SOCIAL WORK
BACHELOR OF ARTS

Educate, advocate, and foster change in society.

Mercyhurst's Social Work major provides students with the opportunity to pursue their desire to make a positive difference in the world by supporting others and advocating for social change. Students explore value-based and ethical issues and build a strong foundation of knowledge and skills that effectively prepare them for advanced degrees and a broad array of social work careers. Some of the growing career paths available include school counselors, working in the medical arena, schools, criminal justice, mental health, child welfare, gerontology, chemical dependency, residential settings, and services for veterans. 

A Social Work major is ideal for those that yearn to:

  • Help meet the basic and complex needs of all people.
  • Address the needs of those who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty.
  • Advocate for social justice.
  • Work with people from diverse cultural, ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
  • Impact change on an individual, family, group, community, and organizational level.
  • Work with people in all stages of life from early childhood through older adulthood.
  • Empower others to recognize their strengths, resilience, and capacity for change.

Our Social Work program, accredited by the Council of Social Work Education, offers students the opportunity to gain “advanced standing” in graduate schools; thereby reducing the amount of time required to complete a Master of Social Work degree. Our graduates are well-prepared for advanced degrees and a broad array of social work careers including school counselors, working in the medical arena, schools, criminal justice, mental health, child welfare, gerontology, chemical dependency, residential settings, and services for veterans.

Fast Facts

  • Our curriculum gives students a foundation in human diversity, populations at risk, human behavior and social environments, social and economic justice, social work research, social welfare and policy, and social work values, skills, and practice.

  • Social work students recently produced a documentary film titled, “Let It Begin with Me: Putting an End to Youth Violence in Erie” to encourage unity and dialogue in the face of violence in our community.

  • The social work senior seminar is an opportunity for students to discuss the challenges of their internship as well as the ethics, theory, research, and policy involved. 

  • Studying social work combines theory with practice, giving students first-hand experience with populations often served by social workers.

State Authorization

This program may fulfill a portion of the requirements leading to licensure within this field. Please visit the State Authorization webpage to review the requirements for licensure by state or program.

out of darkness walk

CAMPUS INVOLVEMENT

Students and faculty participate in the Out of the Darkness Walk, an annual fundraiser for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

city mission social work

RAISING AWARENESS

The Social Work and Applied Sociology Club hosts an annual Suicide Prevention and Awareness Walk on the Mercyhurst campus.

social work club

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Students in the Social Work and Applied Sociology Club volunteer to decorate the Erie City Mission for the holiday season.


Contact Us

Elizabeth Sanders, MSSA
Chair, Department of Applied Sociology/Social Work
Office: Preston 108
Phone: 814-824-2693
Email: esanders@mercyhurst.edu