With a master of education (MEd) and master of social work (MSW), you will gain the knowledge and skills needed to become a leader in the field of human sexuality.
In our dual degree master of education and master of social work program (MEd/MSW), you will take the inside track to a future as an educator, clinician, therapist, and sexuality professional.
Not only will you work with other community educators, teachers, therapists, clinicians, educational consultants, curriculum developers, professional writers, or journalists in communities, schools, or universities, but you will also be trained in:
At Widener, you will gain experience by doing. Through a practicum placement and a rigorous research-oriented education, you will develop the skills and aptitudes to excel in the field of human sexuality.
View the Loading... for curriculum and coursework requirements.
Pursue a powerful yet flexible dual degree to fit your busy schedule. You’ll complete your MSW 100% online while completing your MEd in Human Sexuality Studies through a blend of online and campus-based courses offered in our unique weekend format.
All of our students gain hands-on practice experience in either educational or clinical settings, depending on their program track. Field experience is accompanied by a practicum course through which you will receive supervision from a faculty member. Field placements are located where you live, and students who live more than two hours away from campus can attend their practicum class through video conferencing.
You may submit one online application and set of supporting documents following the admissions criteria for your CHSS degree program for both the Center for Human Sexuality Studies and the Center for Social Work Education. On the online application, choose the interdisciplinary program option for your “primary program” under your “area of study.” For your autobiographical and professional and personal goals statements, please follow the prompts found on page 4 of the online application.
Please visit the master's of social work program page for more information about requirements specific to social work.
With an MEd/MSW from Widener, you will develop the skills and expertise to excel as a sexuality educator and social worker.
Most of your classes take place only on specified weekends, so you will know in advance when you are required on campus. Because of this format, students commute from around the Philadelphia area (and beyond) and are able to keep their current jobs.
Note: does not apply to MSW courses.
Thanks to our highly trained faculty and staff who use current educational philosophies and methodologies, you will receive an education that emphasizes affecting learning and cutting-edge strategies.
If you are interested in becoming certified by the American Association and Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists, our curriculum puts you on the right track to meeting the requirements for certification.
"I strive to create an engaging, dynamic, and responsive learning environment. By encouraging self-reflection and co-created learning spaces, I aim for students to finish the course with confidence in the material, a sense of leadership in their own learning, and an understanding of the link between their work and social justice."
I have been a therapist working with LGBTQ children, youth, and families for the last 20 years. I went into this work to raise the voices of individuals who are far too often silenced.
In 2014, I founded the Gender & Sexuality Development Clinic at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia to have a way for Transgender and Gender Expansive children, youth, and their families to receive multidisciplinary care. In supporting these wonderful families, it became clear that there needs to be many more therapists who can provide support. My motivation in building this training program is to have more therapists in the community who can provide this great care.
"I love the interdisciplinary aspect of GWS--we move from analyzing a novel to looking up statistics on intimate partner violence, to discussing psychological and feminist theories, to applying all that back to the novel. It's the best way to learn and grow—after all life is interdisciplinary!"
"My approach to teaching is best described as embracing an existentialist and social reconstructivist perspective, emphasizing respect for what each student brings to the classroom and students’ responsibility for their own learning. In my teaching at Widener, these methods have resulted in positive outcomes as measured by student course evaluations and verbal feedback."
Widener students and faculty shared their experiences with high-impact practices, including service learning activities, research with faculty, internships and co-ops, study abroad, and senior projects.
Bruce Hall
Bruce Hall
Kapelski Learning Center
Room 120