Bachelor of Social Work Subject, Salary and Jobs

Bachelor of Social Work is a professional undergraduate degree course which aims at providing quality education in the area of social work. It is a three-year course consisting of six semesters in most universities.

The mean course fee varies from INR 3,500 to INR 10,000 per annum for different colleges. It is higher in private colleges.

Candidates should have passed Class XII from a recognized board.

BSW Colleges in Uttar Pradesh

BSW Colleges in Andhra Pradesh

BSW Colleges in Tamil Nadu

BSW Colleges in Madhya Pradesh

The knowledge of Social Work is the central theme in the areas like community development and social welfare. There is a lot of scope after graduating in this course can get into diverse sectors of healthcare, social care, charity and voluntary work, to name a few.

The average salary of candidates employed after finishing this course is INR 200,000/annum.

Name of the course	Bachelors of Social Work (BSW)
Duration	Three years
Stream	Social Work
Average course fee	INR 6,500/annum
Sectors of employments	health care, community development, social defence, social welfare sectors
Average entry level salary	INR 200,000/annum

What is Bachelor of Social Work about?

It is a three-year undergraduate course particularly beneficial to people employed at middle and lower levels with NGOs and social and developmental agencies in both government and private sector. It is available both in English and Hindi across the country. It is useful to candidates who may like to work in social welfare sectors as it helps them acquire professional skills and knowledge to help the clients to deal with their emotional and psychological problems.

The Bachelor’s Degree Program in BSW has three major components:

• Foundation Courses
• Elective Courses
• Field Work (Practicum)   

The curriculum provides social work education and training based on indigenous knowledge. It helps the learner to develop required attitudes in understanding people’s problem-solving interventions.

Bachelor in Social Work offered in universities like Annamalai University is similar to this one. One can either enroll in a regular college or opt for Correspondence/Distance Learning.

Who should opt for Bachelor of Social Work?

BSW is apt for the candidates interested in providing professional assistance to people in need. It is specially meant for the ones who are aiming at improving the quality of life of poorest of the poor and understand the growing demand for professionally trained social workers across the country.

This course helps the learner acquire professional skills and develop capacity in helping people to solve various social and economic problems. Having good observation and evaluation skills along with some prior knowledge of prevailing social issues helps in gaining excellence in the subject.

Duration of Bachelor of Social Work

It is an undergraduate course that requires three years for its completion. It consists of total six semesters and an examination is held at the end of each semester.

Universities like IGNOU and Annamalai University have an annual system and conduct examination once a year. 

Top institutes offering Bachelor of Social Work

 There a number of institutes offering this, though a large number of institutes provide the courses that are similar to this one.

Institutes/Universities	City	Avg. Fees/ Annum
National Institute of Social Work and Social Sciences	Bhubaneswar	INR 8,000
Patna University	Patna	INR 8,000
Madras School of Social Work	Chennai	INR 30,000
Aligarh Muslim University	Aligarh	INR 6,650
Amity University	Noida, Lucknow	INR 40,000
IGNOU	Delhi	INR 3,400

Eligibility for Bachelor of Social Work

The candidate applying for the course must complete 10+2 or equivalent examination from a recognized board. A few universities like Osmania University, the candidate must have secured at least 40% marks in aggregate. For SC&ST, a pass is enough.

Admission process for Bachelor of Social Work

The admission is based on the cut-off lists issued by the university or college. The admission process is entirely merit-based. Some universities like Osmania University also conduct an Aptitude Test.

Direct admissions

Direct admission through management quota is also available in universities such as Amity University. Government colleges do not have a management quota so direct admission is not available.

Lateral entry

The candidates can get admission into the second and third year of BSW through lateral entry in colleges like Delhi Institute of Professional Studies. The criteria differ across the college.

Distance Learning

Universities like IGNOU and Annamalai University offer a distance learning course for this course. Age is no bar. Examinations are held online or at the examination centers provided by the institute.

Minimum Duration: 3 Years
Maximum Duration: 6 Years

Career Prospects after Bachelor of Social Work

There are a number of social service avenues, a BSW graduate can get into. Here is the list of professions one can practice upon completion of the course.

Habilitation specialist	Group home worker	Teaching parent
Mental health assistant	Residential counsellor	Program coordinator
Activity director	Workshop director	Charity officer
Volunteer coordinator	Youth worker	Play therapist
Community development worker	Adult guidance worker	Advice worker

What can you become?

Persons with professional training/ degree in Social Work generally work in socially-relevant areas such as health care, community development, education, industry, counselling, family, correction, social defense, women, children, disability etc.

Job	Description
Social Worker	Counselling of clients approaching them or their organization and following up these cases. Maintaining records/case histories. Coordinating with other NGOs, the legal aid board, hospitals etc. on their behalf as and when required.
Special Educator	Planning and organizing events related to social issues. Co-coordinating and facilitating committee meetings of the Public Affairs and Social Issues department. Engaging/networking with companies for jobs for their clients after training.
Project Manager	To head the skill training center and manage day-to-day operations of the center. Lead the fundraising initiatives and network with various stakeholders. Work on new initiatives including major donors, donation options, and regular giving. Contribute to the overall running of the charity as an active member of the management team

Salary

BSW graduates have an increasing demand in India as well as abroad due to innumerable prevalent social issues across the globe. The majority go on to practice as social workers but the skills gained are also highly relevant for a wide range of related social care roles.

Job	Avg. Salary/Annum
Social Worker	INR 240,000
Special Educator	INR 280,000
workshop director	INR 300,000

Course Structure for BSW

The course comprises total six semesters. The final semester involves completion of the project. A few universities like IGNOU and Annamalai University (in distance mode) follow annual system wherein exams are conducted once a year.  Most of the colleges provide a set of electives to be chosen from. These electives can be of great help in the direction of specialization. List of both foundational courses and electives are given below:

Subject	Description
Humanities and Social Sciences	Offer the methodology to understand social reality and contribute towards analyzing the process of evolution and shaping the future course of human development.
Science and Technology	Includes the history of science from very ancient times to the modern period and describes the interaction between science and society – the way science has grown in particular socio-economic conditions. This course attempts to make you aware of what science is, how it has always been an integral part of human life and its immense potential in solving problems.
Introduction to Social Work	Basics and Emergence of Professional Social Work, Social System and Sub-system
Basics of Psychology for Social Workers	Relevance of Psychology in Social Work Practice, Basic Psychological Concepts in Human Behaviour, Defense Mechanism, Normality and Abnormality, Basic Concepts of Social Psychology
Social Work Intervention with Individuals and Groups	Introduction to Social Case Work, Basics, Fields and Practice of Social Case Work, Characteristics and Significance of Groups, Stages of the Development of Groups, Social Problems and Services, Contemporary Social Problems, Social Defense, Concepts and Type of Economic Systems, Human Development
Social Work Intervention with Communities and Institutions	Community Organization: History, Concept, and Principles, Method of Social Work, Current Issues in Community Organization, Role of Community Organizer in Different Settings, Social Welfare Administration: Concept, Nature and Scope, Approaches in Social Work Research, Sampling: Concept, Significance and Types, Methods and Tools of Data Collection, Introduction to Statistical Techniques in Social Work
Empowerment of Women	Situational Analysis of Women in India, Developing a Framework, Women’s Development Initiatives in Health, Women’s Development Initiatives in Education and Political System, Women’s Empowerment and Social Legislation
Sexual Health Education	Sex and Love, Understanding Man and Woman, Sexual Health Education: Concept and Objectives, Early Stages of Human Growth Biological, Social, Psychological and Developmental Aspects, Role of Home, School and Media, Male and Female Reproductive System and Functioning, Later Stages of Human Growth Biological, Social, Psychological and Developmental Aspects, Youth and their Concerns
Marriage, Partnership and Parenthood	Meaning and forms of Marriage; Choosing a Life Partner, Forms of Marriage, Moral, Cultural and Social Values in Family Life, Marital life and Role Expectations, Family Welfare, Indian Family in Transition, Family Planning Policies, Methods and Spacing between Live, Medical Termination of Pregnancy and Issues Associated with It, Special Issues in Married Life, Psycho-social, Effects of Divorce, Separation and Migration, Dowry Demands and Deaths, Legal Issues Involved in Marriage
Introduction To HIV/AIDS	History, Global and National Scenario, Disease Profile, Misconceptions, Transmission and Testing, Prevention and Control, Moral issues and Societal Influence on HIV Testing, Continuum of Care, Rights of People Living with HIV/AIDS, Related International Legislations
Substance Abuse and Counselling	Factual Information on Substance Abuse, Relevance, Implications, Extent of Prevalence of Substance Abuse, Commonly used Drugs and Target Groups, Trafficking in India, Substance Abuse, Link between Alcohol, Drugs and STDs, The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, Prevention and Treatment of Alcohol & Drug dependence, Empowering Through Education, Role of NGOs, National and International Bodies on Prevention and Control, Developing Skills and Competencies for Intervention Strategies
Basics of Counselling	Introduction to Counselling, Practical Issues, Supportive, Behavioural, Cognitive and Psychoanalytical Techniques and Processes Involved in Counselling

Aspirants seeking admission to 3 years Full-time BSW Program should be pass in 10+2 from a recognized board.