Major in Social Work?

EmmyBet
Sat, 17 Jul 2010 16:17:39 +0000

I have an MSW after getting a liberal arts college degree. When I was considering grad school in the “helping professions” I looked at psychology, counseling, etc. What I liked about social work is that the license is very useful, that the education includes psychology, sociology, political science, ethics, cultural topics, administrative skills, and a strong research base. Yes, the pay is terrible in most jobs, but the flexibility in terms of becoming a psychotherapist, a community activist, a policy developer, an academic (including being able to teach at a university level with a Master’s Degree) or a myriad of other professions is very valuable. Many social workers I know are able to make huge career changes without having to retrain - it’s a profession that evolves.

From my experience hiring social workers, the Bachelor’s is definitely limiting, but there are opportunities. Often a very attractive candidate with only the BSW does get hired. I think combining SW with Law is a terrific idea, and could take you to wonderful places in your career. Good luck!