Sarah Gehlert,  Dean

Overview

The College of Social Work has offered graduate professional education at the master’s level at the University since 1969. The doctoral program admitted its first class in fall 1987. The college has offered its master’s degree in Seoul, South Korea, since 1992. The Master of Social Work degree is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the Council on Social Work Education.

Mission

To promote social well-being and social justice with vulnerable populations through dynamic teaching, research, and service conducted in collaboration with diverse people of South Carolina, the nation, and the international community.

Vision

To become a leading institution for innovative, interdisciplinary approaches to educating social work practitioners and scholars, conducting research, and serving as a catalyst for positive social change.

Goals

Goal 1:

The College prepares M.S.W. graduates to work effectively and ethically within public and private agencies, including interdisciplinary settings, where they will serve primarily those vulnerable populations who experience problems related to economic and social deprivation and the consequences of institutional discrimination and oppression.

The College also produces Ph.D. graduates who are able to perform all the role expectations of academicians within social work degree-granting colleges and universities. Graduates are effective in transdisciplinary, community-engaged social work research and education and possess a commitment and a capacity to meet University and community service expectations through both graduate and undergraduate courses.

The College prepares BSW graduates for ethical, competent, and culturally relevant generalist practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. The College’s social work minor prepares University undergraduate students from other academic programs for responsible citizenship by introducing them to social work as a means to helping people enhance their well-being.

Goal 2:

The College advances the knowledge base of the profession and translates research into practice in order to reduce poverty and oppression and promote social and economic justice in global society.

Goal 3:

The College provides faculty consultation and service to local, state, national and international organizations; student provision of services to consumers in supervised field agency settings; and leadership as a catalyst in positive social change.

M.S.W. and Ph.D. Programs

• Social Work, M.S.W.   
• Social Work, Ph.D.   

Dual Degree Programs

• Public Administration / Social Work, M.P.A. / M.S.W.   
• Social Work / Health Service Policy and Management, M.S.W. / M.P.H.   
• Social Work / Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, M.S.W. / M.P.H.   
• Social Work / Law, M.S.W. / J.D.   

Graduate Certificate Programs

• Drug and Addiction Studies, Certificate  
• Gerontology, Certificate   
• Social and Behavioral Health with Military Members, Veterans, and Military Families, Certificate  
• Women’s and Gender Studies, Certificate   

M.S.W. Plans of Study

The MSW program of study prepares students to meet personal and professional goals while also achieving standards established by The Graduate School and the Council on Social Work Education. This program includes foundation level and advanced level curricula. There are several plans, listed below, by which the MSW curriculum requirements of the College of Social Work may be satisfied.

Full-time Program in Columbia — 60 Hours over Two Years

Advanced Standing Program in Columbia — 42 Hours over One Year

Part-time Program in Columbia — 60 Hours over Three Years

Part-time Program in Charleston and Greenville (with modified options for specializations) — 60 Hours over Three Years

Korea-based MSW Program in Seoul — 60 Hours

Programs and Courses

Click the link below to view programs and courses administered by the College of Social Work.

Programs

• Drug and Addiction Studies, Certificate
• Gerontology, Certificate
• Social and Behavioral Health with Military Members, Veterans, and Military Families, Certificate
• Social Work, M.S.W.
• Social Work, MSW (UNOFFICIAL DRAFT 2019-20 Proposed Update)
• Social Work, Ph.D.

Courses

• SOWK 668 - Special Topics in Social Work
• SOWK 674 - Child Welfare Policies and Practice I
• SOWK 675 - Child Welfare Policies and Practice II
• SOWK 677 - Psychosocial Aspects of Health Care
• SOWK 678 - Transforming Health Care for the Future
• SOWK 679 - Addressing Childhood Obesity through Community Approaches
• SOWK 701 - Professional Development Bridge
• SOWK 702 - Writing for Professional Social Work Practice
• SOWK 703 - Richland County Sheriff’s Department School Practicum
• SOWK 710 - Foundations of Social Work Practice in Groups
• SOWK 712 - Human Behavior and the Social Environment I
• SOWK 714 - Diversity and Social Justice Issues for Social Work Practice
• SOWK 716 - Human Behavior and the Social Environment II
• SOWK 718 - Systems Analysis of Social Work Practice
• SOWK 722 - Social Work Practice with Individuals, Families and Small Groups
• SOWK 723 - Advanced Social Work Practice with Individuals
• SOWK 724 - Advanced Social Work Practice with Groups
• SOWK 725 - Advanced Social Work Practice with Families
• SOWK 726 - Supervision and Case Consultation
• SOWK 727 - Social Work in an Educational Setting
• SOWK 728 - Social Work Case Management
• SOWK 729 - Cognitive Behavioral Therapies
• SOWK 730 - Trauma-informed Social Work Practice
• SOWK 731 - Motivational Interviewing for Social Work Practice
• SOWK 732 - Social Work Practice with Organizations and Communities
• SOWK 733 - Advanced Social Work Practice with Organizations and Communities: Administrative Skills
• SOWK 734 - Advanced Social Work Practice with Organizations and Communities: Community Social Work
• SOWK 735 - Advanced Social Work Practice with Organizations and Communities: Social Planning
• SOWK 736 - Advanced Practice with Organizations and Communities: Resource Development, Management, and Accountability
• SOWK 737 - Overview of Social Work Practice with the Military, Veterans, and their Families
• SOWK 738 - Military Mental Health and the Impact of Trauma
• SOWK 739 - Intervention Strategies in Military Behavioral Health
• SOWK 740 - International Social Work and Social Justice
• SOWK 741 - Social Welfare Problems and Policies
• SOWK 742 - Social Welfare Policy Analysis
• SOWK 744 - Grant Writing
• SOWK 745 - Housing and Community Development
• SOWK 747 - Concepts of Advanced Practice with Organizations and Communities
• SOWK 749 - Evidence Based Parenting Interventions for Child and Adolescent Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Challenges
• SOWK 751 - Youth and Substance Use
• SOWK 752 - Social Work Intervention in Substance Abuse
• SOWK 753 - Ethics and the Health Sciences
• SOWK 756 - Social Work Practice and Developmental Disabilities
• SOWK 757 - Seminar on Social Work Education and Human Services in Another Nation
• SOWK 758 - Dynamics and Substance Abuse
• SOWK 759 - Psychopathology and Psychodiagnostics for Social Work Practice with Children and Adolescents
• SOWK 760 - Psychopathology for Social Work Practice
• SOWK 762 - Loss, Grief, and Social Work Intervention
• SOWK 763 - Foundations of American Juvenile Justice
• SOWK 764 - Independent Study
• SOWK 765 - Sexuality Issues for Social Work Practice
• SOWK 768 - Special Topics in Social Work
• SOWK 769 - Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Child Abuse and Neglect
• SOWK 771 - Psychosocial Approaches to Gerontology
• SOWK 772 - Programs and Services for Older Adults
• SOWK 773 - Social Work Intervention with Older Adults
• SOWK 774 - Contemporary Child Welfare Policies and Practice: Assessment and Family Services
• SOWK 775 - Contemporary Child Welfare Policies and Practice: Out-of-Home Placement and Permanency Planning
• SOWK 776 - Social Work Intervention on Behalf of Children and Families
• SOWK 777 - Advanced Theory for Social Work Practice
• SOWK 778 - Advanced Analysis of Social Policy, Programs, and Services
• SOWK 779 - Advanced Social Work Interventions
• SOWK 781 - Field Instruction I: Generalist Social Work Practice
• SOWK 782 - Field Instruction II: Generalist Social Work Practice
• SOWK 783 - Field Instruction III: Advanced Social Work Practice
• SOWK 784 - Field Instruction IV: Advanced Social Work Practice
• SOWK 785 - Field Instruction III: Social Work Practice with Organizations and Communities
• SOWK 786 - Field Instruction IV: Social Work Practice with Organizations and Communities
• SOWK 791 - Social Work Research Methodologies
• SOWK 792 - Evaluation of Social Work Practice
• SOWK 793 - Evaluation of Social Work Programs
• SOWK 800 - Intellectual Foundations of Social Welfare and Social Work I: Historical Roots
• SOWK 801 - Intellectual Foundations of Social Welfare and Social Work II: Modern Developments
• SOWK 802 - Intellectual Foundations of Social Welfare and Social Work III: Conceptual Model-Building
• SOWK 811 - Qualitative Methods of Inquiry for Social Work Research
• SOWK 822 - Measurement and Instrument Design
• SOWK 830 - Community - Engaged Research for Social Welfare and Social Change
• SOWK 831 - Leadership for Social Change
• SOWK 850 - Social Work Doctoral Professional Seminar
• SOWK 872 - Social Work Education Practicum
• SOWK 889 - Doctoral Social Work Practicum
• SOWK 890 - Analysis of Social Work Data
• SOWK 891 - Advanced Analysis of Social Work Data
• SOWK 892 - Design and Critical Analysis of Social Work Research
• SOWK 894 - Planning and Design of Dissertation Research
• SOWK 899 - Dissertation Preparation