The Department of Social Work at the University of Memphis offers two degree programs. The Bachelors of Arts in Social Work program is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).  The Master of Social Work program is in candidacy for CSWE accreditation.

The goal of the BASW program is to train entry-level social workers for generalist practice.  The program defines “generalist social work” as a comprehensive orientation to all client problems, and a comprehensive approach to the range of client systems.

The mission of the MSW Program is to educate advanced professional social workers for practice with at-risk populations, particularly children and families.  The program’s many goals include producing graduates who possess advanced knowledge, values and skills to provide leadership with and on behalf of children and families.

Field placement is essential to both the Bachelors and Master degree programs in the Department of Social Work, as a way to help students integrate their academic learning and to understand and develop good social work skills for entering the profession.

The Department of Social Work is housed in the School of Urban Affairs & Public Policy (SUAPP) and is part of the College of Arts & Sciences.

 University of Memphis

Department of Social Work

Diversity Statement

The Department of Social Work is committed to embracing diversity in every aspect of our functioning and programming. We understand diversity as the intersection of multiple factors including age, class, color, culture, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity and expression, immigration status, national origin, political ideology, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, and veteran status. We make a concerted and deliberate effort to include a diverse student body and faculty across all axes of difference. We endeavor to create a welcoming environment of inclusiveness and respect for difference not only in background and demographics, but in point of view and opinion.

The Department recognizes and strives to challenge social, political, and economic injustice. We recognize that oppression and discrimination operate through varying mechanisms and take varying forms. We respect the inherent dignity and worth of each person and we are committed to advancing the human rights of all people.We ensure broad experiential learning around diversity through academic processes, community partnerships, research, and community service.

Announcements:

Congratulations to our faculty and MSW students whose proposals were accepted to the CSWE 2012 Annual Program Meeting (APM). The APM is scheduled to be held November 9-12, in Washington, DC.

The Department of Social Work is happy to announce

the following appointments effective 2012-2013 academic year:

Dr. Steven Soifer-Department Chair

Dr. Susan Elswick-MSW Field Director

Dr. Gary Schneider- BA Program Coordinator