Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Degree
Male and female BSW majors volunteering to pack food
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Overview

Preparing You To Empower and Support Communities

The Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program at Grand Canyon University can equip you with the skills to enhance the well-being of individuals, families and communities. You will be taught to work effectively with diverse groups in various settings. Developed by the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, the program offers a range of courses aimed at deepening your understanding of human behavior.

Male BSW major shakes hands with male veteran at community service event
Why GCU

Build Cultural Competency and Advocacy Skills

In this Bachelor of Social Work program, you can explore how individuals respond to various factors, which significantly influences a social worker’s practice approach. Throughout the program, you can develop skills in cultural competency and advocacy while gaining deeper self-awareness through the lens of a Christian worldview.

Female BSW instructor and students holding hands in circle during class

Flexible Learning Formats to Fit Your Lifestyle

This bachelor’s program is offered online1 and on campus so you can choose the best learning environment for you and your schedule. Whether you select the on-campus program or the Bachelor of Social Work online,1 you will complete in-person, supervised field experiences in a professional setting.

Coursework

Bachelor of Social Work Coursework

In the BSW online degree1 and on-campus courses, you will be taught how to analyze human behavior within the social environment. Using an integrative and multidimensional perspective, you will analyze biophysical development from conception through late adulthood. The classes provide opportunities to learn, practice and reflect on essential skills throughout the entire intake, assessment, treatment, evaluation and termination process.

This undergraduate social work program can equip you with essential competencies in the field, including:

  • Ethical professional behavior in relation to the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) code of ethics
  • Scientific inquiry and the research process in social work
  • Trauma-informed care
  • Complexities of leadership and management in social work
  • The social work helping process
  • Case management
Female BSW major volunteering to pack food boxes at GCU charity event

Develop and Demonstrate Key Skills

As a student in this program, you will leverage insights from your academic and field experiences to develop a capstone project and presentation that demonstrate your knowledge.

The Bachelor of Social Work capstone project provides students an opportunity to showcase their skills in the following areas:

Assessment

Application of theory

Practice skills

Ethics

Cultural sensitivity

Advocacy and policy analysis

Careers

Career Paths for BSW Degree Holders

Social workers can expect faster than expected job growth over the next decade. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, an estimated 44,700 new jobs are expected to open for social workers from 2024 to 2034.

This program can prepare graduates to become social workers. You may also choose to further your education and obtain your Master of Social Work

Graduates may go on to work in:

Hospitals

Outpatient facilities

Integrated healthcare facilities

Private practices

Residential facilities

Schools

Child welfare agencies

Community service agencies

Policy or program development

6%

Estimated growth for social workers expected from 2024 to 20342

$61,330

Median annual wage for social workers in May 20243

Woman smiling at table in office at GCU
Accreditation

CSWE Accreditation

This BSW program adheres to the social work standards and competencies established by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). GCU’s Bachelor of Social Work program is fully accredited by the CSWE. The BSW program was fully accredited in February 2024 and will be up for reaccreditation in February 2032. This accreditation status allows for all BSW students who successfully complete their BSW at GCU to apply for licensure at the BSW level and to apply to an MSW graduate program with Advanced Standing.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

If you are interested in pursuing a BSW degree, we invite you to learn more by reading through our answers to these commonly asked questions.

Female social worker meets with father and daughter in art room
Make a Difference in Your Community With a BSW Degree

If you are passionate about making a difference in people’s lives, consider a career in social work. Explore the on-campus and online1 Bachelor of Social Work degree program at GCU today! 

Apply Now
  1. Excludes programs with residencies and practicums.

  2. COVID-19 has adversely affected the global economy and data from 2020 to 2022 may be atypical compared to prior years. accordingly, data shown is effective August 2025, which can be found here: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Social Workers, retrieved Sept. 4, 2025.
  3. The earnings referenced were reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Social Workers as of May 2024, retrieved Aug. 18, 2025. Due to COVID-19, data from 2020 to 2023 may be atypical compared to prior years. BLS calculates the median using salaries of workers nationwide with varying levels of education and experience. It does not reflect the earnings of GCU graduates as social workers, nor does it reflect the earnings of workers in one city or region of the country or a typical entry-level salary. Median income is the statistical midpoint for the range of salaries in a specific occupation. It is very unlikely that a median salary will reflect an entry-level salary. It represents what you would earn if you were paid more money than half the workers in an occupation, and less than half the workers in an occupation. It may give you a basis to estimate what you might earn at some point if you enter this career. Grand Canyon University can make no guarantees on individual graduates’ salaries. Your employability will be determined by numerous factors over which GCU has no control, such as the employer the graduate chooses to apply to, the graduate’s experience level, individual characteristics, skills, etc. against a pool of candidates.
  4. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023, Sept. 6). How To Become a Social Worker. Retrieved Sept. 26, 2023.
  5. National Association of Social Workers. (n.d.). Types of Social Work Degrees. Retrieved July 2022.

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