About

The faculty and staff of the School of Social Work at Radford University believe that the highest quality of social work education builds on the values and ethics of the profession. We fully integrate cultural humility and strive to promote inclusion and social justice at all system levels, locally and globally. We utilize theory to guide our understanding of client systems in the socially constructed environment. Our students graduate with strong advocacy and practice skills, use evidence-based models, and have the ability to evaluate their own practice.
 
The School of Social Work prepares social work professionals who are capable of adapting their practice to meet the needs of client systems. The program context comprises a dynamic mix of small cities and rural settings. We build and maintain partnerships with the surrounding communities that are dually focused on education and service. The signature pedagogy of the School is field where course work and practice are integrated.

The MSW program prepares professionals capable of autonomous practice with a specialty in community-based family practice.  Our students develop the ability to practice clinically with diverse, self-defined families and to partner with them to make skillful contributions to the family-community continuum.

The Master of Social Work program seeks to provide the highest quality professional education for all persons who are admitted into the program. The program seeks to develop within each of its students the rich intellectual and ethical capacities necessary for skillful and compassionate social work practice. The program’s focus is community-based family practice, allowing students to acquire a blend of direct family practice skills coupled with an understanding and appreciation of human diversity. Because we are located in rural Appalachia, we offer coursework and internships focused on rural practice. However, for the student who wants practice experience that will lead to work in a city environment, we offer a selection of field placements in Roanoke–a midsize city about 45 miles from Radford.

The program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education and is reviewed and monitored by a Professional Advisory Council of 50-plus professional social workers. The School of Social Work is one of four academic schools in the Waldron College of Health and Human Services.

Our Master of Social Work program provides two curriculum options: Standard and Advanced Standing. Applicants are only eligible to apply for the Advanced Standing option if they have earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited social work program and make application within 7 seven years and have attained a minimum GPA of 2.75 for all undergraduate coursework, and a minimum GPA of 3.0 for all undergraduate social work coursework.

Students who apply for the Advanced Standing Program but will be completing their Bachelor of Social Work degree during the spring or summer and will be accepted conditionally as an Advanced Standing student only on receipt of that degree.