University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work

Last updated
University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work
Type Public
Established1918
DeanElizabeth M.Z. Farmer
Academic staff
30
Undergraduates 700
Postgraduates 500
Location
Pittsburgh
,
Pennsylvania
,
USA
CampusOakland (Main)
Website
The School of Social Work is headquartered on the 20th through 23rd floors of the Cathedral of Learning Cathedral of Learning-TJG.jpg
The School of Social Work is headquartered on the 20th through 23rd floors of the Cathedral of Learning

The University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work, one of the 13 schools and colleges within the University of Pittsburgh, is located in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Its offices are in the world-famous Cathedral of Learning, a forty-story, Gothic style edifice that is the signature building of the university.

Contents

The School of Social Work offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in social work. The master's program at the school is ranked 17th in the nation according to the US News and World Report's Best Social Work Graduate Schools. [1] The school's doctoral program Social Work was created in 1945 and is the second oldest social work doctoral program in the nation. The school also administers the statewide Child Welfare Education and Research Programs from the Oakland Campus and the Child Welfare Resource Center for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. [2]

History

The School of Social Work at the University of Pittsburgh was formed in 1918 as a division of the university's School of Economics, Department of Sociology. As part of the required accreditation process at the time, course work was offered to a cohort of students for one year before the program was first officially accredited in 1919 by the American Association of Schools of Professional Social Work (AASPSW). The AASPSW was a predecessor to the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), the current accreditor of academic social work programs. Early curricular emphases were child welfare, mental health, and community building. Seventeen faculty offered 19 courses. In 1922, the university withdrew its social work program from the AASPSW. Though social work courses continued to be offered, the formal social work program was disbanded.

In 1926, Manuel Conrad Elmer was recruited from the University of Minnesota as chair of the Department of Sociology at the University of Pittsburgh. Elmer, who received one of the first doctorates in sociology from the University of Chicago (1914), was instrumental in building and developing the Sociology Department at the University of Pittsburgh. (Elmer published his last book at age 101 in 1987.) Elmer was also committed to rebuilding the social work program at the University of Pittsburgh. In 1928, course listings in social work reappeared. In 1931, the Division of Social Work was created as a separate unit within the Department of Sociology. Students in that era earned a Master of Arts in Social Work. Also in 1931, the Division of Social Work established an Agency Advisory Committee, an Agency Advisory Committee for Group Work, an Agency Advisory Committee for Medical Social Work, and an Agency Advisory Committee for Policy Studies. In 1932, the university began the process of having its accreditation reinstated by the AASPSW, a request made formally in January 1933. In July 1933, Dr. Marion Hathway was recruited by Elmer from the University of Chicago as an assistant professor. Hathway's responsibilities were to direct the social work program, obtain accreditation for the program and to build toward the establishment of a School of Social Work separate form the Department of Sociology. In 1934, Dr. Hathway was given the title “Assistant Director of the Division of Social Work.” Also in 1934, the AASPSW approved the university's application for full membership. At that time, the program had an unduplicated enrollment of 252 students. In 1937, the AASPSW granted the university full accreditation of its social work program retroactively to 1934. In 1938, the University of Pittsburgh created the School of Applied Social Sciences as the university's 18th separate school. (Currently the university is divided into 13 colleges and schools after a number of consolidations.) Wilbur I. Newstetter became the new school's first dean in 1938 and served until 1962. Historically, the social work program has had several designations: Division of Social Work (1918–1922); Division of Social Work in the Department of Sociology (1931–1938); School of Applied Social Sciences (1938–1947); School of Social Work (1947–1957); Graduate School of Social Work (1957–1971); and the School of Social Work (1971 to the present). For the remainder of this article, the social work program will be referred to as “the School.”

During the 1930s and 1940s, the school's curriculum embraced the traditional social casework course of studies, but began immediately to create curriculum, deliver papers in such forums as the National Council of Social Work and publish articles and text books in social group work and community organization (initially called “intergroup work”) by Dean W. I. Newstetter, a major contributor to the formation of this field of specialization in social work., [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]

Also during the 1940s, Dr. Hathway spearheaded the creation of a doctoral program, secured University approval and became the program's first director in 1945. During the 1940s, a debate emerged in social work education between scholars and practitioners of two schools of thought. They were the diagnostic approach based in part on the work of Sigmund Freud and the functional approach based in part on the work of Otto Rank. [10] The University of Pittsburgh School was divided on this issue with nationally recognized proponents on both sides. Eventually, when social casework faculty member Ruth Smalley completed her Doctor of Social Work (DSW) in 1949, she left the Pittsburgh faculty to join the faculty at the University of Pennsylvania, a primarily Rankian school. Pittsburgh remained strongly in the diagnostic camp thereafter.

During the 1950s and 1960s, the school continued to expand enrollment, develop the major curricular emphases of the Master of Social Work (MSW) program (social casework, social group work and community organization), and build the doctoral program which became a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) program. Heavy emphasis in the master's program was given to child welfare, medical social work, mental health and school social work. In addition, an MSW major in research was added and a variety of joint degree programs were established. At the MSW level, these included one of the oldest joint Master of Social Work/Master of Divinity degree programs in the nation (still thriving); Master of Social Work/ Master of Jewish Communal Services; Master of Social Work/Master of Public Administration; Master of Social Work/Master of Public Health; and Master of Social Work/Juris Doctor. In addition, a joint Master of Public Health and Doctor of Philosophy was implemented.

The 1970s was another period of rapid growth in enrollment and major curricular developments. In 1973, the school abandoned the traditional social casework, social group work, community organization framework and adopted an integrated academic paradigm. This new design identified four major areas (concentrations) of study: Children, Youth and Families; Health and Mental Health; Poverty and Associated Problems; and Juvenile and Criminal Justice. Within each of these, students also selected a specialization from among Interpersonal Skills; Organization and Planning; Administration and Policy; and Research.

In 1969, a commission chaired by University of Pittsburgh Professor Erma Myerson and financed by The Heinz Endowments of Pittsburgh completed a study of the future of undergraduate social work education for the Council on Social Work. The report of this commission paved the way for accredited undergraduate social work education. However, it was not until 1973 that the University of Pittsburgh launched its own bachelor's program in social work.

Expansion of curriculum, enrollment, faculty, research and publications characterized the next 25 to 30 years. Child welfare, mental health and gerontology were the beneficiaries of extensive external support and extended their reach statewide, nationally and internationally.

In the decade beginning about 2001, a major investment was made in the development of a university Center on Race and Social Problems in the school. This center was created to foster multidisciplinary research on race related social issues, mentor scholars whose research focuses on race as a defining social problem in America, and to disseminate race related knowledge. The center focuses on race related social problems in criminal justice, economic disparities, educational disparities, health, interracial group relations, mental health, and youth families and the elderly. As parts of its work, the center publishes the professional Journal Race and Social Problems.

Academic Programs

Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW)

The BASW Program includes a liberal arts base and prepares students for entry-level generalist social work and for graduate education. The program aims to provide students with the skills needed to engage in culturally competent practice with diverse populations; promotes critical analysis of environmental factors affecting individuals, families, and communities; and promote advocacy for those who confront institutional barriers in order to prepare students for service and leadership.

Master of Social Work Program (MSW)

The MSW program is designed to provide education for advanced professional practice. The program's foundation curriculum provides the knowledge, skill development, and values that embody the generalist social work perspective. Specializations include Direct Practice with Individuals, Families, and Small Groups (Direct Practice) and Community Organization and Social Administration (COSA). Areas of focus and certificate opportunities include: Integrated Health; Children, Youth, and Families; Gerontology; Home and School Visitor/School Social Worker; Human Services Management; Mental Health; Community Organization; and Social Administration.

Doctoral Program

The social work doctoral program awarded its first degrees in 1949 and prepares students for careers in academic research, teaching, or social policy planning and administration.

Joint Degree Programs

The school offers the following joint/dual degrees: Master of Social Work/Master of Business Administration (MBA); Master of Social Work/Master of Divinity; Master of Social Work/Master of Public Administration; Master of Social Work/Master of Public and International Affairs; Master of Social Work/Master of International Development; Master of Social Work/Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Social Work; Master of Social Work/Master of Public Health; Master of Social Work/Juris Doctor; Master of Social Work with a Certificate in Secondary Education (MSW/CAST); and PhD/Master of Public Health (MPH).

Center on Race and Social Problems (CRSP)

The Center on Race and Social Problems was designed to address societal problems through research, intervention, and education. It is the first center of its kind to be housed in a school of social work and it is unique in both its multidisciplinary approach and its multiracial focus. [11] The mission of CRSP is to conduct solution-oriented social science research on race, ethnicity, and color and their influence on the quality of life for Americans in the 21st century. CRSP has identified seven major areas of race-related social problems: economic disparities; educational disparities; interracial group relations; mental health practices and outcomes; youth, families, and the elderly; criminal justice; and health.

Alumni

Hundreds of the school's alumni have attained major leadership careers as public officials; deans, directors, chancellors and presidents in higher education and social work education; researchers and faculty; and executives of social service agencies, foundations and professional organizations; and a wide range of administrative and leadership positions in industry, commerce, the military, and government.

Related Research Articles

Social work Academic discipline and profession

Social work is an academic discipline and practice-based profession that concerns itself with individuals, families, groups, communities, and society as a whole in an effort to meet basic needs and enhance social functioning, self-determination, collective responsibility, optimal health, and overall well-being. Social functioning is defined as the ability of an individual to perform their social roles within their own self, their immediate social environment, and the society at large. Social work applies areas, such as sociology, psychology, human biology, political science, health, community development, law, and economics, to work with individuals across the lifespan, engage with client systems, conduct assessments, and develop interventions to solve social problems, personal problems, and bring about social change. Social work practice is often divided into micro-work, which involves working directly with individuals or small groups; and macro-work, which involves working with communities, and fostering change on a larger scale through social policy. Starting in the 1980s, a few universities began social work management programmes, to prepare students for the management of social and human service organisations, in addition to classical social work education.

The Master of Social Work (MSW) is a master's degree in the field of social work. It is a professional degree with specializations compared to Bachelor of Social Work (BSW). MSW promotes macro-, mezzo- and micro-aspects of professional social work practice, whereas the BSW focuses more on direct social work practices in community, hospitals and other fields of social services.

The Doctor of Social Work (DSW) is a professional doctorate in social work, most often offering advanced training in a professional area of practice including but not limited to; nonprofit organization, leadership development, and social justice. The DSW usually focuses on clinical practice or nonprofit administration. The DSW is related to, but also distinct from the more traditional PhD, which is a more research-oriented degree for social workers who wish primarily to further their careers in academia or research settings. Although different schools vary in the extent to which they emphasize each, both DSW and PhD candidates in the field of social work gain experience in education, advanced practice, teaching, supervision, research, policy analysis, administration and/or program development. As with other doctorates, a holder of a DSW is referred to using the formal title of 'doctor'.

School social work is a specialized area of social work concerned with the psychosocial functioning of students to promote and maintain their health and well-being. The School Social Work Association of America defines school social workers as "trained mental health professionals who can assist with mental health concerns, behavioral concerns, positive behavioral support, academic, and classroom support, consultation with teachers, parents, and administrators as well as provide individual and group counseling/therapy.”

In social work, a caseworker is not a social worker but is employed by a government agency, nonprofit organization, or another group to take on the cases of individuals and provide them with advocacy, information and solutions. Also, in political arenas, caseworkers are employed as a type of legislative staffer by legislators to provide service to their constituents such as dealing with individual or family concerns. A social worker must obtain a Master degree level of education with the intent to provide social services, such as therapy. A titled Social Worker is required a Master's degree level of education from an accredited University and usually, though not always, pursues a state license after graduate school in the professional setting. British MPs and members of the United States Congress often provide constituent services through caseworkers for better use of their allotted funds.

The New York University Silver School of Social Work provides social work education from undergraduate through doctoral levels.

The Master of Education is a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. This degree in education often includes the following majors: curriculum and instruction, counseling, school psychology, and administration. It is often conferred for educators advancing in their field. Similar degrees include the Master of Arts in Education and the Master of Science in Education.

The Boston College School of Social Work (BCSSW) is the graduate school of social work at Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.

The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) is a nonprofit national association in the United States representing more than 2,500 individual members, as well as graduate and undergraduate programs of professional social work education. Founded in 1952, this partnership of educational and professional institutions, social welfare agencies, and private citizens is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation as the sole accrediting agency for social work education in the United States.

The Wurzweiler School of Social Work at Yeshiva University was founded in 1957. It is a methods-based institution offering concentrations in clinical casework, social group work, and community social work. Fieldwork is an integral part of the curriculum. Classes are held at Yeshiva University’s Wilf campus, in New York’s Washington Heights neighborhood, and Beren campus, in New York’s Murray Hill neighborhood.

The Boston University School of Social Work (BUSSW), located in Boston, Massachusetts, USA is one of the 16 graduate schools of Boston University.

Florida State University College of Social Work

The Florida State University College of Social Work, is the social work school of the Florida State University. The College is the oldest in the state of Florida. About 917 students are enrolled, including undergraduates and graduate students, including Master of Social Work and Doctor of Philosophy-seeking students. All programs are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

Professional social workers are generally considered those who hold a professional degree in social work. In a number of countries and jurisdictions, registration or licensure of people working as social workers is required and there are mandated qualifications. In other places, the professional association sets academic and experiential requirements for admission to membership.

George Warren Brown School of Social Work

The Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis is a school for the training of social science researchers. The Brown School offers a Master of Social Work (MSW), a Master of Public Health (MPH), a Master of Social Policy, a PhD in Social Work, and a PhD in Public Health Sciences. The social work school and public health programs are top-ranked by US News. As one of the academic units of Washington University in St. Louis, the Brown School was founded in 1925 as the department of social work. The school was endowed in 1945 by Bettie Bofinger Brown and named for her husband, George Warren Brown, a St. Louis philanthropist and co-founder of the Brown Shoe Company. The school was the first in the country to have a building for the purpose of social work education, and it is also a founding member of the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health. The school is housed within Brown, Goldfarb, and Hillman Halls.

UNC School of Social Work

The University of North Carolina School of Social Work is a graduate school offering M.S.W. and Ph.D. degrees. Also offered are dual degree programs coordinated jointly with UNC's School of Public Health, School of Law, School of Government, and Duke University's Divinity School. In 2008, U.S. News & World Report ranked the School of Social Work fourth among social work programs at public universities and eighth out of 165 programs nationwide. The mission of the UNC School of Social Work is to expand knowledge regarding social problems and programs, to educate social workers for advanced practice, and to provide leadership in the development of socially and economically just policies and programs that strengthen individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

Human services is an interdisciplinary field of study with the objective of meeting human needs through an applied knowledge base, focusing on prevention as well as remediation of problems, and maintaining a commitment to improving the overall quality of life of service populations. The process involves the study of social technologies, service technologies, and scientific innovations designed to ameliorate problems and enhance the quality of life of individuals, families and communities to improve the delivery of service with better coordination, accessibility and accountability. The mission of human services is to promote a practice that involves simultaneously working at all levels of society in the process of promoting the autonomy of individuals or groups, making informal or formal human services systems more efficient and effective, and advocating for positive social change within society.

University of Washington School of Social Work

The University of Washington School of Social Work offers undergraduate, graduate and doctorate degree programs in social work with an enrollment of more than 600 students. The School is located in the University District neighborhood of Seattle, Washington adjacent to the main University of Washington campus. Beginning in the early 1900s, the School developed from a single course to an independent department accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. Today, the School is ranked as one of the United States' top graduate programs in social work by the U.S. News & World Report.

University of Michigan School of Social Work

The University of Michigan School of Social Work is a professional school within the University of Michigan located in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

The University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy and Practice, commonly known as Penn SP2, is a school of social policy and social work in the United States whose vision is "The passionate pursuit of social innovation, impact and justice." Originally named the School of Social Work, the school was founded in 1908 and is a graduate school of the University of Pennsylvania. The school specializes in research, education, and policy development in relation to both social and economic issues. Penn SP2 is currently ranked as one of the leading schools for social policy and social work graduate education. The school offers degrees in a variety of subfields of social policy and social work, in addition to several dual degree programs and sub-matriculation programs.

References

  1. ↑ US News and World Report Social Work Graduate Program Rankings.
  2. ↑ "University of Pittsburgh: Pennsylvania Child Welfare Training Program" . Retrieved 2009-05-15.
  3. ↑ Newstetter, Wilber I. (1936). Community Organization Work and other Special Services. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh. University of Pittsburgh Archives, Wilber I. Newstetter collection, Box 2.
  4. ↑ Newstetter, Wilber I. (1941). Teaching Community Organization in Schools of Social Work. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh. University of Pittsburgh Archives. Wilber I. Newstetter collection, Box 14.
  5. ↑ Newstetter, Wilber I. 1947. The Social Intergourp Work Process. Proceedings of the National Conference of Social Work. New York: Columbia University Press, 205-217.
  6. ↑ Newstetter, Wilber I. (1935). What is Social Group Work? Proceedings of the National Conference of Social Work. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 291-299.
  7. ↑ Newstetter, Wilber I. (1936). The Group Work Field. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh. University of Pittsburgh Archives. Wilber I Newstetter collection, Box 2.
  8. ↑ Wilson, Gertrude. (1938). The Interplay of the Insights of Casework and Group Work. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh.
  9. ↑ Wilson, Gertrude and Ryland, Gladys. (1949). Social Group Work Practice: The Creative Use of the Social Process. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, Company.
  10. ↑ Kasius, Cora, Editor. A Comparison of Diagnostic and Functional Casework Concepts. New York: Family Service Association of America, 1950.
  11. ↑ "Center on Race & Social Problems: About the Center". University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work. 2011-11-29. Retrieved 2012-08-14.

Coordinates: 40°26′39″N79°57′11″W / 40.444167°N 79.953056°W / 40.444167; -79.953056

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