SOCWK-MSW - Social Work

Mission Statement

The mission of the MSW Program at CUNY York College is to educate scholars for advanced, urban social work practice at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels with a specialization in healthcare settings. The program seeks to recruit and prepare scholars from diverse surrounding communities to become skilled, culturally aware, competent, and compassionate professionals who can respond to the growing demand for healthcare-focused social work practice in underserved urban communities.

The Program fosters the intellectual growth and professional development of our scholars at the highest level as well as promotes the value of civic participation and dedication to public service locally and globally. Our scholars are engaged and challenged by both the rigorous curriculum which encompasses specific knowledge, values, and skills derived from the research-informed practice and practice-informed research, and by our diverse, multicultural, and vibrant social environment which prepares them for advanced social work practice in the healthcare arena.

The collegiate experiences of faculty and scholars enable both to achieve their highest professional ambitions by engaging in a variety of scholarly and professional activities that produce research and community partnerships. Guided by the Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), our MSW Program is committed to challenging oppression, embracing diversity, respecting the dignity and worth of all human beings, and promoting social and economic justice. More specifically, the MSW Program draws on social work values and a body of knowledge and skills to assure that:

• Scholars incorporate the richness of the diverse communities inside and outside of the College to appreciate the unique differences across the human spectrum and are compassionate, respectful, and accepting of their diverse client populations

• Scholars serve as a multifaceted resource for the New York metropolitan area with the vision of alleviating social and economic problems of individuals, families, and communities, especially in healthcare resources and needs.

• Scholars are committed to civic participation and leadership to promote human development, quality of life, social justice, and respect for all human beings.

Scholars meet our high expectations in academic programs, are prepared for the competitive marketplace upon graduation, are dedicated to practicing with integrity, cultural awareness, social diversity, and competency, and are committed to and are passionate about lifelong learning.

*NE: This is a new program. All content is subject to change at any time.

Program Goals

The five program goals of the M.S.W. Program at CUNY York College are as follows:

1. Educate outstanding social work practitioners in an intellectually rigorous environment so they can practice social work in urban health care settings and with diverse communities.

2. Educate advanced social work practitioners to be knowledgeable, skilled, and culturally competent and whose attitudes, behaviors, and communication skills are based on the foundation of professional social work values and ethical principles.

3. Prepare scholars for advanced social work practice with an understanding of the importance of continued self-reflection, professional development and self-care throughout their professional career.

4. Provide professional opportunities for MSW scholars in a variety of health care sectors and settings.

5. Engage scholars in faculty research, scholarship, and service to advance theory, policy, and practice in the profession of social work and the field of urban health care as well as provide them with hand-on and experiential learning of the implications of research- informs practice and practice-informed research.