At A Glance

Campus in the fall

Standard of Excellence

  • Nationally, the School is ranked 21st among 298 accredited graduate schools of social work (U.S. News and World Report, 2022).
  • The School of Social Work, founded in 1918, has over 11,300 alumni; the school graduated 270 students this past year.
  • Offers BASW, MSW and PhD degrees.
  • Two MSW Concentrations: Direct Practice with  Individuals, Families, and Small Groups (Direct Practice) and Community, Organization, and Social Action (COSA).
  • First program of Community Organization in the country.
  • Second largest Child Welfare training program in the country.
  • Several joint Masters degrees and programs with other University programs, including the School of Public Health, School of Education, School of Public and International Affairs and others, as well as a MSW/JD with the Law School and a MSW/MBA with the Business School.
  • Direct Practice Certificate programs: Gerontology, Home and School Visitor/School Social Worker, Children, Youth and Families, Integrated Healthcare, and Mental Health.
  • We offer a part-time Master of Social Work (MSW) program at two of our regional campuses: the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford (UPB) and the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown (UPJ).

Demographics

  • Total students: 674
  • 83% female, 17% male
  • Students of color make up over 25% of the student body.
  • International students representing the countries of: China, South Korea, Peru, Japan, Nigeria,  India, and Viet Nam and more.
  • Over 37% of full-time faculty members are faculty of color.

Financial Assistance

  • More than 60% of full time graduate students receive financial assistance through the School.
  • Awarded 159 training fellowship awards, totaling more than $2 million in additional financial support. 
  • Full tuition remission and stipends for living expenses are available for PhD students.

Research

  • The SSW has externally funded projects totaling over $30 million dollars.
  • Faculty with a wide range of expertise in many topics including: mental illness, substance abuse, health behavior interventions, HIV/AIDS, child welfare, aging, grief and loss, community practice, race and gender issues, and juvenile justice.

Field Placements

  • Choice of more than 500 field work opportunities.

Centers

  • Center for Research on Innovations in Services and Equity in Mental Health (RISE-MH)
  • Center on Race and Social Problems (CRSP)
  • Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center

Transforming Careers

  • Students have won many prestigious national and international scholarships, including Fulbright Scholarships, Albert Schweitzer Fellowships, a Boren Fellowship, and a Doris Duke Fellowship.
  • Doctoral graduates go on to become deans, tenured faculty, and some of the country’s leading researchers.
  • Comprehensive professional development and continuing education program.
  • The Vankirk Career Center has face-to-face contact with 100% of students in their first year. 
  • Ongoing workshops and one-on-one career development meetings that are available to both students and alumni at no cost.

Learn more about our Admissions process »