Johnson C. Smith University Social Work Programs
Want to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives through Johnson C. Smith University Social Work Programs? JCSU’s nationally accredited social work program teaches you to help people meet their basic needs while you get valuable hands-on experience. JCSU provides complete pathways to prepare you for licensure in the social work field, whether you’re starting your undergraduate degree or advancing your career with a graduate degree.
JCSU’s social work curriculum requires undergraduate students to complete a minimum of 12 hours (4 courses) of social work electives during their studies. Social work majors participate in internships that help them apply classroom knowledge in real-life settings. Students interested in johnson c smith university graduate programs can choose between two MSW degree pathways – Advanced Standing (1 year) and traditional full-time (2 years). These options let you learn at your own pace while managing your educational goals with work, home, and community commitments. Field experience is the core of the Masters of Social Work program and gives you exceptional opportunities to build professional skills.
Types of Social Work Degrees Offered at Johnson C. Smith University
Johnson C. Smith University offers several paths to a career in social work. Students can choose programs that match their academic goals and experience levels.
The Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree gives students the foundation they need for entry-level positions. This program helps students build essential skills and knowledge for professional practice. Students learn core competencies like human behavior, social welfare policy, research methods, and ethical practice.
The university’s Master of Social Work (MSW) degree comes with flexible options to complete your studies. Students can choose between two tracks:
- Advanced Standing Track – Designed specifically for students who already hold a BSW from a CSWE-accredited program, this accelerated option can be completed in just one year of full-time study.
- Traditional Full-Time Track – This well-laid-out two-year program welcomes students with bachelor’s degrees from other fields who want to become social workers.
The curriculum follows Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) standards. This ensures graduates can meet licensure requirements in most states. Both undergraduate and graduate programs combine theory with hands-on practice.
JCSU’s social work programs stand out because they include field experiences in the curriculum. Students head over to community agencies for supervised work. These placements help them use classroom knowledge in real-life settings and build professional connections.
JCSU makes education available to aspiring social workers at every career stage. The university’s steadfast dedication to excellence shows in its curriculum. Students get ready for licensure exams and meaningful careers helping people from all backgrounds who need skilled social work professionals.
Degree Specializations
Johnson C. Smith University’s social work curriculum provides learning pathways that match different career goals in the field. Students learn beyond standard social work education and discover how people react when their simple human needs go unmet, along with the psychological reasons behind these reactions.
BSW program students gain expertise working with people from various backgrounds – young children, low-income families, elderly individuals, and domestic abuse survivors. This focused knowledge helps graduates step directly into their chosen careers.
The MSW program offers advanced courses that cover several crucial areas. Students learn about cultural competence, human behavior in social environments, research methods with applied research, data analysis, and working with organizations and communities. Students can arrange their elective courses to match their professional interests, which lets them create their own specialization path.
Every social work major takes part in carefully chosen internships that turn classroom knowledge into real-world skills. These field experiences let students explore different career options before they choose their final path.
The Social Work Department’s dedicated resource library boosts these specialization opportunities. The library houses books, films, graduate school materials, and professional journals. Students often use this space as a skills lab to record case presentations, simulations, and case staffing for their assignments.
The program’s specialized resources and curriculum options prepare students for licensure while they develop expertise in their chosen practice area. Johnson C. Smith’s social work curriculum shows that social work needs both broad knowledge and specific skills to work with different populations and settings.
Online and Hybrid Options
Many social work students need flexible educational delivery options. Johnson C. Smith University’s undergraduate online degree programs help students advance their careers. Students can choose from flexible schedules and various course styles that combine campus-based and online learning.
The university’s Bachelor of Social Work degree program does not offer an online option. BSW students must attend campus classes. This traditional approach lets students interact directly with professors and peers, which proves valuable when developing interpersonal skills and community involvement.
JCSU takes a different approach than other North Carolina institutions by maintaining campus-based social work education. The University of North Carolina at Charlotte stands out as the only institution offering a fully online traditional MSW program in the state. Students complete this program part-time over three years and learn both clinical and macro practice social work.
Several North Carolina universities combine online and in-person teaching through hybrid programs. Educational standards classify programs as hybrid when they require more than two campus visits yearly. UNC Pembroke’s Advanced Generalist Social Work Practice MSW program serves as an example, where students attend campus once or twice weekly along with online classes.
JCSU’s commitment to in-person education matches its program’s focus on hands-on learning and community work. While the social worker curriculum offers limited online options, the university prioritizes developing interpersonal skills through face-to-face interaction and field experience.
Students interested in johnson c smith university graduate programs, especially those wanting distance learning options, should contact the admissions office directly. Program delivery formats may change, so getting current information matters.
Graduation Rates
Academic success tracking plays a vital role in evaluating educational programs. Johnson C. Smith University looks at completion rates to see how well their programs work. The graduation rates show big differences between the university’s overall numbers and the social work program’s results.
Recent years show ups and downs in JCSU’s overall graduation numbers. The six-year graduation rate dropped to 34% in 2022-23, down from 49% four years earlier. Some sources show a 39% graduation rate, which puts the university in the bottom 20% nationally. In spite of that, JCSU aims for a minimum acceptable rate of 45% for six-year completion, with a target of 55%.
The social work graduate programs tell a different story with much better results. The program is 7 years old and has achieved an impressive 88% overall graduation rate since its first MSW class graduated in 2016. The numbers look even better when we break down specific tracks:
- Advanced Standing track (for BSW holders): Students graduate at 94-100%
- Traditional two-year track: Completion ranges from 76-100%
The completion statistics reveal a clear gender pattern. Female students graduate at much higher rates than males (53% versus 37% in recent groups). JCSU launched the “Becoming Kings” initiative in 2022 to help first-year male students. The program turned out to be a soaring win with a 99% retention rate among participants.
JCSU took several steps to boost completion rates:
- Gap Scholarships for upper-class students
- New advising forms for better progress tracking
- Creation of the JCSU Academic Advising Collective Committee
- Regular “Advising Blitz” events in the cafeteria
The numbers show interesting trends in degree completion. JCSU awarded 12 bachelor’s degrees in social work during 2021-2022, half as many as the previous year. The university also granted 40 master’s degrees in social work in 2022. These numbers highlight the social work program’s growing focus on graduate-level education.
Career Outcomes
Johnson C. Smith University Social Work Programs offer their graduates excellent career prospects and clear paths to professional licensure. The Bachelor of Social Work degree program meets professional licensure standards in many states like Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, and Arkansas. This recognition comes from its national accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
JCSU social work program graduates have bright career prospects ahead. The numbers tell a compelling story – 94% of graduates find jobs within their first year [link_1]. This number rises to 95% after five years. Their earnings paint an equally positive picture. Graduates earn a median salary of $31,047 in their first year, which grows to $43,653 after five years.
North Carolina offers several licensure paths for MSW graduates:
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker Associate (LCSWA)
- Certified Master Social Worker (CMSW)
- Certified Social Work Manager (CSWM)
The social worker curriculum gives you a solid foundation for these professional paths. Students gain hands-on experience through internships with a variety of populations – from young children and low-income families to elderly care and domestic abuse survivors. These experiences help graduates build rewarding service careers.
The university’s career support system plays a key role in student success. Students speak highly of the resources available – 87% praise the alumni network’s strength, while 91% found the career center helpful in securing jobs or internships. Faculty members regularly discuss career plans with 96% of JCSU seniors. Before graduation, 85% of students take part in practicums, internships, field experiences, or clinical assignments.
JCSU graduate programs lay a strong foundation for professional success through detailed preparation, supervised field experiences, and extensive career support services.
What’s Unique about the Social Work Programs at Johnson C. Smith University
JCSU’s social work education stands out from other North Carolina social work schools because it blends challenging academics with community work and student support. Students get excellent academic training and hands-on experience that prepares them to make a real difference right after graduation.
CSWE accreditation is the core of the program’s credibility. It ensures graduates can work as professionals across many states. This accreditation shows how the program maintains high standards while adapting to new social work practices.
JCSU’s social work curriculum offers a special resource library filled with books, films, graduate school materials, and professional journals. This space is more than just a library – students use it as a skills lab to record case presentations, simulations, and case staffing for their assignments.
The program’s well-structured field experiences make it special. JCSU matches students with opportunities to serve various groups – from young children to low-income families, elderly people, and domestic abuse survivors. Students learn practical skills and can explore different career paths before they graduate.
The “Becoming Kings” initiative shows JCSU’s work to bridge educational gaps. This program helps first-year male students and keeps 99% of them enrolled, which proves the university’s support for underserved student groups.
MSW students’ graduation numbers tell a success story – 88% overall, while Advanced Standing students achieve 94-100% completion rates. These numbers show the program’s quality and strong student support.
Career support at JCSU is exceptional, with 91% of students saying the career center helped them find jobs or internships. Students get support even after graduation as part of a caring community throughout their professional life.
These unique features create social work programs that do more than educate – they transform students into skilled, culturally aware professionals ready to serve different communities.