Social work or Psychology?

I know that I can't be a licensed counselor without going to graduate school but in the long run which would be better? I have decided to major in social work. Don't really know why but thought it would open more doors. I don't really want to work for the government or social welfare but would rather work in a hospital helping mentally ill patients. If I am wanting to do counseling is social work the right thing or should I have chosen a b.a in psychology. I know I can go on to grad school with a bachelors in psychology I just want to know if choosing social work was a bad decision if Idon't want to be a social worker pursue. I hope I didn't choose the wrong degree because I am taking classes for social work and trying to get finished with school and can't switch classes now because registration is over. I know once I am a junior which i will be next fall I will start actually interning.. I hope I am not doing the wron gthing.

Social work or Psychology?
Social work is definitely the way to go if you want to work in mental health. With a BSW you can easily work as a counselor in a group home or supervised apartments with folks living with mental illness (this is what I did after I got my BSW). You can then go on for an MSW (the preferred MA level degree for working in mental health (also many of the jobs working with the mentally ill are government jobs).





So you are on the right track.





DA
Reply:DS, get a different answer.. IM GETTIN SICK OF THIS... SW isnt the way to go in SW, it is one option. But not the way to go. If someone wants to do assessments guess what SW isnt the way to go.. Report It

Reply:You've asked this same question 9 times in the past 2 days! I think choosing a major is the least of your concern right now. As I said before, you can't help anyone before you help yourself. Go seek out some counseling. There are enough bad counselors in the profession that didn't take care of their own issues, and they are doing more harm to others than good. Take care of your own issues 1st. Worry about this decision 2nd.





EDIT: Think of it this way, if I am able to "push your buttons" writing a few sentences on the Internet, what do you think a client with some serious issues sitting across the room from you is going to be able to do? You are not yet emotionally equipped to be a counselor. Good that you are getting help though.
Reply:I am qualified in social work and then further qualified in mental health. So i understand the problem. Both routes can be good. Both can lead to counselling. Social work involves a lot of counselling and can lead to counselling specifically. It can help you be a bettter counsellor. Dont worry too much. Just enjoy and learn from what you are doing now and the right result will happen.
Reply:You're fine starting out in social work or psychology. Why not stay with social work since you're almost halfway through college? You're right about needing to get a master's degree...just a bachelor's in social work OR psychology wouldn't give you enough credentials and education to do the kind of mental health counseling that you're wanting to do. Either social work or psychology will give you a good basis for when you go to get your master's.





Now I will suggest that you get your master's in social work (MSW) because I've heard that are more opportunities with an MSW than if you were to go on to get a PhD in psychology. Both would offer you the chance to do counseling, but surprisingly enough, a person with a PhD is going to have a harder time finding a job than someone with an MSW. Insurance companies don't want to pay the extra money out to a PhD when a person with an MSW is doing the same work but with less education...therefore insurance companies don't pay them as much, but there are more job opportunities available to people with MSWs. I don't think you're doing the wrong thing at all. Hope this helps!
Reply:I'm a Psych major graduate and I'm getting a social working job temporarily because I want to move into counseling as well. Its a good job to have before you go to grad school to make some money and earn experience in our field. A friend of mine did the same thing. But if you really want to work in a clinical setting stop taking social working classes and take the classes that interest you. It has good start pay but there's not much higher that you can advance there. In a clinical setting you can do much better. Financially anyway.
Reply:you could take a 1 year break or whatever from school doing social work
Reply:Consider to take extra psychology classes along with your social worker major classes. If you taste what psychology is like then you can decide to follow which road, and I am pretty sure you would like psychology b/c it is such an interesting field. I am a totally different major than psychology but I really enjoyed that course. I'll prorably take extra courses just to see if I will still like it. I guess you will have more options with social worker though.
Reply:Since you already started ' why not finish social work is needed, in all branch's of human resourses work , after that you, may find which is you'r right calling ,when you start you'r internship , and go for that specialty in you'r field.


I wish you all the best , no matter what anyone say's or comment s it is up to you to decide.