Social Work

Chairperson: Cory Cummings, Ph.D.; BSW Program Director: Leanne Wood, Ph.D.; MSW Program Director: Rebecca Rouland, Ph.D.; Professor: Leanne Wood, Ph.D.; Associate Professors: Cory Cummings, Ph.D., Mark Primus, Ph.D., Rebecca Rouland, Ph.D.; Assistant Professors: Fatima Banister, M.S.W., Erin Cole, D.S.W. A.J. Spikes, M.S.W.; Clinical Associate Professor: Michael Rood, M.S.W.; Clinical Assistant Professor: Cemre Korman, M.S.W.; Professor Emeriti: Carol Brownstein-Evans, Ph.D., Virginia David, M.S.W., Jed Metzger, Ph.D., Shirley Sharp, M.S.W.

BSW Program Mission Statement
The mission of the Nazareth BSW Program is to educate ethical, competent social workers prepared for graduate education and generalist practice. The Nazareth BSW Program provides a supportive, equitable and inclusive learning environment that facilitates learning among a diverse student body and emphasizes social work values as well as knowledge and skill development to improve the effectiveness of social work practice, programs and policies. The Nazareth BSW program prepares students to engage in strengths-based, culturally responsive, anti-racist, anti-oppressive practice and to advance human rights as well as social, racial, economic, and environmental justice.

Goals
The Nazareth University BSW program:

Prepares competent, ethical, strengths-based generalist practitioners committed to culturally responsive, anti-racist, anti-oppressive practice with diverse populations and to advancing human rights as well as social, racial, economic and environmental justice.
Provides a supportive, equitable and inclusive learning environment that facilitates learning among a diverse student body and emphasizes social work values as well as knowledge and skill development to improve the effectiveness of social work practice, programs and policies.
Develops qualified candidates for graduate education and generalist practitioners dedicated to life-long learning.

Accreditation
The baccalaureate program in social work is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). This accrediting body ensures that all baccalaureate and graduate-level social work programs are of a high quality and graduate competent professionals. Graduating from a CSWE-accredited baccalaureate program enables students to apply for both entry-level professional social work positions and for advanced standing in graduate programs of Social Work.

The Department of Social Work also offers a CSWE-accredited MSW degree program.

Both Nazareth programs are registered also with the Division of Professional Education New York State Education Department.

Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC) Pathway
The NazarethDepartment of Social Work offers the coursework required to become a CASAC (and is approved as a New York State OASAS Certified Education and Training Provider). The curriculum develops knowledge and skills relevant to this practice area.

Child Life Specialist Pathway
Courses in the social work major and the developing children and families minor, plus death and dying and child life specialist theory and practice courses, combine to prepare students well for a career in social work, including as a child life specialist. This undergraduate pathway offers students the opportunity to complete the academic requirements for Child Life Specialist (CLS) certification.

General Information
The B.S. degree in social work requires extensive supervised practicum experience. The social work faculty partner with Rochester-area health and human service agencies to acquaint students with the diverse opportunities existing in the social work profession.

Students are required to receive at least a ‘C’ grade in all required SWK courses and maintain a 2.5 overall average in SWK, in order to continue in the major.

MSW Program Mission Statement

The mission of the Nazareth University Master of Social Work (MSW) Program is to educate social work students to be ethical and competent advanced practitioners who, through collaborative and interprofessional practice following a person-in-environment and ecological systems approach, advance individual, community, societal, and global well-being and human rights; promote social justice, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging; and serve as leaders and changemakers.

MSW Goals

The MSW Program’s mission statement is also supported by three core goals:

Through the cultivation of knowledge, values, and skills specific to the social work profession, develop ethical, professional, and competent advanced practitioners who promote critical thinking and evidence-based practice processes
Advance collaboration, leadership, and interprofessional practice skills within a person-in-environment and ecological systems approach to improve the effectiveness of practitioners, advance individual, community, society, and global well-being across system levels, and serve as changemakers
Valuing cultural humility, engage with diversity and difference to promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging and address bias and oppression

Accreditation

Nazareth University Master of Social Work (MSW) Program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). This accrediting body ensures that all baccalaureate and graduate-level social work programs are of a high quality and graduate competent professionals.

The MSW degree is a New York State licensure-qualifying program, fulfilling the educational component required to become a Licensed Master of Social Work (LMSW) and Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW).

Both Nazareth programs are registered also with the Division of Professional Education New York State Education Department.

General Information

The MSW degree in social work requires extensive supervised practicum experience. The social work faculty partner with health and human service agencies to acquaint students with the diverse opportunities existing in the social work profession.

Students are required to earn a grade of C or better in all required social work courses (those courses with a SWK prefix) in order to continue in the graduate program. Students must also earn a B- or higher in courses that are designated as clinical content courses. Students must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher in order to continue in the MSW Program.