What is Social Work: Full Form, Course Duration, Admission 2025, Colleges, Salary & Scope

Social Work courses are academic degrees in the field of Humanities & Social Sciences. These courses are intended to equip you for pursuing social work as a career option.These courses usually deal with psychology, criminal justice, gender based development, health, corporate social responsibility etc. You can pursue Social Work courses at different course levels such as BSW and MSW. Social Work is also available as a specialisation in arts courses such as BA in Social Work and MA in Social Work.

MSW courses have a wide scope. A student who has completed their MSW degree can work in an NGO, or start their own NGO. If hey wish to work in the private sector, their knowledge and skills from the MSW course can help them in work as an HR. They may choose to become a social rights activist or go one step further in their education and pursue an M.Phil or Ph.D in Social Work. A PhD in Social Work allows them to conduct their own research independently or become a professor. They can also apply for government posts and vacancies that are related to social work. There are plently of organizations abroad that hire MSW course graduates.

Yes, you can pursue MBA after completing MSW course. Many people often pursue MBA after MSW course in order to enhance their managerial skills which they can use in the field of Social Work. You can also pursue MBA course after completing BSW course. It can be beneficial if you wish to work in management department of organisations dealing with Social Work

MBA in Social Enterprise and Entrepreneurship is a popular course that deals with management studies with emphasis on public needs.

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Yes, you can pursue BSW if you have completed your class 12th with the Science stream, you are eligible for the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) programme. Students who have completed their 12th from a recognised board with atleast 45% aggregate marks, can pursue BSW courses. Students are admitted to colleges on merit basis and on the basis of their score in entrance exams.  

A student who is interested in social work can pursue an MSW course at the Master's level. Masters in Social Work (MSW) courses can be pursued by anyone if they have completed their undergraduate. Students from all specializations, including BSc are welcome to pursue MSW courses if they qualify for the minimum undergraduate score, and entrance exam rank eligibility criteria. 

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There is no minimum age limit for pursuing a PhD in Social Work. Students who have completed their UG and PG degrees, in relevant fields and wish to study social work at the doctoral level, must qualify entrance exams like CSIR NET, GATE or UGC NET to get admission to the Phd in Social Work courses.

Common University Entrance Test (CUET) UG is an entrance examination conducted for admission to undergraduation programs offered by various central, state, private and deemed universities. Candidates willing to take admission to undergraduation programme in streams like Science, Humanities, Commerce, Law and Management must appear for the CUET UG exam when conducted.

The entrance examination assesses candidates at various levels: Language, domain knowledge and general aptitude. CUET UG is conducted annually in computer based mode. CUET UG scores are accepted by more than 300 universities across India. 

Social Work and Sociology are two different fields that work for the welfare and progress of the larger society. Both the fields are different in many aspects.

Candidates can refer to the table below in order to understand the difference between Social Work and Sociology:

BA (Hons.) in Social Work and BSW or Bachelor of Social Work are undergraduate programmes in the field of Humanities dealing with social work.
BA in Social Work is an Arts degree with Social Work as a specialisation whereas BSW is a degree in Social Work without any specialisation.
Candidates can pursue any one of these courses depending on their preferences and interests. 

Suggestion: Candidates can pursue MSW course after completing BA (Hons.) in Social Work or BSW to enhance their job prospects.

Yes you can pursue Social Work courses in distance or correspondence mode though most colleges offer these courses in regular mode.

You can refer to the table below in order to find out about the Social Work Courses offered in distance or correspondence mode of education:

Yes, there are several Social Work Courses that are available in online mode. However, candidates must check if the online social work degrees are equivalent to regular social work degrees.

Given below are some online social work courses along with the course provider, course duration and course fee:

Social Work is often seen only as a noble profession. But, on the contrary Social Work is also seen as a viable career path by many candidates. Social Work field provides a broad range of employment options in various sectors such as Schools and Colleges, Hospitals, NGOs, Child Welfare, Media Research etc.

After pursuing a Social Work Course, a candidate can work in various job profiles such as social worker, Rural Development Officer, Social Media Executive, Teacher, Professor etc.

Depending on the nature of work, social work professionals may work in an office like environment or in field jobs.

Students who are desirous to become NGO Manager can pursue BA, MA, MSc, MBA and Certificate courses. These courses provide technical skills to the aspirants required to join the industry. In order to become an NGO Manager, aspirants need to focus on the below points:

Develop leadership: Students need to develop leadership, communication, project management, fundraising and strategic planning skills.

Volunteer: The candidates should give their time to NGOs or local groups. This will help them in understanding their functioning in a better manner.
Internships: To obtain practical experience, look for internships or entry-level roles inside NGOs. This could involve coordinating programmes, raising money, organising events, or doing administrative duties.

Gerontological Social Work is a sub field of Social Work in which you will learn about the requirements of elderly people and their families. Studying this subject will help you understand the elderly and know where they need help and how to help them. You can help them overcome the challenges that people face as they age. In this, you will also lean how to provide therapy or counseling sessions and motivate them to take care of their health and maintain their quality of life.