BSSS - THE BHOPAL SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

Overview

The Department of Social Work was established in the year 2001. Since its inception, the Department has been promoting practical learning to develop critical thinking among the students along with classroom learning. The Department offers professional programs at Graduate and Post Graduate levels along with offering diploma and certificate courses for imparting values and skills among learners.

About the Department

The department offers social work education in holistic manner through degree, diploma and various certificate programmes. The approach is practice-oriented and due significance is given to the field and practical activities. Here, the learners not only get a chance to acquaint themselves with the various social agencies in both urban and rural settings but also get to explore their organizational processes. This helps in widening their understanding of the problems prevailing in society and organization structure and processes. Social Work programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate levels are designed to help students imbibe knowledge and apply them in real life scenarios.

The Department of Social Work at the Bhopal School of Social Sciences (BSSS) envisions a global communion, wherein social workers serve as ethical leaders to promote social, economic and environmental justice, human rights, and well-being for individuals & families in particular, and organizations & communities in general.

To educate and make diverse population of students effective, ethical, competent and compassionate social workers by providing them with the quality learning opportunities for leadership in promotion of social, economic and environmental justice with scientific enquiry.

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The objective of MSW programme is to train Social Work professionals to work for the welfare of individuals, communities, families and groups. The course is aimed at building their skills, attitudes and values necessary for working with different settings of society. The programme duration is two years on full time regular basis. Department offers the course as regular programme only. The process of academia enables trainee social workers to deal with challenges and enhance the well-being of humanity. The course has been designed to meet the expectations of different international professional standards. Subsequently specialization related knowledge imparts the efficacy and develop necessary interpersonal and managerial skills required for rendering effective social service. Our course intends to mould trainee social workers in this said direction to become efficient and responsible professional social workers.

Eligibility: After any (12+3) UG

Course Duration: Two Years Full-Time

Specializations:

This specialization offers the opportunity to learn about the issues of labour welfare and development of human resources especially at industry set up. In the wake of all pervading globalization, the organizational environment is fast changing. The survival and growth of any industry is largely dependent on the handling of the human resources. The students are sent to business organizations to get hands on training on different aspects of human resources management and labour welfare provisions. This exposure at the industry setting prepares the students for attaining proper job orientation and skills. They get to learn about employee satisfaction and organizational effectiveness. The students after passing out find opportunities in the Public sector undertakings as well as in the corporate sector in the role of Human Resource Manager, Personnel Manager and also in reputed national and international development agencies.

Community Development specialization offers the students to learn how local people take collective actions to generate solutions to common problems at the community level. They will get to know the process through which people are mobilised and motivated to improve the quality of lives by overcoming socio-economic barriers that often lead to abject poverty, poor health, incidences of crime and various social malignancies. The students will learn to generate community improvement programs and development projects. The students of this specialization generally find opportunities to work as facilitators, organizers and community development agencies. The community development workers engage themselves in developing strong, vibrant and healthy communities.

Medical and Psychiatric Social Work is practiced in the medical and in the field of psychiatry. As the psychiatric patients need both psychological and social treatment, the psychiatric social workers are trained in both fields of psychiatry and social work. Psychiatric social workers play a significant role in multi –disciplinary teams which work in clinical and non-clinical settings. Their tasks involve providing individual, family and group work counselling and treatment interventions to psychiatric patients. They are also involved in discharge planning, documentation of services and maintaining liaison with family and community. The students of this specialization get the opportunity to do fieldwork in medical and psychiatric settings. The students will learn to conduct assessment of patient's social, emotional, interpersonal and socio-economic issues. They will also understand the art of enhancing patient and family communications. The students are trained to prepare aftercare planning process to ensure smooth transition of a patient back to family and community. The job opportunities of this specialization lies in various settings like hospitals, Non-Governmental Organizations, Mental health centres, Case manager in Mental health institutions and de-addiction centres, governmental agencies and residential facilities.

This specialization provides to build up critical thinking relating to gender issues and problems faced by women and children because of the structural inequalities that exist in society. The students get to know about the policies and programmes relating to the women and children along with the legislative measures. The students will learn evidence-based practices at different field agencies and community-based organizations during the field work. This specialization deals with the improvement of safety of children, adolescents, women development and gender equality. The students generally find opportunities in local, national and international development agencies.

Eligibility: After 12th

Course Duration: Three Years Full-Time

Bachelor of Social Work or (BSW) is a professional degree that is offered at the undergraduate (UG) level. This programme orients the young minds towards social issues and prepares them for advanced studies in social work. The objective of this programme is to train young professional social workers so that they can socially commit themselves and become professionally competent to contribute towards the social development of the country. The programme has been designed to inculcate initial training and orientation to students towards being compassionate human beings and achieve soft professional skills. The further advanced training in the programme paves the path for community service, public service and most important of all human services. It includes training on certain essential technical aspects. The duration of a BSW course is three plus one (As per NEP 2020) and candidates need to positively complete the course within a maximum duration of six years as per the guidelines of the affiliating University. At the Bhopal School of Social Sciences (BSSS), students can undertake BSW as a full-time regular course only. BSW course mostly comprises of four major parts which are foundation course, core courses, elective courses and fieldwork. The BSW follows the praxis approach and mandates students to carry over the essential field work. The students are exposed to a range of professional settings that is required at the undergraduate level.

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The Diploma in NGO Management and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a two-semester academic program designed to build foundational and advanced competencies in the non-profit and CSR sectors. Each semester includes five courses—four theory papers and one field-based project work, allowing students to blend classroom learning with real-world application.

The diploma spans a total of 980 hours (490 hours per semester), which includes structured classroom sessions, fieldwork, and dedicated library hours for independent study and research.

The program covers key areas such as NGO governance, financial and legal compliance, project design and evaluation, stakeholder engagement, and CSR strategy under Indian regulatory frameworks. Emphasis is placed on developing leadership and management skills essential for navigating today’s social development landscape.

Students gain practical exposure through field projects, enabling them to work closely with NGOs or CSR wings of corporates. This hands-on experience fosters critical thinking, problem-solving, and a commitment to ethical and sustainable development.

Ideal for students, aspiring social entrepreneurs, and professionals in the development sector, this diploma prepares graduates to effectively lead and innovate in the realms of civil society and corporate social responsibility.

This course, with a duration of 60 hours, comprises 6 modules (5 theory modules + 1 practical module), designed to provide a detailed understanding of the subject. The course structure includes both theoretical and practical components, ensuring a balanced approach to learning.

Additionally, there will be exposure visits to relevant organizations to offer practical insights and real-world learning experiences. The course will be taught by internal faculties, depending on the expertise required for each module.

Upon successful completion, students will receive certification from BSSS College. A mandatory attendance of 75% is required to qualify for certification.

The internal assessment, totalling 40 marks, will be based on internal tests, while the external assessment will be out of 60 marks. Students will be awarded grades according to the total marks obtained from both internal and external evaluations.

Expected Course Outcomes:

Develop familiarity with child protection laws in India and their implementation
Understand inter-linkages between different child protection laws
Explore important debates and contested domains of child rights and child protection
Gain knowledge of the administrative framework for child rights and protection at both state and national levels
Handle preliminary stages of cases involving child rights, care, and protection through field experience
Understand the concept of Child Rights in global and national frameworks
Get acquainted with Child Protection interventions in India

This course entitled "Human Rights and Social Work", with a duration of 60 hours, comprises five modules, designed to provide a detailed understanding of human rights and social work. The course structure includes both theoretical and practical components, ensuring a balanced approach to learning.

There will be field exposure for a better understanding of Human Rights, offering practical insights and real-world learning experiences. The course will be taught with the help of recorded videos, reading material, and tests.

Upon successful completion, students will receive certification from BSSS. A mandatory attendance of 75% is required to qualify for certification.

The internal assessment, totalling 40 marks, will be based on tests via BSSS MIS, while the end-term assessment (MCQs) will be out of 60 marks. Students will be awarded grades according to the total marks obtained from both internal and external evaluations.

The expected course outcomes include:

Developing a strong foundation in human rights and social work, with a focus on their evolution and global significance.
Equipping learners with the knowledge to critically analyze human rights conditions worldwide and understand the role of key organizations in their protection.
Integrating social work principles and methods to effectively address human rights violations.
Enhancing professional competencies through fieldwork and case studies.
Fostering a deep commitment to advocacy and social justice.
Promoting informed activism and strategic interventions.

Ultimately, the course ensures students are well-prepared with the expertise and practical skills necessary for meaningful contributions in the field of human rights and social work.

The Certificate Course in Peace Studies, Justice, & Security Sector Governance is a 60-hour offline program designed to provide both theoretical knowledge and practical exposure. It includes 30 hours of classroom teaching and 30 hours of hands-on internship with the Community Police Wing of the Madhya Pradesh Police under the supervision of senior officers. The course focuses on understanding the relationship between governance, justice, and peace within the security sector. Through six comprehensive modules, participants explore key areas such as law enforcement, governance models, justice systems, human rights, conflict resolution, and peacebuilding strategies. Emphasis is placed on the role of community policing and the relevance of Sustainable Development Goal 16, which promotes peace, justice, and strong institutions. Taught by experts and field practitioners, the course equips learners with essential skills and insights to critically assess and contribute to reforms and improvements in security sector governance and justice delivery systems.

The course "Public Policy, Good Governance, and Community-Based Access to Justice" is a 60-hour offline program comprising 30 hours of theoretical instruction and 30 hours of practical engagement. The theoretical component is divided into six modules, each led by experts in the field, covering topics such as public policy governance, access to justice, institutional frameworks, and community-oriented policing. The practical component involves activities with the Community Police Wing, providing hands-on experience in community policing initiatives. The course aims to equip students with a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between public policy and access to justice, emphasizing strategies to promote ethical and people-centric justice delivery. A minimum of 75% attendance is mandatory and assessment would include internship report and exam for the certification.

The Certificate Course on Community Participation and Engagement is designed to equip students with theoretical knowledge and practical skills to actively engage with communities and drive sustainable development. The course emphasizes participatory approaches, community interventions, and grassroots-level development initiatives through experiential learning. Students will explore the concept of commons, understand various community-based interventions, and engage in real-world rural development initiatives. The course incorporates participatory techniques, project-based learning, and hands-on community engagement to develop professionals skilled in community mobilization, participatory research, and rural development strategies.

Career Prospects: