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Online Bachelor’s in Social Work Program Guide
You can learn to change lives. Start with yours.
Want to pursue a career where your actions resonate loudly? Start by earning your online bachelor’s in social work from Maryville. Learn to serve your community by joining our virtual community — where future social work experts like you can learn from established industry leaders to build a foundation of social work skills and knowledge.
With your BSW, you can prepare for a rewarding career as a social worker, where you’ll get the opportunity to work with people from all walks of life — children, aging adults, victims of crime or trauma, people suffering from addiction, marginalized communities, and anyone else in need of support or advocacy. What you learn here can help you give the gift of a better life— and a stronger community.
At Maryville, you can benefit from 100% online coursework and real-world experience through a practicum component. As a BSW student, you get the opportunity to learn from a social work program designed to the highest standards of quality. Our program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and adheres to the CSWE’s nine competencies. To learn more about CSWE accreditation and how students are achieving our program learning outcomes, visit our accreditation page.
Start your journey
At a glance
Study on your time with flexible, 100% online coursework.
Blend theory and real-world training with an experiential practicum.
Learn from experienced practitioners and experts in the field.
Apply with no fees or entrance exams.
Benefit from transfer credit friendly admission.
Explore financial aid options.
Curriculum
When you choose Maryville, you choose an online BSW that adheres to the highest standards of social work education. This prepares you to take what you learn and make an immediate impact in the world.
Our program combines core coursework specific to social work, as well as a number of electives that let you tailor your degree to your interests or career aspirations. The program comprises 128 credit hours and includes core social work courses, electives, and general education requirements.
BSW Major Courses
- SWRK 101: Introduction to Social Work: Professionalism and Ethics
- SWRK 102: Human Behavior in Context: Social Work Theories
- SWRK 201: Social, Economic & Environmental Justice: Advancing Human Rights
- SWRK 202: Professional Practice: Boundaries, Ethics, Legalities and Self Care in the Field
- SWRK 300: Cultural Competency Practice: Diversity
- SWRK 302: Research: What Do the Numbers Really Mean?
- SWRK 303: Financial Social Work: Asset Management and Education
- SWRK 401: Social Work Application: Trends in the Field
- SWRK 402: Capstone: Nine Competencies
To ensure the best possible educational experience for our students, we may update our curriculum to reflect emerging and changing employer and industry demands. Undergraduate programs and certificates are designed to be taken at a part-time pace. Please speak to your advisor for more details.
The Bachelor’s in Social Work degree is not available to students living in American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, or the U.S Virgin Islands. Completion of all required coursework is not possible, which will prevent graduation and earning of the degree. This applies to all students regardless of address when they began the Bachelor’s in Social Work program. Graduation with the Bachelor’s in Social Work is not possible after moving to, relocating to, or while living in the above locations.
Our BSW is accredited by the CSWE and aligns with the nine competencies established by the CSWE to help ensure candidates meet or exceed the standard of education and quality expected in the field of social work.
The Social Work program does not grant social work course credit for life experience or previous work experience.
Admission requirements
- High school diploma or GED
- Minimum GPA for freshman applications: 2.5 on a 4.0 scale*
- Minimum GPA for college or university transfer applicants: 2.0 on a 4.0 scale*
- Official transcripts from all colleges or universities previously attended
- Official high school transcripts (required for applications with fewer than 60 transfer hours from a regionally accredited school)
- Eligible transfer credits accepted, associate degree completion may satisfy general education requirements
- No standardized tests required
*Applicants who do not meet the GPA requirement may be considered for provisional admission.
Transfer credit policy
- Only credits from regionally accredited institutions will be considered for transfer
- A maximum of 68 credits from a two-year college or 98 credits from a four-year college will be considered and evaluated for transfer
- The student must take a minimum of 30 credit hours through Maryville University in order to complete a degree program
- The acceptance of transfer credit is at the discretion of Maryville University
Explore our additional resources to help guide your admission journey.
Accreditation and rankings
Our BSW is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), and our curriculum aligns with the CSWE’s nine competencies. That means the educational experience is designed to help you learn all you need to thrive in the field of social work.
Why Maryville Online?
We’ve been progressively challenging the norms of higher education for nearly 150 years. We started as one of the first universities to educate women. Today, we continue to push the boundaries and prepare students like you for a digital world. At Maryville, we understand what it takes to step beyond your comfort zone.
Maryville University is a nationally ranked private college recognized for comprehensive and innovative education focused on student learning, outcomes, and success — both online and on campus. We’re located just 22 miles from downtown St. Louis.
Faculty spotlight
Dr. Catharine E. Mennes
Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Associate Professor of Social Work
At Maryville, we take pride in our faculty of top social work professionals like Dr. Catharine Mennes — or Dr. Kate, as she’s known by her students. Dr. Kate was instrumental in designing our online BSW program, and she continues to serve as an associate professor.
In the field, Dr. Kate is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She has worked with populations struggling with addiction and exposure to HIV. She also has served in academic roles like director of field education, and she spent seven years doing research as the director of assessments for the Epidemiology and Prevention Research Group at Washington University’s School of Medicine.
Dr. Kate brings more than 18 years of social work practice, research, and instructional experience to her classroom. When you earn your online BSW from Maryville, you’ll have the opportunity to benefit from her vast experience and knowledge as you build the foundation for your social work career.
Start your journey today
Learn more about the Maryville University online bachelor’s in social work.