Practicums
Practice experience in the community enhances the classroom education, and is essential in developing high-quality and ethical social workers. You will complete practicum placements in local social work agencies during both your Junior and Senior years, allowing you the opportunity to explore multiple areas of interest, populations served, and practice environments at the micro and macro levels. You can expect to graduate from Bethel College with confidence that your practicum experiences have prepared you for hands-on social work. Bethel College has many established practicum partners in the community, and there are additional opportunities to explore new placements that meet the practice needs and interests of students.
Examples of recent practicum settings and populations include:
- Schools
- Poverty prevention, community resource centers, housing and food equity
- Medical, hospital, clinic
- Mental health
- Disabilities and special needs
- Addictions
- Policy advocacy and community organizing
- Child advocacy
- Early childhood education
- Child welfare, adoption, foster care, family preservation
- Retirement communities
- Criminal justice
- LGBTQ+ and gender equity
- Criminal and restorative justice
- Immigration and refugee resettlement
- Hospice
Careers
A degree in social work from Bethel College is a generalist degree, qualifying you for licensure and entry into a wide range of positions. Social work is perhaps the most versatile of the human services degrees.
Read more about types of Social Work from the NASW
Post-graduate careers include:
SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION
Youth counseling, special education, social and emotional support
HEALTH CARE
Patient management, hospice, family support
ELDER CARE
Support groups, counseling, life transitions
DISABILITIES AND SPECIAL NEEDS
Providing resources, assistance with care, family support
MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE
Addiction services, community-based support
COMMUNITIES
Youth organizations, immigration, social justice, food equity
IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEE SERVICES
Family reunification, community resources, legal employment support
CRIMINAL JUSTICE OR CORRECTIONS
Counseling and rehabilitation, prisoner advocacy
CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
Family counseling, foster care, adoption services, children’s advocacy
ATHLETICS
Mental health, safety in sport advocacy, team building