Social Work

Social workers might work with disadvantaged children, or elderly citizens who are in transition for housing or services. They might counsel a young mother so that she’s better able to care for her children, or steer family members toward an agency or organization that can help them find temporary housing.

Alvernia’s social work program mirrors Franciscan values and the idea of “knowledge joined by love” that are hallmarks of the University’s philosophy and mission. As a social work major at Alvernia, you’ll be a member of a rigorous, caring and inclusive learning community. We not only strive for academic excellence, but work to foster students who are broadly educated, life-long learners; reflective professionals; engaged citizens; and ethical leaders with moral courage.

Accredited by The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), Alvernia’s social work program prepares you for employment or for graduate studies.  A major advantage to pursuing a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree is that graduates, who meet the criteria, are eligible for Advanced Standing.  This means that they can complete an accelerated curriculum to earn a master’s degree in social work from CSWE-accredited MSW programs.

Much of your learning will not take place in Alvernia’s classrooms, but in the field. As a junior and senior you’ll be placed in internships with participating agencies and facilities that are tailored to your interests. Alvernia’s location in a small, ethnically diverse city provides ample opportunities for training to become a generalist social work professional. As a senior, you may have the opportunity to participate in a block field placement in Washington, D.C.

Regardless of the nature and location of your field placements, at the end of your study at Alvernia you’ll be ready for graduate school or to enter the profession as a competent and effective social worker who will make a difference in the lives of those they serve.

Careers in Social Work

With a degree in social work from Alvernia University, you will be prepared to work in an entry level position in the generalist social work profession. You might seek employment in an area such as child welfare, geriatrics, the medical field or mental health. Or, you might work with individuals who have intellectual disabilities or have been placed in the criminal justice system.

Graduates of Alvernia’s social work program generally find jobs rather easily. About 99 percent of graduates find employment before, or soon after graduation, often with the agency where they completed undergraduate practicums. Students who meet the GPA requirement upon graduation may be eligible for advanced standing for a master of social work degree. Eligible students can have credits from their undergraduate degree applied to their master's degree.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of social workers is expected to increase by 19 percent between 2012 and 2022 – a rate higher than average for all occupations. Some career opportunities for social workers include:

• Addiction counselor
• Agency director
• Caseworker
• Child or family counselor
• Child welfare worker
• Crisis intervention worker
• Foster care and adoption specialist
• Criminal justice prevention and rehabilitation
• Foster care and adoption
• Department of Public Welfare employee
• Hospice worker
• Mental health rehabilitation specialist
• Nursing home social worker
• Religious social worker
• Therapeutic support staff

hile some social work graduates seek employment immediately, others choose to continue their educations in pursuit of a master’s degree.

Some graduates have gone on to complete their Master of Social Work (MSW) degrees at the following colleges and universities:

• University of Pennsylvania
• Hunter College
• Bryn Mawr College
• Marywood University
•  . . . and other CSWE accredited MSW programs.

For more information about the study of social work in general, including what types of jobs are available for graduates, go to the National Association of Social Workers’ website at www.socialworkers.org.