United States
A social worker, practicing in the United States, usually requires a doctoral degree (Ph.D or DSW), master's degree (MSW) or a bachelor's degree (BSW or BASW) in social work from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited program to receive a license in most states. In some areas, however, a social worker may be able to receive a license with a bachelor's or even associate's degree in any discipline. The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is the largest organization of professional social workers in the United States.
Depending on the university, the four-year degree may be structured in different ways and draws upon many fields, including social work theory, psychology, human development, sociology, social policy, research methods, social planning and social administration.
A person with a BSW is considered a "generalist" and the MSW is considered "a specialist or advanced generalist"; a Ph.D. or D.S.W. (Doctor of Social Work) generally conducts research, teaches, or analyzes policy, often in higher education settings.
Various states in the United States "protect" the use of the title social worker by statute. Use of the title requires licensure or certification in most states. The licensure or certification also requires a prelicensure examination through the ASWB (Association of Social Work Boards), with the exception of the State of California, who creates and administers their own licensing exam. Over half of all states offer licensure at various levels of social work practice, and clinical social work is regulated by licensure in all states. The pass rate for the Master's level licensing exam is around 74%. A range of products and services exist to assist students in preparing for the exam including practice tests, study guides, private tutoring and prep classes.
Read more about this topic: Qualifications For Professional Social Work
Famous quotes related to united states:
“United States! the ages plead,—
Present and Past in under-song,—
Go put your creed into your deed,—
Nor speak with double tongue.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“On the whole, yes, I would rather be the Chief Justice of the United States, and a quieter life than that which becomes at the White House is more in keeping with the temperament, but when taken into consideration that I go into history as President, and my children and my children’s children are the better placed on account of that fact, I am inclined to think that to be President well compensates one for all the trials and criticisms he has to bear and undergo.”
—William Howard Taft (1857–1930)
“It is a curious thing to be a woman in the Caribbean after you have been a woman in these United States.”
—Zora Neale Hurston (1891–1960)
“Europe and the U.K. are yesterday’s world. Tomorrow is in the United States.”
—R.W. ‘Tiny’ Rowland (b. 1917)