challenges in their lives. They assist in a wide range of situations, such as helping people while adopting a child, aiding someone diagnosed with a terminal illness or mental illness, or preventing and treating people with substance abuse.
Some social workers get involved at a broad level to help community organizations and policymakers develop or improve social programs, services, and conditions. This is sometimes referred to as macro social work. Advocacy is an important aspect of social work. Social workers advocate or raise awareness with and on behalf of their clients and constituents. Additionally, they may advocate for social work occupations on local, state, and national levels.
Our coursework and curriculum give you the knowledge and tools to work with people ranging from single individuals in need to families, groups, organizations, and communities. Learn more about becoming a social worker.
An online social work degree, along with the appropriate licensure in your state, could open opportunities in the field of social work, such as family protection specialist, foster care social worker and youth services specialist. You could work in settings such as child protective services, healthcare agencies and community outreach and advocacy organizations. Discover information about social work as a career.
Many social work professionals work in government and non-profit settings including schools, healthcare providers and social service agencies.
Your field experience will be a combination of classroom activities, field supervision, and agency activities as assigned related tasks.
Collaborative learning experiences are expertly facilitated by the Field Faculty to allow students to effectively process their individual fieldwork experience. Students will actively engage in the classroom process, which includes case presentations, opportunities to give and receive both supportive and constructive feedback, and space to process challenges and progress, and use role-playing and self-disclosure to further develop skills in self-awareness, self-regulation, and critical thinking.
While serving at the chosen agency, students are monitored directly by an agency supervisor and supervised by their University of Phoenix faculty member. Field Education courses provide opportunities for students to serve individuals, families, and group clients in community settings.
Students work with an assigned Field Placement Coordinator (FPC) to prepare for field placement courses. The FPC’s purpose is to provide students with support and resources to ensure a positive Field Education experience. The FPC can help students locate and select an agency.
Our online social work degree curriculum is designed specifically so working professionals like you can get an education. Our social work coursework helps students build a strong foundation in social work while teaching leadership skills that can help prepare you for a career in the field.
In our online social work degree, you’ll learn from faculty who are practitioners in the field, and you’ll be able to join our large alumni network. Enjoy a flexible learning environment as well as robust resources and support for your local community-based field placement.
The BSSW program provides the academic preparation for bachelor’s level social work licensure or certification in states in which the program is offered.
Bachelor’s level social work licensure or certification requirements vary by state. Program requirements may change based upon your home state’s agency licensure requirements. Please visit the social work licensure page for state specific requirements prior to reaching out to your state agency.
While widely available, not all programs are available to residents of all states. Please check with a University Enrollment Representative.