Welcome to the School of Social Work

The University of New England School of Social Work embraces a vision of sustainable, equitable, diverse communities committed to universal human rights and social and economic justice. From this perspective, health is identified as physical, emotional, social and spiritual well-being.
- UNE SSW Vision Statement 

Welcome to the University of New England School of Social Work. This year, we are proud to celebrate 25 years of innovation and leadership in social work education. The MSW degree offers graduates the opportunity to play active roles in ever changing practice contexts. Faculty and students are actively engaged in promoting mental and physical health in underserved communities, reducing poverty and homelessness, protecting children and families, addressing addiction, facilitating healing after trauma, and using the arts to raise awareness of social justice issues.

Our philosophy emphasizes the mutual interaction of knowledge, values, and practice skills with a focus on the strength of the human spirit, social and economic justice, cultural diversity, and ending oppression. We invite you to explore what students and alumni have to say about their experiences in the program, to come for a campus visit, or to contact us directly to learn more about the exciting opportunities available here at UNE.

Clay Graybeal, Ph.D., Interim Director

Two Concentrations

The School is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education to offer the Master's Degree in Social Work and is the only graduate program in the state of Maine that offers two concentrations:

Clinical Practice:  The Individual, Families, and Groups (IFG) concentration is designed for students interested in advanced skills in health and mental health, substance abuse, trauma and other relevant clinical and case management arenas.

Community Practice: The Organizational and Community Practice (OCP) concentration is designed for students who want to develop advanced skills in program management, policy analysis, advocacy, community development, and related areas.

Program Options

Campus-based:  Students who attend at our campus in Portland, ME, are able to select from multiple options, including full-time and part-time, and advanced standing.  It is now possible to complete your degree in as little as 16 months.  Learn more.

Online:  The UNE School of Social Work also offers an online Master of Social Work degree option. Learn more.

Mission and Values

The mission of the School of Social Work is to educate a diverse cadre of professional social workers who will translate our vision into practice, to produce applied and evidence-based knowledge to push this vision forward, and to create and sustain interdisciplinary and collaborative partnerships with communities toward this vision.

We are committed to human dignity, diversity, and self-determination and the struggle against domination, exploitation, and violence in all forms. Our vision is firmly grounded in human resilience, capacity building, and the potential for individual and collective transformation at all systemic levels and within all organizations. This includes a professional obligation to combat and dismantle barriers to human dignity and to advocate for resource equity and social justice. We respect people's memberships in groups and communities distinguished by class, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, ability, and culture while honoring each person's individuality. Our program advances growth and change, global and local equity, and relational connection among all people.

As a program within the College of Health Professions, the School embraces a comprehensive definition of health as a state of complete physical, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. We believe that health, defined in this way, is a universal right. The majority of human suffering is embedded in inequity in the distribution of resources, with vulnerable populations at greatest risk. Thus, our focus is on changing those structures and relationships that foster the inequities that undermine the promotion of health. The School realizes this goal by teaching empowering theories for practice and developing collaborative relationships based on mutuality and respect, al all levels, from direct practice to societal movements.

Program Goals

The School's Program Goals Are to:

• Prepare competent Masters-level professional social workers who at every system level:
• • Challenge the inequities of existing social, political, economic and cultural institutions and relationships. 
  • Create collaborative, sustainable, health-promoting relationships across diverse populations and communities.
    
    
• Develop, apply, and evaluate value-based, theory-driven and evidence-guided empowering social work practice.
  
  
• Provide leadership to advance equitable social structures, practices, and relationships to promote human health and well-being.
  
  
• Help students develop and implement professional practice relationships based upon empowerment and connection in order to enhance social functioning and social change consistent with the values of human dignity, individual and cultural diversity, self determination, and social justice.
  
  
• Help students build the knowledge and skills necessary to influence social, economic and political systems to provide adequate and appropriate resources that honor diversity, and to achieve social justice.
  
  
• Help students use critical self-reflection, research, and continuing knowledge building to enhance professional practice.
  
  
• Prepare students to work in un-served and underserved areas.
  

Field Education

Learn about field education opportunities

Learning through Action

Learn about exciting opportunities to engage in active learning

MSW Student Organization

Learn about the MSW Student Organization

Curriculum

See the Catalog for detailed information on curriculum requirements.