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Social Work Major
Common Career Paths
- Behavioral health
- Senior services and protection
- Developmental disabilities
- Social service agencies
- School mental health/behavior
- State child protection, foster care, eligibility and self-sufficiency service centers
- Courts and corrections
Looking for a career that affords you the opportunity to serve others? Interested in studying and working with diverse populations in a variety of social settings? If so, George Fox University’s Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program may be the right fit for you.
Our social work major prepares you to work in a wide range of public and private social work and social welfare settings. Upon graduation, you will have the knowledge, skills and value base to succeed in fields ranging from health care and child welfare to ministry and criminal justice.
All social work majors are required to work in the field, so you’ll get hands-on experience under the direction of experts. Our experienced faculty will teach you to focus on the unique needs of individuals, enabling you to link social research with real-world social work practice. What further distinguishes our program is the fact we offer a Christian college environment that encourages not only academic – but spiritual – growth.
Request information about the social work major at George Fox University or apply now to begin your education at Oregon's Christian university, ranked as one of the top Christian colleges in the nation by Forbes.
Jobs, Internships and Graduate School
Job Outlook
Employment for social workers is expected to increase by 16 percent through 2018, which is faster than the average for all occupations. The demand for mental health and substance abuse workers is projected to grow by 20 percent, while medical and public health social workers should grow by 22 percent. Other strong growth areas include work with the elderly, families and children, while employment opportunities in rural areas should be especially plentiful.
Positions social work majors have held
- Asset Development Housing, CASA of Oregon
- Ethiopia Adoption Case Manger, All God’s Children International
- Foster Care Certification Specialist, Oregon Department of Human Services
- Case Manager, Vista Hospice
- Case Manager, Community Action Resource Program
- Counselor, CODA (substance abuse)
- Mental Health Specialist, Rossiter Elementary
- Child Protective Services, Oregon Department of Human Services
- Residential Treatment, Cal Farley Therapeutic Ranch
- Parenting Educator, Coordinated Council for Child in Crisis
- Supervisor of Affordable Housing, HARSCH Properties
Graduate schools to which social work majors have been accepted
- University of Southern California
- Baylor University
- Roberts Wesleyan University
- University of Denver
- Dominican University
- Portland State University
- Walla Walla University
- Monmouth University
Internships social work majors have held
- Home Plate (drop in center for homeless youth), Hillsboro, Ore.
- All God’s Children Adoptions, Portland, Ore.
- Gateway Center for Domestic Abuse, Portland, Ore.
- Great Expectations (teen pregnancy), Newberg, Ore.
- Juliette’s House Child Abuse Resource Center, McMinnville, Ore.
- Parkside Residential Mental Health Treatment, McMinnville, Ore.
- Reconnecting Children with Families, Beaverton, Ore.
- West Women’s Shelter, Portland, Ore.
- Morrison Child and Family Services, Portland, Ore.
- Salvation Army Veteran’s Services, Beaverton, Ore.
Points of Distinction
- Graduates with a BSW degree may complete a Masters in Social Work in one year.
- Students leave school with two internships on their resume (500 hours).
- Students are trained to work with a wide variety of populations.
- Students are prepared to work in both faith-based and private or public agencies.
Why George Fox?
- Christ-centered community
Our faith influences everything we do here, from the way our professors teach to the way we relate to one another and serve in the community. - Global opportunities
Half of George Fox undergraduate students study abroad. That ranks in the top 50 out of 1,400 American colleges! - Small classes
Our 13-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio means you’ll get to know your professors on a personal level. - National recognition
George Fox University is a Christian university classified by U.S. News & World Report as a first-tier regional university, and Forbes ranks George Fox among the highest Christian colleges in the country.
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Social Work Student Experiences
“The BSW program at George Fox University is excellently preparing me for an entry-level position in the social work field. In addition to the knowledge attained through classroom discussions and assignments over the last several years of my education, the required 500 hours of field experience provides opportunities to apply theoretical knowledge in actual agency settings. With this experience, I am a more competitive job candidate and prepared to transition from student to social worker.”
- Alycia Smith ('12)
“GFU’s social work program gave me the opportunity to apply the skills and theories we were learning in the classroom directly to my internship sites. Having practiced these skills, I developed a readiness and confidence to take with me into a broad range of direct service settings. My classes and internships humbled me as I realized that my education was less about me and more about the clients I am now serving.”
- Anna Moreshead ('09)