Mission and Specializations

Program Mission Statement

The MSW program at St. Joseph’s University prepares students to work as professional social workers as generalist and specialized practitioners with a commitment to social justice, diversity, elimination of poverty and other forms of inequality, and individual and community empowerment and well-being both locally and globally. We accomplish this by employing a person-in-environment perspective, the strength’s perspective and through our focus on the inherent worth and dignity of all and the importance of human relationships to the field of social work and those we serve. 

Through a process of scholarly inquiry grounded in the liberal arts, designed to foster critical thinking, and inclusive of a variety of prevention and intervention modalities, our students engage in critical examination of social work knowledge, skills and values to become practitioners focused on ensuring human rights for all. Consistent with our institutional mission, the MSW program at St. Joseph’s University includes a focus on integrity, intellectual and spiritual values and an overarching commitment to serve our neighbors, both locally and globally and at micro, mezzo and macro levels of practice, to improve the quality of life for all.

Specialization

Area of Specialized Practice: Clinical Practice

The Clinical Practice specialization within our MSW program will build upon the generalist skills developed during the first half of coursework in the MSW program.  Skills.  Students will expand upon their generalist practice knowledge base to incorporate social work knowledge, skills and research related to micro practice in clinical settings.  Coursework will focus on the nine core social work competencies in micro practice in clinical settings and students will demonstrate competency in each of the four dimensions of all nine social work competencies through their required coursework.  In addition to the required specialized coursework, students in the specialization must choose 12 additional credits (4 courses) of the identified electives for the Community Practice specialization to supplement their required coursework in the clinical practice specialization.

Curriculum and Courses

The MSW program at St. Joseph's University, New York prepares students to work in the field of professional social work as generalist and clinical practitioners with a commitment to social justice, diversity, and individual and community empowerment.

View Curriculum and Course Descriptions

View Sample Curriculum Schedule