Social Work (Major/Minor)

Do you feel God calling you to a life of service, tackling “big picture” issues that may hinder individual and community well-being?

If you feel called to positively impact the world through policy work, the social work profession may be a perfect fit for you. Social work is a helping profession that works with individuals, families, groups, and communities to promote their capacity to thrive and flourish. Social work majors develop needed skills and knowledge needed to support clients in the change process.

Taylor’s social work major combines faith, foundational core classes, and professional social work courses to develop the knowledge, values, and skills necessary for the social work profession. Professors integrate the connection between our faith and professional social work values into each social work course to prepare you for a social work career that cares and advocates for the forgotten, ignored, and oppressed—the “least of these” as Jesus called them in Matthew 25.

With a bachelor's degree in social work from Taylor, you can move into a professional position upon graduation or complete a master’s in social work in one calendar year.

Social Work Degrees

  • BA in Social Work
  • BS in Social Work
  • Minor in Social Work
  • Degree
  • Minor

View Curriculum

Build skills in:

  • Understanding human behavior and the social environment
  • Practice of social work
  • Policy
  • Research
  • Field experience
  • Trauma-informed approaches
  • Self-care strategies
  • Understanding social justice work, psychology, family work, sociology, and biology

Career opportunities:

  • Foster care and adoption
  • Case management
  • Serving the immigrant and refugee population
  • Gerontology/social work with older adults
  • Community development and public policy work
  • Working within the criminal justice system
  • Disability work
  • Medical and addictions
  • School social work
View Sociology & Social Work Department
View Faculty

Accreditation and Licensing

The Social Work program is accredited through the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Your degree will prepare you for social work licensure in any state per their regulatory requirements.

CSWE Accreditation

Interested in Social Work?

  • Do you enjoy working with people?
  • Do you care deeply about the well-being of our society?
  • Do you have experience or interest in working with children or older adults, or people who are differently-abled?
  • Are you interested in helping people overcome challenges with mental health, addiction, abuse, or poverty?
  • Have you personally witnessed the impact of social workers on the lives of people?
  • Do you enjoy problem-solving and managing multiple tasks?
  • Are you patient, resourceful, and a good communicator?
  • Are you passionate about making a difference in the world?

If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, Social Work might be the path for you!

In the meantime, check out this TED Talk by USC professor Dr. Anna Scheyett describing the ways social workers serve their communities.

Did you Know? Stats about Social Work

Social workers are in demand all over the country! These numbers will give you an idea of the scope of this growing field.

  • Prepared for Crises

    More than 40% of all disaster mental health volunteers trained by the American Red Cross are professional social workers.

  • Serve Your Country

    Social workers in elected offices include Sen. Debbie Stabenow (MI), Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (AZ), Rep. Karen Bass (CA-37, currently major of Los Angeles), Rep. Barbara Lee (CA-12), Rep. Susan Davis (CA-53), and Rep. Sylvia Garcia (TX-29).

  • Projected Job Growth

    The projected job growth for social workers is faster than average: up 10-14% over the next 10 years.

  • Ahead of the Game

    Over 60% of mental health counselors and therapists are clinically trained social workers (LCSWs).

Social Work Curriculum Guides & Degree Options

Students interested in course descriptions and academic policies can check out our Undergraduate Catalog.

Minors that pair well with a social work degree:

A Taylor liberal arts education will prepare you to live and work in a fast-changing world. It also goes a step further: laying a strong spiritual foundation that cultivates wisdom. You’ll become a well-versed individual, equipped with critical thinking skills, a lifelong love of learning, and an appreciation for God’s creation.

View Foundational Core Curriculum.

Social Work at Taylor

  • Practicum

    Senior Social Work majors complete a 480-hour practicum in hospitals, refugee settlement organizations, local schools, and more. (The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) requires 400 hours, but our program gives students an even greater opportunity for real-world experience.)

  • Volunteer Work

    Senior Social Work majors complete a 480-hour block practicum (similar to student teaching) during the spring semester of their senior year. Examples of practicum placements include schools, hospitals, foster care and adoption agencies, refugee settlement organizations, and more. The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) requires 400 hours, but our program gives students an even greater opportunity for real-world experience.

  • Minor in Social Work

    Are you interested in social work but don’t plan to practice as a professional social worker? You will develop skills for engaging and intervening with a wide variety of constituencies such as individuals, families, groups, and communities, so it’s a great complement to majors such as Orphans and Vulnerable Children, Public Health, Pre-Law, Psychology, Christian Ministries, and Communication. A minor in social work will: 
    • Prepare you to engage with a variety of individuals, particularly at-risk populations 
    • Develop your knowledge and skills for working collaboratively with professional social workers in a variety of micro, mezzo, and macro settings 

Social Work Program Outcomes

Upon graduation you will have the knowledge and skills to:  

  • Engage with individuals, families, groups, communities, and organizations 
  • Use interpersonal skills and empathy to develop relationships with clients in a variety of settings  
  • Assess client needs at the individual, family, group, community, and organizational level using a variety of theories related to human behavior and the social environment 
  • To work with clients to develop intervention plans 
  • To affect policy change when necessary 
  • Evaluate the intervention's effectiveness and evaluate how policies positively or negatively impact social problems. 

  • Rachel Davidovitch

    Class of 2020

    “The Social Work curriculum prepared me well for my licensure exam, graduate school, and my career. The faculty’s practical experiences and investment in students are what make the program stand out.”

  • Garrett Kaiser

    Class of 2021

    “I had world-class experiences in the classroom. The Social Work faculty embody Christlike servant-leadership paired with excellence in their fields of academic expertise.”

  • Madison Smith

    Class of 2022

    “In the classroom and especially in my social work cohort, I joined in with my classmates, following our passions within the discipline.”

Related Majors

Social Work is part of the Sociology & Social Work Department

Contact
Deborah Stiles
Department Chair, Program Director and Assistant Professor of Social Work

765-998-4841
email

Contact
Greta Kiers
Sociology & Social Work Program Assistant

765-998-5102
email

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