Social Work Program Receives Reaccreditation

Westfield State University’s Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program has been awarded Reaffirmation of Accredited Status by The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Board of Accreditation (BOA).

CSWE accreditation makes BSW graduates eligible for state licensure at the LSW level and for advanced standing in Master of Social Work degree programs nationwide.

The mission of Westfield State’s Social Work Program is “to prepare bachelor-level students to practice generalist social work at the entry level and be prepared for graduate education in social work.” The fundamental mission of the Social Work Department includes providing a sense of social responsibility, an appreciation for the significance of the world’s diverse nature, knowledge on the impact of oppression in the world and an understanding of the key roles that social work values and ethics, knowledge, and skills play in practice.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall employment of social workers is projected to grow 9 percent from 2021 to 2031, faster than the average for all occupations.

About 74,700 openings for social workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Westfield State’s Social Work program is ranked among the top 10 most affordable in the nation.

Over 95 percent of Westfield State’s BSW graduates are accepted at graduate schools or find employment in their field within one year of graduation.

The date for the next review of the program by the BOA will be June 2031.