Most Influential Schools in Social Work

1. University of Washington School of Social Work

Founded in 1934, the Washington School of Social Work is a public, professional school within the University of Washington. It offers social work degrees at the undergraduate, masters, and doctoral levels and has a total enrollment of more than 600 students. It is renowned for the breadth and depth of its curriculum, advanced research, and public engagement.

Throughout its 96-year history, the UW – SSW has been involved in the social problems of the times. The school was one of the first to develop training for relief workers during the Great Depression. It was also foremost in creating the field of medical social work to serve soldiers returning from WWII. In the 1960s the school created student and community outreach programs and in the 1970s was one of the first schools in the US to focus on evidence-based research. Most recently, UW – SSW launched an award-winning public-private partnership for child welfare and a statewide alliance to strengthen the professional expertise of social workers.

The mission of UW – SSW is to promote social and economic justice for poor and oppressed populations and enhance the quality of life for all. The school strives to maximize human welfare through education, research, and public service and joins in partnership with others who are committed to solving human problems in the twenty-first century. The UW – SSW is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

• BASW degree
• MSW degree with three pathways:
• Advanced Standing Program
• Day Program
• Extended Program
• As part of these MSW programs, the school offers an extensive array of field education opportunities in community agencies and organizations where students can master and synthesize the social work knowledge, values, and skills they learn in the classroom.
• Ph.D. degree

UW – SSW is nationally and internationally known for its focus on social welfare innovation through research and its practical innovations for practice. To carry out this mission, the school supports many centers and research groups. Among them are:

• Behavioral Medicine
• Child Well-Being
• Diversity Education
• Education and Social Impact
• Gerontology Education
• Healthy Aging
• Indigenous Wellness
• Latino Health and Well-being
• Oncology and Palliative Care
• Poverty and Policy
• Prevention Science
• Suicide Prevention
• Early Interventions
• Women and Family Welfare

2. Columbia University School of Social Work

The Columbia School of Social Work is one of the professional graduate schools of Columbia University. With an enrollment of over 900, it is one of the largest social work programs in the United States and is fully accredited by the Council of Social Work Education.

The Columbia School of Social Work and the profession of social work are inextricably intertwined. In the summer of 1898, the Charity Organization Society offered the first-ever social work classes at 105 East 22nd Street in New York as a response to the difficult conditions of urban industrial life in the second half of the 19th century. Twenty-five men and women attended and these classes became the primary training source for social workers until, in 1904, they were expanded into the first degree program of study in social work.

As a top-ranked graduate school, Columbia’s mission is to serve as a leader in social work education and research. Its programs integrate rigorous social work theory and practical applications to improve the welfare of individuals and communities around the world. Cutting-edge education, rigorous research, and dedication to social justice are the foundations for all of its programs. The approach is rooted in the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Columbia offers the following graduate programs:

MSW degree

• 2-year on-campus or online
• 16 month on-campus
• Advanced standing (for students with BSW)
• Extended (part-time studies for students who need to work)
• Reduced Residency (for students who already have more than two years of full-time experience in a social services agency; can continue working full-time at an agency while taking classes part-time)
• Transfer (for students who have completed a full year of field and course work at another CSWE-accredited graduate school of social work in the United States within the past five years

Ph.D.

Field education, sometimes called practicum, at CSSW plays an important role in helping students put into practice what is taught in the classroom. The hands-on guidance provided to students by community professionals and organizations produces highly skilled practitioners, administrators, and community planners.

In the second year of the MSW curriculum, Columbia students have the choice of four concentrations: Advanced Clinical Practice, Advanced Generalist Practice and Programming, Policy Practice, and Social Enterprise Administration. Further, within these concentrations, students have the choice of four fields of practice: Aging/Gerontology; Contemporary Social Issues; Family, Youth and Children’s Service; and Health, Mental Health, and Disabilities.

Research on social problems and issues is central to the Columbia School. The School’s many research centers and groups include:

• ASPIRE: Advancing Solutions in Policy, Implementation, Research, and Engagement for Refugees
• China Center for Social Policy
• Cogburn Research Group
• Columbia Justice Lab
• The Center for Complicated Grief
• Global Health Research Center of Central Asia
• The Center on Poverty and Social Policy
• SAFE Lab (examines the ways in which youth of color navigate violence on- and offline.
• The Social Intervention Group
• The Center for Social Policy and Practice in the Workplace