Program Overview

Social Work Program

The Social Work program at Gannon University is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively collaborate, advocate, and assist people of all ages and from diverse communities. The program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education and offers a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Program Description

The Social Work program at Gannon University will give students the knowledge and skills needed to become a part of one of the most dynamic, versatile, and rewarding professions today. Students will learn to work competently in multicultural systems, assess and evaluate organizations and communities, and conceptualize the interdependence and interrelationship of the global community.

Program Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate ethical and professional social work practice guided by and adherent to the NASW Code of Ethics
• Engage diversity and difference in social work practice while demonstrating a respect for the dignity and worth of all
• Reveal the intersectionality among social, economic, and environmental justice as advancing human rights and justice for the most vulnerable
• Engage in research informed by social work practice and social work practice informed by research, as guided by the transdisciplinary evidence-based practice model
• Engage in social work policy practice with a keen sensitivity to the legacies of racism and discrimination
• Engage, assess, intervene, with a range of prevention and intervention methods and to evaluate their social work practice evaluate social work practice with individual, families, groups, and local as well as global communities
• Prepare students with a liberal arts education, to utilize critical thinking, and the person-in-environment framework with a strengths-based approach to promote human & social well-being, while proactively responding to the impact of context
• Identify the tenets of Catholic Social Teaching specifically, and the Judeo-Christian tradition in general, that reflect the values of the Social Work profession

Curriculum

The program includes key social work courses such as:

• Human Diversity: Participate in a homeless simulation in downtown Erie dressed as a homeless individual to develop increased empathy and gain a firsthand experience with homelessness and pauperism
• Generalist Practice with Families/Groups: Work directly in classroom settings with clients who are HIV-positive, identified individuals with a substance use disorder and parents with troubled adolescents or children with developmental disabilities
• Social Welfare Policy, Programs and Issues: Learn from guest lecturers, including local and regional government leaders, the director of United Way and local executives of for-profit and nonprofit agencies

Field Education

Students will have the opportunity to participate in field education opportunities, many of which are paid, with a variety of health and human services agencies. The Social Work Club also provides opportunities for students to engage in community service, such as hosting a Christmas celebration for the underserved and homeless residents of Erie.

Faculty

The Social Work program is led by experienced faculty members, including:

• Nicole John-Danzell, Assistant Professor
• Sara Lichtenwalter, Associate Professor and Director of the Social Work Program
• Richard Moodey, Adjunct Faculty
• Amy Newell, Adjunct Faculty
• Ramonita Ruiz-Santiago, Adjunct Faculty

Accreditation

The Social Work program at Gannon University is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education's Board of Accreditation at the baccalaureate level.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the Social Work program at Gannon University can pursue a variety of career opportunities, including:

• Working in multicultural systems
• Assessing and evaluating organizations and communities
• Conceptualizing the interdependence and interrelationship of the global community
• Engaging in social work policy practice
• Working with individuals, families, groups, and communities

Student Success

Gannon University's Social Work program has a strong track record of student success, with 98% of graduates applying and being accepted into graduate schools. Graduates have gone on to attend top social work programs at schools including Columbia University, University of Pittsburgh, and University of Buffalo.