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Program:
According to the U.S. Dept. of Labor's Bureau Statistics, social work is one of the fastest growing careers in the United States. Newsweek Magazine (2003) indicated the demand for social work still places the profession among the top 10 occupations into the 21st century. For sheer variety, few professions can match social work which offers the broadest range of opportunities and settings.
Social work is a profession for those with a strong desire to help improve peoples' lives.
What social workers do:
- Provide counseling to individuals, families, and groups
- Help people to obtain needed resources and services
- Develop programs and work with communities to meet peoples' needs
- Address problems related to: child abuse, mental illness, poverty, illness or disability, substance abuse, discrimination, family conflict or violence, job jeopardy and aging.
Field internships: During their senior year, each student is assigned to an internship in social agencies or social work departments located throughout Westchester, Manhattan, the Bronx and other nearby geographical areas. Field internships provide students with the opportunity to learn and develop the professional skills of helping.
The Social Work program is career-oriented. Students who major in social work are prepared for entry-level professional positions in this field. In addition, graduates from Mercy College with a BS in Social Work are eligible to apply to advanced standing programs in graduate schools of social work. Graduate schools of social work accept up to 33 credits of undergraduate social work courses and waive the first of two years of graduate study. Therefore, a major advantage of completing Mercy College's Social Work program is that a student can obtain a Master's degree in Social Work in one year, rather than two!
Students who graduate with a Master's degree (MSW) obtain employment in a very wide range of social work positions, with options for job advancement and higher salaries. Job opportunities increase for those with fluency in Spanish.
"The Mercy College BSW Program was a life changing experience for me. The Program set me on a path of academic, professional and personal growth that continues to this day. In addition to the superior academic education I received, the program taught me how to be and what it meant to be a professional. I credit my accomplishments to the Mercy College Social Work Program. That Program is where I was given the blueprints to a successful career."
Troy Boyle, '99, Director of Clinical Services, Mental Health Program
PhD candidate in a School of Social Welfare
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Download a PDF version of our Program Brochure
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Program Contacts:
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Naomi Gitterman, MSW
Director, Social Work Program & Associate Professor
ngitterman@mercy.edu
Telephone: 914-674-7301/7603
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Inez Rivera-Pena, MSW
Field Coordinator Social Work Program
Assistant Professor
irivera@mercy.edu
Telephone: 914-674-7439
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Diana D'Amico Juettner, JD
Co-Chair, Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences
djuettner@mercy.edu
Telephone: 914-674-7546
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Hind Culhane, EdD
Co-Chair, Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences
hculhane@mercy.edu
Telephone: 914-674-7376
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"As a middle aged Hispanic woman, I made a life altering decision to return to school in pursuit of a new and challenging career path-Social Work. My decision to go to Mercy College would prove to be invaluable. Mercy College and the Social Work Program, with its dedicated faculty, helped me every step of the way. With their help, I graduated with honors and received a scholarship to the Master's Program at NYU. I am proud to be an alumnus of Mercy College."
Sandra L. Quiros, '05, Social Work graduate intern
Mental Health Clinic
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Career Opportunities:
Social workers are employed in:
- Mental health clinics
- Family and children's services
- Schools
- Hospitals
- Nursing homes
- Substance abuse programs
- Criminal justice
- Programs for adolescents
- College counseling
- Developmental disability programs
- Foster care
- Domestic violence shelters
- Housing for the homeless
- Employee assistance programs
- Private practice
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Curriculum:
Students take foundational courses in human behavior, diversity, social policy and research. Students take increasingly advanced courses in social work practice learning the theories and skills for helping people, accompanied by a junior year field experience and senior year field internship.
Pre-requisites to the major include: Introduction to psychology, Human biology, Introduction to sociology and Introduction to computers. Students must complete 42 credits: ten required courses and two semesters of field work. Most students complete the program in two years, but have the flexible option to extend coursework over a three year period.
For the complete course curriculum click here.
"I started college when I was 18 and attended Mercy for four years. My experience in the Social Work Program was exceptional. The faculty is well known for their commitment and attentiveness to helping students get the most out of their learning experience. I felt very supported and well prepared for graduate school and received a $10,000 scholarship! Since graduation, I have had many employment opportunities as a bilingual social worker."
Mariemi Santana,'04, Hospital Social Worker
Emergency Child Psychiatry Service
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Campuses where program is offered:
Bronx and Dobbs Ferry
"Mercy's Social Work Program offers experience in learning a broad range of practice skills from advocacy to clinical skills. My field placement in a legal service agency gave me the enriching opportunity to put those skills to practice. The Social Work program at Mercy served as a strong foundation for graduate school. My social work education at Mercy was the best investment I have made yet!"
Rosa Robles,'04, Social Worker
Child Welfare: Permanency & Adoption Services
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Professional Accreditations:
The Program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
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Frequently Asked Questions:
How do I apply to the Social Work program?
Students should contact the Director of the Social Work program at 914-674-7301 for information and application procedures for admission to the major.
Are many students from the program accepted into graduate schools of social work?
Our students have a very high rate of acceptance into the advanced standing programs of the many graduate schools of social work, with sites in New York City, Westchester and Rockland counties. They are able to obtain their Master's degree in social work in as little as eight months.
How do I obtain a license in social work in New York State?
Graduates with their MSW may take their exam for licensure immediately following their graduation.
Who are the social work faculty?
The diverse group of social work faculty are experienced educators and professionals with experience in the many fields of social work. Each student is assigned to work closely with a social work advisor who serves as their advocate and who guides them in planning and assists them with any issues affecting their education.
"With a social work degree, I can do what I love... helping people. The opportunity to work in many varied settings is open to me. The classes that I took at Mercy College were small and manageable with professors who were very supportive. Social Work is one of those professions that answers your deepest call-and that is the call to provide service to others"
Roger Ball, '01, Project Director, School-based Program
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