Qualifications for professional social work

Professional social workers are generally considered those who hold a professional degree in social work. In a number of countries and jurisdictions, registration or licensure of people working as social workers is required and there are mandated qualifications. In other places, the professional association sets academic and experiential requirements for admission to membership.

A social worker, practicing in the United States, usually requires a doctoral degree (Ph.D or DSW), master's degree (MSW) or a bachelor's degree (BSW or BASW) in social work from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited program to receive a license in most states. In some areas, however, a social worker may be able to receive a license with a bachelor's or even associate degree in any discipline. The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is the largest organization of professional social workers in the United States.

Depending on the university, the four-year degree may be structured in different ways and draws upon many fields, including social work theory, psychology, human development, sociology, social policy, research methods, social planning and social administration.

A person with a BSW is considered a "generalist" and the MSW is considered "a specialist or advanced generalist"; a Ph.D. or D.S.W. (Doctor of Social Work) generally conducts research, teaches, or analyzes policy, often in higher education settings.

Various states in the United States "protect" the use of the title social worker by statute. Use of the title requires licensure or certification in most states. The licensure or certification also requires a prelicensure examination through the ASWB (Association of Social Work Boards), with the exception of the State of California, who creates and administers their own licensing exam. Over half of all states offer licensure at various levels of social work practice, and clinical social work is regulated by licensure in all states. The pass rate for the Master's level licensing exam is around 74%.

A four-year Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) is required for entry into the field in most parts of Canada. In Alberta, the entry-level requirement is the diploma in social work practice. A Master's degree in Social Work (MSW) is usually required to provide psychotherapy treatment. Authorized Social Workers with advanced clinical certification in Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan are allowed to independently use the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) in order to make a mental health diagnosis. These provinces hold a clinical registry for this purpose. In the province of Nova Scotia, MSW social workers can make provisional mental health diagnosis'.

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