Follow Your Calling to Help Others With Our Bachelor of Social Work Online
Are you passionate about creating a better world? Make an impact on people’s lives while shaping the career you want with Walden’s Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program.
Accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), Walden’s program meets the industry’s rigorous standards to prepare you for today’s social work field . Engaging instruction, realistic simulations, and hands-on experiences help you grow as a practitioner and social change agent. Chart a clear course to your future with a program designed to ignite lifelong learning.
Walden’s online BSW program also helps you prepare to pursue your Master of Social Work (MSW) degree. As a BSW graduate, you’ll have the opportunity to move seamlessly into our CSWE-accredited MSW program.
Questions about Walden's BSW program? Our Enrollment Specialists are here to give you answers.
Why Choose Walden
Prepare for Practice With Walden’s CSWE-Accredited Social Work Programs
Do you want to make a real impact in people’s lives? Walden’s Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and Master of Social Work (MSW) programs are CSWE-accredited and help you learn to address the needs of individuals, families, and communities. CSWE accreditation means that a program prepares you to apply ethical principles and critical thinking to social work practice. Earning a degree from one of our CSWE-accredited programs also academically prepares you to sit for social work licensure exams.
Curriculum
In Walden's online Bachelor of Social Work degree program, you’ll gain the contemporary knowledge and skills needed to thrive in today’s social work field. Tailor your studies to your interests and goals with elective courses in these areas:
- Addiction
- Forensics and the Criminal Justice System
- Crisis and Trauma
- Courts and the Legal System
- Healthcare Settings
- 182 quarter credits (1 semester credit equals 1.5 quarter credits)
- General education courses (51 cr.)
- Core courses (60 cr.)
- Elective courses (50 cr.)
- Field Experience courses (20 cr.)
- Social Work Skills Lab (1 cr.) - 3 weeks online, 3-day intensive (virtual), 2 weeks online
Students may be eligible to transfer up to 135 credits.* At least 45 credits must be completed at Walden.
Courses
Our bachelor’s in social work curriculum is designed to provide you with a strong, broad foundation in the critical elements of social work.
This sequence represents the minimum time to completion. Time to completion will vary by student, depending on individual progress and credits transferred, if applicable. For a personalized estimate of the number of your transfer credits that Walden would accept, call an Enrollment Specialist at 844-761-4843.
*Please note: Students that reside in Virginia may be eligible to transfer up to 125 credits. At least 55 credits must be completed at Walden.
Admissions
Pursuing your online BSW degree is a major step, which is why we’ve streamlined the admissions process. Start your journey with:
- No application fee
- Easy credit transfer
- No essay or SAT/ACT requirement
Admission is considered for adult students who hold a high school diploma or its equivalent. Applicants must also meet one of the following criteria:
- You are 21 years of age or older.
- You are less than 21 years of age with at least 12 quarter college credits.
- You are an active member of the military or a veteran with documentation of service.
Questions? Our Enrollment Specialists are here to give you answers and help you prepare your application.
Wherever You Are On Your Journey, We Have a Path
Discover a new bachelor’s education experience for first-time adult college students.
Walden Undergraduate Academy™ opens new doors for working adults like you and makes earning a degree more achievable than ever before. This dedicated learning experience has an extra layer of support to help you build your confidence and academic skills before you start your online bachelor’s program.
Questions about Walden's BSW program? Our Enrollment Specialists are here to give you answers.
Complete your BSW at Walden
If you have taken college-level courses at another accredited university, you may be able to transfer up to 130 quarter prior credits into our BSW program.1 No matter where you are in your undergraduate degree journey, we welcome you to complete your degree at Walden.Questions about Walden's BSW program? Our Enrollment Specialists are here to give you answers.
Continue Your Journey With an MSW
Pursue licensure and new career opportunities with an MSW degree. Both our BSW and MSW programs are accredited by CSWE. Keep the momentum going and continue into our master’s program upon completion of your BSW program.
Reduce Cost and Time Completion of Your MSW
In addition, BSW graduates with a 3.0 GPA or higher at graduation are eligible for the Advanced Standing option in our MSW program, which reduces the credits required for completion of the program. If you are eligible, choosing this option allows you to skip foundational courses and start your degree with advanced-level courses.
Questions about the Advanced Standing option in our MSW program? Our Enrollment Specialists are here to give you answers.
Interactive and Hands-on Learning
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Tuition and Fees
The progress you make now pays you back. Receive five tuition-free credits for every three paid five-credit courses you successfully complete. In addition, you’ll receive a $2,700 tuition grant.
We believe you can achieve your goals—and we’re here to support you along your journey.
Request information to learn more about scholarships and financial aid.
*Tuition and fees are subject to change. See Tuition and Fees section and Scholarship Details for more information.
| Curriculum Component | Requirements | Cost | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition | 182 quarter credit hours | $333 per quarter hour | $60,606 |
| Skills Lab Fee | One in program. In person or Virtual option. | $1,420 (Virtual) $1,520 (In-person: travel, lodging, and other expenses are additional) |
$1,420–$1,520 |
| Technology Fee | Per quarter | $170 | $2,720 |
| $64,746–$64,846** | |||
| BELIEVE & ACHIEVE SCHOLARSHIP YOUR TUITION |
-$16,818 $47,928* |
||
*Represents virtual Skills Lab, minimum time to completion, and Believe & Achieve Scholarship. Your actual total program time and costs may vary. Believe & Achieve Scholarship savings based on current tuition. See Scholarship Details for more information.
**Tuition reflects the minimum time to completion. Time to completion varies by student, depending on individual progress and credits transferred, if applicable. Tuition and time to complete may be reduced if transfer credits are accepted, or if you receive grants, scholarships or other tuition reductions. Walden may accept up to 135 transfer credits. For a personalized estimate of the number of your transfer credits that Walden would accept, call an Enrollment Specialist at 844-768-0109.
Tuition and fees are subject to change. Books and materials are not included and may cost up to an additional $5,000.
Program Outcomes
Become a Social Change Agent
Whether you’re looking to begin your career or build on your experience, Walden’s Bachelor of Social Work online program provides a clear path forward. Apply what you learn through virtual or face-to-face Skills Labs, video case studies, and other experiential tools. With expert assistance from our Field Office, you can then bring it all together during a hands-on field experience in an agency or other site in your local area.
Start your journey of lifelong learning at Walden, which offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in social work online.
Featured Alumni
"Four of my friends all enrolled because my husband and I bragged so much about Walden's mission, the success of the student after they graduated, and the rigorous learning experience." -Toni Dixon, MBA Graduate
Learning Outcomes
As a graduate of our online BSW program, you will be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of what is needed to develop a professional orientation and identify as a generalist social work.
- Apply ethical standards and values to generalist social work practice.
- Advocate for social change through promoting social, economic, and environmental justice.
- Utilize evidence-based research to inform the practice of serving traditionally oppressed and disenfranchised populations.
- Apply theories of human growth and development to social work practice.
- Apply culturally competent generalist intervention skills as a generalist social worker.
Mission Statement
The BSW program’s mission is to cultivate the development of generalist social work scholar-practitioners who are able to provide ethical, evidence-based services to individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. With the BSW degree, social workers are prepared to use critical thinking skills and evidence-based practice to engage in generalist social work.
