School of Social Work
The School of Social Work, successor to the Division of Social Work in the Department of Sociology of the University, was founded in September 1938. The school shares with the University a commitment to the advancement and application of knowledge. The school prepares social work students for competent professional practice and research, seeking to maximize human development, human dignity, social justice, and social equity for diverse populations. The school is dedicated to achieving excellence in scholarship through teaching, community service, research, and the dissemination of knowledge.
The mission of the School of Social Work is to advance knowledge and to apply that knowledge for the fulfillment of human potential through the prevention and amelioration of social problems. The school is committed to promoting the values of social and economic justice. Recognizing the complexities of contemporary society, the school dedicates itself through its educational, research, and public service activities to advocating for a society that respects the dignity and achievement of all individuals, families, and communities.
In furtherance of its mission, the School of Social Work strives to:
- Educate professional social workers with the knowledge, skills, and values needed to engage in culturally competent practice with diverse populations and communities, to critically analyze personal, familial, and environmental factors affecting practice settings and practice techniques, and to advocate for those who confront barriers to maximizing the achievement of their fullest potential.
- Engage in scholarly activities that contribute to professional knowledge about complex social problems and innovative approaches to ameliorate those problems.
- Provide service to local, national, and international communities through the development of and participation in collaborations with social agencies, community-based organizations, government, and foundations.
The school offers a full continuum of social work educational programs at the undergraduate, master's, and doctoral levels (as well as a continuing education program for practicing social workers). The school's bachelor's and master's programs in social work are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, and graduates are eligible for full membership in the National Association of Social Workers.
Degree Options
The School of Social Work offers the Master of Social Work (MSW) and the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees. MSW students may combine their degree work with course work leading to a certificate. In addition, the School of Social Work has joint and cooperative degree options with other schools in the University as well as external institutions. The degree options include:
- Skill Concentrations (one is required)
- Direct Practice with Individuals, Families, and Groups
- Community Organization and Social Administration
(COSA)
- Specializations (Within Direct Practice; optional)
- Children, Youth, and Families
- Health
- Mental Health
- University Certificate (optional)
- PA Department of Education
- Home and School Visitor/School of Social Work
- School Certificates
(optional)
- Child Welfare Certificate (within Direct Practice)
- Human Services Management (within COSA)
- MSW/Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (concurrent with COSA) (MPA or MPIA)
- MSW/Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (MDIV)
- MSW/Hebrew Union College (MA)
- MSW/Social Work (PhD)
- PhD/Graduate School of Public Health (MPH)
Postgraduate University Certificate Programs
- Family and Marital Therapy
- Employee Assistance Program
Specific details regarding course requirements are described in this bulletin and on the School of Social Work Web site and in the Student Handbook.
Admissions
Admission to the MSW and PhD programs is for fall term (September) only. Applicants seeking full-time or part-time admission should submit the application far in advance of their expected entry into the program; all application materials are due no later than May 1 for the MSW program and February 1 for the PhD program of the year in which entry is expected. Applications are reviewed only upon receipt of all required materials. Application forms are available from:
- School of Social Work
- Office of Admissions
- 2104 Cathedral Of Learning
- 412-624-6302
- E-mail: elainssw@pitt.edu
- www.pitt.edu/~pittssw/admissions.html
-
- Online applications are accepted at : http://app.applyyourself.com/?id=up-sw
For more specifics on admissions requirements for the MSW or the PhD, consult the description of the relevant degree program.
Admission of Students from Other Countries
The School of Social Work welcomes applications from students in other countries whose credentials meet the requirements and the standards of the School of Social Work and the Office of lnternational Services of the University.
MSW and PhD applicants from other countries must apply directly to the School of Social Work. Applicants must submit the completed application form, additional required forms, and other required materials in English. Additional University of Pittsburgh application procedures for international students are described at www.umc.pitt.edu/bulletins/graduate/application.htm. Other information and assistance for international students can be found online at www.ois.pitt.edu/oisstudinfo.html#hand.
For MSW applicants only: International students who hold a baccalaureate degree in social work from a program that is not accredited by the Council on Social Work Education and who are interested in obtaining advanced standing credit must submit their transcript to the council for a determination of equivalency. Further Information can be found online at www.cswe.org.
Financial Assistance
Students interested in financial assistance to meet tuition and/or living costs should direct inquiries to both the Office of Admissions of the School of Social Work and the University's Office of Admissions and Financial Aid.
Students should be advised that limited resources often preclude any one funding source from granting awards that meet total financial needs. As a result, students are strongly encouraged to seek financial aid packages consisting of partial awards (including loans and scholarships) from a variety of sources, including the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid in Alumni Hall (412-624-PITT) and the School of Social Work Financial Aid Sources, Office of Admissions, Room 2104 Cathedral of Learning (412-624-6302; www.pitt.edu/~pittssw). See also the University-wide information on Financial Aid.
Applications for financial assistance are accepted only after an admissions decision has been made. Awards are made for a one-year period. New applications are required for each succeeding period.
Academic Standards
The School of Social Work's expectations for student and faculty conduct are described in school policies and embody the standards of professional social work. Students in the School of Social Work are required to adhere to the NASW Code of Ethics.
Academic Review Policy
The school maintains an academic review policy that applies to all degree students in the school and that seeks to ensure academic standards of achievement (i.e., satisfactory performance in the field, satisfactory grades for academic course work, and reasonable rates of progress toward completion of degree requirements). The policy statement on academic review appears in the Student Handbook or online at www.pitt.edu/~pittssw/downloads/academicreview.pdf.
Academic Integrity Policy
The school also has an academic integrity policy that applies to all students and faculty members in the school and seeks to ensure that students and faculty members respect the ethical standards expected of them in the performance of their duties and responsibilities. The policy statement on academic integrity appears in the School of Social Work Student Handbook or online at www.pitt.edu/~pittssw/downloads/academicintegrity.pdf.
Statute of Limitations for School of Social Work Degrees and Leaves of Absence
MSW Program
There is a four-year limitation on the earning of the MSW degree. The four-year period is counted from the date of entry into the program for four full academic calendar years. Under extenuating circumstances (listed below), an advisor can recommend an extension of time to the MSW program director and the associate dean for academic affairs. If approved, the period of extension and the conditions for completing the program will be recorded in the student’s folder, with a copy sent to the student. Extenuating circumstances include the following:
- extended illness of the student,
- extended personal emergency,
- involuntary mobilization into a U.S. military unit, and
- death of a close family member.
Under special conditions, MSW students may be granted one leave of absence. A maximum leave of one full academic year may be granted to master’s students. A student wishing to take a leave of absence must submit in advance to the MSW program director a written request that indicates the length and rationale for the leave. The MSW program director and the associate dean for academic affairs will review the request. If approved, the time of the leave will not count against the total time allowed for the degree being sought by the student. Readmission following an approved leave of absence is a formality.
PhD Program
There is an eight-year statute of limitations for the completion of the PhD for students who enter with an MSW and who are not pursuing an MPH. There is a 10-year statute of limitations for students in the MSW/PhD program or the MPH/PhD program. Course work and the comprehensive examinations should be completed within three years and the dissertation within five. Under exceptional circumstances, a candidate for the PhD may apply for an extension of the statute of limitations. Requests for an extension of the statute of limitations must be submitted to the doctoral program director and must be approved by the doctoral committee and the dean. The request must be accompanied by a program assessment of the work required of the student to complete the degree and evidence of the extenuating circumstances leading to the requested extension. Students who request an extension of the statute of limitations must demonstrate proper preparation for the completion of all current degree requirements.
Under special conditions, doctoral students may be granted one leave of absence. A maximum leave of two academic calendar years may be granted to doctoral students. A student wishing to take a leave of absence must submit in advance to the doctoral program director a written request that indicates the length and rationale for the leave. The doctoral program director and the associate dean for academic affairs will review the request. If approved, the time of the leave will not count against the total time allowed for the degree being sought by the student. Readmission following an approved leave of absence is a formality.
NASW Code of Ethics
Professional ethics are at the core of social work. The profession has an obligation to articulate its basic values, ethical principles, and ethical standards. The NASW Code of Ethics sets forth these values, principles, and standards to guide social workers' conduct. The Code is relevant to all social workers and social work students, regardless of their professional functions, the settings in which they work, or the populations they serve. The NASW code of ethics can be viewed online at www.naswdc.org/pubs/code/default.asp.
Advising
Students are assigned a faculty advisor at the beginning of the student’s matriculation into the MSW or PhD program. Students in the MSW program are assigned an advisor from among the faculty and professional staff. The assignment is made by the MSW program director and remains in effect until changed after a request by an advisor or advisee, as indicated by field assignment or program change, or due to a change in the advisor’s assignment.
MSW and PhD Degree Requirements
The Master of Social Work (MSW) degree can be completed in two academic calendar years of full-time study and requires the satisfactory completion of a minimum of 58 credits—40 class and 18 field practicum. Candidates for the MSW degree must demonstrate successful completion of the required foundation courses, concentration-specific courses, and field practicum, and must have a minimum overall GPA of 3.00.
The PhD program requires the completion of 42–47 additional graduate credits beyond the master's degree (a minimum total of 72 credits), or a minimum of 77 graduate credits for those entering the joint MSW/PhD program. PhD credits include 10 core courses and one policy elective, plus a minimum of six graduate electives.
In addition to the MSW and PhD degrees, graduate students in the School of Social Work have the opportunity to select from several unique dual degree programs. MSW students can avail themselves of one of the three joint or cooperative degree programs; two joint degree programs are available to PhD students.
Detailed below are joint degree programs offered by the School of Social Work in tandem with the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, and the Hebrew Union College School of Jewish Communal Service.
MSW/Master of Public Administration, MSW/Master of Public and International Affairs
Two innovative joint degree programs are offered by the School of Social Work and the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA). Students entering these programs can earn master's degrees from both the School of Social Work and GSPIA. In the School of Social Work, students would pursue the Community Organization and Social Administration (COSA) concentration. In GSPIA, students have the option of pursuing a Master of Public Administration or a Master of Public and International Affairs.
These joint programs offer students a broad educational program that prepares them for eventual employment in public sector, community organization, or human service agency administration; community development or social policy planning and analysis; and a host of other combinations of such service positions. The joint programs provide students with additional opportunities to expand their knowledge base and to develop more marketable professional skills than are usually acquired through single-degree programs.
Degree candidates must meet the minimum foundation, core, and specialized requirements of both schools, except where substitutions are appropriate and approved by the academic advisors. Depending upon which joint degree program the student elects, the total number of credits required for graduation ranges from 72 to 80 credits. For most students, this means that individual programs can be completed within six to seven terms of full-time residency. Students electing to terminate the joint degree program before its completion must complete all the work required by the respective schools for either degree in order to receive that degree separately. Applications for admission are processed individually by each school.
Requests for further information concerning the Graduate School of
Public and International Affairs may be addressed
to Admissions, Registration, and Financial
Aid in 3407 Wesley W. Posvar Hall (412-648-7640). See
also the Graduate School of Public and International
Affairs section.
Master of Social Work/Master of Divinity
Social work and theology have many historical, philosophical, and applied commonalties. In an effort to integrate the two educational experiences and prepare professionals competent to integrate their practice skills, the School of Social Work, in cooperation with the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, has developed a cooperative degree program leading to the Master of Social Work and Master of Divinity degrees.
This program provides a full social work and theological education that may be completed in four years by virtue of mutual and reciprocal educational planning between the institutions. Candidates for the degrees normally enter the seminary and concentrate on theological studies during the first two years of the program. The third and fourth years are spent primarily in the School of Social Work with approximately one course each term being taken at the seminary. Students electing to terminate the cooperative degree program before its completion must complete all the work required by the respective institutions for either degree in order to receive that degree separately. Applications for admission are processed independently by each institution.
Requests for further information concerning the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and its various programs may be addressed to the Director of Admissions, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, 616 North Highland Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15206, or call 412-362-5610, ext. 2116. The seminary's Web site is www.pts.edu.
Master of Social Work/Master of Arts in Jewish Communal Services
The University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work and the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) Irwin Daniels School of Jewish Communal Service have collaborated in offering a cooperative degree program for the education of people interested in professional social work careers in Jewish communal service. Career opportunities for such professionally educated staff persons include homes for the aged, councils and federations, community centers, family and children’s service agencies, vocational and employment services, Hillel foundations, hospitals, and residential treatment centers, among others.
Students in this cooperative degree program begin their studies in Los Angeles for a period of 15 months. Their study commences with a seven-week summer session at the Daniels School. They then matriculate during the fall and spring terms at the University of Southern California (USC) School of Social Work, where, as “visiting students,” they complete their first year of social work education. During this time, students continue their HUC course and field requirements. All field placements are made within the Jewish community, in conjunction with the School of Social Work and in compliance with USC’s requirements involving a first year clinical social work experience. During the following summer, students complete their HUC-JIR requirements.
Students complete the second year of this program in Pittsburgh. In the fall of their second year, students enroll in the MSW Program at the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work to complete their MSW degree requirements. In addition to didactic course work, students have a second placement in an agency within the Jewish community focusing on direct service delivery or community organization and social administration.
Students must be admitted to both programs in order to qualify for admission to the cooperative degree program. Degree candidates must meet the minimum foundation, concentration, and specialized requirements of both schools, except where substitutions are appropriate and approved by the faculty advisors. Students electing to terminate the cooperative degree program before its completion must complete all the work required by the respective schools for either degree in order to receive that degree separately.
Requests for further information concerning Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion may be addressed to:
Office of Admissions
Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion
3077 University Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90007
213-749-3424
1-800-899-0925
PhD Joint Degree Programs
The School of Social Work offers two joint degree programs to PhD students: one leading to the MSW and the PhD and another with the Graduate School of Public Health. (Separate applications are required for either MSW or MPH admission.)
Dual MSW-PhD Program
Each year, a small number of entering PhD students come into the doctoral program in social work with a master's degree in a field other than social work (e.g., sociology, psychology, urban affairs). Such students may be interested in earning a master's degree in social work for any number of reasons, such as:
- The desire to develop a richer background in social work practice than can be obtained solely in the doctoral program
- An interest in gaining some practice experience in social work, coupled with the theoretical underpinnings of substantive and skills-oriented courses, in preparation for a position in social work administration
- A career goal in social work research, wherein the researcher needs to be knowledgeable about and identified with the social work enterprise
- A career goal in social work education: teaching on the undergraduate and/or graduate level in social work
To accommodate these needs, a dual degree MSW/PhD program has been created. Students must apply and be admitted to each program.
Joint MPH-PhD Option
Students in the joint Master of Public Health/PhD program must be admitted to the Graduate School of Public Health as well as to the doctoral program in the School of Social Work. Course requirements for both programs must be fulfilled.
Students in the joint MPH/PhD program generally apply 12 credits from the MPH curriculum toward their elective course work for the PhD.
Special Academic Opportunities
The school offers several academic resources and programs for its students, as detailed below:
Student Participation on School Committees
Students have opportunities to participate in the governance of the School of Social Work by serving on school committees. Information about the purposes and functions of the committees is distributed during the beginning of each fall term. Through the Office of the Associate Dean for Admissions and Student Affairs, students can volunteer to serve on committees and become full members of those committees.
Student Executive Council (SEC)
All degree students in the School of Social Work comprise the membership of the student organization that elects the Student Executive Council. The council concerns itself with student life and serves as a liaison with the administration and faculty.
The Student Executive Council relies heavily on student participation and it endeavors to be of service to the student body. Activities include the publication of a student newsletter, the development of discussion sessions around critical social issues, the provision of opportunities for social action, the participation in planning for orientation, and the planning of a variety of social events.
In addition, SEC members, representing the student body, are appointed to serve in the following organizations and/or committees: Black Action Society; Student Chapter, NASW; Student Chapter, NABSW; Alumni Association (Liaison); BASW Club; and Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA).
Black Action Society (BAS)
The primary purpose of the Black Action Society is to provide a supportive service system to African American students in the School of Social Work. It is the hope of the Black Action Society that through its continued efforts and the cooperation of the Office of Student Affairs, African American students who matriculate in the School of Social Work will contribute significantly to the well being of the African American community as well as the general community.
Buhl Library
The Buhl Library of Social Work is a special collection of books, journals, and other resource materials specifically focused on social work. The Buhl Library is located on the first floor of Hillman Library and is staffed by a full-time social work librarian. Additionally, students at the School of Social Work have full access to the wide range of services provided by the University of Pittsburgh library system.
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