Social Work major
Social Work: courses, careers, and where to study
Social Work prepares graduates for licensed direct practice with individuals, families, and communities, combining behavioral sciences with field placements and an explicit ethical framework.
A Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) is a CSWE-accredited professional degree that prepares graduates for entry-level licensed social-work practice (LSW or LBSW depending on state). Programs combine social-work theory, human behavior, social policy, research, and practice methods with at least 400 hours of supervised field placement. A BSW is the standard prerequisite for an Advanced Standing MSW program (about 1 year vs the standard 2-year MSW), which then qualifies graduates for clinical practice (LCSW after supervised hours).
Social Work is one of the most direct-entry social-service majors and is consistently in high demand across child welfare, healthcare, mental health, schools, and community organizations.
Academic classification (CIP)
In the federal Classification of Instructional Programs, Social Work maps to CIP 44.0701, Social Work, within the PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND SOCIAL SERVICE PROFESSIONS family. The official definition:
A program that prepares individuals for the professional practice of social welfare administration and counseling, and that focus on the study of organized means of providing basic support services for vulnerable individuals and groups. Includes instruction in social welfare policy; case work planning; social counseling and intervention strategies; administrative procedures and regulations; and specific applications in areas such as child welfare and family services, probation, employment services, and disability counseling.
Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020. View on nces.ed.gov
What you'll study
- Generalist social-work practice with individuals, families, groups, communities
- Human behavior and the social environment
- Social welfare policy and history
- Social-work research methods
- Diversity, equity, and ethics
- Field placements (400+ supervised hours)
- Crisis intervention and case management
- Trauma-informed practice
Typical careers
- Licensed Social Worker (LSW)
- Child Welfare Caseworker
- School Social Worker (with MSW)
- Medical Social Worker
- Mental Health Therapist (with LCSW)
- Nonprofit Program Manager
Typical salary range: $48,000–$65,000 early-career (BLS, 2024 child, family, and school social workers median $58,570)Ranges are early-career estimates. Any BLS figure shown is the occupation-wide median across all experience levels, not a starting wage, and is informational only.
Related occupations
Occupations the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk associates with Social Work. Linked titles open a CampusPin career page with BLS pay and outlook data; others are listed for reference.
- Social and Community Service Managers
- Marriage and Family Therapists
- Counselors, All Other
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers
- Healthcare Social Workers
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
- Social Workers, All Other
- Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists
- Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary
Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Crosswalk: CIP 2020 to SOC 2018. A program of study does not guarantee any specific occupation.
Before you commit to a Social Work major
CampusPin does not rank programs. Use these prompts to pressure-test whether a specific Social Work program fits your goals, they are decision questions, not claims about any school.
Ask the Social Work department
- Which concentrations or specializations are offered, and which faculty lead them?
- What does the typical course sequence look like, and how much is required vs. elective?
- What labs, studios, clinical placements, or research opportunities are available to undergraduates?
- Is there a capstone, thesis, internship, or co-op requirement?
Ask current students & check the curriculum
- How heavy is the workload, and how accessible is the faculty?
- What internships or co-ops did you do, and where do recent graduates end up?
- Does the required curriculum actually match the careers listed above?
- How easy is it to add a minor, double major, or switch tracks later?
Find a Social Work program
CampusPin lists U.S. universities and community colleges that offer Social Work programs. Filter by state, tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting, no account required.
Related majors
Psychology
Psychology majors study human cognition, behavior, and emotion, preparing graduates for clinical, research, business, and human-services careers (and graduate school in clinical, counseling, and I/O psych).
Sociology
Sociology studies social institutions, group behavior, inequality, and culture, preparing graduates for research, policy, social services, and graduate school in law or social work.
Public Administration
Public Administration trains graduates for careers in government, nonprofits, and public-private partnerships, combining policy analysis with management practice.
How this guide is sourced
This is an editorial guide from the CampusPin Editorial Team. Career and wage figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages, and link to each career page. Program availability comes from CampusPin's free institution search; CampusPin does not assert that any specific school offers this exact major until that program data is verified. Last reviewed 2026-06-15. How CampusPin sources data · Report a correction.