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Bachelor of Social Work Program

bachelor of social work

Successfully offering social work education since 1978, the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) UAA program provides structure, support, instruction, and advising to prepare you for an entry-level professional social work career or graduate school opportunities. Social work is a profession committed to assisting individuals, families, groups, organizations, communities, and society as a whole to enhance their quality of life through the improvement of social problems, equitable distribution of social resources, and client empowerment. The UAA BSW program prepares graduates for beginning professional social work practice, building on a broad-based liberal arts education accomplished through the completion of General Education and major degree requirements. Our student-centered faculty engage students in carefully planned experiences to achieve the knowledge, skills, and values necessary for beginning professional practice, which take place in the classroom, laboratory, volunteer experience, small seminars, and selected field work practicum placements. We also offer a minor in Social Welfare Studies.

Within an overall emphasis on consumer-centered planned change, the BSW degree program at UAA is guided by the following principles:

  1. Social work practice is based on the intentional use of knowledge in collaborative planned change efforts with human systems and social problems.
  2. Social workers recognize human diversity as a strength and anti-oppression and social justice as a responsibility.
  3. Social work practice is based on:
    • professional values and ethics;
    • professional relationships; 
    • reciprocal role performance; and 
    • a strengths perspective.

BSW alumni work with people across the lifespan in a wide variety of service delivery systems, including:

  • child and adult behavioral health
  • child welfare
  • gerontology
  • medical social work
  • juvenile justice
  • criminal justice
  • military and veterans
  • disability services
  • policy advocacy
  • organizational leadership
  • tribal social services

DEGREES OFFERED

Catalog: Bachelor of Social Work*

 

Catalog: Minor in Social Welfare Studies


*The Bachelor of Social Work program is designed to meet the educational requirements for professional licensure or certification in Alaska. However, the program might not meet the educational requirements for other states' professional licensure or certification. Please see UAA’s Licensure and Certificate website for more information.

WHY CHOOSE bachelor of social work AT UAA?

90%

About 90% of UAA School of Social Work alumni are either employed or accepted into a Master of Social Work program by the time they graduate.

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The UAA Bachelor of Social Work program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and prepares you for positions leading to advancement and leadership roles in many areas and settings.

group of people

Our faculty have experience and expertise across multiple areas of practice, including behavioral health, child welfare, disabilities, criminal justice, veterans, schools, health care, homelessness, food insecurity, community development, senior services, organizational leadership, and more!

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Get involved with groups and activities that match your professional and personal interests, such as the Social Work Student Coalition, the National Association of Social Workers, or the Epsilon Chi chapter of Phi Alpha.

NEWS & Stories

  All SSW Stories

Alisa Konishi-Therkildsen

Message from the program chair

Thank you for your interest in the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Program at UAA! Our accredited BSW Program offers full- and part-time course plans delivered face-to-face on the Anchorage campus. Graduates of the BSW Program gain generalist practice skills and complete a practicum experience in one of the many fields of social work practice. Additionally, graduates of the BSW Program are eligible to complete the accelerated Master of Social Work (MSW) through the advanced standing program following a 4+1 program plan. As the BSW Program Chair, it is my responsibility to support all UAA students who engage with the BSW Program. I look forward to meeting you.

— Tracey Burke, Ph.D., MSW  tkburke@alaska.edu

SSW logo

PROGRAM INFORMATION

Contact Us
Phone: (907) 786-6900
Email: uaa_socialwork@alaska.edu


Location

UAA School of Social Work
UAA Professional Studies Building
2533 Providence Dr, Suite 234
Anchorage, AK 99508

Mailing Address
UAA School of Social Work
3211 Providence Dr, PSB 234
Anchorage, AK 99508

 

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