College of Nursing

Social Work

WSU Tri-Cities is in the process of acquiring accreditation for the Bachelor of Arts in Social Work program. The expected start date for the first cohort of students is Fall 2026. WSU Tri-Cities Social Work is currently accepting first-year students who wish to pursue the program’s prerequisites.

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Help Others in your Community as a Social Worker

Social workers serve as healers, guides, advocates, activists, catalysts, and agents of change and betterment. They promote social justice, human rights, direct action, diversity, equity, and inclusion, human health and wellness, and psychosocial change.

A group of young adults sitting around a table and smiling in an office. The table has laptops, pens, and notepads on it.

Projected Job Growth for Social Workers

$58,380

Average Salary for Social Workers

751,900

Number of Jobs

Social Work Major Overview

As a social work student, you will graduate with the necessary training and preparation, tools, and values to seek rewarding and meaningful employment as a generalist social worker in settings that include social service offices, educational institutions, governmental agencies, non-profit organizations, and healthcare settings.

Additionally, graduates of the social work program will have the foundational education to enter graduate education in social work and other related social service fields.

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To earn a degree in social work, you must complete the major requirements. At the end of your second year (or equivalent), students apply for admission to the Social Work program, which begins in the fall of your third year (or equivalent to junior-standing). Consult with your academic advisor regarding major requirements and admission.

Major Requirements

Social Work Prerequisites

Students who declare social work as their major upon admission to Washington State University will complete the Pre-Social Work curriculum during their first two years. This includes UCORE requirements and prerequisites for the Bachelor of Arts in Social Work.

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Social Work Program Admission

Students will complete an application to the social work program during the application period in spring of their sophomore year at WSU Tri-Cities. Transfer students will apply during the spring application period once they have completed the required prerequisite courses and have been admitted as a WSU Tri-Cities student.

Admission to the social work program is competitive and is contingent on a number of factors that include:

A student’s GPA (minimum 2.0)
The completion of the first two years’ prerequisite courses
An application to the Social Work program, which includes:
- 1-2 page application statement
- Completed prerequisite course form
- Completed criminal background statement
- Signed NASW Code of Ethics statement of agreement
Other academic accomplishments

Students may declare their social work major in the first two years of study. However, they will not be admitted into the social work program until they begin their junior year (3rd year equivalent) of studies.

Once a student has been admitted to the social work program, they must follow the recommended course structure. If a sophomore is admitted to the program and does not begin their 3rd year courses the following year, they can delay their admission to the social work major and begin the following year.

We urge all interested and prospective students to meet with academic advisors and faculty/staff as early as possible to explore curricular requisites, program admission requirements, and best preparatory practices.