Social Work & Psychology Degree

Are you a compassionate and motivated person? Do you have a calling to serve others who are vulnerable, oppressed, or marginalized? Earning a Bachelor of Science in social work and psychology from Hardin-Simmons University will prepare you to address the greater societal conditions at the core of injustice and inequity.

Our interdisciplinary approach to social work combines the fundamentals of psychology with the policies and laws involved in social work to provide you with a head start to become a licensed clinical social worker. Offering one of the only social work and psychology programs in the country, HSU prepares graduates who are highly sought after both in Texas and throughout the nation. In fact, we boast a 100 percent employment and graduate program acceptance rate. Graduating with a bachelor’s degree in social work and psychology from HSU is the easiest and most direct path to becoming a clinical social worker and helping others live safer and healthier lives.

Experiential Learning in the Social Work and Psychology Degree

With our combined psychology and social work program, you’ll graduate with hundreds of hours of real-world experience applying your knowledge and skills to serving people in your community, around Texas, and across the country. Students complete more than 450 hours in field education, practicing as pre-professionals under the supervision of social work professionals in the community.

For example, you’ll complete 30 hours of volunteer work as an introduction to social work. We also offer community group projects that let you assess community needs and work as a member of a team to then address those needs and develop a plan of action — giving you hands-on experience as both a team member and a leader. If you are more interested in the policy side of social work, you can research social issues and become an expert in your chosen topic before conducting policy analysis to aid advocacy work.

Program Contact

Lauren Cantrell

Lauren Cantrell

Department Chair/Director of Field Education/Assistant Professor of Social Work

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Why Earn Your Social Work and Psychology Degree at Hardin-Simmons?

Extraordinary Career Preparedness

Thanks to our unique interdisciplinary approach to psychology and social work, you’ll be well prepared to advance to a master’s in social work program. With this degree, you can become licensed at the baccalaureate level in Texas (licensing is different in every state). Fully 100 percent of our social work and psychology students are accepted into graduate programs or find rewarding careers after graduation, and 100 percent pass the licensing exam.

Supportive and Experienced Faculty

Thanks to our small class sizes, you’ll get many chances to work closely with distinguished faculty mentors on research projects and in collaborative research groups. Our faculty members provide a student-centered learning environment that fosters creativity and empathy, as well as collaboration between students.

An Interdisciplinary Approach

Social work is about so much more than understanding policies and laws. It’s also about understanding the human mind. With courses on topics such as the psychology of the family, human sexuality, and abnormal psychology, you’ll master the fundamentals of human psychology — making you a more knowledgeable clinical social worker.

What Can You Do With a Degree in Social Work and Psychology?

Clinical social workers help individuals and communities solve problems. They are committed to making a positive impact on the world around them. They promote social justice and equity for all through passionate advocacy. Clinical social workers are found in many exciting fields, including mental health, medical facilities, schools, governmental agencies, and the military — among many others.

Most of our social work and psychology graduates pursue master’s degrees in social work to increase their job outlook and salary potential. Because of our highly interdisciplinary approach to the study of psychology and social work, our graduates stand out from other applicants.

When you graduate from our social work and psychology program, you’ll not only benefit from following your passion for helping others, but also from exceptional job security. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment for licensed clinical social workers is expected to grow 12 percent over the next decade, nearly double the national average for all other occupational fields.

Jobs for Social Work and Psychology Graduates

  • Health care social worker
  • Mental health social worker
  • Substance abuse social worker
  • Medical and health services manager
  • Social and human services specialist
  • Social work administrator
  • School social worker

Salary for Social Work and Psychology Graduates

Social worker salaries can range from $50,000-70,000 depending on the type of job. Salaries vary based on years of experience, industry served, the city and state in which you work, and generally increase if you are a manager. Most jobs above entry-level positions, including clinical social workers/clinicians, will require a master’s in social work degree.

Program Details

To prepare you to become a licensed clinical social worker who serves a diverse range of individuals and communities, our social work and psychology program includes many special topics courses and travel opportunities. In the past, students have traveled to Window Rock, Arizona, to study and work with the Navajo and Hopi indigenous tribes and to Camden, New Jersey, to work with Urban Promise Ministries.

We’ve also offered a Civil Rights Tour of five Southern states to study the diverse history of our country and its impact on society today. Our interdisciplinary approach to social work and its legacy will help you develop into a well-rounded and empathetic clinical social worker.

In addition to offering one of the most affordable programs dedicated to an interdisciplinary approach to studying psychology and social work, we offer several scholarship and grants for our students. You may also be eligible for general financial aid. Learn more about scholarships at Hardin-Simmons University.

If you’re considering a bachelor’s in social work and psychology, you may also be interesting in learning more about similar undergraduate programs at Hardin-Simmons University: