Department of Sociology and Social Work
Social Work Degree
Major
MEET DIVERSE COMMUNITY NEEDS WITH A DEGREE IN SOCIAL WORK FROM UW-STEVENS POINT
Becoming a professional social worker is a positive step toward a very rewarding career that can make a difference in the lives of individuals, families, groups, organizations, communities, and society as a whole. As a helping profession, social work involves working with people from diverse backgrounds in a variety of situations and across a multitude of practice settings. With a focus on enhancing human well-being, social workers strive to meet the needs of all people and empower those who are vulnerable, oppressed, and/or living in poverty.
The UW-Stevens Point bachelor’s program in social work is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. Upon graduation, students are eligible to apply for their social work certification through the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services.
12Percent
Projected Job Growth
— bls.gov
Increase by 89,200
Added Jobs Through 2030
— bls.gov
16,550
Hours of Student Community Service in Field Placements
— 2021
Why study Social Work at UW-Stevens Point?
The social work curriculum at UWSP’s Stevens Point and Wausau campuses is designed to prepare students for entry-level professional social work as well as graduate study in social work. The UW-Stevens Point social work program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. All CSWE programs measure and report student learning outcomes. Students are assessed on their mastery of the competencies set forth by the Council on Social Work (CSWE).
Field Placements and Research
The Department of Sociology and Social Work has established relationships with numerous community agencies involving many different client populations in order for students to complete their required social work field placements. Additionally, students may participate in student-led and faculty-mentored research with the opportunity to present at the annual College of Letters and Science Undergraduate Research Symposium and other venues.
Career Opportunities
Bachelor’s level social workers are eligible for entry-level employment in a variety of practice areas including child welfare, youth justice, mental health, substance abuse, health care, aging, disability services and criminal justice. Examples of specific job titles include child protective services worker, foster care case manager, aging and disability specialist, crisis counselor, mental health case manager, discharge planner, nursing home social worker and job coach. Students are encouraged to explore career options throughout their time at UWSP to understand the abundance of options available with a degree in social work.
previous slide
next slide
WHAT TO EXPECT
The Department of Sociology and Social Work is committed to helping new students achieve their social work/human services education goals. As a professional degree program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and consistent with the assessment policies of UW-Stevens Point, the Social Work Program undertakes a detailed, ongoing assessment of student achievement and learning outcomes. View student handbook for more details.
All social work students must complete at least 400 hours of field placement in an approved agency and meet in a weekly seminar each semester that they are in their placement. This typically takes place during the student’s senior year and requires a formal application process. Field education is central to the development of competent, humane, knowledgeable, skilled, and effective social workers. It allows opportunities for applying classroom content and experiences to professional situations, developing and evaluating student readiness for professional practice, and developing collaborative partnerships among students, professionals, and university faculty.
ONLINE OPTION
Social work students may choose to enroll in our CSWE-accredited program in person or fully online with instructors who are highly interactive in the remote learning environment.
GET INVOLVED ON CAMPUS
The department sponsors the Sociology and Social Work Organization, a student organization that involves students in extra-curricular activities related to sociology and social work. Examples of organization activities include fund raising for cancer research, food drives and numerous other local volunteer activities. The Phi Alpha Honor Society provides a closer bond among students of social work and promotes humanitarian goals and ideals. Phi Alpha fosters high standards of education for social workers and invites into membership those who have excellence in scholarship and achievement in social work. View more professional organizations.
More opportunities can be found on the Stevens Point Involvement Network (SPIN).
Social Work
Navigate Your Major
Major Maps help students map their first day to the first job in their chosen field. While a four-year plan outlines classes to get a degree, Major Maps help students learn how to build career-ready skills and experiences outside the classroom. Each Major Map shows how students can get the most of their UW-Stevens Point journey from enrollment to graduation and beyond. It’s a roadmap to discovering your purpose!
ACCREDITATION
The UW-Stevens Point social work program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education’s Board of Accreditation. All CSWE programs measure and report student learning outcomes. Students are assessed on their mastery of the competencies associated with the accreditation standards of CSWE. Accreditation of a baccalaureate or master’s social work program by the Council on Social Work Education’s Board of Accreditation indicates that it meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of program quality evaluated through a peer review process.
A Solid Foundation for Graduate Study
Earning a master’s degree in social work (MSW) is an excellent way to advance your knowledge and skill for a career in social work. Doing so opens doors to certain areas of practice that require a master’s degree such as school social work, dialysis social work, and clinical social work. It also tends to increase marketability, pay, and chances of obtaining supervisory and/or administrative positions. Students who earn an undergraduate social work degree are eligible for advanced standing in graduate school, which allows them to bypass the first year of study and complete their MSW in one year at most universities.
Scholarships
Scholarship selections are determined by the Department of Sociology & Social Work and awarded in the spring. Awards are available for majors and minors who meet particular criteria, including one for participants in a full semester abroad program.
previous slide
next slide
MEET YOUR FACULTY
UW-Stevens Point social work faculty have a broad range of experience within the field. Our Social Work faculty members hold a MSW/MSSW in social work, and several hold a Ph.D. or DSW in social work. They have expertise in mental health, substance use disorders, hospice and medical social work, school social work, and public child welfare. Students admitted into the social work major will be assigned one of the full-time social work faculty members as an adviser.
Amy Zlimen Ticho
- Chair, Department of Sociology and Social Work
- Director of Social Work Program
715-346-3603
Jess Bowers
- Associate Professor
- Department of Sociology and Social Work field coordinator
Tara Anderson
- Assistant Professor
- Coordinator, Substance Use and Addiction Studies Minor
School of Behavioral and Social Studies