Program Overview

Master’s Clinical Social Work Program at the Pontificia

The Steve Hicks School of Social Work (SHS) and the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile have collaborated in the implementation of the Pontificia Master’s Clinical Social Work Program. This program is housed in the Pontificia’s School of Social Work, one of the leading schools of social work in Latin America since its foundation in 1929.

Program Overview

The collaboration consists of five SHS faculty who rotate on a semester-by-semester basis and co-instruct with Pontificia faculty applied clinical courses of the master’s curriculum. Each course is taught at Pontificia university, with SHS faculty traveling to Chile to engage in week-long co-instruction. Pontificia faculty hold primary responsibility for the selected courses, with support by SHS faculty focused on strengthening clinical skills.

Courses and Instructors

The following courses are taught as part of the program:

• Biopsychosocial Clinical Evaluations: Karla Gonzalez, Ph.D. (Pontificia Instructor), Jesus Ortega, LMSW (SHS Instructor)
• Parenting: Olaya Grau, Ph.D. (Pontificia Instructor), Ruben Parra-Cardona, Ph.D. (SHS Instructor)
• Grief and Loss: Valentina Garrido, M.Sc. (Pontificia Instructor), Dede Sparks, LMSW (SHS Instructor)
• Risk Behaviors and Diverse Youth: Carolina Velasco, M.Sc. (Pontificia Instructor), Rene Gaitain, LCSW (SHS Instructor)
• Advanced Capstone: Carolina Munoz, Ph.D. (Pontificia Instructor), Donna Shanor, LCSW, LCDC (SHS Instructor)

Achievements

This collaboration has resulted in a robust clinical social work program for Latin America. The local expertise of Chilean faculty is complemented by the expertise of SHS faculty who specialize in specific areas of clinical intervention. Key achievements include:

• The master’s program recently received accreditation for 3 years by the Chilean National Commission on Accreditation.
• Enrollment to date: 28
• Dropout rate to date: 0%
• Average admissions per year: 17

Testimonials

Graduate students and faculty have shared their experiences with the program:

• “The clinical master’s program refined my abilities and gave me new clinical skills, which have led me to be more effective in my clinical work.” - Catalina Parada, Graduate Student
• “The master’s program has helped me to reflect about my personal and professional identities. This led me to understand that I am my main working tool.” - Ingrid Berroeta Garay, Graduate Student
• “The support from the Steve Hicks School of Social Work at UT Austin has been fundamental to achieve this goal.” - Liliana Guerra, Director, Pontificial School of Social Work
• “The clinical master’s program in social work solidifies the social work profession in Chile. It provides specialized clinical skills, which are fundamental for social workers who work in very complex contexts.” - M. Olaya Grau, Ph.D, Program Chief, Clinical Master’s Program

Program Impact

The collaboration between SHS and the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile has positioned the Pontificia Master’s Clinical Social Work Program as a leading academic program in Latin America. The program has achieved significant milestones, including accreditation and a strong enrollment record. The testimonials from graduate students and faculty demonstrate the program’s positive impact on the development of clinical social work skills and the advancement of the social work profession in Chile.