What you will study
At the start of the University of Central Missouri’s undergraduate Social Work degree
program, you’ll spend 40 hours in a social service agency learning everything about
how it's run — from how to get funding to how to help clients. This experience gives
you the insight to make sure becoming a social worker is right for you.
From there, you’ll take courses that build up important skills for social work practitioners,
such as how to prepare case reports, provide social services, counsel and advise people,
analyze social science data and more. Classes you may take include:
- Human Behavior Across the Lifespan
- Social Policy and Economic Justice
- Social Services and Policy With Older Adults
- Methods of Inquiry and Evaluation for Social Workers
- Social Work Practice: Intervention With Communities and Organizations
In your senior year, finish out your social work schooling in the Field Practicum
class. Spend significant time working with a local agency under the supervision of
a professional social worker. This immersive field experience is what gives you the
skills and knowledge that employers say they value most about UCM graduates. In fact,
many students end up getting hired full time because of their practicum experience.
Excellence in Social Work
- The University of Central Missouri has been accredited continuously by the Council
on Social Work Education (CSWE) since 1986.
- A Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Social Work (College Factual, 2022)
- A Best Value College for Social Work (College Factual, 2022)
Unique learning opportunities in social work
Face-to-face interactions are essential for social workers to ensure we connect with
those we serve. It’s why fully online degrees in social work can’t compare to UCM’s
focus on providing a truly experiential education to our undergraduate students.
Hands-on learning opportunities in our Social Work BSW program include:
- Undergraduate research: Connect with a faculty mentor who shares your research interests, and work toward
solving a problem together as part of your social work schooling.
- Volunteering: Volunteer for a local organization in the Warrensburg or Kansas City metro area to
get an up-close look at what social workers do in the field.
- Social Work Program’s Annual Conference: Attend this annual event to learn how to participate in a professional meeting and
network with fellow social workers.
- Student life: Join fellow Social Work majors in field-specific student organizations, such as the Phi Alpha Honor Society or the Association of Social Work Students.
- Project Community Connect: Assess the needs of community organizations, and connect them with available local
resources.
- Pursuit of Happiness Day: Join in events with the Warrensburg community to celebrate all the things that bring
joy to our lives.
- Take Back Your Time Day: Take part in activities focused on promoting wellness as it relates to work-life
balance.
What can you do with a degree in Social Work from UCM?
Be prepared to help people through social, economic and emotional crises in a variety
of ways as a professional social worker. Rely on your skills and training to make
personal connections with those in need at community agencies and social organizations
that serve people of all ages.
As a graduate of the Bachelor of Social Work degree program at the University of Central
Missouri, you can find work in places such as:
- Adult protective services
- Community action agencies
- Job training programs
- Juvenile justice centers
- Nursing homes
- Rape crisis centers
- Schools
- Substance abuse treatment centers
You can also choose to continue your social work schooling in a master’s program.
Benefit from UCM’s accreditation if you apply to an advanced standing program for
graduate school. As a graduate of our BSW program, you can apply credits from your
undergraduate degree toward your master’s to save time and money.
Careers with a Social Worker degree
Use the interactive tool below to explore the wide range of career options you have
available with a Bachelor of Social Work degree. Learn about salary ranges, industry
growth, job openings and more.
Financial assistance options for your Social Worker degree
The University of Central Missouri’s bachelor’s degree in Social Work is a more affordable
option than many of our competitors’ programs. On top of our cost-competitiveness,
we offer a number of ways to help you finance your social work schooling. Financial assistance includes university scholarships and tuition awards, as well
as federal loans and grants.
In addition, UCM makes certain scholarships and cash awards available just to students
in the Bachelor of Social Work degree program. Those include:
- C. James Britton Scholarship
- Dr. J. Mark Wehrle Sociology & Social Work Scholarship
- Dr. Theresa Gordon Social Work Senior Scholarship
- HCBPS Outstanding Student in Social Work
- Riley H. Pittman Awards in Sociology & Social Work
You can learn more about program-specific scholarships at the UCM Scholarship Finder.
Meet Dr. Marlys Peck
BSW program director
Dr. Peck teaches classes on human development, basic skills and macro social work
for the bachelor’s degree in Social Work program. You may also see and learn from
her outside the classroom, as she serves as the faculty mentor for the Association
of Social Work Students.
Meet Our Faculty
Meet Samantha Walker
Social Work BSW ’19
Learn how the University of Central Missouri's Career and Life Design Center helped
one of our Social Work majors plan out her educational path — and graduate a semester
early!
Meet Mikayla Cowan
Social Work BSW ’19
Find out about the life-changing experiences waiting for you in the Global Vision
Scholarship program’s service learning work.
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Class Locations -Warrensburg and Lee's Summit
Courses leading to completion of the BSW Degree are available on the main campus and
through UCM Lee's Summit.
You can complete a degree from start to finish on our main campus in Warrensburg,
or once you have completed two years or have an AA you may transfer to either location. If
you have not completed SOWK 2600 Introduction to Social Welfare and Social Work or an equivalent course prior to transferring to UCM, the course is offered in Warrensburg
fall and spring semesters and online during the summer. This course is required before
you can continue your Social Work coursework in your junior and senior years.
Warrensburg campus
- Social work program classes are typically held Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during
the day.
- Classes require enrollment in fall and spring semesters.
Lee's Summit campus
- Social work program courses leading to degree completion require enrollment in the
fall, spring, and summer semesters for two years.
- Classes are held Monday through Thursday nights in Lee's Summit.
- Courses are taught by the same faculty who teach in Warrensburg.
If you are transferring to UCM from an area community college, please check the UCM Admissions information on Dual Admission.
For more information about the Social Work Program at either location, please contact Dr. Marlys Peck, Social Work Program Director, 660-543-8227, Wood Building, Room 5.
Accreditation and Competencies
The University of Central Missouri’s Bachelor of Social Work degree program is fully
accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (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.
An accredited program has sufficient resources to meet its mission and goals and
the Board of Accreditation has verified that it demonstrates compliance with all sections
of the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards.
Accreditation applies to all program sites and program delivery methods of an accredited
program. Accreditation provides reasonable assurance about the quality of the program
and the competence of students graduating from the program.
Graduates of accredited programs bring up-to-date knowledge and skills to work with
groups, organizations, and communities in addition to individuals and families in
any social service agency. Graduates from UCM are eligible for licensure at the baccalaureate
level in Missouri and in Kansas; graduation from an accredited program is required
for social work licensure and/or registration in all states that license/register
baccalaureate social workers. Graduates of accredited programs may apply for advanced
standing admission to graduate social work programs; if admitted to an advanced standing
program, the student can complete the MSW degree in a shorter time period, typically
12 months (although program length may vary). Regular MSW program admission typically
requires two years of graduate study.
2021-2022 BSW Competency Report
The Social Work baccalaureate program has been continuously accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), since 1986
Phi Alpha is the National Honor Society for social work.
