What is social work? Ask any ten of our Master of Social Work (MSW) students or graduates, and you'll probably get ten different answers.
Clinical practice
Some social workers focus on clinical practice--working directly with individuals, families and small groups. In fact, many of these students first considered graduate study in psychology or counseling. Then they realized that social work's dual focus--not just on behavior, but also on the impact of a person's social environment--offers the chance to develop more broad-based knowledge and skills.
You'll find our clinical practice graduates in an almost unlimited variety of practice settings: working with troubled teens at an after-school program, staffing a crisis hotline for crime victims or conducting animal-assisted therapy with older adults.
Some of these graduates eventually go into private practice, providing psychotherapy for individuals, couples, families or groups.
Community practice
Other GSSW students choose to specialize in community practice--developing the leadership skills they need to bring about change at community, organizational, societal and global levels.
These graduates may become founders or CEOs of non-profit agencies, lobbyists, legislators or public policy analysts. Some choose to work in international social development. Still others choose a career focused on advocacy, fighting to improve living conditions for migrant farm-workers, for example, or ensuring that the rights of people with disabilities are protected.
Code of Ethics
Our commitment to, and passion for, social justice sets social work apart from other helping professions.
Despite their multiple careers paths, all social workers share a commitment to enhancing the lives of others according to the National Association of Social Workers core values and Code of Ethics. Whether they choose to act as clinical or community practitioners, all social workers are expected to promote social justice and social change with, and on behalf of, their clients.
