Discover your purpose and make a real impact with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (B.S.W.) degree at Rider University. Our program goes beyond the classroom, immersing you in hands-on experiences that build the practical skills and confidence you need to thrive as a compassionate, ethical social work professional.
You’ll learn from expert faculty with social work practice experience who will teach and empower you to advocate for social justice and protect vulnerable populations in every setting. Our curriculum is designed to help you understand and address the complex challenges facing individuals, families, groups, and communities from all backgrounds and to learn about the organizations that serve them.
Whether you’re passionate about education, healthcare, criminal justice, or community-based work, Rider’s B.S.W. Program prepares you to lead and inspire change. You’ll graduate ready for immediate entry into the field or to advance seamlessly into a Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) program. Our program will equip you with the knowledge, values, and social work practice skills that employers and graduate schools seek.
Build a career that matters and join a dynamic community of changemakers at Rider University where you will learn to serve, impact, and transform.
Program Candidacy status was granted during the 2024-2025 academic year.
The Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (B.S.W.) Program has achieved candidacy for accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education’s (CSWE) Board of Accreditation (BOA). Candidacy status indicates that it has made progress toward meeting standards of program quality evaluated through a peer review accreditation process. A program that has attained candidacy status has demonstrated a commitment to meeting the accreditation standards but has not yet demonstrated full compliance.
Students that are admitted to candidate programs in the fall (or later) of the academic year in which the program is granted candidacy status will be retroactively recognized as graduates from a CSWE-BOA accredited program as long as the program attains initial accreditation. Candidacy is typically a 3-year process and attaining candidacy does not guarantee that a program will eventually attain initial accreditation.
Candidacy applies to all program options, which include locations and delivery methods.
Accreditation provides reasonable assurance about the quality of the program and the competence of students graduating from the program.
Review our program’s candidacy status in CSWE’s Directory of Accredited Programs.
For more information about social work accreditation, contact CSWE’s Department of Social Work Accreditation.
Admission to the B.S.W. Program
We’re excited that you’re considering our program to begin your social work profession! Here is what you need to know for admission to the Bachelor of Arts in Social Work Program (B.S.W.):
When to Apply
You decide! We understand that you are ready at your own time and therefore, applications to the B.S.W. Program are accepted on a rolling basis.
How to Apply
One application does it all! All students admitted to Rider University may declare the social work major without formal application to the program. The B.S.W. Program follows the University general admission requirements for first-year undergraduate students and transfer students. The requirements are:
For Standard Admittance (first year undergraduate student):
For Transfer Admittance:
We make it easy! If you would like to transfer social work course credits, submit your official transcript and your potential transfer credits are reviewed by the B.S.W. Program Director.
Already a student and you want to change your major to social work?
Check out the BSW Program’s 2024-25 Year in Review!
Our 51-credit program provides students with a comprehensive understanding of social work theory, methods and practice, including social justice, human rights, and cultural competency. Learning will take place across a combination of courses taught by experts in social work and required fieldwork placements in real-world settings.
Graduates of the B.S.W. program at Rider are prepared to enter an entry-level position in the field of social work or continue their education in a Master of Social Work program. Rider’s B.S.W. training equips students with the necessary knowledge and skills for licensure in the state of New Jersey and prepares them to enter careers in the field.
Rider’s close proximity to New Jersey’s state capital offers students the opportunity to gain valuable experience through capital-city adjacent field placements, service learning and other professional practice while building connections throughout Trenton and across New Jersey.
In addition, our campus’ accessibility to the major cities of Philadelphia and New York provide further opportunities for students to gain diverse experiences in the social work field. Students also benefit from learning from our expert and richly experienced faculty who serve as who share their field-based knowledge and connections with them.
The social work classes I’ve taken thus far have been very informative. I enjoy having professors from the field come in to share their personal experiences with us, which makes the learning experience even more enjoyable."
Learn more about financial aid, tuition and the various options we offer to make your college education affordable.
Assistant Professor
Department of Sociology, Criminology, and Social Work
isandovalarocho [at] rider.edu
Associate Professor, Department Chair
Department of Sociology, Criminology, and Social Work
Fine Arts Building
vthompson [at] rider.edu
609-895-5463
Academic Focus: Sociology
To learn more about our program or to schedule an orientation:
Email: isandovalarocho@rider.edu
Telephone: 609-895-5464
