Welcome, Prospective Students!
The School of Social Work offers graduate degrees in social work (M.S.W. and Ph.D.), an undergraduate major in youth studies, and undergraduate minors in family violence prevention, youth studies and social justice.
Undergraduate Major
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Youth Studies
Youth studies is an interdisciplinary program that can prepare graduates for work in community youth development and human services fields, with a focus on serving urban and marginalized young people. This 120-credit program includes interdisciplinary course work in understanding and working with youth and a strong field-learning component. The youth studies program provides a strong foundation for advanced study in social work, education, and public policy.
Graduate Programs
Master of Social Work (M.S.W.)
The M.S.W. program prepares students to enter advanced social work practice and for leadership in direct and community practice. The curriculum emphasizes social justice, the value of human diversity and the empowerment of oppressed people, and stresses practice that focuses on client strengths and problem-solving capacities to foster change at multiple levels.
Dual Master's Degrees
In collaboration with the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, the
School offers the Master of Social Work/Master of Public Policy (M.S.W./M.P.P.)
and the Master of Social Work/Master of Urban and Regional Planning (M.S.W./M.U.R.P.)
In collaboration with the School of Public Health, the School offers the Master of Social Work/Master of Public Health (M.S.W./M.P.H.).
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
The Ph.D. program prepares students to contribute to the knowledge base of the social work profession and to work toward a just, nurturing, and inclusive society. The program emphasizes advanced scholarship, theory development, policy analysis, and research design and application.
Undergraduate Minors
Family Violence Prevention
This 15-credit interdisciplinary program is intended for students who want to strengthen their educational experience with a research base and a set of practical skills in family violence. Courses are designed to teach students in fields related to social services, education, health care, and other direct-service fields about issues related to child abuse and neglect, adult domestic violence, elder abuse, and intergenerational abuse.
Social Justice
This 18-credit interdisciplinary program offers students the opportunity to both theorize about the meanings of social justice and to practice "doing" social justice advocacy in community organizations. The minor is grounded in the belief in equity and fairness in every aspect of human experience, and in the importance of recognizing the struggles for liberation and the social movements of many peoples globally.
Youth Studies
This 16-credit University-wide minor combines related undergraduate courses in anthropology, child psychology, family social science, recreation/park and leisure studies, and sociology. It builds on the work done over 30 years by the Center for Youth Development and Research and the youth studies program in the School of Social Work. It explores the complex issues that make up our interest, concern, and response to young people - as community, as adults, and as youth.