Bachelor of Social Work at University of Alaska Fairbanks

University of Alaska Fairbanks

United States of America, Fairbanks

University Rank:#901

The Social Work at University of Alaska Fairbanks is a Bachelor program designed for students who want to build the knowledge and skills required for careers in this field. Delivered on campus across its Main Site, Online, and Hybrid campuses in Fairbanks , United States of America, the program is taught in English and takes 4 years to complete. Students study in a Full Time environment while preparing for future professional opportunities. The next intake starts on August 28, 2027.

About Bachelor of Social Work

Earn your degree in social work at UAF and prepare for rewarding careers empowering others.

Our mission is to educate generalist social work practitioners to promote the health and well-being of individuals, families and communities, emphasizing the diversity and uniqueness of rural Alaska. The program includes an intensive 400-hour senior practicum that gives you the opportunity to engage in direct social work practice experiences under the supervision of a social worker in a social service agency.

In addition to being offered at the Troth Yeddha' campus in Fairbanks, Alaska, the social work degree is available via distance delivery and online classes, enabling students from across Alaska to complete their bachelor's from their home communities. This program is provided through a cohort model specifically designed for students who are working in or have experience with the social service field, so they can take courses and work at the same time.

What Is Social Work?

Social workers help people overcome some of life's most difficult challenges, dealing with issues such as poverty, discrimination, abuse, addiction, disability, divorce and unemployment. They work with individuals, groups and communities, helping to prevent crises and counseling clients to cope more effectively with the stresses of everyday life. The practice of social work requires knowledge of human development and behavior, of social, economic and cultural institutions, and of the interaction of all these factors.

What degree do you need to be a social worker?

Social workers are highly trained and experienced professionals. Only those who have earned social work degrees at the bachelor's, master's or doctoral levels, and completed a minimum number of hours in supervised fieldwork, are "professional social workers."

Requirements and Admission Criteria for Bachelor of Social Work at University of Alaska Fairbanks

Entry Requirements

Certificate/Associate Degree Programs

at least 18 years old, or
have a high school diploma, or
have a General Educational Development (GED) diploma.

Bachelor Degree Programs

Have a high school diploma, and
Pass the 16-credit high school core curriculum with at least a 2.5, and
Have a cumulative GPA of 2.5, and
Submit ACT or SAT test scores
- If you are applying to UAF for the academic years 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25 or summer 2025, your ACT and SAT scores will be waived.

If you don't meet these requirements, contact an admissions counselor. You may have options to begin a degree or certificate program, such as starting as a pre-undeclared student or as a non-degree student.

The admission qualifications for international applicants are the same as domestic applicants with the addition of:

Proof of English Proficiency
Official diploma for institutions who do not list a degree and graduation date on the transcript

Please refer to the other student types (Freshmen, Transfer or Graduate) for program qualifications.

Minimum required English proficiency:

A minimum TOEFL score of 79.
A minimum IELTS score of 6.5.
Completion of secondary education in Great Britain, New Zealand, Australia or Canada (excluding Quebec).

Requests for exception to this policy may be submitted via email to the Office of Admissions. Acceptable grounds for waiving this requirement may include:

Successful completion (C or higher) of a college-level, non-ESL English composition course.
A comparable score on another approved exam such as the ACT, SAT or EdReady exam.

International Transcripts: Send official secondary school and/or university transcripts to World Education Services (WES) and request a comprehensive course-by-course credential report. Transcripts from Canadian institutions (excluding Quebec) are exempt from this requirement; they may be sent directly from the issuing institution.

English Requirements

IELTSMin 6.5
TOEFLMin 79

Career Opportunities after Completing Bachelor of Social Work

Majors in social work can look forward to joining a fast growing job market. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of social workers is projected to grow 16% from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations.

Alaska has the highest concentration of jobs for child, family and school social workers of any state in the nation. It is also one of the top states for jobs for mental health and substance abuse social workers.

Tuition and Fee Information for Bachelor of Social Work at University of Alaska Fairbanks

Application Fee 50

How to Apply for Bachelor of Social Work at University of Alaska Fairbanks

To start your adventure at UAF, your first step will be to apply for admission. We offer a fast and convenient online application.

Once you are admitted into a degree program at UAF, we’ll start preparing your I-20 — the form needed to apply for the F-1 student visa and to enter the U.S. in student status. This process can take up to 7-10 business days once all documents have been received.

You'll also send your official secondary school and/or university transcripts to a NACES-approved evaluation service and request a comprehensive course-by-course credential report. Transcripts from Canadian institutions (excluding Quebec) are exempt from this requirement; they may be sent directly from the issuing institution.

SpanTran is a NACES-member company that has created a custom application for UAF students. We recommend using the UAF SpanTran Evaluation Request Form to ensure you get the right kind of evaluation at a discounted rate.

In order to issue your immigration documents, we must receive the UAF Financial Statement for International Students (PDF) and supporting documentation. We’ll also need a copy of your passport identification page.

Your immigration documents will be mailed to the address you provided, along with your official letter of acceptance and information about applying for your visa and travel to Alaska.

You must have a student visa to study in the United States. UAF offers documents for two student visa types (F and J) depending on the type of program you attend. As part of the application process, you’ll also need to schedule a visa interview.

Bachelor of Social Work at University of Alaska Fairbanks

University of Alaska Fairbanks

United States of America, Fairbanks