Why Study Social Work at Vermont State?
- Hands-On Experience: You’ll complete 400 supervised hours of field placements with faculty support to gain valuable experience and help communities address real-world problems. You’ll be qualified for many social work bachelor degree jobs as well as graduate programs.
- A Personal Touch: With a student-to-faculty department ratio of 9:1, you’ll receive individual faculty attention in classes and through our exceptional advising model.
- Industry Accreditation: Our Vermont State B.S.W. program is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. That means you’ll get the basic skills and experience you need for social work jobs and preparation for an M.S.W.
- National Honor Society: Our program is part of Phi Alpha, the national social work honor society. You can join as a student and network with faculty, peer, and practitioner members. Our chapter was founded in 2000.
What You’ll Learn
The Vermont State B.S.W. will prepare you to stand out to employers and make an impact in the wellness of families, individuals, groups, organizations, and communities.
- Choose a Focus: You’ll increase your value in the workplace by pursuing one of four concentration settings: Criminal Justice, Education, Medical, or Substance Use and Treatment.
- Senior-Year Field Placement: Many employers have hired graduates after their senior field placement or given them a strong recommendation for another relevant position.
- Immediate Industry Exposure: In your first year, you’ll have 40 hours of supervised work in an agency, so you can make sure social work is the best career match for you.
Outside the Classroom, In the Community
Through diverse fieldwork and internships, you’ll gain practical skills employers need. With 400 hours of field placement work, you’ll graduate with extensive experience in the practice of social work. Recent field placements have included:
- Rutland Mental Health Center
- Genesis Mountain View Nursing and Rehabilitation Center
- Rutland Homeless Prevention Center
- Howard Center
- Rutland City Public Schools
- Easter Seals
- Rutland Probation and Parole
- Middlebury Probation and Parole
Concentrations in Social Work, B.S.W.
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Program Accreditation
Vermont State University’s Bachelor of Social Work program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) through May 2029, ensuring it will provide you with the foundational skills, knowledge, and values for social work employment or to continue your studies in graduate school.
Program Outcomes
Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes
Vermont State’s B.S.W. in Social Work meets or exceeds all of our competency benchmarks. The following competencies are the CSWE Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards for 2015.
| Competency | Competency Benchmark | Percentage of Students Achieving Benchmark |
| Program Option #1 – Castleton on campus | ||
| Competency 1: Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior | 80% of students will get a grade of 3.0 or higher | 100 |
| Competency 2: Engage Diversity and Difference in Practice | 80% of students will get a grade of 3.0 or higher | 95.9 |
| Competency 3: Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice | 80% of students will get a grade of 3.0 or higher | 95.5 |
| Competency 4: Engage In Practice-informed Research and Research-informed Practice | 80% of students will get a grade of 3.0 or higher | 85.5 |
| Competency 5: Engage in Policy Practice | 80% of students will get a grade of 3.0 or higher | 95.5 |
| Competency 6: Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities | 80% of students will get a grade of 3.0 or higher | 100 |
| Competency 7: Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities | 80% of students will get a grade of 3.0 or higher | 100 |
| Competency 8: Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities | 80% of students will get a grade of 3.0 or higher | 91 |
| Competency 9: Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities | 80% of students will get a grade of 3.0 or higher | 86 |
Sample Courses
- Field Experience
- Social Work Practice
- Discrimination in American Society
- Substance Use and Addiction Studies
Student Stories
“When I left the program, I was very prepared to work in the field as well as prepared for graduate-level studies.”
Lyndsay Christman
“I knew that I didn’t want to be in a classroom full of 100 students, so a small campus with a low student-to-faculty ratio was a must.”
Alyssa Stetson
