Welcome to the School of Social Work within the College of Public Health at Temple University.
Preparing social workers for over 50 years, the School of Social Work is dedicated to societal transformations to eliminate social, political and economic injustices for poor and oppressed populations, and to advancing the quality of life for all through:
- education emphasizing the discovery of knowledge and the use of critical inquiry and professional ethics to guide solution-seeking and action-taking to effect social change among professional social workers in front-line, supervisory, managerial and other leadership positions;
- public service that aids the dissemination of knowledge and evidence-based strategies and improves the responsiveness of the school to the needs of constituents; and
- research and scholarship to advance applied knowledge and generate evidence-based strategies to resolve problems occurring between people and their social environments at local, state, national and global levels.
In our work, we closely partner with communities, agencies and organizations in the greater Philadelphia area, throughout Pennsylvania and surrounding states, and nationally and internationally.
We offer both BSW and MSW programs and an advanced standing MSW program that address individuals, families, groups, communities, organizations and social policies. Students learn to view individuals, and the systems in which they operate, from strengths-based and culturally humble perspectives, with a professional understanding of human behavior and environmental influences, the application of theory, preparation for delivery of evidence-based practices and an understanding of social justice and global issues. Our programs are in-person and online, and there are opportunities for international experiences. We prepare students as generalist practitioners, and in the MSW program we offer options for advanced clinical and macro practice.
We question the justice of the circumstances that we address in our interventions and teach our students to do the same. When addressing social and other determinants of health and well-being, we are as interested in changing the organizational, environmental and policy contexts for the needs we address as in supporting individual and family change and coping.
Our research includes understanding community-embedded strengths and achievements; sustainable youth and community development programs and policies; mentoring programs; building and supporting inclusive lives for people with disabilities and for Autistic individuals; issues of community violence and trauma; interpersonal violence responses; healthy and successful aging; substance use; health promotion; abuse and neglect prevention; child welfare; mental and physical health disparities resulting from institutionalized forms of racism and identity-based structural oppression; health disparities; structural, social and intersectional forces that shape risk and protective behaviors; housing, food and financial insecurity; and building healing relationships.
Our website provides additional information about us, including our faculty members, staff, mission and programs. Please reach out to us for more information.
