Welcome and information about the BSW Program

Message from Lisa E. McGuire Interim Director of Undergraduate Education, IU School of Social Work

Welcome and thank you for visiting our webpage. I am delighted that you are exploring social work for your future studies. Social work is a profession that offers many national and international opportunities.

Regardless of whether you are a high school senior or an undergraduate student deciding on a major, you face many important decisions that will affect your future.  We at the I.U. School of Social Work are prepared to help you with this process. Below you will find some of the reasons why pursuing a social work degree at Indiana University is a good choice for your future.

• Social work is both a challenging and rewarding profession, and it continues to be one of the faster growing professions in the U.S. economy!
• Social work "is the only undergraduate major that educates students to be professional social workers. BSW graduates are prepared for immediate entry into direct human service professional positions -ready to excel in careers in social work and ready to do post-graduate work at the master's degree level" (National Association of Social Workers).
• Based on advanced degrees and years of experience, incomes from social work positions range from $25,000 to over $80,000.
• Social workers provide services to individuals, families, groups, and communities. They are often involved in organizational planning and management.
• Some of the settings in which social workers may be employed include: Advocacy programs, aging services, children and youth services, community action agencies, criminal justice agencies, disability service agencies, domestic violence programs, hospice agencies, income maintenance programs, international relief programs, public health agencies, schools, substance abuse programs, just to name a few. Indeed the list is a long one!
• Part of the students' educational experience includes a hands-on opportunity to practice skills learned in the classroom at the agency/community level.  The Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program requires two internships where students interface with actual clients in agency/community settings.  Our students also have the opportunity to participate in service learning projects as a part of several of their courses; a feature very much appreciated by students and community members alike.  As a result, students are well prepared to enter directly into a professional work setting upon graduation, or continue on toward a master's level graduate education.
• The complete BSW degree is offered on three of our campuses:
  IUPUI (Indianapolis)
  IU Bloomington
  IU East (Richmond)
  IU Northwest (Gary)

As one of the oldest Schools of Social Work in the nation, the Indiana University School of Social Work has provided quality social work education since 1911.  Our BSW program is accredited and students are taught by nationally recognized, full-time faculty and seasoned practitioners.  Consequently, BSW graduates are equipped with knowledge, values, and skills to enter into a variety of social work practice fields.

If you would like more information about the BSW program or to schedule a visit to the I.U. School of Social Work in Indianapolis, please contact Ivette Barbosa, MSW at (317) 274-5447 or via email at ibarbosa@iupui.edu

Purpose + Change in the World + Improving Lives + Options = A career in Social Work

Lisa E. McGuire, MSW, Ph.D.
Interim Director of the BSW Program and Associate Professor
IU School of Social Work
902 W. New York St. R. 4138K
Indianapolis, IN 46202-5156
(317)274-6736
lmcguir@iupui.edu
www.socialwork.iu.edu