School Overview
The UNE School of Social Work is a unique, inclusive, student-centered, on-campus social work program in Southern Maine. We offer a values-based curriculum rooted in face-to-face experiences, and multiple, flexible pathways to ensure that our degrees are attainable for all who aspire to make the world a better place.
Greetings from the Director
Welcome to the University of New England School of Social Work. Our campus-based Master of Social Work and Bachelor of Social Work programs provide you with challenging, empowering, life-changing experiences, and set you on a lifelong path of meaningful employment, social advocacy, and lifelong learning.
As a school, we’re committed to the values of community building and social justice; critical inquiry and rigor in the delivery of face-to-face and hybrid campus-based and online education. Together with our accomplished SSW faculty, college and community partners, and students — you’ll realize a uniquely experiential, student-centered, interprofessional approach to social work education.
In Fall 2020 UNE SSW will launch the Integrated Clinical Practice Specialization (ICPS), that prepares graduates with strong clinical skills based in social work ethics and values, critical theory, community and cultural responsiveness, and trauma-informed practices. The ICPS is experientially taught using state-of-the-art simulation and interprofessional approaches that bring social work students together with classmates from nine other health professions. The student experience is enriched by a diverse selection of relevant electives and an array of shared learning opportunities on campus and in the community with students from the health and health-related professions and the humanities.
The campus-based program offers three certificate options in Applied Arts and Social Justice, Trauma-Informed Practice, and Training in Diversity and Aging (TRIAD) that can be earned within the required program credits.
The MSW program can be completed in as little as one year through UNE’s BSW 4+1 Advanced Standing track or with a BSW degree from a CSWE accredited institution. When applying without a BSW, the program can be completed in two years as a traditional full-time student, or at your own pace as a 3- or 4-year part-time student.
In the BSW program, students build a strong generalist social work foundation while taking advantage of opportunities including study abroad options, selected minors (e. g. Art, Anthropology, Health, Law and Policy, Neuroscience, Psychology, Public Health, Women’s and Gender Studies etc.), and participating in one or more of UNE’s vibrant interprofessional education programs.
To give you a better idea of how UNE’s SSW might work for you, our Programs pages list the current M.S.W. options, completion timelines, and formats and the B.S.W. curriculum progression. Have a look.
Please come visit us on our Portland (M.S.W.) and Biddeford (B.S.W.) Maine campus, sit in on a class, connect with students and alumni, or talk with me or other social work faculty directly to learn more about the UNE social work experience. For those students interested in obtaining a M.S.W., there are several information sessions scheduled throughout the year. All those events will be listed on our events page.
Get in touch! I look forward to beginning this conversation with you.
Shelley Cohen Konrad Ph.D., L.C.S.W., F.N.A.P., Director
Degree Programs
Accreditation
UNE’s Master of Social Work programs are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education's (CSWE) Commission on Accreditation. CSWE is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation as the sole accrediting agency for social work education in the United States. With curriculum aligned to CSWE standards, the Capella MSW prepares students for state licensure eligibility.
Student Testimonials
Master of Social Work: On-Campus Learning for Busy People
Master of Social Work: Be Part of a Cohort
MSW student Deqa: “Look at me, I’m doing this. And you can do it.”
Beautiful locations
As a student in our School of Social Work undergraduate program, you study on UNE's scenic Biddeford Campus, where the waters of the Saco River flow into the Atlantic Ocean. Recently named the youngest city in Maine, Biddeford and its twin city, Saco, boast an up-and-coming, hip downtown offering delicious eateries, exciting social and cultural events, and more. With the transformation of the old Biddeford/Saco mills into restaurants, breweries, housing, fitness facilities, salons, and retailers, there is something for everyone to explore in downtown. Looking to try a new type of food, grab a coffee, or shop for locally-made clothes? Biddeford/Saco has it all.
While earning your Master of Social Work, you study on our historic Portland Campus. Located in a quiet neighborhood that is a 10-minute drive from downtown Portland, campus is close to major clinical sites, shopping, nightlife, cultural events, restaurants, the beaches, the harbor, walking and biking trails and much more. Named “America’s Most Livable City” by Forbes and “Foodiest Small Town in America” by Bon Appetit, Portland is the city on every list. A rustic port hosts a cool cultural scene — with outdoor adventure all around.
Biddeford Campus
Portland Campus
UNE's online Master of Social Work program has been named one of the top five online programs in the country by Best MSW Programs.