After earning your social work degree, it’s important to stay current in the field. You’ll be better able to serve communities, families, and individuals if you understand new regulations, apply current research, or complete additional training. Discover five ways to stay current in social work.

1. Stay informed. You can read articles, watch the news, or listen to podcasts to learn about regulations and research that impact your social work practice. One podcast to try is The Social Work Podcast. You can also look for social work thought leaders to follow on social media.
2. Network. Talk with your peers, online or in person. Speaking with other social workers can be cathartic and educational as you learn about the issues they face and how they deal with them—while also sharing your own experiences. Organize a monthly get-together with your co-workers or look for a group on sites such as Facebook, Meetup, and LinkedIn.
3. Check in with your state social work board. The website for your state’s or province’s social work board will list changes to local laws and regulations that could impact your practice. Visit the site from time to time to check for updates, or join the email list if your board maintains one.
4. Join an association. By becoming a member of an organization such as the National Association of Social Workers, the largest such organization in the U.S., you’ll gain access to news, publications, networking, and social work career opportunities, all in one spot.
5. Continue your education. Some states require social workers to complete continuing education units (CEUs) in order to renew their social work license. Even if your state doesn’t require you to earn CEUs, you may want to expand your knowledge by pursuing an advanced social work degree. Your studies will help you learn about the latest issues in social work while also enabling you to remain licensed or move up in your field.

If you’re wondering how to become a social worker or if you want to advance your social work career, education is the first step. Walden University offers three accredited social work degree programs: the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW), Master of Social Work (MSW), and Doctor of Social Work (DSW). These online degree programs are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), and Walden itself is an HLC-accredited university. Walden also offers a PhD in Social Work program.

Walden’s online social work degree programs are excellent choices for busy adults looking to start a new career, switch jobs, or move up in their field. The online learning platform allows you to learn from any place that’s convenient to you, as long as you have a Wi-Fi connection, at any time of day that suits your schedule. You won’t have to hassle with a commute, parking, or rigid class schedule times. You can start your education right away and prepare for a career helping others as a social worker.

Walden University is an HLC-accredited institution offering a CSWE-accredited online BSW degree program, MSW program, and DSW program. Expand your career options and earn your degree in a convenient, flexible format that fits your busy life.

Accreditation
Walden University’s Bachelor of Social Work (BSW), Master of Social Work (MSW), and Doctor of Social Work (DSW) programs are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education’s (CSWE) Board of Accreditation (BOA), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Accreditation of a baccalaureate, master’s, or doctoral social work program by the BOA indicates 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 BOA has verified that it demonstrates compliance with all sections of the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS). Accreditation provides reasonable assurance about the quality of the program and the competence of students graduating from the program.

Walden University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, www.hlcommission.org an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education..