Rutgers University Social Work Degree Programs Available
This school appears on our ranking of 20 High-value BSW Degrees in Metro Areas with Top Salaries for Social Workers.
Bachelor of Arts in Social Work
Rutgers University offers a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work that prepares students for foundation-level social work positions. The program prepares students to address issues facing individuals, families and the community. Students are provided tools and knowledge designed to strengthen individuals and families in an effort to improve the community. Students develop the skills necessary to work with a diverse population with a focus on those who are underserved, marginalized or oppressed. Students gain an understanding of the ethical behavior expected of social workers and are able to engage, assess and intervene in order to improve the lives of others. Courses required include:
- Child Welfare Services and Practices
- Diversity and Oppression
- Generalist Practice I & II
- Global Health Perspectives: Vulnerability, Human Health and Wellbeing
- Human Behavior in the Social Environment I & II
- Integration Seminar
- Introduction to Human Sexuality
- Introduction to Social Work
- Professional Development Seminar
- Research I
- Social Welfare Policy and Services I & II
Students must also complete a field practicum.
Master of Social Work
Rutgers University offers a Master of Social Work program that has been ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the best programs in the country. The program is available on-campus, online or as a hybrid of both online and on-campus. There is also an Intensive Weekend program. Students are prepared for leadership roles in social work with the goal to become ethical, evidence-based practitioners. Students are provided the tools to become promoters of social justice who engage in diversity in an effort to strengthen individuals, families, and communities. Students engage in a curriculum that is rigorous and rooted in liberal arts tradition. Students are prepared to employ evidence-informed prevention and intervention while responding to social problems in the community. Courses required include:
- Diversity and Oppression
- Human Behavior and the Social Environment
- Methods of Social Work Research I
- Psychopathology
- Social Welfare Policy and Services I
- Social Work Practice with Individuals, Families and Groups I & II
Students must complete two field practicums. Students may also take courses to specialize their degree in advanced practice.
Doctor of Social Work
Rutgers University's Doctor of Social Work program transforms social workers into practitioner-scholars. Students use their own experiences to gain new knowledge and spread that knowledge through peer-reviewed articles as well as at national and international conventions and through teaching. Students gain an understanding of how their own background and personality relate to their practice. The program is broken down into three phases. The first is the Foundation Writing and Case Study which provides students with an opportunity to engage in reading, writing, and revision practices. The second is Qualitative Inquiry. During this phase, students learn how to design research questions, create studies and how to collect data. Data analysis how to write results and preparation of scholarly manuscripts is also explained. The final phase is Multi-Media Projects. During this phase, students pursue the work of reformating their text-based case studies. The goal is for students to produce their work in an online composing environment that uses images, both still and moving, as well as animation, graphics, and sound combined with text.
Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work
The Doctor of Philosophy program at Rutgers University prepares students for positions of leadership in social welfare agencies. Students are provided an extensive understanding of social work and related fields in order to prepare them for careers as faculty, policy analysts and executives. It is a 36-48 credit hour program that also requires a research internship, a written examination, and a dissertation. Courses required include:
- Bibliography/Proposal Seminar
- Professional Development Seminar
- Research Methods
- Social Policy Analysis
- Statistics
- Theory Development
Students must also complete two elective courses with one in an outside discipline.
About Rutgers University
Queen's College opened in 1766 in New Brunswick, New Jersey, as an all-male school that was part of the Dutch Reformed Church. In honor of Henry Rutgers, a school trustee and veteran of the War for Independence, the school was renamed Rutgers in 1825. In 1864, Rutgers was named the first land-grant school in New Jersey, taking the honor from rival Princeton, allowing Rutgers to provide education to a wider range of students.
The New Jersey College for Women opened in 1918 and, the affiliation with Rutgers allowed women to be admitted to the school for the first time. Rutgers received the designation "State University of New Jersey" by the New Jersey legislature in 1945. That same year, the University of Newark merged with Rutgers and the College of South Jersey merged with the school in 1950.
Today, more than 66,000 students are enrolled at Rutgers. U.S. News & World Report ranks Rutgers as the top public university, number one in freshman retention and the undergraduate engineering department as first in the nation. Several publications rank Rutgers as one of the top 25 universities in the country and in the top 100 in the world.
Rutgers University Accreditation Details
Rutgers is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Accreditation indicates that Rutgers undergoes periodic voluntary review to confirm that students are receiving high-quality education. Accreditation confirms that the university meets or exceeds expectations set by the Commission and that they have the resources to meet their goals. Social work programs at Rutgers are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
Rutgers University Application Requirements
Students who have not earned college credit after graduating from high school are considered freshmen at Rutgers. They must complete an online application and provide official high school transcripts as well as official ACT or SAT scores.
Students who have earned college credits after high school graduation may be admitted as transfer students. They must provide official high school transcripts as well as official ACT or SAT scores. They must provide official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended as well. An essay, list of activities and experiences as well as letters of recommendation are also required.
To apply for the Master of Social Work program, students must have a bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. Students must provide official transcripts, three letters of recommendation, a personal statement as well as a current resume. Doctor of Social Work candidates must have a Master of Social Work from a CSWE accredited program, a minimum of two years' work experience and be licensed to practice social work. A license in clinical social work is preferred, but not required. Students must provide an essay and submit to an interview. Students who wish to enter the Ph.D. program must provide official transcripts and official GRE scores. Letters of recommendation are required as is a personal statement.
Rutgers University Tuition and Financial Aid
Full-time undergraduate tuition at Rutgers University for New Jersey residents is $11,217 per year and for residents of other states, $26,107 per year. The Master of Social Work program is $702 per credit hour for New Jersey residents and $1,194 for non-residents. Tuition for the entire Doctor of Social Work program is $16,085 for residents and $24,975.36 for non-residents. Just over 68 percent of students who attend Rutgers receive financial aid and the average aid package is $17,400 for undergraduate students. Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid in order to qualify.
Rutgers University has been providing an outstanding education for more than 200 years. Rutgers University offers many online and weekend programs that are designed so that working adults can achieve their higher education social work education goals.