What is Social Work?Lima BSSW Pages
Social work is a profession for those with a passion to help others. Social work practice consists of the professional application of social work values, principles, and techniques to one or more of the following ends: helping people obtain tangible services; providing counseling and psychotherapy with individuals, families, and groups; helping communities or groups provide or improve social and health services; and participating in relevant legislative processes.
The practice of social work requires knowledge of human development and behavior; of social, economic, and cultural institutions; and of the interaction of these factors. Many social workers specialize in serving a particular population or working in a specific setting, such as hospitals, schools, private practices, correctional facilities, community mental health agencies, and substance abuse treatment centers.
The field practicum, an integral part of social work education, is designed to enhance the student's achievement in practice as well as to provide opportunities for the integration of social work knowledge, values, and skills into practice under the supervision of a Field Instructor and the Field Liaison.
Career Opportunities
Students who pursue a degree in social work have a broad range of career possibilities. Graduates are LSW-eligible and prepared to work in careers such as aging and gerontology, child and family welfare, developmental disabilities, domestic violence, health care, homelessness, justice and corrections, international social work, mental health, policy and planning, school social work, and substance abuse treatment. Social workers are administrators, therapists, community organizers, educators, and researchers. They work with a diverse population, helping people in large cities and in small communities.
Some students also choose to use the undergraduate social work major as preparation for graduate school in social work. Other students use the undergraduate social work major as preparation for various other graduate and professional programs including business, law, medicine, and public health. An MSW degree prepares students for advanced practice and is necessary to provide mental health counseling in most states. Graduates are LISW-eligible.