Social Work (BSW)

Social workers work in various settings: public and private social services, mental health agencies, hospitals, medical centers, jails, courts, and corporations. Social workers also enter private practice after seeking licensure as clinical social workers.

With your bachelor’s degree in social work from Mary Baldwin University, you will graduate ready for immediate entry into the workforce or graduate work at the master’s level. You will have all the skills employers desire, possessing the intellectual, practical, and professional knowledge needed to promote a beneficial change in the lives of your clients and society.

Nationally recognized and accredited

There’s strength in small. Being a small program, we pride ourselves on getting to know our students. You benefit from this personal, low student-to-professor ratio both inside the classroom and out. And when it comes time to match your interests with field placements, we’ve got you covered.

Mary Baldwin’s BSW program can be particularly attractive to students who want to earn their degree while working. Most of our courses may be completed online. Online students also have the opportunity to attend classes on the main campus in Staunton where they can benefit from the sense of belonging that comes from being part of a cohort and a deeper connection to the main campus.

Our program requires that five of our courses are offered as group classes. We teach these as hybrid courses, meeting at most 5-6 times a semester on a weeknight or weekend day, with the remaining coursework completed online through Canvas. The in-person group meetings are held in Roanoke, Staunton, and Richmond for those who live within an hour’s travel distance. It’s a great way to meet your classmates in person and collaborate together. If you live farther away, we can set up a synchronous online connection for you to attend.

This means you may complete your degree mostly online with only a few in-person meetings per semester, and may continue working your current job until your field practicum during the spring semester of your senior year.

Please note: The social work program is only available to Virginia residents.

Mary Baldwin helped me to help myself! I started unsure and ended up graduating Summa Cum Laude with the help of my professors and the more than capable staff at the Roanoke Higher Learning Center. I was able to achieve more than I ever thought possible! Mary Baldwin makes us ‘seasoned’ students feel safe, confident and capable!

2015 BSW Graduate
Happy graduates

Cost and Financial Aid

A great education is worth it. Here’s how Mary Baldwin helps you pay for it: Generous financial aid packages, a broad range of scholarships, transferring maximum credit hours from previous coursework or relevant work and life experiences — the list goes on. Our mission is to help you level up and bring your aspirations to life.

MBU helps you fast-track your path to a social work degree with the opportunity to transfer up to 84 credits. Talk to an Admissions counselor for information

The Mary Baldwin flag waving high above campus
The top cornice of Mary Baldwin University's dining hall. The top features arches and a pineapple topper.

Ready to apply?

Questions? Mary Baldwin’s admissions team is ready and available right now.

Eager to launch the next phase of your education? Simply fill out our application form. An admissions counselor will be in touch with a decision within a week!