Master of Science in Social Work Program Receives CSWE Accreditation

The College of Saint Rose Master of Science in Social Work (MSSW) program, which was launched in Fall 2017, has received accreditation from the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).

While the decision will be officially released to the public by the CSWE and published on the CSWE website on July 6, 2020, Saint Rose was notified of the accreditation determination earlier this month.

Accreditation of a baccalaureate or master’s social work program by the Council on Social Work Education’s Commission on Accreditation indicates that it meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of program quality evaluated through a peer-review process. An accredited program has sufficient resources to meet its mission and goals and the Commission on Accreditation has verified that it demonstrates compliance with all sections of the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards.

Accreditation applies to all program sites and program delivery methods of an accredited program. Accreditation provides reasonable assurance about the quality of the program and the competence of students graduating from the program. For more information about social work accreditation with the CSWE, visit this page.

For the MSSW at Saint Rose, the accreditation means graduates of the program can apply for licensure in any state in the nation. Previously, students were only assured to apply for licensure in New York State. The accreditation also makes it easier to transfer their license between states. Because the accreditation is a seven-year designation that is retroactive to when the accreditation process started, previous Saint Rose MSSW graduates are all designated as having graduated from a CSWE-accredited program.

The CSWE accreditation also opens up new opportunities for current MSSW students, including making them eligible to apply for a number of funding programs through the CSWE, such as the minority fellows program, as well as other external grant and scholarship programs. It also opens up additional training programs and placements that were limited to programs with CSWE accreditation.

Graduates of the College’s Bachelor of Science in Social Work (BSW) program, which was already CSWE accredited, now can transition to a fully accredited graduate social work program.

The Master of Science in Social Work program’s comprehensive curriculum melds theory with practice, constantly tying lessons and concepts back to fieldwork. Faculty, all licensed practitioners from different backgrounds and practice areas, instruct and guide students in their area of interest — from addiction and LGBTQ issues to immigrant and prison populations.
Currently, 65 students are enrolled in the program, and the program has had nearly 50 graduates in its first three years.

“This accomplishment is evidence of the collaborating relationship between students and faculty that is core to Saint Rose,” said Dr. Janet Acker, LCSW-R and associate professor of social work and MSSW program director. “It started with student advocacy for a flexible high-quality educational program to meet their professional needs and was carried out in the hard work of determined and dedicated students and faculty over many years. We are delighted that these efforts have been recognized with full accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education, and we look forward to the new opportunities this presents our students, the College, and the community.”