The Bachelor of Science in social work is a generalist professional degree rooted in the values of service and social justice. With a bachelor’s degree, social workers can practice with individuals, families, groups, and communities. This versatile and practical degree equips students with the theoretical and skills-based education they need to empower those who have been marginalized and oppressed.
According to the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), the primary mission of the social work profession is to enhance human well-being and help meet the basic and complex needs of all people, with a particular focus on those who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty. Social workers help relieve and alleviate people's suffering, fight for social justice, and improve lives and communities.
Program Benefits
- Graduate with the skills you need to make an impact as a servant leader in one of the fastest-growing professions in the United States.
- Learn from faculty who possess high degrees in the profession, who have relevant and valuable real-world experience, and who make an effort to know you personally.
- Take advantage of Trevecca’s accreditation status with the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), which also offers an accelerated path for a graduate degree in social work.
What to Expect
Our bachelor of science in social work gives you the foundation to bring empowerment and wholeness to individuals, families, groups, communities, and organizations.
The social work program at Trevecca is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), which is supported by the Council on Accreditation (COA). Students who earn a Bachelor of Science in social work graduate as generalist social work practitioners, meaning that they have completed the course and practicum learning necessary to be able to practice as a professional. Upon graduation, you’ll be able to:
- Demonstrate competency in the knowledge base and skills required for beginning social work practice
- Move into generalist social work practice or specialized graduate studies in social work
- Exhibit commitment to the basic values and ethics that shape social work practice rooted in a Christian perspective
- Utilize anti-racist and anti-oppressive social work practices through cultural humility at the individual, family, group, organizational, community, research, and policy levels
There are nearly 700,000 professional social workers in the U.S. today with a bachelor's, master or doctorate in social work. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, social work is one of the fastest-growing professions in the United States. The NASW projects employment in the field will grow 16 percent by 2026.
Social work students at Trevecca engage in a blend of theory and practice in their coursework, which is designed to provide a broad overview of the profession with theoretical and practical application opportunities. All social work majors at Trevecca select a minor based on their career and personal interests.
Students participate in two internships called practicum. The first, which occurs early in their coursework, involves volunteering at a local nonprofit for 60 semester hours accompanied by a seminar course. During their final semester, students spend 400 semester hours in a social work setting, supervised by a social worker, and this practicum is also accompanied by a seminar course.
Why Choose Trevecca?
Founded in 1901 and a leader in online education for more than two decades, Trevecca helps students discover and pursue an individual calling by providing innovative instruction; cultivating a supportive, Christ-centered community; and establishing relationships that open doors.
Recognized nationally and locally for academic quality, Trevecca has earned a reputation for providing the world with servant leaders, problem solvers, and difference makers. Trevecca’s holistic approach to education encompasses intellectual, social, emotional, physical, and spiritual growth.
The Trevecca Nazarene University Social Work Program graduates integrated, generalist social workers who are dedicated to service, committed to social justice and rooted in faith. TNU social work graduates possess the knowledge, awareness, values, and skills to shift conditions of racism and oppression using trauma-informed practices within the ethical guidelines of the profession so that individuals, families, groups, and communities experience equitable, healed, and liberated lives.