Sacred Heart University adding master of social work degree

Sacred Heart University”™s (SHU) College of Arts & Sciences plans to launch a new master of social work degree in the fall 2017 semester.

“The values and the principles of social work are so related to Sacred Heart”™s mission that it”™s a fantastic fit for our campus,” said Bronwyn Cross-Denny, assistant professor and chair of SHU”™s Social Work department. “We”™ve had a strong and rigorous bachelor of social work degree since 1981, so the structure for a successful master”™s program was already in place.”

Based at the university”™s main campus in Fairfield, the 60-credit program is designed to integrate micro and macro practice within a social justice and Catholic intellectual tradition framework.

“Micro practice is working with individuals and macro practice is working with larger systems such as large groups, organizations and communities,” Cross-Denny said. “We frame our work with what we call ”˜the person in environment”™ or ”˜the person in context.”™ Our clients tend to be combating a complexity of issues often involving larger societal problems, such as poverty, housing or family issues.”

Two specializations will be available in the program: direct clinical practice and direct community practice. Each will contain elements of the other to provide a balanced educational background for the students.

The program will also feature an “advanced standing” component, wherein any student who completes a bachelor of social work degree can apply to the program and, if accepted, can proceed directly into the second year of the master”™s program, with the benefit of potentially earning both degrees in only five years. Due to state licensing regulations, that option will be available in fall 2018.