Message from Dean

The School of Social Work, which offers the M.S.W. and Ph.D. degrees, has a long tradition of excellence in social work education. Since its inception in 1920, the School has been engaged in preparing social workers who can make a difference in the lives of the individuals, families and groups they serve, as well as in the development of communities, the management of public and nonprofit human services organizations, and in the formulation of social policy.

The School of Social Work has a number of assets that have led to the recent U.S. News and World Report ranking as one of the top 10 best M.S.W. programs in the country. These assets include:

• Diverse and talented students who are bright, highly motivated individuals from many different backgrounds and geographic locales;
• Truly outstanding faculty, deeply committed to high quality classroom instruction, superb field practicum learning opportunities, and cutting-edge research activities;
• Comprehensive curriculum structured to provide a broad, solid foundation of social work knowledge and skills, as well as in-depth advanced knowledge and skill development in specialized areas of social work practice;
• Strong joint-degree programs in law, public health, divinity and public administration, as well as certificate programs in nonprofit leadership, substance abuse counseling, aging, international development, and international peace and conflict resolution;
• Commitment to serving the people of North Carolina and the nation through research, training, and technical assistance activities;
• International focus through exchange programs, study tours, lectures, and multi-cultural activities;
• Comprehensive continuing education opportunities for alumni and other human services practitioners;
• Excellent physical facilities, including classrooms, computer lab, and study areas, in a new building completed in September of 1995; and
• Distinguished alumni working in a range of settings throughout North Carolina and the nation.

All of us associated with the School of Social Work are proud of our tradition and our contributions to the State of North Carolina, to our nation, and to our profession. We hope the information contained here will answer many of your questions. Please contact us if we can provide additional information.

Sincerely,

Jack Richman, Ph.D.
Dean
Email: jrichman@email.unc.edu