Programs

The Social Work program at SRU prepares students for engaging in culturally competent generalist practice with individuals, groups, families, communities and organizations. SRU offers both an undergraduate (BSSW) degree as well as a graduate (MSW) degree.

While Pennsylvania requires a master's degree to become a licensed social worker, some states license social workers holding a bachelor's degree. Since requirements vary by state, please check with the licensing board in the state you intend to practice.

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Bachelor of Science in Social Work (BSW)

Slippery Rock University’s Bachelor of Science in Social Work (BSW) degree program prepares students for a successful career changing lives in their communities. Whether they become social workers, counselors, or any number of possible career positions, BSW graduates make a positive impact on the world. Social Work is the perfect major for individuals passionate about sparking societal change and helping people function successfully in their environments.

The Social Work degree program at SRU is accredited by the Council of Social Work Education . We also offer a minor in Social Work. This is an 18-credit minor that encompasses crucial coursework, including Child Welfare and Crisis Intervention. Read More...

BSSW Program’s Mission Statement

The mission of the Baccalaureate Social Work Program at Slippery Rock University is to prepare competent and effective generalist social work practitioners committed to advancing the profession, providing service to society and problem solving through research-based practice.

The goals of the BSSW Program are:

To prepare professionals to be competent and effective in generalist social work practice through the mastery of the nine core competencies identified by the Council on Social Work Education.
To prepare professionals who are committed to providing services grounded in the values of the social work profession.
To prepare professionals who are responsive to the changing contexts of increasingly diverse communities.

Masters of Social Work (MSW)

Slippery Rock University's (SRU) Master of Social Work (MSW) is a 60-credit program, or 39-credits for advanced standing (Advanced standing students are those with a BSW from a CSWE-accredited program). Built on the foundation of SRU's successful Bachelor of Social Work, the program nurtures the passion to help others while providing rigorous academic courses that enable students to translate their passion into best practices. The program is designed in response to growing need for trained social workers, and to meet the requirements of the Council of Social Work Education (CSWE).

MSW Program’s Mission Statement

The mission of the MSW program at Slippery Rock University (SRU) is to prepare ethical and effective clinical practitioners grounded in the generalist perspectives. Graduates will be committed to service that promotes well-being and enhances the quality of life at every level in society. The dominant practice perspective graduates will adopt is the person-in-environment framework that focuses on the impact of reciprocal influences between the environment and human beings.

The SRU MSW program has access to rural, urban, and international education opportunities. Our mission includes preparing practitioners who will be capable of culturally appropriate practice with diverse populations. Our graduates will be committed to advancing the profession through scientific inquiry and practice wisdom. Our graduates will be committed to continuous problem-solving through lifelong education, and committed to community engagement, and advocacy.

MSW Specialization: Advanced Clinical Practice with Children, Adults & Families

The specialization in advanced clinical practice with children, adults, and families builds on content in the generalist foundation curriculum to further develop students’ abilities to engage, assess, and intervene with client systems. The specialization further expands students’ ability to engage in evidence-based practice, critically examine the effectiveness of clinical interventions, and engage in social work research that examines social phenomenon and policy.

Curriculum guide Social Work, Master of Social Work (MSW)

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Accreditation

BSSW Program
The BSSW program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), the profession’s national accrediting body. This organization requires SRU to offer courses on social welfare issues and policies, social work practice skills, basic research methods along with a background in liberal arts. In fulfilling the academic requirements for social work, students must also uphold the values of the profession of social work as expressed in the National Association of Social Workers’ Code of Ethics. The CSWE requires the program to assess their performance on all core competencies. The program continually assesses its performance and uses the data to continually improve and enhance the curriculum. View our most recent assessment.

MSW Program
The University’s social work programs are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education’s (CSWE) Board of Accreditation. Accreditation by CSWE indicates that the SRU MSW program meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of program quality evaluated through a peer review process. The program has sufficient resources to meet its mission and goals and the Board of Accreditation has verified that the SRU MSW program demonstrates compliance with all sections of the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards. Accreditation applies to all program sites and program delivery methods of the SRU MSW Program. Contact the MSW Program Director or the Director of Institutional Assessment & Accreditation with questions related to accreditation and licensure. View our most recent assessment data.

MSW Transfer Students

It is the policy of the MSW Program to accept social work credits from other institutions if sufficient information exists to determine that the course satisfied the competency and practice behavior requirements of a required course at SRU and comes from a CSWE accredited program.

BSSW Transfer Students

If you started your education at another institution and want to transfer to SRU's social work program, check out SRU's transfer course evaluation. The program generally accepts credits earned for: Introduction Social Work, Diversity, Human Behavior in the Social Environment, and Social Welfare if taught at a designated Pennsylvania community college, or another CSWE accredited social work program. We work with individuals who have earned associate degrees or taken courses at other schools to receive credit for comparable coursework. The Program does not grant social work course credit for life experience or previous work experience.

BSW Complementary Minors

Students often opt to select a minor to complement their undergraduate social work degree. A few common choices include: animal-assisted intervention, criminology/criminal justice and gerontology.

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