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St. Scholastica's Social Work Program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Our graduates enter most Master of Social Work programs with advanced standing.
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B.A. Social Work | Accelerated Learning
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FAST FACTS: B.A. Social Work
- Be prepared to practice with 570 hours of field experience. If you have completed an educational internship, you may be eligible to apply to waive 120 hours.
- Learn from a values-based curriculum and gain valuable interprofessional educational experience
- Specialize in healthcare with our certificate program available to current students
- Cohort-based curriculum offered in a blended format with on-campus and online courses at six locations: Inver Hills Community College (Twin Cities), Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College (Cloquet), Central Lakes College (Brainerd) and Riverland Community College (Austin)
- 128 total program credits; program length varies from 18 months to two years by location
Tuition: $420/credit*
* Tuition rates are for the 2017-18 academic year. Additional fees and costs for course materials may apply. Total program cost and completion time varies depending on transfer credits and individual program plans. Tuition rates are subject to change.
Find your career and your calling
The mission of the social work profession is "to enhance human well-being and help meet the basic human needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed and living in poverty." Social work addresses the needs of individuals, families, groups and communities. The core values of the profession are service, social justice, dignity and worth of the individual, importance of human relationships, integrity and competence.
St. Scholastica's social work program embraces the mission of the social work profession in the context of the College's Benedictine tradition. The program, accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, requires graduates to be well-prepared for beginning generalist professional practice. Our B.A. in Social work graduates are eligible for advanced standing in most Master of Social Work programs.
Career overview
The Social Work profession is expected to grow in coming years, with even stronger growth for medical and integrated healthcare social workers. (Bureau of Labor Statistics).
A number of jobs available with a B.A. in Social Work are ranked best jobs by U.S. News & World Report. In addition to strong job growth, the career can be very rewarding and is well suited for people interested in helping others.
Graduates with a B.A. in Social Work are employed in a variety of settings, including:
- Family service agencies
- Hospitals
- Community action agencies
- Schools (elementary and secondary)
- Child and adult protection
- Residential treatment
- Homeless shelters
- Tribal social service agencies
- Justice and corrections
- Substance abuse programs
- Mental health services
- Developmental disabilities services
- Public health agencies
- Child and youth service agencies
- Aging services
- Domestic violence programs
- Community organizations
Locations
We offer a traditional day program at our main campus in Duluth.
Earn your B.A. in Social Work from St. Scholastica at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College. This program is offered in a blended format, with weekly online classes and twice-a-month on-campus classes on Friday afternoons and evenings and on Saturdays, enabling people who are working full time and/or living in northern MN or WI rural or tribal communities to earn their degree in two years.
Admissions criteria
We accept students who have earned between 59-71 eligible transfer credits. We prefer that students have completed the MN Transfer Curriculum or an A.A. degree AND have completed all required lower-division courses in preparation for the social work major.
The College of St. Scholastica and your community college have a special transfer agreement in place to accept students with an A.A. or A.S. degree, with a concentration in Human Services. Ask about this easy transfer process.
Admissions priority will be given to student applicants in the following order:
- Students who have completed both an A.A. and A.A.S. degree in Human Services through FDLTCC.
- Students who have completed an A.A. degree through FDLTCC.
- Students who lack no more than eight credits to complete their A.A. or A.A.S. degree through FDLTCC.
- Students who have completed a minimum of an A.A. or A.A.S. at another institution.
Visit Admissions Requirements and Checklist for additional information.
Earn your B.A. in Social Work in a mostly online format. This new option allows students to take required coursework online and participate in two, four-day intensive visits in the Brainerd Lakes area. This degree can be completed in 18 months.
This program includes opportunities to delve deeper into the profession through extended internship practice, involvement in community projects and opportunities to participate in international service-learning trips to Mexico and Jamaica to practice social work and explore social justice concerns.
Admissions criteria
We accept students who have earned between 59-71 eligible transfer credits. We prefer that students have completed the MN Transfer Curriculum or an A.A. degree AND have completed all required lower-division courses in preparation for the social work major.
Visit Admissions Requirements and Checklist for additional information.
Earn your B.A. in Social Work at Inver Hills Community College. Students may choose from a 16-month track or a 2-year track that includes a summer break. Courses are delivered in an accelerated evening format and meet on campus on Tuesday and Thursday from 5:30-9:30 p.m.
Admissions criteria
We accept students who have earned between 59-71 eligible transfer credits. We prefer that students have completed the MN Transfer Curriculum or an A.A. degree AND have completed all required lower-division courses in preparation for the social work major.
The College of St. Scholastica and your community college have a special transfer agreement in place to accept students with an A.A. or A.S. degree, with a concentration in Human Services. Ask about this easy transfer process.
Visit Admissions Requirements and Checklist for additional information.
Earn your B.A. in Social Work at Riverland Community College. With a hybrid format that combines online classes with occasional in-person meetings on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at Riverland Community College (RCC) in Austin, and a seamless transfer program, students can complete their degree in just two years. Courses are delivered in an accelerated evening format and meet on campus on Tuesday and Thursday from 5:30-9:30 p.m. and occasional Saturdays.
The “2 Plus 2” degree will offer Riverland students a seamless pathway from a two-year associate’s degree to a four-year bachelor’s degree. The College of St. Scholastica is an independent Catholic Benedictine college based in Duluth and has several other extended-site degree programs around the state.
The social work program will accept students from all three Riverland campuses — in Austin, Albert Lea and Owatonna — who hold the two-year associate of arts degree.
Admissions Criteria
We accept students who have earned between 59-71 eligible transfer credits. We prefer that students have completed the MN Transfer Curriculum or an A.A. degree AND have completed all required lower-division courses in preparation for the social work major.
The College of St. Scholastica and your community college have a special transfer agreement in place to accept students with an A.A. or A.S. degree, with a concentration in Human Services. Ask about this easy transfer process.
Social Work Transfer Guide for Riverland Community College.
Visit Admissions Requirements and Checklist for additional information.
Contact
Michele Sneed, MSW, LGSW
Assistant Professor
Riverland Community College, Austin
East Building, C-140
(218) 625-4864
msneed@css.edu
Next Steps...
- Detailed program overview
- Personalized financial aid
- Individual admissions support
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"CSS has allowed me to gain the skills I needed to earn a temporary position at the same company where I am completing my internship. I also attended the National Headstart Association Conference in Nashville, TN, and discussed the importance of parents being taught to advocate for their family's needs."
– Jose Martinez, '17
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"The CSS Social Work program at FDLTCC was a great fit for me due to the accelerated learning curriculum. The workload was tough but maintainable and the instructors and advisors were helpful and played a paramount role in my completion."
– Rita Aspinwall, BSW, '15
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"I came into the B.A. in Social Work program as an early childhood educator thinking I was just completing a goal to get my 4 yr. degree. My internship showed me a new interest in working with the elderly and doing medical social work. I am now the Social Services Director (LSW) at Pierz Villa Nursing Home."
– Heather Kasper-Maine, LSW, '10
Contact Us
Austin/Inver
Joe Rembowicz
Admissions Counselor
(651) 403-8633
jrembowicz@css.edu
Brainerd
Katie Wayne
Campus Manager / Admissions Counselor
(877) 287-8740
kwayne@css.edu
Fond du Lac
Breanne Tepler
Admissions Counselor
(877) 287-8734
btepler@css.edu
