About this study program

Do you enjoy working with people?

Would you like to empower members of the community?

Are you interested in contributing to continuously improving the quality of life of the Aruban multicultural and multilingual society?

If so, Social Work & Development is the perfect program for you!

The Social Work and Development program at the University of Aruba is designed for people interested in the quality of life who want to empower people in different circumstances within the community. Students acquire knowledge about human and social behavior and develop skills to empower and work in prevention and at the intervention level with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities in our society. The program focuses on knowledge, skills and attitudes to support individuals and strengthen communities within their systemic environment and network. These are achieved through communication skills in the languages spoken in Aruba, counselling, policy practice, and advocating for social and environmental justice, equality and human rights. The main goal of this program is to contribute to the continuous improvement of the community’s quality of life. The Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Work and Development is a four (4) year full-time program offered by the Faculty of Arts and Science (FAS). Click here for more information. (The intention is to insert a link to the video recording of the program in the different languages).

Quick Facts

What can I expect from this study program?

The Bachelor’s program in Social Work and Development uses many teaching methods, including group projects, workshops, lectures, in-class assignments, reflections, field trips, and educational trips abroad.
During the four-year program, our students are taught to conduct research independently and write reports. Class participation is highly emphasized because our classes are organized as interactive working sessions with lively discussions. SW&D is a full-time program.
The courses are taught in English, Dutch and Papiamento. Spanish is also taught at the conversational level to communicate with participants.
Graduates obtain a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Social Work and Development and can be employed in the social work field immediately. Graduates can also pursue a master’s in different other disciplines.

Learning environment

The program has four Learning Lines throughout the four years of study. See figure below:

1. The Language Line

The Language Line promotes a multilingual, diverse, inclusive Social Work and Development program. The courses ensure graduates reflectively communicate and are proficient at various levels in Papiamento, English, Spanish and Dutch. The Language Line is integrated into the courses through assignments or during practice skills labs.

2. The Research Line

The Research Line ensures that the social worker is inquisitive and applies evidence-based practice. There are three main research courses. However, research is integrated into all the courses through assignments and in the final graduation project.

3. The Generalist Practice Line

The Generalist Practice Line reflects the generalist orientation of the study. It consists of foundational social work courses and courses related to working with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities: all from a sustainable developmental perspective.   Through this Line, the student acquires a deep understanding, knowledge, skills, and attitudes regarding the social work profession. Some of the courses are the following:

• Children and Families
• Social Work with Youth
• Social Entrepreneurship
• Development Psychology
• Family Violence and Gender Equality
• Mental Health and Addiction
• Introduction to Social Work
• Team Work and Group Dynamics
• Counseling and Coaching
• Community Development
• Diversity and Intercultural Inclusion

4. The Personal and Professional Development Line

This Line focuses on the personal and professional development of the student. It consists of reflection, self-care, academic advising and acquiring personal and professional skills. Field Practice is also a component of this Line.

Study Abroad

At Social Work and Development, you can study close to home but also gain experience abroad during your study trajectory. In the third year of the Bachelor’s degree program, you can go abroad for a semester and take courses at international partner universities or intern at an organization abroad. These opportunities are funded through the Erasmus+ mobility program.

Contact the Office of International Affairs for more information

Graduate possibilities

Career opportunities

Graduates can work in diverse, multicultural and multilingual societies such as Aruba and similar societies. Graduates can pursue a master’s after completion of their studies. Social workers are needed in governmental organizations, social services agencies, foundations, and the private sector. Our graduates are employed in various fields of practice, including child protection, family services, criminal and juvenile justice, mental health, addiction, public health, schools, human resources, prevention and as policy advisors.

Further education

With a BA in Social Work and Development, graduates can obtain a direct admission to do an HBO Master’s. Students can also get admission to do a pre-master, thereafter to pursue a WO Masters. Our students have completed Master’s in disciplines such as Psychology, Clinical Child, Family and Education, and Social Work – Community Development. At the University of Aruba, SW&D graduates can pursue a Master of Business Administration (MBA). If you choose to pursue a master’s abroad, the possibilities are endless.

Alumni

Study Resources and Downloads

Please use the button below for all downloads, including study guides, schedules, book lists, and more.

Admission requirements

General criteria

Admission to the Social Work and Development program is granted to the applicant who has the following:

1. HAVO diploma;
2. VWO diploma;
3. EPI (MBO) Level 4 diploma;
4. Bachelor’s degree in a different field;

Prospective candidates must score a 79 on the Test Of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or 115 Duolingo. HAVO & VWO Students with English grades 8 or higher do not need TOEFL or Duolingo.

Am I required to take SAT and TOEFL?

For more information contact the Office of Student Affairs.

Colloquium Doctum

Anyone who has reached age 21 and does not meet the above-mentioned requirements can be admitted to the Social Work and Development program by demonstrating sufficient general development and suitability for following education at the program by taking an admission test (Colloquium Coctum exam) which the University of Aruba offers.

An exemption from the Colloquium Doctum exam may sometimes be granted based on prior education. More information can be obtained from the Dean. In case of an exemption from a Colloquium Doctum exam, the Faculty Council provides no Colloquium Doctum statement.

Anyone uncertain whether their diploma gives them access to the University of Aruba or whether or not a partial exemption can be granted from the Colloquium Doctum exam can contact the Department of Education of Aruba (Directie Onderwijs) at telephone (297) 528-3400.

More information about the Colloquium Doctum exam, including information about the courses of the exam, registration for the exam, the Colloquium Doctum regulations, and the possibility of obtaining an exemption for courses from the Colloquium Doctum exam (note, this does not concern the possibility of exemption from the Colloquium Doctum exam as mentioned above), the method where the exam is taken, and the dates of the exam can be obtained through the Office of Student Affairs.

Non-degree certificate program

You can audit a course or participate in the bachelor program without matriculating as a UA student. As a participant in the non-degree certificate program (“toehoorder”) you will not take part in the final exams of the courses taken. At the request of the participant, a statement will be issued containing a summary of the subjects taken, the period during which these took place, and in the case of a positive result, the subjects in which the participant passed the aptitude test. The aptitude test does not have the status of an exam, nor can a positive completion of the aptitude test be converted into registration as a UA student. Nor will it count as an exemption from that course if a participant later applies to the Bachelor’s degree program as a UA student.

For more detailed information about tuition and registration for the non-degree certificate program, please get in touch with the Office of Student Affairs.

Study program overview

Language of instruction

The SW&D program is Multilingual.

Tuition fees

*International students are non-Dutch passport holders who have resided in Aruba for less than 5 years.

Important dates

Deadline first payment: September 1

Deadline second payment: January 15

Study program structure

The Social Work and Development Bachelor of Arts program is a full-time, 4-year applied science (HBO) program. Each academic year is divided into two semesters: August to January and February to June. Each semester consists of 14 weeks of classes, followed by a final exam period.

You will find an overview of the schedule in the academic Year Calendar.

Academic program

The following gives an overview of the academic courses offered in the Bachelor’s degree program, including the total credits per course subject. In addition, the Study Guide describes each course with its lecturer(s) and the prescribed or recommended literature.

For each academic year, 60 credits (EC) should be obtained.

A detailed description of the study program’s course subjects can be found in the Study Guide or in the course catalog of OSIRIS.

Graduation requirements

Students shall be eligible for graduation upon completing 240 ECs, represented by a project.

Quality Assurance

Accreditation is a quality label granted formally by an independent authority to an academic and professional program that meets the required standards related to a Bachelor’s or Master’s level. Over the last four years, the UA has invited the NVAO (“Nederlands Vlaamse Accreditatie Organisatie”) to evaluate its programs against international Bachelor and Master degree standards. To meet national and international standards for higher education, the curriculum of SW&D is set up so that the accreditation application can be submitted by 2026. An accredited diploma offers students the opportunity to work in various roles within the field of social work without any obstacles and obtain an international master’s degree.

NVAO positive institutional audit decision Bachelor Social Work and Development

Course materials

Books

Prescribed textbooks for each unit of study are listed in your Study Guide, Book List, or on the UA Bookstore webpage.

You can purchase your textbooks in a number of ways:

The UA Bookstore at the University of Aruba

The UA Bookstore offers an inventory of textbooks for all faculties. The UA Bookstore also sells new study books and facilitates the sale of second-hand study books by students. If your books haven’t arrived on time you can also borrow certain study books from the UA Library. The University of Aruba’s bookstore is located in the UA Library.

The UA Bookstore online

Course readings and textbooks can be ordered online and collected later at the UA Bookstore.

Via external sources

You can also purchase your study books from other sources, such as second-hand books or online bookstores from the US or the Netherlands. Please take into account that books purchased online can take a couple of weeks to arrive. Buy your textbooks and readers early to make sure you have all your required reading material at the start of the school year.

The total cost of books for the complete Bachelor’s degree program is approximately AWG. 2.000,-

Other course materials

All study materials compiled by the teachers will be made available via the electronic learning environment StOnE. Every registered student is also provided with an email address of the UA which is used to communicate with you. The curriculum of the Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and Development also includes the production of written papers. It is advisable to purchase a laptop or tablet for this study program.

Digital Tools

Study program digital resources

Important information about this study program can be found in the Study Guide. Study Guide provides helpful details about the University, the study program, and essential information for every stage of the student journey, from registration, to assessment, to graduation.

You can also consult the Year Calendar, Course Schedules, Book List, and other essential documents relating to the program of study for more detailed information.

Library Databases

The UA library may be of assistance in providing you access to digital databases to quickly find relevant scholarly information you can use in research papers or other course projects. The databases available via the UA Library grant you access to countless journals, articles, and digital books.

StOnE

The Faculty of Arts & Science has an electronic learning environment, the University of Aruba Study Online Environment (StOnE). You can access StOnE via stone.ua.aw with your username and password. This information is made available after your final registration. For any questions, you can contact the helpdesk via StOnE@ua.aw

With StOnE you can:

• Easily access course content – browse the content of your courses, even when offline.
• Connect with course participants – quickly find and contact other people in your courses.
• Keep up to date – receive instant notifications of messages and other events, such as assignment submissions.
• Submit assignments – Upload images, audio, videos and other files from your mobile device.
• Track your progress – View your grades, check completion progress in courses and browse your learning plans.

Course material and assignments are made available by the lecturer of the course via StOnE. Other important announcements are also sent via StOnE or distributed via your UA email address. To ensure that you are sufficiently informed of the ins and outs of the study program you are expected to consult StOnE and your email address regularly to stay informed of any notifications.

OSIRIS

OSIRIS is a Student Progress Tracking System, in which all information regarding your studies and study progress is stored from the moment of your first registration up to and including your graduation. All UA students have an OSIRIS account as soon as they are fully enrolled and are admitted to the UA.

We recommend downloading the OSIRIS app on your phone so that you can stay up to date with your grades, your schedule and can have easy access to registration for courses and exams. Students must register to take courses via OSIRIS. Consult the course schedule to see when each course is given. This registration is mandatory!

You can log in here or via the OSIRIS Mobile App (available via the Google Play Store or Apple Store). For more information regarding your grades, course schedules, missing information, or other education-related issues to be found in OSIRIS, please contact the Office of Educational Affairs (OEA), in charge of the educational administration of students, at oea@ua.aw.

To gain access to OSIRIS you need a username and password. This information will be made known to you at the start of your studies. Your username for OSIRIS is your student number, your password is your UA network password (the same password you use in the Computer Lab or Library). If you encounter problems logging in, you may have to reset your password. During office hours you can do this at the reception of the main campus at UA.

For further assistance regarding technical problems you can contact the Computer Center at cc@ua.aw or by telephone at (297) 526-2252, or (297) 526-2253.

G Suite

G Suite is a set of cloud computing, productivity, and collaboration tools, software, and products developed by Google. Every registered student will obtain access to their own G Suite account and can make use of its email (Gmail), cloud storage (Google Drive with a capacity of 30GB), and other tools, such as Google Docs. This eliminates the need to use external storage devices such as USB sticks during your studies, minimizing the risks of viruses and losing your data. G Suite also allows you to access your information from any computer, eliminating the need to sync your data on different computers. The data on G Suite is available from your smartphone, tablet, laptop, or computer.

Your student email will be attached to your G Suite account. Important announcements are distributed via your student email. You are expected to consult your email regularly to stay up to date with student affairs and notifications.

For any questions relating to your G Suite account, you can contact the Computer Center at cc@ua.aw or by telephone at (297) 526-2252 or (297) 526-2253.

Application and practical matters

How to apply?

Thinking of applying to our University? It only takes 2 minutes.

Our online registration opens from May 15th until July 15th. To apply visit our homepage and click on the online registration link, which will be visible during the registration period. You will be directed to the application portal Osiris. If you’re a new student, create an account and submit your application. Once you have submitted your application, you’ll receive an email confirmation and instructions on how to submit any required hard-copy documents to the University.

The deadline for submission of your application is July 15. The University of Aruba reserves the right to deny any application submitted after the deadline.

Maximum registration period

The Bachelor’s degree program can be completed in a minimum of four years. You can be enrolled as a student for the Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and Development for a maximum of six years. This period starts on the day after the registration is completed. In exceptional cases, it is possible to deviate from the established deadlines. For an extension, you must send a written request to the Board of Trustees of the University of Aruba.

Practical information

For more practical information about student life at UA, the facilities the university offers, and information about your registration or changes in your personal information, please contact the Office of Student Affairs. You can also browse our website, or consult your Study Guide.

Collaborate with the UA

The University of Aruba can offer organizations interns, training, and research possibilities. If your organization would like to collaborate with the UA, please click on the button to fill in the form.

To get an overview what Social Work and Development does in research, download the SW&D Alumni research topics file.