Jerry Moore ’20

After a 20-year career in criminal justice, Jerry is completing his degree in social work to begin a new path — counseling youth in a school setting. “Social workers are one of the many supermen and superwomen of our communities,” he said. “The professors at STCC and Elms have been, and continue to be, encouraging, caring, knowledgeable, and professional.”

Bachelor’s Degree Completion Programs at STCC

Launch your interest in social work into a fulfilling career! You can earn you degree in just 14-20 months through the bachelor’s degree completion programs offered at Springfield Technical Community College (STCC).

Social work graduate Nicola Howe shares her experience at STCC.

The off-campus STCC programs meet all general requirements of Elms College. You enter a program in social work, computer science, or computer information technology and security with the required associate’s degree (and at least 60 credits), satisfy Elms’ core requirements, and complete the requirements of your specific degree program.

Semesters are eight weeks long. Two sessions are held every fall, spring, and summer.

Social work classes are held at on the STCC main campus in Building 2, on Saturdays, 8:30am – 5pm Classes are taught by Elms faculty. By completing your coursework in 10 eight-week sessions over a 20-month period, you can save thousands of dollars.

All bachelor’s degree programs require 120 credits. You can transfer in a maximum of 78 credits from STCC or other regionally accredited colleges. A minimum of 42 credits must be earned through Elms College.

Alisha Cameron ’19

Photo of Alisha Cameron '19

“Our students see, on social media and reality TV, the idea that what you have is who you are. I want them to see that that doesn’t define them.”

Alisha created an innovative, compassionate program to decrease absenteeism at her middle school. Earning her social work degree through Elms/STCC gave her the research skills she needed to develop and implement the Impact Cares Program.

Kimberly Quinonez, ’23

Kimberly Quinonez, student, elms college

Kim Quinonez grew up in a life of poverty, addiction, and homelessness. A self-proclaimed academic “late bloomer,” she returned to school to gain her high school equivalency at age 43. Then she completed her associate’s degree in human services and social work through Springfield Technical Community College. From there, she enrolled in Elms College through the Sister Kathleen Kirley ‘66 School of Continuing Education. Through the program, she was able to complete her academic requirements in 2 years and graduate in 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in Social Work.

Getting accepted into Elms College, she said, “was the best day of my life.”

She found Elms professors to be demanding yet compassionate, and the overall classroom experience was unlike any she had encountered before.  “Elms professors are amazing,” she said. “They made me feel as if I belonged. I never belonged to a school that made me feel I was a part of something,” she said. “My life transformed in so many ways.”

She is employed by the Hampden Sheriff’s Department where she counsels inmates who have problems with addiction.

To read more about Kim’s life and journey, follow this link

Curriculum

Click to view course requirements for the Social Work (B.S.).

The bachelor’s degree program requires 120 credits. You can transfer in a maximum of 78 credits from STCC or other regionally accredited colleges. A minimum of 42 credits must be earned through Elms College.

Minimum of 60 Elms Credits and a Minimum of 120 Credit to Graduate with a Baccalaureate Degree. Additional requirements: Macroeconomics; Introduction to Sociology; General Psychology; Philosophy; U.S. History I or II; Human Growth & Development; Fine/Performing Art. A college-level math is strongly recommended. Courses and sequence subject to change.

*400 hours of fieldwork required outside of the program schedule

Session 1 – Fall 1

Course #Course Name# of Credit Hours
SWK 2101Professional Communication in Social Work3
SWK 1001Introduction to Social Work3

Session 2 – Fall 2

Course #Course Name# of Credit Hours
SWK 3002Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families3
SSD 2002American Government/Public Policy (online)3

Session 3 – Spring 1

Course #Course Name# of Credit Hours
SWK 3001Social Welfare Policies and Services3
SWK 3003Mental Health and Mental Illness3

Session 4 – Spring 2

Course #Course Name# of Credit Hours
SWK 3105Social Work Practice with Communities3
MAT 1009Statistics3

Session 5 – Summer 1

Course #Course Name# of Credit Hours
SWK 2005Human Behavior in the Social Environment II3
BIO 1005Human Biology (online)3

Session 6 – Summer 2

Course #Course Name# of Credit Hours
SWK 3007Social Group Work3
REL 2105World Religions (online)3

Session 7 – Fall 1

Course #Course Name# of Credit Hours
SWK 4002AAdvanced Social Work Practice3
SWK 3100ASocial Work Research3
SWK 4001DField Work Experience*3

Session 8 – Fall 2

Course #Course Name# of Credit Hours
SWK 4002BAdvanced Social Work Practice3
SWK 3100BSocial Work Research3
SWK 4001EField Work Experience*3

Session 9 – Spring 1

Course #Course Name# of Credit Hours
SWK 4004ASurvey of Social Work Issues (Capstone)
SWK 4001FField Work Experience*3

Session 10 – Spring 2

Course #Course Name# of Credit Hours
SWK 4004BSurvey of Social Work Issues (Capstone)
SOC 3106Racial and Ethnic Groups (online)3
SWK 4001GField Work Experience*3