When U.S. News & World Report wrote about the prospects of good and plentiful jobs in social work last month, the message became loud and clear: Social work is a top-notch career choice, especially for those who are passionate about social change and making a difference in their communities. Social work ranked No. 18 on the list of top 25 jobs, according to the report. And it ranked No. 5 on the list of best social services jobs.
"Social work is a rewarding career with many opportunities and these numbers just affirm what we've known all along," says Sharon Milligan, associate dean of Academic Affairs at the Mandel School. "There are great job prospects for well-trained social workers in the U.S. and around the world, especially those who have professional graduate education and field experience behind them."
Begin, change, or advance your career by studying at the Mandel School, which is ranked among the top graduate schools of social work in the United States (No. 9 as of March 2012). Many graduates work as direct-service providers, program managers, clinical supervisors, agency administrators, and policymakers in organizations that are dedicated to improving quality of life and other outcomes for people with severe mental illness (SMI) or co-occurring SMI and substance use disorders.
DEGREE PROGRAMS
The Mandel School offers the following degree programs:
- Master of Social Science Administration (MSSA)
- Full-Time Study
- Intensive-Weekend Study (for working professionals)
- Dual Degrees
- MSSA/ Law
- MSSA/ Non-profit management
- MSSA/ Business administration
- MSSA/ Bioethics
- Doctor of Philosophy in Social Welfare (PhD)
SPECIALIZATIONS
The master's degree program has several specializations. All require field placements. The curriculum prepares students for professional-licensure exams. These specializations include the following:
- Community and Social Development
- Direct Practice
- Mental Health (children & adolescents, adults)
- Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (AODA)
- Children, Youth and Families
- Health
FINANCIAL AID
Examples of financial assistance include the following
- Paid field placements for all master's students
- Work study
- Grants
- Research fellowships
- Practice fellowships (e.g., clinical leadership)
CONTINUING EDUCATION
The School's Office of Professional Development and Continuing Education provides social-work-license review courses and a wide variety of continuing education courses for licensed professionals, including the following:
- Social Workers
- Addictions Counselors
- Psychologists
- Nurses
- Others