Social Work
School of Social Work
Director: Stephen C. Burke, Ph.D.
Master of Social Work Mission Statement
The Marywood University School of Social Work M.S.W. Program, rooted in the University’s core values of Catholic identity, respect, empowerment, service, and excellence, is committed to an accessible education which prepares advanced, ethical social work practitioners and leaders. Utilizing a social justice lens and a global perspective, the program prepares culturally responsive social work practitioners to provide competent, evidence-informed, interprofessional collaborative services to diverse client systems, with particular attention to the oppressed and marginalized. The program is dedicated to creating an inclusive learning environment which values diversity and difference.
Curriculum Structure
The Master of Social Work curriculum is organized as an integrated whole, including foundation and advanced specialized content. It is designed to prepare graduates for culturally responsive, evidence-informed, ethical, interprofessional integrated social work practice. Each semester builds upon knowledge from the previous semester, and the completion of the foundation content is preparatory to advanced content specialization.
A system of themes are integrated throughout the curriculum to form a foundation based upon the ecological perspective, social work values and ethics, appreciation of diversity, social and economic justice, the strengths perspective, professional use of self, systematic mode of inquiry, and populations at risk.