School of Social Work
Yvonne Smith, Director
244I White Hall
315.443.9774
ynsmith@syr.edu
Jennifer C. Genovese, MSW Program Director
244H White Hall
315-443-9727
jgenoves@syr.edu
Tracy Walker, Director of Field Education
244D White Hall
315-443-5565
ttwalker@syr.edu
Faculty
Nadaya Brantley, Steven Bush, Britney Carter, Kendra DeLoach McCutcheon, Jennifer Genovese, Ryan Heath, Kenneth Marfilius, Tracey Musarra Marchese, Fei Pei, Stefanie Pilkay, Joseph L. Smith, Yvonne Smith
Staff
Kristin Esposito, Assistant MSW Online Field Director
Adrienne Renfroe, Coordinator of Graduate Admissions, Recruitment, Students Services
Karen Goebel, Office Coordinator
Heather Mauro, Internship Placement Coordinator
Peter Ashworth, Internship Placement Coordinator
Loren Cunningham, Internship Placement Coordinator
Andrea Grillo, Internship Placement Coordinator
Jennifer Coughlin, Internship Placement Coordinator
Graduate
The School of Social Work offers a purpose-driven education that prepares students to address the complex societal challenges of our time. Through rigorous curriculum, critical and empirical inquiry, and immersive field experiences, we cultivate graduates who bring scholarly rigor, cultural humility, and research-informed judgment to diverse roles, settings, and communities. We are grounded in critically conscious and anti-oppressive values, coupled with a commitment to just and ethical practice.
Drawing on integrative scholarship and the enduring values of the profession, the School of Social Work is committed to three interconnected purposes:
- Educate students in the knowledge and skills necessary for contemporary and evolving social work practice
- Create, disseminate, and apply research that deepens understanding of the causes and human costs of systemic injustice
- Engage in service and civic action that advances social, economic, racial, and environmental justice at local, national, and global levels
Our profession envisions a society that eliminates structural barriers, promotes belonging and autonomy, and honors the dignity and self-determination of individuals, families, groups, communities, and organizations experiencing oppression. We prepare graduates to be active change agents in building this society.
The school offers two graduate programs leading to the Social Work, MSW degree. The first is a two-year M.S.W. program. The second is an advanced standing program, open only to students who hold a bachelor’s degree in social work from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. Both graduate programs prepare students for advanced social work practice and leadership. The graduate program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
The master’s degree in social work is available in two formats. A traditional on-campus format for full-time and part-time study. A part-time online format is also available.
Additional information regarding the online Master of Social Work program can be found at https://onlinegrad.syracuse.edu/social-work/.
More than 200 social welfare and health agencies in Central New York and across the U.S. provide graduate field instruction opportunities. Graduate students in the two-year degree program must complete 1000 hours of field experience concurrent with their academic work, thereby integrating classroom and field learning.
Law, JD/Social Work, MSW
The Juris Doctor/MSW is a joint degree which may be conferred by the College of Law and the Syracuse University Department of Social Work. Students enrolled in these programs may obtain their J.D. and M.S.W. in substantially less time than would be necessary if both programs were separately pursued. The MSW can be completed in conjunction with the J.D. in 3 years of full-time study along with summer coursework and field experience. Because a joint degree program involves reciprocal application of electives, students are not awarded either degree until the requirements for both degrees are completed.
Admission
Students in the two-year residential M.S.W. program begin full-time study only in the fall semester. Advanced standing students begin study in the second summer session. The awarding of the degree requires a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in all courses required for the degree. All degree requirements must have been completed within seven years prior to the date of the degree award.
Matriculated students who voluntarily interrupt graduate study for more than one academic year and wish to be re-admitted will be evaluated by the MSW Program and Field Office directors. Required reevaluation criteria vary according to individual circumstances. The re-admission process is initiated by a letter to the director of the MSW program in the School of Social Work, outlining circumstances of interruption and plans for completion of graduate study.
Transfer Credit
Graduate credit earned in another accredited graduate school and carrying a grade of B or higher may be transferred toward the M.S.W. degree, so long as it forms an integral part of the degree program and is approved by the School of Social Work. A maximum of 12 credits from other graduate study may be transferred toward the 60-credit M.S.W. degree requirement. Academic credit is not given for life experience or previous work experience. Advanced standing M.S.W. students may not transfer credits from another college or university.
Decisions regarding credit transfer are made independent of admissions decisions. Matriculation as a transfer student in the School of Social Work requires completion of the formal admissions process.
Part-Time Study
Students unable to enroll full time may complete the program through part-time study. Several options are available. Evening, daytime, and summer courses are offered. Several courses may also be available in one week intensive “minimester” formats.
Financial Aid
Significant departmental financial aid is available for residential students. All financial aid decisions are made independently of and subsequent to decisions on admission.