Social Work

The baccalaureate and master's degree programs in social work are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), 333 John Caryle Street, Suite 400, Alexandria, VA 22314.

UW offers the bachelor of social work program in two locations to make it the most convenient for you. Pursue your BSW degree at UW-Laramie or UW-Casper!  

Collaborate with faculty on social work research. Faculty research interests include grief and loss, individuals with disabilities, veterans, forensic social work, human trafficking, the impact of the pandemic, stress, international, qualitative inquiry,critical social work theory, feminist practice and social work education.

Hone your skills through 900 practicum hours over two years (Standard Program) or 500 hours in one year (Advanced Standing Program). Students in the M.S.W. program have completed field practicums at Wyoming Children's Law Center, VA hospitals and clinics, Wyoming Behavior Health, and in schools across the state.

The social work faculty at UW bring years of firsthand experience and notable research to their classes. They’ve curated an academic environment that challenges students, preparing them beyond the standard curriculum that may be found in other educational settings. Notable professors include Dr. Neely Mahapatra, an accomplished educator with published research focusing on violence against minority women, refugees and other immigrant populations among many more. Kym Codallos, another notable faculty member, has partnered with a local prison and jail to provide social skill group opportunities for BSW students.

Students get the opportunity to embark on different research and research-type projects. For example, recently, several BSW students were beneficiaries of a national opioid grant and conducted research projects on examining the opioid and drug epidemic in the United States. In addition, students can apply for the McNair Scholarship and upon acceptance conduct independent research with the support of a faculty and graduate student mentor. The McNair Scholars present their research at the McNair Research Symposium on campus and also at a national peer-reviewed conference. Students are also given the opportunity to work on research-type projects in several classes. They present their research at various forums such as the UW’s Annual Shepard Symposium on Social Justice or at the Undergraduate Research and Inquiry Day.

Social work student organizations, such as the Associated Students of Social Work (ASSW) and the Division of Social Work's Epsilon Delta Chapter of the Phi Alpha Social Work Honor Society provide opportunities for students to participate in community service and fundraising events. There are also numerous cross-campus networking opportunities between the Laramie-based students and the UW-Casper-based students to collaborate on service projects. Past activities have included raising funds for the fight against breast cancer, collecting diapers for the families of Mercer House, collecting supplies for U.S. troops stationed abroad, cooking and serving breakfast at the Casper Rescue Mission and raising funds to benefit local agencies.

A number of hands-on learning opportunities exist for BSW students. These include simulation training with standardized humans acting as clients to reinforce core skills and a practicum at a social service agency under the supervision of an experienced social worker. The purpose of these opportunities is to make the students' assimilation into their careers as seamless as possible. With prior experience in real-world situations, graduates are better equipped to navigate the challenges they will face.