Overview

The Pre-Social Work pathway is an exciting first step toward a fulfilling career dedicated to helping others. Social work is a broad, rewarding field with many diverse career paths. You'll learn to empower individuals, strengthen families, and advocate for social justice, preparing you for roles in child welfare, healthcare, mental health clinics, school counseling, and probation services.

At EIU, our program stands out because of its strong emphasis on hands-on, experiential learning. As part of your degree, you'll complete two extensive practicum courses during your senior year. This immersive field experience ensures you'll build a strong resume, develop professional networking connections, and gain invaluable on-the-job training before you even graduate.

It's important to know Pre-Social Work is a pre-professional program, meaning you'll start your college journey as a declared major in either Human Services or Sociology. You will take four foundational prerequisites, like Human Development and Introductory Sociology. Then, once you have completed or are in the process of completing those courses, you'll officially apply to the Bachelor of Social Work major to finish your degree. You'll choose either the Sociology Pathway or the Human Services Pathway.

Completion time: 120

Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)