University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Social Work Program Overview

The University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill is dedicated to addressing the pressing needs of North Carolina and beyond through its highly regarded social work programs. With a rich history and a commitment to excellence, the UNC School of Social Work consistently ranks among the best in the nation. The school prepares social workers to make a real impact through innovative research that improves practice and enhances education, seeking solutions to challenges of poverty, mental health, violence, and substance use.

Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Program

Anticipated Launch and Curriculum

The School of Social Work is developing a brand-new Bachelor of Social Work program, with an earliest projected start date of Fall 2027. Once the program is approved, UNC-Chapel Hill undergraduate and transfer students are eligible to apply to the BSW major. Planning for this exciting new program is already underway, with new social work intro classes launching in Spring 2026. The BSW major will start with existing MSW generalist courses and the School will hire or reassign faculty dedicated to the BSW degree.

The high-level curriculum will allow students to enter the degree in their third year and take 45 credits of social work coursework, culminating in capstone internship placements in a community tailored to them. Students completing the BSW program will be well prepared to pursue graduate study in social work, including through the school's own nationally ranked MSW program.

The feasibility group said that new practicum sites will also be secured as capacity for placements increases.

Hands-On Learning and Practicum Education

Practical field education experiences are at the core of this program. Hands-on learning is emphasized, with practicum education at the heart of social work training. The MSW program has placed students in more than 250 agencies and organizations statewide, contributing over 130,000 service hours each year. A Carolina BSW student will have the benefit of studying with faculty whose research is being translated locally into the programs, policies and interventions that will guide their professional careers.

Preparing Students for Impact

The Bachelor of Social Work degree prepares students to make a real impact in their communities, engaging with others at the intersection of culture, race, age, gender, sexual orientation, and class, to promote healthy functioning for individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

Accreditation and Program Focus

The B.S.W. undergraduate program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. The program prepares students to become beginning-level generalist social workers. This is a professional program of study, which is strongly grounded for the first two years in liberal arts; the second two years focus on the professional curriculum.

Study Abroad Opportunities

Social Work seniors at UNCG have the opportunity to study abroad in Denmark, Belgium, or Spain through The Global Work with Immigrant Kids Project. This project is designed to educate new social work practitioners for work with immigrant and refugee children and families.

Career Prospects

Graduates become employed as case managers, counselors, advocates, and community educators.

Admission Preparation

One of the best ways to prepare for admission into the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program is by gaining experiences that connect you to people, communities, and causes you care about. These opportunities don’t need to be limited to traditional social service agencies-what matters most is that you show initiative, commitment, and reflection on what you’ve learned.

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Addressing the Social Worker Shortage

The nation has a shortage of social workers, with too many underserved areas. The state of North Carolina currently employs more than 15,000 licensed clinical social workers. A growing workforce: Employment in social work is projected to grow by 12% by 2030 in N.C., leading to more than 2,000 annual jobs across the state. In K-12 education alone, the North Carolina State Board of Education said that it needs nearly 4,000 more social workers to meet national standards.

Importance of the BSW Degree

Earning a BSW puts students ahead of the game because social work is truly where their heart is. It gives them the foundation to better comprehend MSW-level content and prepares them for advanced practice. The program strengthens students' ability to advocate, communicate, and support diverse populations, skills they use daily in military and community settings. A BSW opens doors to leadership opportunities, professional networks, and graduate study at UNC. A BSW is not just a degree.

Course Examples

This course focuses on social, economic and structural factors that create and contribute to problems in daily living and explores solutions to foster positive social change.
This course examines the social, economic and policy issues shaping the lives of children and families in North Carolina and beyond. Using a person-in-environment framework, students will explore interventions at the micro, mezzo and macro levels to address social complexities and promote family well-being.

Master of Social Work (MSW) Program

Nationally Ranked Program

Be a changemaker with a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from UNC-Chapel Hill, the country’s No. 2 public university social work program. National ranking: No. Ranked No.

Diverse Student Body and Concentrations

MSW students come from a variety of lived experiences and diverse backgrounds and can choose one of two concentrations - direct practice (DP) or community, management, and policy practice (CMPP), also known as macro social work. Students admitted to a Master of Social Work program at UNC School of Social Work represent a wide array of personal backgrounds and academic interests. The school seeks students who offer diverse cultural perspectives to contribute to the academic community.

Generally, students in direct practice want to work with individuals, families, and small groups in face-to-face settings. The CMPP concentration prepares students for leadership careers in community organizing, human services administration, policy development, or advocacy. Our Community, Management, and Policy Practice concentration prepares social workers to improve lives from the systems level.

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Curriculum Structure

In the Generalist Curriculum, students take an intense and intentionally designed set of courses that sets the framework for their degree. Specialization Curriculum courses are tailored to career and research interests and goals, spanning courses from Social Work Practice with Families, Individuals, and Groups; Community Organizing; Core Competencies and Skills for Trauma Informed Practice to Fundraising and Marketing.

Specializations and Certifications

Students can also complete a variety of certifications such as Substance Use and Addictions Specialist Certification, Licensure in School Social Work, the Non-profit Leadership Certificate and the Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities and Neurodivergent Certificate.

Advanced Study

Additionally, students can continue their degree path into a Ph.D. in Social Work. Graduates of the doctoral program are prepared to develop, test, and disseminate social interventions in all areas of social work.

Program Options

12-Month Advanced Standing MSW Program: Qualifying students that can dedicate one year of full-time study to this accelerated program begin classes in May and graduate the following May.
2-Year MSW Program: This traditional full-time academic program allows students to begin the program in August, complete two years of fall and spring semester course work, and graduate in May. Practicums begin in the first semester of study and continue throughout the program. Students who have not already earned a BSW must complete 62 semester credit hours and up to 1,100 hours in field education in the MSW curriculum (2-Year MSW Program and 3-Year MSW Program - Chapel Hill).
3-Year MSW Program: This program is designed for those who live within commuting distance of Chapel Hill and are employed in the helping professions, looking for an alternative to two academic years of full-time study. Students who have not already earned a BSW must complete 62 semester credit hours and up to 1,100 hours in field education in the MSW curriculum (2-Year MSW Program and 3-Year MSW Program - Chapel Hill).
Online MSW Program: This program is tailored for busy working professionals looking to further their impact, recent graduates, or those looking to pivot into the field of social work.

Practicum Education

Practicum education is an integral part of each MSW student’s journey at the School. Annually, students are placed in more than 450 different agencies and organizations throughout North Carolina. They contribute more than 130,000 hours to these agencies in total - an estimated value of $1.2 million in service to the state and its people. Students have completed placements in social services, schools, hospitals, community nonprofits, research organizations, substance abuse treatment programs, child welfare agencies, transitional housing programs, and a variety of other organizations. Students often tell us that their time in practicum is the most impactful aspect of their social work education, so the school wants to ensure that students have experiences where they feel challenged and supported and can develop as social workers.

Admission Requirements

Students who have not already earned a BSW must complete 62 semester credit hours and up to 1,100 hours in field education in the MSW curriculum (2-Year MSW Program and 3-Year MSW Program - Chapel Hill). The School does not award academic credit for life experience or previous employment experience. However, students who are already employed as social workers and who are enrolled in the 3-Year MSW Program may be able to use their current employment as a field placement, under certain circumstances.

Faculty and Research

Through the in-person program, students can connect with dozens of faculty who are leaders and experts across the field, learning effective strategies to prevent and reduce health and social problems affecting clients and communities. In the school, there are faculty, lab, center and institute-based researchers who are conducting research and community engagement projects in all these service domains.

Location and Environment

Centrally located less than four hours from the Blue Ridge Mountains and two hours from the beach, Chapel Hill is a beautiful quintessential college town with a campus featuring walkable streets, historic buildings, visual and performing arts, and nationally ranked sports teams. You’ll be just 20 miles from Raleigh-Durham International Airport and the Research Triangle Park, the country’s largest research park.

General Information about Social Work at UNC-Chapel Hill

Foundational Principles

At its core, social work is a problem-solving profession. Social workers help individuals, families and communities face and overcome challenges that they encounter on a daily basis. Chances are, you’ve met countless social workers without even realizing it. Social workers wear many caps and occupy roles in multiple sectors including health care, government, education and social service. Though their roles might differ, the individuals are connected by a passion for improving lives.

Curriculum Overview

Students at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill complete the Social Work generalist curriculum of 29 credit hours that covers content related to human behavior and the social environment, institutionalized discrimination, social work practice, social policy, and research. In the evidence-informed practice specialization curriculum, students choose among two concentrations for an additional 33 academic credit hours: the community, management and policy practice concentration (CMPP), and the direct practice concentration (DP). In both the M.S.W. generalist and specialization curriculum, students also enroll in field education in addition to their classroom-based coursework.

Financial Information

Non-residents Tuition fee: 29422 USD / year
Out-of-State Tuition fee: 29422 USD / year
In-State Tuition fee: 10764 USD / year
Living costs Chapel Hill United States: 900 - 1400 USD / month

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