Our single concentration in clinical social work provides students with the full range of skills needed for direct clinical practice in human service organizations.
Our master's in social work program (MSW) follows a trauma-informed, clinical model that promotes a social justice lens. You will learn alongside active practitioners to gain insider knowledge and experience for careers in:
You'll apply theory and practical knowledge learned in the classroom in two field placement settings designed to master the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) core competencies. Under direct supervision, you will prepare for advanced practice in social work in a variety of settings.
The Center for Social Work Education is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
View the academic catalog for curriculum and coursework requirements for the MSW degree on-campus and online program:
Pursue our online MSW and complete your degree from virtually anywhere. In this format, you'll experience a flexible curriculum supported by faculty who prioritize your success.
Learn more about our dual degree in MSW/MEd in Human Sexuality with the option to complete the MSW degree 100% online at your own convenience.
Through this program, MSW students undergo training to work with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Students work in an agency three days per week under the supervision of clinical social workers who work with people with developmental disabilities. The field internship is devoted to developing skills for therapeutic services. Faculty members provide a year-long seminar to students doing their internship while in the certificate program.
This certificate prepares MSW students with the knowledge and skills for work with people who have experienced the effects of trauma. Students receive instruction focused on supports and resources, special training regarding current theory and interventions for trauma victims, and effective strategies for dealing with vicarious traumatization.
Students work in an agency three days per week under the supervision of clinical social workers who work with individuals who have experienced trauma. This field internship is devoted to developing skills for therapeutic services. Faculty members provide a year-long seminar to students doing their internship while in the certificate program.
Through hands-on experience, MSW students learn real-world applications to theories in global social work and the impact that international policies and globalization have on local populations. Field placements include work with refugee/immigrant populations. During one international trip, students get the opportunity to apply what they have learned in the program. Past destinations included China, Netherlands, Great Britain, Thailand, and Japan.
You will have an opportunity to learn to practice social work with aging populations through an advanced practice year internship. The field education office has field placements that focus on supporting and providing services for the geriatric population. These agencies provide community-based services to address issues related to: mental health, behavioral health, long term care, elder abuse, prisons, immigration services, faith-based services, and family support.
This certificate focuses on addictions as a major neurobiological health disorder. The certificate covers the history of addictions, stigma associated with addictions, and underlying causes of the use of addictive substances, and approaches for the treatment of individuals and families from a variety of perspectives. The emphasis is to consider addictions as a chronic brain-based disorder with neurobiological and social consequences to individuals, families, and communities. Evidence-based practices will be applied in psychopharmacology treatments and psychosocial treatment modalities. Avenues of certification in addictions will be explored through the coursework.
The goal is to introduce MSW students to a range of theories about substance use disorders, provide an overview of commonly abused substances, and evaluate assessment and treatment strategies employed in work with both individuals and families as well as specific population groups including adolescents, older adults, and women.
The mission of Widener’s master of social work program is to prepare culturally competent social workers who:
The department also strives to use self-reflection and critical thinking in creating purposeful interventions informed by theory and evidence through:
All Council on Social Work Education programs measure and report student learning outcomes. Students are assessed on their mastery of the competencies that comprise the accreditation standards of the Council on Social Work Education. These competencies are dimensions of social work practice that all social workers are expected to master during their professional training. A measurement benchmark is set by the social work programs for each competency. An assessment score at or above that benchmark is considered by the program to represent mastery of that particular competency.
To apply to our online MSW, please visit our online graduate program admissions requirements.
If you are selected to interview for the program, we will contact you to arrange an appointment. Campus interviews are generally held on Tuesdays at 5:00 p.m. and Fridays at 11:00 a.m. Special accommodations for phone interviews can be made if needed.
Our trauma-informed model prepares you for a career as a highly competent social work clinician.
Widener trains you to intervene effectively using a trauma-informed lens with clients and to advocate for universal human rights. Upon graduation, you will be able to demonstrate care and compassion for clients from diverse cultural, social, and economic backgrounds and hold an unwavering belief in client strengths and client empowerment.
In your field placement settings, you'll have the opportunity to apply classroom learning with agency-based social work practice opportunities. This learning takes place under the direction and supervision of a trained field instructor who is employed by the agency and skilled in working with students.
Immerse yourself in the Widener community as an intern with Social Work Counseling Services (SWCS).
Our Center for Social Work Education faculty are practicing clinicians who are committed to providing mentorship, feedback, and support to you in the classroom and field placement settings.
"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."
"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."
An online MSW student is working to get a national designation for families of veterans who die by suicide. Calling the program Green Star families, it would provide mental health counseling for the lost veterans' survivors.
Despite unpredictable circumstances created by the pandemic, Widener’s clinics and centers remain committed to serving its constituents through virtual connections and support.
With the addition of occupational therapy, social work, and clinical psychology services, the Chester Community Clinic provides a one-stop-shop resource for clients and engages students in an interdisciplinary, hands-on learning environment designed to treat clients holistically.
Upon graduation, you will be prepared to enter the workforce as a clinical social worker and agent of social change. Uniquely located between three states, Widener's community relationships can connect you to agencies, schools, and hospitals in the tri-state area and beyond.
Bruce Hall
Providence House
Bruce Hall
Room 113