Social Work

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Social Work Overview

Chatham’s Bachelor of Social Work BSW degree is a professional major built upon a liberal arts foundation that prepares you for professional social work practice or graduate studies in social work and related fields. As part of our accredited social work curriculum, you will learn how to connect individuals, families, groups, and communities with services to help them function successfully.

Program School
School of Arts, Science & Business

I am so thankful that I chose Chatham for my BSW. My professors made all the difference—they were encouraging yet challenged me and clearly care about their students. They believed in me even before I began to believe in myself. The support I received at Chatham propelled me towards success quicker than I could have imagined.

— DANI WILSON ‘12, MSW, executive director, Our Clubhouse

Explore the Social Work Degree:

  • You’ll obtain academic and career guidance every step of the way from advisors who are faculty with real world experience as practicing social workers.
  • You can choose to enhance your studies with a minor in criminology, psychology, or public policy.
  • Students are immersed in a caring, supportive learning environment that integrates global understanding, sustainability, gender and identity, and civic engagement into all majors.
  • All students complete a capstone seminar that channels the knowledge they’ve accumulated into a discipline-specific project under close faculty guidance.

SWK351: Practice 1: Interviewing and Assessment with Individuals

This course introduces generalist social work practice, including its philosophy, domains, and values. The role of the practitioner and an overview of the helping process provide the foundation for the study and practice of basic interviewing skills.

SKW201W: Human Behavior in the Social Environment 1

This course examines the development of individuals, couples, and families from birth to adolescence within the framework of social work research and theory. Also explored are systems that influence gender, race, ethnicity, social, and economic influences within the context of families, groups, organizations, institutions, and communities.

SWK322W: Social Welfare: Women and Policy

This course is designed to examine current issues and policies that impact the lives of women and to explore methods of creating or modifying policies. This course will utilize a comparative policy framework to explore the strengths and weaknesses of current interventions regarding their promotion of social and economic justice.

View Full Curriculum

Our Faculty

If one word could best sum up Chatham's faculty, it would be engaged. Professors bring experiences to relate the course lessons to real-world situations.

Full Faculty
Melissa Bell
Melissa Bell
Associate Professor, Social Work Program Director

Practical Experience

During senior year, your field placement will give you a closely supervised, hands-on experience that connects classroom learning with real-world, on-the-ground social work. You will complete 500 hours of field placement work by the time you graduate.

Funding Opportunities

The Maggie Hobbs Social Work Award is an annual monetary award given to a full-time senior majoring in social work based on academic accomplishments; demonstration of social work skills, values, and ethics; and contributions to the social work program, the discipline of social work, and the Chatham community.

Join the Club

Students can join Chatham’s social work club, SWIRL (Social Work is Real Life) as a complement to their education. The club provides opportunities to participate in activities at Chatham and in the Pittsburgh community and to attend local and regional social work conferences.

Accreditation & Learning Outcomes

As members of a program fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, students can receive advanced standing in graduate social work programs across the country.

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High Rankings

Chatham's BSW is ranked #15 on TheBestSchools.org's list of "The 40 Best Bachelor's in Social Work Degree Programs."

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Certificate in Forensic Social Work

The certificate in Forensic Social Work equips students with social work knowledge and skills within the contexts of the American criminal justice, mental health and child welfare systems. The program fosters graduates committed to social justice who can become change makers with their organizations, communities, and in society at large. It requires 18 credits to complete, including an internship and capstone.

Social Work Student Handbook

This PDF book contains important information about requirements and policies of the program. If you have a specific question that is not answered here, please contact a member of the social work faculty or staff.

Download the PDF

Marcus Poindexter, Instructor of Social Work, Honored

Marcus Poindexter, instructor of social work, was named to Pittsburgh Courier's 2018 Fab 40 Class of 2018. The Fab 40 recognizes African American men and women under the age of 40 for their achievements in their respective professional fields.

2019 Maggie Hobbs Award Recipients

We are pleased to announce that the recipients of the 2019 Maggie Hobbs Social Work Award are Katherine Luteri and Christina Dadey. The Award is determined by academic accomplishments, demonstration of social work skills, values and ethics; contributions to the social work program and to discipline of social work; and contributions to the Chatham community. 

Social Work Program Director Melissa Bell interviewed for Social Work Advocates Magazine

Dr. Melissa Bell was interviewed regarding a book she cowrote called Reproductive Decision Making: Acting to Help Clients, published by NASW Press. The book provides social services professionals with tools and strategies, real-world research, policy practice and case examples to facilitate discussions of reproductive decision making with clients.