social work phd nyu

Social Science and Social Work

Explore the intricacies of social behaviors. Examine cultural interaction through a scientific or humanistic lens. Develop your ability to understand, interpret, and positively impact our global culture. When you pursue an advanced degree in the social sciences or social work, you prepare yourself for a career in fields that include anthropology, social intervention, quantitative analysis, clinical social work, and ethics.

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• No. 7 Social Stratification, Sociology of Population, and Macroeconomics programs
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• No. 9 Microeconomics programs
• No. 10 Development Economics programs

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Social science, social work.

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Economics: MA , PhD , PhD/JD Graduate School of Arts and Science; dual JD w/ School of Law

Economics: MS NYU Abu Dhabi

Economics: PhD Stern School of Business

Public Policy: MS Wagner Graduate School of Public Service

Public Policy Analysis: AdvC Wagner Graduate School of Public Service

Quantitative Methods for Policy Analysis: AdvC Wagner Graduate School of Public Service

Real Estate: MS School of Professional Studies

Applied Urban Science and Informatics:   AdvC , MS Center for Urban Science and Progress

Bioinformatics: Cert , MS Tandon School of Engineering

Biomedical Informatics: MS Vilcek Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences

Computer Science: MS , PhD * Tandon School of Engineering

Human Capital Analytics and Technology:   MS School of Professional Studies

Information Systems: MS Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences

Information Systems: PhD Stern School of Business

Management and Systems: MS School of Professional Studies

Project Management: MS School of Professional Studies

Urban Infrastructure Systems: MS Tandon School of Engineering

*Interested applicants may have the opportunity to participate in the NYU Abu Dhabi Global PhD Student Fellowship program or the NYU Shanghai doctoral study and research program .

Applied Quantitative Research: MA Graduate School of Arts and Science

Applied Statistics for Social Science Research:   MS Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development

Archaeological Anthropology: PhD Graduate School of Arts and Science

Bioethics: MA * School of Global Public Health

Biological Anthropology: PhD Graduate School of Arts and Science

Counseling Psychology: PhD Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development

Developmental Psychology: PhD Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development

Digital Humanities: AdvC Graduate School of Arts and Science

Executive Coaching and Organizational Consulting: MS School of Professional Studies

Food Studies: MA , PhD Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development

Health and Human Rights: AdvC School of Global Public Health

Human Development and Social Intervention:   MA Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development

Human Resource Management and Development: MS School of Professional Studies

LGBT Health, Education, and Social Services: AdvC Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development

Linguistic Anthropology: PhD Graduate School of Arts and Science

Linguistics: PhD Graduate School of Arts and Science

Psychology and Social Intervention: PhD Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development

Social and Cultural Analysis: MA Graduate School of Arts and Science

Social Psychology: PhD ✝ Graduate School of Arts and Science

Sociocultural Anthropology: PhD Graduate School of Arts and Science

Sociology: PhD Graduate School of Arts and Science

Sociology: PhD NYU Shanghai and Graduate School of Arts and Science

Sociology of Education: MA , PhD Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development

*Interested applicants may have the opportunity to earn an MD/MA in Bioethics dual degree in collaboration with the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. ✝ Interested applicants may have the opportunity to participate in the NYU Abu Dhabi Global PhD Student Fellowship program .

Clinical Social Work: DSW Silver School of Social Work

Social Work: ExecMPA/MSW , MSW ,  MSW/JD , MSW/MPH , PhD Silver School of Social Work; dual ExecMPA w/ Wagner Graduate School of Public Service; dual JD w/ School of Law; dual MPH w/ School of Global Public Health

Social Work: MSW NYU Shanghai and Silver School of Social Work

Social Work and Child Development:   MSW/MA Silver School of Social Work (w/ Sarah Lawrence College)

If you’re excited by more than one subject and would like to combine them to create your own individualized program of study, you may be interested in the MA in Individualized Study degree at the Gallatin School of Individualized Study.

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• Before starting your application for admission to our MSW, DSW, or PhD Program, please read the application instructions .
• Admit terms vary by degree and pathway, so visit our deadlines page for more information. To learn about the requirements for our degree programs and pathways, please visit our Applying to Silver page .
• If you are interested in our BS Program, please visit NYU’s Undergraduate Admissions portal .

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Ph.D. in Social Psychology

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The doctoral program in Social Psychology at New York University offers training in the scientific study of social psychology and social behavior. To this end, it offers training in the psychological theories, principles, and research methods relevant to understanding human behavior among individuals, groups, and organizations .

Program Vision

Social behavior is best understood from a multi-level perspective. The focal level of analysis often concerns the individual and the situation, with an emphasis on the cognitive, emotional, and motivational processes that drive behavior in social contexts. Our multi-level approach may examined how these processes are shaped by political, societal, and organizational factors, at a higher level, and supported by neural and physiological systems, at a lower level.

Our multi-level perspective is reflected in our methodologies. Students receive training in advanced quantitative methods and in a broad range of approaches such as behavioral experimentation, psychophysiology and cognitive neuroscience, big data (e.g., from social media), experience sampling, online data collection, dyadic measurement, computational modeling, and field studies, to name a few. Members of the program have access to fMRI, EEG/ERP, eye-tracking, and peripheral psychophysiology facilities housed within the Psychology Department.

Finally, we are committed to connecting our research to the real world. Although our questions often focus on basic processes that drive social cognition and motivation, our broader goals are to understand real-life human behaviors and pressing societal issues and to contribute solid scientific knowledge to policy makers and human service providers.

Program Culture and Activities

The NYU social program has a history of a special communal, cooperative spirit, with very high morale among the students and faculty. Moreover, the program culture is constantly evolving, influenced by interactions among current students, postdocs, and faculty, by changes in the broader scientific field, and by events in the world. We hold weekly program meetings (our “brownbag” meeting) that emphasize new findings and lively discussions, and we feature multiple talk series featuring prominent outside speakers (e.g., Social Colloquium, Social Neuroscience Series, Distinguished Lecture Series). Members of the program also enjoy interactions with colleagues in Cognition & Perception, Development, Neuroscience, Applied Psychology, Linguistics, Politics, Philosophy, and the Stern School of Business. Our location in an exciting and central neighborhood in New York City makes it easy for students and faculty to come in early and/or stay late to meet with each other and distinguished visitors.

Graduate study in the Social Psychology program at NYU means being part of an unusually active research culture. We share well-equipped laboratories, and we promote 'open door' relationships between professors and students. Although students typically have a primary home in one professor's laboratory, we require that students work in at least one other laboratory to promote breadth of training in a variety of methodological approaches and research issues. Our goal is to prepare students to be highly competitive in the job market for the type of career they seek, and we are proud of the steady success of our students in obtaining academic positions at top research universities and teaching colleges.

All students accepted into our graduate program are fully funded through the Henry M. MacCracken Program or the NYUAD Global PhD Fellowship.

MacCracken funding is provided through a combination of teaching assistantship, research assistantship, and fellowship, in proportions to be determined. The award package typically includes a full tuition scholarship, comprehensive health insurance and a stipend. Funding is typically guaranteed for five years, although students with substantial graduate credits or a Master's degree may only be guaranteed four years of support.

NYUAD Global PhD Fellowships include full tuition scholarship, health insurance, travel benefits, and a stipend. Funding is for five years, which typically includes two years or less of course work in New York and the remaining at least three years or more of dissertation research in Abu Dhabi. Campus housing in Abu Dhabi is provided free of cost and is available to all Global Fellows.

There is a very limited supply of subsidized housing available for graduate students which is generally used for a subset of each entering class to provide them the opportunity to get settled in New York City during their first year of residence.

NYU Abu Dhabi PhD Program

The Program in Social Psychology maintains a relationship with the Social Psychology faculty at NYU Abu Dhabi. This relationship supports opportunities for collaboration between students and faculty across the New York and Abu Dhabi campuses. Students accepted for the NYU Abu Dhabi Ph.D. program will typically spend two years primarily in New York with multiple visits to Abu Dhabi. During those two years, students complete all or most of their coursework as well as carrying out research in collaboration with an NYU Abu Dhabi advisor and a co-mentor in New York. The subsequent three years are spent in Abu Dhabi completing the dissertation research and any remaining course requirements. For further information on the Global Ph.D. program, click here .

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PhD, Psychology and Social Intervention

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LaRue Allen

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Rezarta Bilali

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Elise Cappella

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May 8, 2024

‘Beyond Books’ Discussion Explores Library-Based Social Work

On May 6, 2024, the McSilver Institute convened a virtual conversation with leading experts in library-based social work. Libraries are anchors in many communities, increasingly going beyond their traditional roles to serve the needs of neighborhoods in unique ways. This two-part conversation examined how libraries across the country and here in New York have brought social workers into their branches, how that policy trend has developed in different places, and what the future of social workers in libraries may look like.

NYU McSilver’s Director of Evaluation Ashley Fuss moderated two dynamic panels featuring eight speakers experienced in the field. A full recording of the 90-minute program is available below, as well as short bios for all participating speakers. Additional resources about library-based social work are also included on this page to provided an overview of the topic, including slides presented by Dr. Margaret Ann Paauw during the event.

If you’d like to receive more updates on this and other offerings from the McSilver Institute, make sure to sign up for occasional email updates.

Video Recording

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Panelist Bios

Select a speaker to see their bio:

Jean Badalamenti, MSW

Jean launched a Peer Navigator Program in 2017 which connects customers without homes with library staff who have lived experience, and who provide emotional support and referrals to services in the community. Jean also manages DCPL’s library at the DC jail in partnership with the DC Department of Corrections. Jean was a founding member of the Public Library Association (PLA) Social Work Task Force, and served as its co-chair until 2020. She was a contributing advisor on the PLA publication A Trauma-Informed Framework for Supporting Patrons: The PLA Workbook of Best Practices. Jean holds a Masters’ Degree in Social Work from Howard University, and has worked in health and human services in DC for over 25 years.

Robyn Berger-Gaston, LCSW

Now as an agency division director, Robyn oversees a wide array of programs including services for seniors, social emotional learning, crisis response and community-based counseling programs. She has developed new programs for Family Service League including the community action crisis team, suicide response team and several Family Place Libraries throughout Long Island. In her role as a crisis responder, Robyn has worked directly with families and communities impacted by suicide and trains other professions in this work. She has received extensive training from the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation and is an approved instructor for Group Crisis Intervention. Robyn is a past president of the Gerontology Professionals of Long Island and has served as an adjunct faculty at St. Joseph’s College, Human Services department.

Julianna Black

Ashley Fuss, LMSW, PhD

Dr. Fuss has been working in the research, evaluation, and data analytics space for the last 10 years across various academic, public sector, and private sector settings. She has expertise in both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies and has significant experience working with organizations to design and implement evaluation and research protocols to determine program impact and effectiveness.

She received her MSW degree from Fordham University with a concentration in research, and her PhD degree from University of Pennsylvania. Her dissertation work focused on behavioral health prevention for youth using machine learning techniques.

Elissa Hardy, LCSW, MSW, MELP

Elissa has been an adjunct instructor at the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Social Work for 12 years, and developed and teaches the Policy Considerations for Environmental Justice in the US course. Elissa holds a master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and a master’s degree in Environmental Law and Policy from Vermont Law School. She lives in Denver, Colorado with her two rescue pups, loves to travel, and spend time with nature and the important people in her life.

Peter Allen Lee, PhD, MSW

He has taught in the MSW Program and is involved in research and community development activities. Dr. Lee is the co-creator of Social Workers in the Library (with SJPL Librarian Deborah Estreicher). He is also involved with The Salvation Army and other non-profit community organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area developing sports, family, and youth programs. Dr. Lee has also been involved in the partnership among the School, College of Health and Human Sciences, and SJSU with the Viet Nam National University in Ha Noi to create graduate-level curriculum instrumental towards developing the social work profession in Viet Nam.

He has worked with CommUniverCity San Jose as the Associate Director, and Director of the SJSU “UP” Pre-College program (formerly Upward Bound). He is also a committee member for the California Social Work Hall of Distinction.

Peggy Morton, DSW, MSW

Dr. Morton has developed and taught Service-Learning courses to the wider University undergraduate community. She has had extensive experience as a field faculty member, field instructor, and faculty advisor in both the undergraduate and graduate social work programs and mentors DSW candidates. Currently, Dr. Morton serves as field instructor to interns placed in the NY Public Library system, a field placement that she created and continues to develop. She also served from 2013-2019 as the School’s Assistant Dean for Field Learning and Community Partnerships. She is a College Coach at Breakthrough NY and serves as an Advisory Board member at Partners for Campus-Community Engagement.

She earned her MSW and DSW from Hunter College School of Social Work (CUNY), and her BA from the University of Colorado.

Margaret Ann Paauw, PhD, LCSW

Leah Topek-Walker, LCSW-R

She currently serves as faculty in the Stony Brook School of Social Welfare Practicum Department, and supervises the library social work program. The library social work program is committed to providing the community with micro and mezzo interventions to address equity and access to care, and to concurrently providing social work students with dynamic learning opportunities. Leah is dedicated to working on issues of liberation, social justice and creating systemic change that empowers communities. Leah is working on her doctorate in social work, and serves on the Long Island Legislative Committee for Our Unhoused Neighbors, Social Workers for Justice and Patchogue-Medford Friends of the Library.

Additional Resources

• SLIDES Insights from Research on Library Social work  — Slides presented by Margaret Ann Paauw, PhD, LCSW (Presented at the start of this event; see the recording above)
• “What is Library Social Work?” (2021) from the National Asosciation of Social Workers (NASW) — In a 50-minute recorded conversation, this NASW-NYS Chapter Chat outlines the value of collaboration between libraries and social work practitioners.
• “Why your local library might be hiring a social worker,” NPR (2022) — Surveying libraries across the country, this article explorers some of the benefits and challenges of library-based social work.
• A Trauma-Informed Framework for Supporting Patrons: The PLA Workbook of Best Practices (2022) from the Public Library Association (PLA) — This workbook outlines trauma-informed best practices needed to address the growing roles libraries play to support their communities.
• “The Changing Role of Libraries: How Social Workers Can Help,” Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services (2019) — In this journal article, authors Elizabeth A. Wahler, Mary A. Provence, John Helling, and Michael A. Williams explore the overlap in services provided by librarians and social workers.
• “Cultivating Protective Libraries: An Introduction to Public Library Social Work,” (2022) hosted by the NIH’s National Library of Medicine — Hosted by social worker Patrick Lloyd, this recorded class introduces library social work, its history, and emerging best practices.
• “Helping Homeless New Yorkers by the Books,” Bloomberg CityLab (2017) — This article profiles social work offerrings provided by the Brooklyn Public Library in New York City.
• “Social Workers and Librarians— A Case for Why We are BFFs” (2018) from the American Library Association’s Intersections blog — Amy Schofield describes Richland Library’s major insights after bringing social work into the South Carolina library.
• “Five Ways Public Libraries Go Far Beyond Books” (2024) from the Urban Libraries Council (ULC) — Including a recording of the ULC’s vital town hall on the importance of libraries, this blog post examines the various resources libraries offer as partners and providers for key social services.

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Celebrating the Class of 2024

Congratulations graduates.

Graduation is an opportunity to mark a key milestone in our students’ social work journey and to welcome them into our alumni network. It is a calling together of our community to recognize and celebrate our students’ completion of their studies with us and to confer upon them their degrees. It also marks a beginning, where graduates start the next step in their journeys as social work professionals. Even more so this year, we were excited to come together with families and loved ones at the magnificent United Palace in Washington Heights to honor and cheer for our Class of 2024.

Watch the ceremony livestream on Thursday, May 16 at 3:00pm

Our 2024 Graduates

I’m excited for the impact you will make as you take your hard earned knowledge and talents out into the world!

Class of 2024 Student Speakers

Read More about Raeli Chesser

While earning her BS in Social Work, Raeli Chesser (she/her) minored in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Studies. She has served as Co-President of NYU Silver’s Undergraduate Student Government Association for two years and sat on the Health and Wellness Committee and All-University Events Committee for NYU Student Government Association.

Read More about Enya Tellez

Enya Tellez (they/she) is excited to be graduating from NYU Silver with a BS in Social Work and Communicative Sciences and Disorders.  During their time at Silver, Enya served on the school’s Undergraduate Student Government Association (USGA) each year—this past year as Co-President. 

Read More about John M. Pino

John M. Pino (he/him) is a proud Greek Orthodox of Puerto Rican, Greek and Cuban descent. Passionate about advocacy and mental health awareness, John has used his college experience to work with people of all ages in breaking down barriers caused by the stigmas of mental health diagnoses, and address common mental health crises amongst Black Indigenous and People of Color.

Read More about Carmen Villavicencio-Hein

Carmen Villavicencio-Hein (she/her) is a licensed clinical social worker who has served youth and families from ethnic and racial minoritized backgrounds in educational and foster care settings for over 15 years. Carmen works as a Supervisor of School Social Workers at the New York City Public Schools, where she co-founded a central-based social work initiative delivering multi-tiered crisis and preventive support.

Read More about Sabrina Renee Cluesman

Sabrina Cluesman (she/they) is a PhD Candidate at NYU Silver whose research agenda aims to advance the science of HIV prevention. Their dissertation research focuses on understanding factors related to preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use among Black and Latine trans and gender expansive young people and explores the impact of gender minority stress, substance use, and gender affirmation.

Throughout our time here at Silver, we have been fortunate to have the support of a vibrant community of mentors and colleagues who have nurtured our growth and fueled our passions.

From Leadership at Silver to Impact in the Profession

Students across our degree programs have made an extraordinary and positive impact among their peers, the University, and the wider society. We give special recognition to those graduates who have served on our Student Leadership Council or Silver Peer Leaders, been inducted to the Phi Alpha Honor Society, Pi Pi Chapter or received special University awards honors.

Our lived experiences combined with our Silver education have positioned us to integrate both micro and macro perspectives in all aspects of our work.

Voices from the Class of 2024

Katie deray, msw ’24.

“ I interpret social work, ideologically, as a disruption of behaviors and practices that are dysfunctional to the wellbeing of a person and the welfare of society . . . As social workers, we are agents of change. Disruption does not have a solely negative intent. We disrupt psychological and societal homeostasis to recalibrate it towards greater safety and equity. NYU has given us access to theory and practices that challenge our own awareness and positions within subversive and oppressive institutions. We have been given a voice. Ask why? Inquire. Ignore distractions and deflections of the dominant power structures; they are meant to divert your focus, attention, and efforts. Good enough is not good or enough. ”

Samantha Luxmikanthan, MSW ’24

“We must not forget our community who supported us along the way – including our families, given and chosen, our friends, our mentors and professors, many of whom will be in the audience as we graduate. Thank you, to those that guided us, who believed in us, and were pillars of support. These individuals are a testament to who you are, and who you will be. We must think of how we can support others, as they did for us, ensuring the love and care will continue for generations to come. We need each other, to nourish, to reimagine and to love. We need each other to create the difference we seek for our communities.”

Anne Paulsen, MSW ’24

“As we entered our social work programs, we may not have realized the true meaning of being social workers, or what we were really getting ourselves into. But through hard work, sacrifice, and humility, we can understand that being a social worker is a lifelong commitment. Unlike our contemporaries in other fields, we do not speak about the client in theory. We stand with the client through their challenges. What does it mean to be a social worker? It means doing the right thing when no one is looking. It means finding the strength to keep going when we are under-paid and under-appreciated. It means standing up for justice, even when it is not easy.”

We don’t have a cape, or a mask, we can’t fly, or move mountains. What we do have is a special kind of love in our heart, a fire in our soul, and the WILL to make the world a better place.

NYU Silver Embraces the Core Values of the Social Work Profession

These core values, enumerated in the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics and embraced by social workers throughout the profession’s history, are the foundation of social work’s unique purpose and perspective:

• Service • Social justice • Dignity and worth of the person • Importance of human relationships • Integrity • Competence

This constellation of core values reflects what is unique to the social work profession.

The sacrifice of our ancestors and the challenges they faced and overcame made climbing this mountain a bit easier.

Please visit our commencement page to watch the 2024 ceremony and view the Class of 2024 Name Book

Fall 2024 On-Campus MSW Application FINAL Deadline: July 16, 2024

USC Master of Social Work

Be an agent of change.  .

Society is changing more rapidly than ever, creating dynamic and complex challenges that require us to develop integrative practice methods to empower students and the field. Our curriculum revolves around experiential, practice and competency-based learning, and culturally-responsive training all informed by evidence and best practices. From the classroom to the field, the USC-SDP MSW experience will stretch, grow and broaden our students' perspective and practice — positioning our graduates to create lasting social change.

Request Information

So, are you ready to reimagine the future? 

Social workers make a real difference, driving change at a policy level, within an organization, or by working with individuals one-on-one. 

USC’s Master of Social Work will empower you to pursue bold, compassionate solutions to complex social challenges. Our program will prepare you to enter the workforce and immediately engage with the issues that matter most to you.  

Our MSW Program 

For decades, as a faculty, we have delivered bold, principled, and forward-thinking training to social workers. We will build upon our history and our identity to advance our field. We are innovators and change-makers. Our MSW is designed to empower USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck graduates to see and understand their clients through an integrative, nuanced, and dynamic lens. Culturally-responsive and evidence-informed practice has always been the core focus.

Our Integrative Social Work specialization is created for people like you who cannot wait to change the world. Our MSW provides an Advanced Generalist education with a specialization in Integrative Social Work practice. Integrative Social Work is the intentional use of a person in environment perspective that offers a comprehensive understanding of a client across all practice domains to implement the most effective intervention. It brings historical, cultural, and political perspectives and a critical understanding of difference and oppression to bear in understanding the person and environment, social problems, interventions, and possibilities for social justice-oriented action.

MSW coursework's designed to be accessible and customizable to meet students with varied interests and needs. Students may take courses full-time or part-time, fully in-person on campus in LA or completely online. Hybrid options (first year in person in LA or San Diego) and second-year online also are available. 

Foundational courses in assessment and clinical practice, theory, research, social policy, self-care and wellness, professional values, and ethics in complex decision-making. Specialized courses can be customized along tracks such as courses focused on military, adult health and wellness, children, youth and families, and schools and military. Students may also choose not to identify a track and take courses across tracks. Hands-on practicum education allows students to apply skills learned in class. Students may also choose to enhance their degree with additional specialized education with University certificates.  Certificates are offered within the School of Social Work and across programs at the University. 

This intensive program includes 1,200 hours of hands-on practicum education to practice and apply the skills you learn in class. After you complete this program, you will be prepared to find meaningful work that makes a difference.

Our Curriculum

Licensure and Credentialing

The Master of Social Work (MSW) program at USC is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), and designed to help meet the eligibility requirements for the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) and Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) examination to obtain licensure. The MSW program provides a pathway to licensure, but does not satisfy all requirements for licensure upon completion of the program.

Requirements for licensure, including levels of licensure, vary by state and students should review the USC Licensure and Certifications site for state-specific MSW course requirements and restrictions. Students interested in pursuing licensure should also contact the licensing board for the state in which they hope to become licensed to determine specific requirements for licensure, including any requirements that are beyond the scope of the MSW program.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you care about changing the world for the better, a degree in social work will give you the skills and experience to make a real difference in the lives of individuals and society as a whole.   The MSW prepares you for a wide variety of career paths — in public, private and nonprofit sectors — and the flexibility and expertise to move from one setting, population and organization to another with ease.

The MSW was designed to be accessible and flexible in order to meet the needs of students who want a full-time program or those who are simultaneously working or have other responsibilities and are looking for more of a part-time option. In-person, online or hybrid (first-year in-person and second-year online) exist in full-time and part-time options.

Accelerated 12 Months

Students who previously earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from an accredited university may be eligible to complete their MSW in 12 months. Perfect for career-changers who want to go back to school full-time to get back in the workforce as quickly as possible.

Full-Time 24 Months

Perfect for career changers or recent graduates that have some exposure to social work practice and have the time to engage in an immersive educational program in person or online.

Part-Time 28 Months

Perfect for working professionals who need to work around a day job while pursuing their master’s degree.

Online Variable

Perfect for students who live further away or cannot get to campus regularly. 

We partner with four other prestigious professional schools at USC, in addition to Hebrew Union College, to offer eight options for a concurrent degree. While obtaining your MSW, you can earn one of the following:

• Juris Doctor (JD)
• Master of Business Administration (MBA)
• MS in Gerontology  (MSG)
• MA in Jewish Nonprofit Management  (MAJNM)
• Master of Urban Planning (MUP)
• Master of Public Administration (MPA)
• Master of Public Health (MPH)
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Social Work

A dual degree option requires separate admission to each program.

We require all new students to attend orientation sessions that introduce you to campus resources, support services, curriculum, financial aid, field instruction and technology. An international student adviser also is available to help foreign students become oriented to the school.

Yes. Graduate student housing is offered to graduate students in LA at the University Park Campus. USC Housing Services offers a wide variety of housing options for graduate students, from residence halls to apartments. Most MSW students do not live in university housing since the Los Angeles area has numerous interesting communities in which to live, many within a reasonable commuting distance from USC. If you decide to apply for housing, we recommend that you meet the Priority Deadline for the MSW program so that you can receive your admission decision as early as possible — housing applications may only be submitted once you have been admitted to USC.

Practicum Education

Our students are energized by the vibrant urban classroom of Los Angeles , a global city on the frontlines of social change. We have partnerships with some of the largest providers of social services in the country, so there is no better place to get the practicum training that will prepare you for the real challenges of the work. Many of our internships lead to permanent job placements post-graduation. 

Practicum Education

The University of Southern California consistently ranks among the nation's top accredited social work graduate programs in U.S. News & World Report . Our cutting edge research makes us a go-to program for students interested in:

Aging Artificial Intelligence     Behavioral and Mental Health Child Welfare Crisis and Disaster Recovery    Homelessness    

Human Trafficking Substance Use Social Determinants of Health Social Response to Climate Change Trauma-Informed Care Veterans and Military Families

MSW students have the option to receive specialized training along a track . Tracks are reflective of common areas of interest and may change in order to adapt to changing needs.

Adult Mental Health & Wellness

Children, Youth and Families

Social Change and Innovation

School and Educational Settings

Military Populations and Settings

How can I learn more about the MSW?

Attend an Info Session

Meet With a Student Ambassador

Paying for Graduate School

Request More Info

MSW Formats

Customize your MSW degree based on your timeline, interests and preferred method of delivery.

12-36 Months 

Study social work in the heart of Los Angeles and learn face-to-face with your peers and renowned faculty.

• 1-, 2- and 3-Year courses of study
• Full- and part-time options
• Day and evening classes
• Classes on-campus in Los Angeles
• Advanced Standing option available

Earn your MSW while you work or tend to other responsibilities with our flexible hybrid formats.

• 2-, 2.5- and 3-Year courses of study
• Full- and part-time hybrid options
• Day, evening and weekend classes
• Up to 12 synchronous units online with remaining classes on-campus in Los Angeles or San Diego
• Part-time option  only available in LA

18-24 Months 

Engage with our integrative social work curriculum wherever you are with the online MSW. 

• 1.5- and 2-Year courses of study
• Synchronous classes can be taken anywhere

What careers can I have with an MSW?

An MSW from Suzanne Dwork-Peck School of Social Work will provide you with many ways to change the world. You can choose the path that you want to take, whether that's working with specific groups of people or affecting policy changes that improve our society for everyone. 

Our dynamic, supportive academic environment makes space for you to think deeply, act courageously and explore new ways to create meaningful change. 

How to Apply     Apply Now

Program Alums present new work at The Green Room 42

Sunday, May 12, 2024

Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program alums Dimitri Landrain (Cycle 19) and Sequoia Sellinger and Sarah Rossman (Both Cycle 33) present new work at The Green Room 42. 

Dimitri Landrain presented his children's musical, Fables In Concert (Book and Lyrics by A. J. Freeman, Music by Landrain), at the midtown nightlife venue on May 12th. The musical includes five separate “tales” based on Aesop’s classic fables, using music, dance, and humor to explore themes around honesty, kindness, perseverance, and the importance of friendship. 

Recent alums Sequoia Sellinger and Sarah Rossman will present songs from their musical Next Year In Connecticut at The Green Room 42 this June 11th. For more info and tickets, click here

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Purdue University Northwest to offer Master of Social Work degree

Purdue University Northwest (PNW) will begin recruiting students for its new Master of Social Work (MSW) program that is expected to enroll its first cohort in fall 2025.

PNW’s MSW program will prepare advanced generalist social workers who are well-qualified to meet social services needs in our metropolitan region.

“Engaging individuals as partners in the helping process is key to social work,” said Anne Gregory , dean of the College of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences at PNW. “If you are someone interested in building and strengthening relationships in ways that promote, maintain and enhance the well-being of individuals, families, organizations and our communities, then the PNW MSW program is for you.”

The MSW curriculum will center on anti-oppressive social work practice that advocates for social, racial, economic and environmental justice for all vulnerable populations. After completion of PNW’s MSW degree, graduates will be eligible for social work licensure (LSW).

MSW graduates earn qualifications to begin careers in sectors such as mental health, government, hospitals, schools, deaddiction centers and advocacy agencies.

The new MSW program will greatly expand PNW's ability to respond to the educational, professional, social service, mental health and advocacy needs of Northwest Indiana and beyond. Mike Johnson, chair of the department of Behavioral Sciences at PNW

“Our stellar social work faculty are very excited to offer the MSW program at PNW,” said Shreya Bhandari , professor of Social Work and director of PNW’s MSW program. “We are currently working on gaining initial accreditation with the Council on Social Work Education, the body that accredits social work programs across the nation.”

“The new MSW program will greatly expand PNW’s ability to respond to the educational, professional, social service, mental health and advocacy needs of Northwest Indiana and beyond,” said Mike Johnson , chair of the department of Behavioral Sciences at PNW.

MSW students at PNW will be able to leverage synergistic connections between other related graduate programs at the university, including PNW’s Counseling, Couple and Family Therapy, and Psychology programs. PNW has offered a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work program since 2016 that is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

To learn more about PNW’s MSW program, visit pnw.edu/msw . Applications will be accepted through January 15, 2025. More information about graduate studies at PNW is also available at pnw.edu/graduate-studies .

Linc Butler is an HR hero

The Massey Award winner “leads not by the example of his power, but by the power of his example.”

By night, Linc Butler plays guitar and sings in the tribute band Joe Hero. By day, Butler is also a hero for the work he does as Carolina’s senior associate vice chancellor for human resources and academic personnel. Just ask the 28 people who nominated him for a Massey Award.

Working within the state government structure, Butler has to “manage the needs and wants of the campus’s employee population as a whole, urgent requests from managers and supervisors and the career development and wellbeing of central HR staff,” one nominator wrote. “He handles this full plate with integrity, grace, empathy and a generous dash of humor.”

Nominators heralded Butler’s knowledge of “ever-changing policies, state laws and federal regulations.” But the way they describe him – professional, sensitive, thoughtful, invaluable, nurturing, compassionate, kind, approachable, fair and calm – shows why they appreciate him so much.

“Linc Butler is the epitome of someone who leads not by the example of his power, but by the power of his example,” a nominator wrote. “Some of us joke about being his favorite employee and that is because he makes each of us feel appreciated and supported whether we lead a team of five or 25. He is intentional about recognizing our accomplishments and individual strengths and encourages us to take smart risks to achieve more than perhaps we thought possible.”

‘Terrific work ethics’

He grew up in Fayetteville, North Carolina, the youngest of three brothers. His name is “Lincoln” on his birth certificate, but he was always called “Linc” because his father liked the character “Linc” Hayes in the “Mod Squad” TV show.

“We were middle class. My mom and dad both had terrific work ethics, and they modeled that for us,” he said.

Butler earned a bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in mathematics from Appalachian State University. After a stint as a Kmart personnel manager, he joined Carolina’s Tar Heel Temps in 1997. He then assumed roles of increasing responsibility in human resourses at Carolina before taking high-level human resources positions at North Carolina A&T University and North Carolina Central University.

In 2016, he returned to Carolina’s human resources office. He serves on the University’s Emergency Response Team, leads inclement weather policy formation and sits on many UNC System committees.

“In HR, there’s always a mathematical component when you’re thinking about things like compensation and determining market indexes. But more of what we do is build relationships with people, understand their needs and challenges, then figure out solutions that meet those needs,” he said.

After-work pastimes

Butler and his wife, Becky, live in Mebane, where Butler restores old cars, a hobby he calls “a great way to disconnect from the day-to-day things I have to deal with.” As though he’s proudly showing off photos of his four children, he swipes his phone’s screen to display his restorations: a ’68 butternut-yellow Chevelle Super Sport, a ’75 Corvette Stingray and the latest project, a ’67 Volkswagen Beetle convertible.

And then there’s the band, where the soft-spoken human resources leader takes center stage and blasts covers of hits to hundreds of fans. Asked to choose an anthem, Butler picks Foo Fighters’ “My Hero,” which in its video version shows an ordinary guy rushing into a burning building to rescue a baby and a small dog.

“I love the idea behind it of everyday people doing extraordinary, even heroic things,” he said. “And it’s important that I work to empower and encourage others to believe they can accomplish the extraordinary.”

This story is part of The Well’s coverage of the 2024 C. Knox Massey Distinguished Service Awards, which recognize “unusual, meritorious or superior contributions” by University employees. Look for new recipient profiles to come or  find others you may have missed .

Massey Award winner Summer Montgomery ’81 is a student service specialist in the University’s largest department.

Watch Zena Cardman’s Spring Commencement speech

The double Tar Heel and NASA astronaut imparted wisdom to Carolina graduates months before she’s set to embark on her first spaceflight.

Campus ceremonies celebrate graduates

Ahead of Spring Commencement, Carolina graduates celebrated their achievements at ceremonies around campus.

Doctoral hooding speakers encourage curiosity

Encouraging a “culture of openness,” they charged graduates to stay collaborative and committed to service.

Rewatch 2024 Spring Commencement and Doctoral Hooding

The University celebrated the achievements of the Class of 2024 at Doctoral Hooding and Spring Commencement ceremonies.

Giovanni Biggers will use MAPS degree to boost others

He focused on business and public policy in the UNC Graduate School’s flexible interdisciplinary program.

The Class of 2024 writes a letter to Carolina

Through social media submissions, graduates share how the University has impacted their lives.

Look back at the Class of 2024’s big night

In this video from Carolina’s Spring Commencement, watch the celebration and catch the fireworks.

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