Academic School/College: Academic Center for Exploratory Students (initially for Pre-Social Work), then School of Social Work. This four-year Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program begins with a two-year pre-professional phase focusing on liberal arts foundational courses, preparing students for the rigorous professional curriculum. During these initial years, students take general education requirements and may include introductory courses relevant to social work such as psychology, sociology, and human development. Upon successful completion of pre-requisites (including a minimum GPA of 2.5 in social work professional foundation courses and 2.0 overall) and an application process, students are admitted to the professional BSW program for their junior and senior years. The professional program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and focuses on developing nine core social work competencies, including ethical behavior, engaging diversity, advancing human rights and social justice, practice-informed research, policy practice, and direct engagement, assessment, intervention, and evaluation with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. A critical component of the professional program is hands-on learning through community-based internships, with students completing a required practicum placement (e.g., approximately 406 hours, 14 hours per week during the senior year). This practical experience is supervised by qualified instructors and can occur in diverse settings such as schools, hospitals, mental health centers, homeless shelters, and child welfare agencies.

Career options for graduates are in high demand and diverse, as social work is one of the fastest-growing professions in the United States. UConn's BSW program prepares graduates for entry-level professional roles and to be advocates for human rights and social justice. Graduates are equipped for generalist social work practice across a wide range of community-based human services organizations. Common career paths include: Child Welfare Social Worker, Mental Health Counselor (often with further MSW study), Medical Social Worker (often with further MSW study), School Social Worker (often with further MSW study), Geriatric Social Worker, Hospice Social Worker, Case Manager, Community Organizer, Policy Advocate, Program Coordinator, and roles in settings such as hospitals, schools, mental health centers, nursing homes, shelters, and correctional facilities. The program also provides "Advanced Standing" eligibility for Masters of Social Work (MSW) programs, allowing BSW graduates to complete their MSW in a shorter timeframe (e.g., one academic year plus a summer session), accelerating their career progression.

The University of Connecticut is a prestigious public university and a Tier 1 research institution in the USA, signifying its commitment to world-class research and academic excellence. It offers world-class facilities, with state-of-the-art technologies and equipment that support student learning and development. UConn's extensive flagship campus in Storrs offers a true US college experience, fostering a vibrant and engaging student life. The School of Social Work is known for its strengths-based and relational approach, emphasizing diversity, ethics, and social justice. The program's strong focus on hands-on learning through extensive community-based internships provides invaluable professional preparation and real-world experience, making graduates highly competitive in the social work field.