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Social Work, Associate in Arts

Overview

Narrative

If you are looking for a career with meaning, one that allows you to have a direct and positive impact on the lives of others, social work is an excellent choice. Most positions in the field of social work require a bachelor's degree. Northampton's Social Work program is an affordable beginning to your baccalaureate degree in social work.

Social work requires excellent skills in communication, problem solving, observation, and critical thinking. It is a demanding and rewarding profession. Students in our program are expected to take part in hands-on service learning opportunities and are also encouraged to get involved in Social Work Club activities. If you are interested in learning more about the field, we suggest you consider taking the Introduction to Social Work course.

After graduation from a Bachelor in Social Work degree program (BSW), you may seek professional employment in one of the many social and community agencies locally and beyond or choose to enter a graduate program in social work (MSW). You may then become a licensed social worker.

Features

Northampton's core liberal arts curriculum gives you the solid background you will need to transfer successfully. Courses in sociology, psychology, history, and biology compliment the knowledge, values and skills of social work practice in the United States and globally.

Our program transfers to many schools of social work in the region, including Cedar Crest College, Alvernia College, Kutztown University, Marywood University, and Misericordia University. If you have a transfer program in mind, you are encouraged to check with that institution to see what its transfer requirements may be. You can then consult with your Northampton advisor and/or social work faculty for elective recommendations and guidance. The Social Work program is offered at both the Bethlehem and Monroe campuses, and online.

Students in the Social Work program may also use it to work toward a BS in Health Service Administration by starting at Northampton and transferring to East Stroudsburg University. Northampton and ESU have developed a course-for-course agreement so that students may start taking classes for their major while at Northampton, and then seamlessly transfer to ESU to complete the degree.

Career Potential: You will find Social Workers in: Administration and Management, Advocacy and Community Organization, Aging and Gerontology, Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs, Child Welfare and Family, Developmental Disabilities, Health Care Social Work, Justice and Corrections, International Social Work, Mental Health and Clinical Social Work, Occupational and EAP Social Work, Policy and Planning, Politics, Public Welfare, Research, School Social Work

NCC students have transferred to BSW PROGRAMS AT: Cedar Crest College, Kutztown University, Alvernia College, Millersville University,

Outcomes

Graduates of the program will:

  • Explain the knowledge, values, skills and core competencies of the social work profession at the introductory level.
  • Demonstrate knowledge and values of culturally competent social work promoting the strengths and well-being of a diverse society. 
  • Demonstrate the ability to think critically using a liberal arts foundation to articulate problems and solutions orally and in written communication.
  • Demonstrate comprehension of the structure and complexities of societal systems and how they affect the person in his or her environment.

Courses

First Semester

COLS101College Success

1 credits

BIOS105Contemporary Biology

4 credits

ENGL101English I

3 credits

SOCA103Principles of Sociology

3 credits

SCWK101Introduction to Social Work

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:14

Second Semester

BIOS130Basics of Human Anatomy and Physiology

4 credits

CMTH102Introduction to Communication

3 credits

ENGL151LEnglish II

3 credits

PSYC103Introduction to Psychology

3 credits

CISC101Introduction to Computers

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:16

Third Semester

ENGL2__GLiterature Elective

3 credits

MATH150Introductory Statistics

3 credits

POLS110American National Government

3 credits

SOCA105American Ethnicity

3 credits

SOCA204Social Problems

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:15

Fourth Semester

HIST163American History II

3 credits

PHIL202Ethics & Moral Problems

3 credits

SOCA125Sociology of Families

3 credits

SOCA102Cultural Anthropology

3 credits

SCWK280Human Behavior and the Social Environment

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:15

Total Credit Hours: 60

  • Either PHIL202 or SOCA125 should be taken as Writing-Intensive (noted with a G).
  • The Literature Elective will satisfy one Writing Intensive (WI) requirement.