How do I get an Associate's Degree in Social Work?

To earn an associate’s degree in social work, you will likely need to start by earning a high school diploma or a jurisdiction-accepted equivalent. With one of these credentials at hand, you may have a number of choices for earning this degree. For example, you may consider a four-year college that offers two-year degrees, a community college, or a distance-learning program. In most cases, you can earn an associate’s degree in social work in about two years' time. If you are earning a degree part time, however, it may take longer.

In most cases, you won’t have to follow a particular high school academic path in order to prepare for an associate’s degree in social work. You may, however, benefit from completing a range of classes in math, science, history, and composition. Doing well in these classes may help you gain acceptance to the associate’s degree program of your choice and give you a firm foundation of knowledge on which you can build in college. Classes in composition and those that involve public speaking may prove especially helpful for building communication skills you can use in college and for the duration of your social work career.

Many people choose to attend community college to pursue associate’s degrees in social work, but this is not your only option. You may find this degree program offered at some four-year institutions as well. Additionally, you may also find distance-learning programs that offer associate’s degrees in social work. Choosing may be difficult, but you may make your choice based on a program’s accreditation, reputation, and tuition. You may also consider your learning style as you work to make the right choice.

Once enrolled in college in pursuit of an associate’s degree in social work, you will likely have to enroll in some basic classes in such subjects as composition, science, and history. You may have to take some humanities electives as well. Most of your classes, however, will likely focus on subjects important for your degree, such as psychology, sociology, human development, and child development. You may also take classes in such subjects as theories of individual and group counseling, drug and alcohol treatment, and aging.

You will likely have to commit to at least two years of college to earn an associate’s degree in social work. The exact amount of time you will need to spend on earning this degree may depend on your other commitments. If you will attend college part time, you may need three years or more to earn an associate’s degree. If you do not take time off during the summer, however, you may have a better chance of earning an associate’s degree in two years despite your part-time status.