Media Contact: Susan Cipollaro, scipollaro@fairfield.edu , 203-254-4000 ext. 2726

FAIRFIELD, Conn. (Feb. 5, 2019)—The Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies and the Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions are now accepting applications for the newly launched bachelor of social work (BSW) and master of social work (MSW) programs.

As a result of the growing need for social work professionals, Fairfield University has launched a bachelor of social work (BSW) major in the Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies and a master of social work (MSW) program in the Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions (GSEAP). Through Fairfield’s BSW and MSW programs, candidates can earn their undergraduate and master’s degrees in just five years.

Coursework in the 122-credit BSW major allows students to learn in collaboration with one another across the disciplines of nursing, health studies, and public health. Students also take part in 450 hours of supervised field education in a variety of social service agencies and community outreach settings.

Fairfield’s MSW is a clinical specialist program. The MSW offers two tracks of study: a two-year, full-time program, and advanced standing three-semester full-time program for graduates who have completed a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited bachelor of social work (BSW) program. Graduates of Fairfield’s BSW program who qualify can apply for advanced standing in the MSW program. The MSW is designed to prepare professionals for careers in school social work, mental health, homelessness and hunger advocacy, and policy.

“The commitment to service and caring for others dovetails beautifully with behavioral health programs already in the Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions,” said Dean Bob Hannafin, PhD, “and is a natural complement to the BSW. We’re delighted to announce the launch of the MSW degree this coming fall.”

The mission of the social work profession, to enhance human well-being and to help meet the basic needs of all people, aligns with the core principles of a Jesuit education. As such, it was a natural fit for the Egan School to introduce a bachelor’s degree in social work and for GSEAP to introduce the master’s degree.

“We are delighted to add the bachelor of social work degree to the extraordinary offerings of the Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies,” said Dean Meredith Wallace Kazer, PhD, APRN, FAAN. “This addition to our School provides the opportunity for social work students to study alongside nursing and public health students, ensuring that all our students receive an interprofessional education. The result will be team-ready graduates who will positively impact others, across social and health environments."

Classes for the BSW program are underway and classes for the MSW program will start next fall. The MSW has been designed as a hybrid model, offering both online and campus based instruction. The MSW is in initial phases of accreditation, and the process will be completed by the time the first cohort of students graduates.

Posted On: 02-11-2019 11:02 AM

Volume: 51 Number: 50

Fairfield University is a modern, Jesuit Catholic university rooted in one of the world’s oldest intellectual and spiritual traditions. More than 5,000 undergraduate and graduate students from the U.S. and across the globe are pursuing degrees in the University’s five schools. Fairfield embraces a liberal humanistic approach to education, encouraging critical thinking, cultivating free and open inquiry, and fostering ethical and religious values. The University is located on a stunning 200- acre campus on the scenic Connecticut coast just an hour from New York City.