- Advance your expertise in mental health counseling and clinical practice
- Secure justice through influencing policy
- Become an advocate for human rights
Become The Voice Of Change
General Information About the School
The School of Social Work at Barry University is committed to advancing and protecting the human rights of all individuals, with an emphasis on those most marginalized, through teaching, research, advocacy, and practice rooted in social justice.
The mission of the Barry University School of Social Work is framed by the core values, ethics, and commitments of the social work profession and the Barry University mission. Within a culturally diverse framework, the School is committed to educating social workers for professional social work practice that is informed by context and characterized by competence, skills of leadership, quality, the quest for social and economic justice in local and global communities, and dedication to continuous professional growth and development.
In response to a demand for professionally trained social workers in 1966, Barry University established the first graduate program in South Florida. The Master of Social Work degree program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, and the curriculum of the School is planned in accordance with the standards set by the council. A PhD in Social Work was introduced in 1983 to prepare advanced practitioner/scholars for leadership roles within the profession. In 2001, the School initiated a Bachelor of Social Work degree program and was accredited by the Council on Social Work Education in 2003. In 1984, the School was named the Ellen Whiteside McDonnell to honor a woman who made significant contribution to the reform and development of social welfare programs in the State of Florida.
College Highlights
Small class sizes
Program Flexibility
Hands-on Experience
Academic Support
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Small class sizes
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Program Flexibility
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Hands-on Experience
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Academic Support
Core Commitments
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Knowledge and Truth
Barry promotes and supports the intellectual life, emphasizing life-long learning, growth and development. The University pursues scholarly and critical analysis of fundamental questions of the human experience. In the pursuit of truth, the University advances development of solutions that promote the common good and a more humane and just society. -
Inclusive Community
Barry is a global, inclusive community characterized by interdependence, dignity and equality, compassion and respect for self and others. Embracing a global world view, the University nurtures and values cultural, social and intellectual diversity, and welcomes faculty, staff, and students of all faith traditions. -
Collaborative Service
Barry is committed to serving local and global communities through collaborative and mutually productive partnerships. The University accepts responsibility to engage with communities to pursue systemic, self-sustaining solutions to human, social, economic and environmental problems. -
Social Justice
Barry expects all members of our community to accept social responsibility to foster peace and nonviolence, to strive for equality, to recognize the sacredness of Earth, and to engage in meaningful efforts toward social change. The University promotes social justice through teaching, research and service.
Social work is a profession that dares us to walk the road less traveled and to soar where others are afraid to go. As you move toward becoming a professional social worker, we strive to ensure that you have a transformative experience. We are dedicated to helping you achieve advanced levels of scholarship, leadership, and self-discovery to maximize your success.
Professional Social workers are the nation’s largest group of mental health providers. — (SAMHSA, 2022)
“BUSSW educates trauma-informed social workers to have a deeper understanding of the neurobiological underpinnings of trauma and help future clinicians seek to build and sustain positive behavioral change in their clients through a process of neuroplasticity, the ability of the brain to change with experience.”
Social workers are in high demand. There are more clinically trained social workers-over 200,000- than psychiatrists, psychologists and psychiatric nurses combined (NASW, nd) and our trauma-focused clinical program will make you stand out.
Social workers have adopted a biopsychosocial model that calls attention to the complex web of biological, psychological, and social contributors to both physical and mental health in the therapeutic process.
Our rigorous curriculum offers a multi-level framework to learning through didactic teaching, live supervision, role-play, clinical internships, and simulations.
Academic Programs
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Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)
The Bachelor in Social Work Program is designed to provide students with the opportunity to utilize what they learn in the classroom setting and apply it to generalist social work practice in diverse settings, such as community mental health centers, hospitals, schools, or child welfare agencies.
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Master of Social Work (MSW) Traditional - In-Person
The MSW Traditional program is 63 credits and designed for motivated newcomers to the field of social work to learn the clinical skills needed to be effective in the field.
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Master of Social Work (MSW) Traditional - Online
Designed for working professionals and those who require scheduling flexibility, our fully online, part-time Master of Social Work program prepares students for advance licensure for clinical social work practice and offers a strong foundation in policy, leadership, and applied social research.
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Master of Social Work (MSW) Advanced Standing - In-Person
The MSW Advanced Standing program is 32 credits and designed for those with a CSWE-accredited bachelors in social work looking to build on their clinical knowledge and skills.
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Master of Social Work (MSW) Advanced Standing - Online
Designed for working professionals and those who require scheduling flexibility, our fully online, part-time Master of Social Work program prepares students for advance licensure for clinical social work practice and offers a strong foundation in policy, leadership, and applied social research.
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Doctor of Social Work (DSW)
The Doctorate of Social Work (DSW) degree is designed for MSW practitioners seeking a doctoral-level practice-focused degree in clinical practice.
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PhD in Social Work
The PhD in Social Work is designed for those seeking careers primarily in applied social work research and teaching (in institutions of higher learning).
Scholarship Resources
Internship
The program ensures that students receive the clinical experience necessary to become a professional autonomous social worker. Students will be assigned to agency placements which will provide students with the opportunity to build confidence, spend time in a professional environment and the ability to grow and learn as a professional. The intent of the clinical practice in the School of Social Work is to assist students in connecting the curriculum with the practical world of the practice setting.
The program ensures that students receive the clinical experience necessary to become a professional autonomous social worker. Students will be assigned to agency placements which will provide students with the opportunity to build confidence, spend time in a professional environment and the ability to grow and learn as a professional. The intent of the clinical practice in the School of Social Work is to assist students in connecting the curriculum with the practical world of the practice setting.
School of Social Work Faculty and Staff
The odds are definitely in your favor at Barry University. Our student-faculty ratio is only 15:1. That means you get personal attention and guidance, and nobody gets lost in the shuffle. Even more impressive, over 80 percent of our faculty hold a PhD or the highest degree available in their field of expertise.
We seek out professors who are not only great teachers, but who love what they do.
Their passion, enthusiasm, and inspiration are contagious, and there's no better way to keep young minds excited about learning and discovering. Beyond each teacher's area of expertise, our faculty is committed to promoting equality, social justice, altruism, diversity, and humility. Through education, everyone can have a voice.
Social Work Programs Accreditation
Barry University is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
CSWE's Commission on Accreditation (COA) is responsible for developing accreditation standards that define competent preparation and ensuring that social work programs meet these standards.
In accordance with the requirements of CSWE's recognition body, the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), the CSWE Office of Social Work Accreditation administers a multistep accreditation process that involves program self-studies, site visits, and COA reviews.
The Bachelor of Social Work Program (BSW) and the Master of Social Work Program (MSW) are accredited from 2017 – 2024.
News
Top Stories
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Celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month June 01, 2023
Barry University Office of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, joins organizations, institutions, diverse communities, and groups across the county to give honor to all Jewish Americans during Jewish American Heritage Month and beyond.
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Barry Social Workers Recognized by the NASW April 24, 2023
From Broward and Miami-Dade all the way to North Central Texas and Georgia, local chapters of the NASW honor Barry University Social Workers. The recognition is particularly significant as it coincides with a time of heightened demand on the social work profession.
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Striving for Inclusive Excellence February 15, 2023
Barry University Office of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (J.E.D.I.), in collaboration with the School of Podiatric Medicine was awarded funding from United Way of Miami-Dade. The goal of this award is to provide excellent foot and ankle services to underrepresented communities in Dade and Broward County.
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Congrats to Our DSW Grads! September 06, 2022
With their Capstone Project complete, Barry's inaugural Doctorate in Social Work class celebrates their hard work, advanced-practice skills, and wide-open futures.
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Dr. Michael J. Alicea invited to take part as a panelist in Social Work Symposium at New York University. May 10, 2022
Dr. Michael J. Alicea of the School of Social Work at Barry University has been invited to take part as a panelist at the Social Work Educators’ Adaptive Leadership Symposium at New York University.
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Transforming the Future of Social Work by Translating Trauma-Informed Care Principles into Practice. May 01, 2022
Dr. Jill Levenson will speak at the 2022 NASW-NJ Virtual Annual Conference on May 1.
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Barry Grad to Serve as State Representative February 15, 2022
Barry University School of Social Work graduate Daryl Campbell (MSW ’17) will be spending a lot more time in Tallahassee!
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Dr. Heft Laporte Brings Expressive Arts to Barry University October 07, 2021
Heidi Heft LaPorte, DSW is bringing the expressive arts wave to Barry University, infusing her courses with the practice and offering an open studio and professional development sessions to interested faculty and students.
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With Her New Children's Book, 2016 Grad Ashley Finley Blends Creativity And Social-Work Smarts July 15, 2021
When she was a kid, Ashley Finley thought she hated reading. “I was interested in very few books that were available to me,” she recently told the online magazine Fem Founder.
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Dr. Maria Teahan Named Interim Dean Of The Ellen Whiteside McDonnell School Of Social Work At Barry University June 30, 2021
Dr. Maria Teahan, a creative and passionate educator with a depth of clinical experience, will lead the Ellen Whiteside McDonnell School of Social Work at Barry University as Interim Dean, effective July 1, 2021.
Continuing Education Certificate Programs
Barry University's School of Social Work remains committed to your personal and professional growth. As we all know, transformation and growth do not end at graduation.
Learning is a lifelong endeavor, and Barry University School of Social Work is striving to keep pace with your future.
Continuing Education Licensure – Obtaining your LCSW
Congratulations on taking the next step towards obtaining your LCSW! Please review the full list of requirements set by the State of Florida here.
Following the submission of your application to the State, you will receive a five-digit file number and the remaining supporting documents necessary to complete your licensing application.
You will be required to provide the 5-digit file number in order to complete the practicum and advanced standing letter request.
You must complete the Practicum and Advanced Standing letter request form in its entirety. Please allot 5 to 10 business days to process your request.
Ellen Whiteside Mcdonnel School of Social Work Organization Chapters & Clubs
The Ellen Whiteside McDonnell School of Social Work offers a variety of chapters and organizations within the School of Social Work.
Student Organizations can be a powerful way for students to enhance, enrich, network and develop their leadership skills while making valuable community contributions.
Professional Organizations
With a diverse range of specializations and interests, we invite students to learn more about the professional organizations available to social workers and social work students.
Professional organizations offer students and professionals a variety of benefits such as networking opportunities, exclusive scholarship opportunities, events for early-career professionals, and job boards.
Funded by the Ware Foundation Center for Human Rights and Social Justice
Welcome to the Center for Human Rights and Social Justice! The CHRSJ has a primary mission of advancing crucial human rights and social justice initiatives in our local and global communities through targeted education, research, service, and leadership. The CHRSJ values collaboration and partnerships with community members, organizations, and university faculty, staff and students. We approach our human rights and social justice work through an anti-oppressive lens which acknowledges the influence of privilege and oppression on the existence and maintenance of human rights violations. The CHRSJ values equally the voices of all community members and commits to work in authentic partnership with the communities being served.
Our Initiatives born out of the School of Social Work’s strong collaborations represent some of the most pressing needs of our community, and are inclusive of some of the most underserved and marginalized populations locally and globally. Specifically, our Center is committed to the following five initiatives (1) Combating Human Trafficking (2) Preventing Sexual Victimization (3) Creating Inclusive Communities sexual and gender diverse Individuals (4) Advancing Trauma Informed Research, Education and Practice, and (5) Promoting Wellness in Marginalized Communities.
The Center is proud to host affiliated faculty and community partners with decades of experience who are fiercely committed to advancing human rights and social justice across countless critical issues impacting our communities. The Center’s affiliates possess unparalleled practice and advocacy skills necessary to mobilize positive change. Moreover, our faculty are engaged in research and scholarship which impact practice and policy across multiple pressing human rights issues in contemporary society.
Through the power of collective action and collaborative social justice work, the Center for Human Rights and Social Justice in the Barry University School of Social Work aims to a create safe, stable, and inclusive society for all individuals. Welcome to our Center and please spend time exploring our website further to learn more about our faculty, community partners, resources, upcoming events, and the ways to get involved in our work. We hope you will contact us with ideas for collaboration that can advance the human rights and social justice initiatives of the Center.
Contact Us
We’re always happy to chat with you about your career goals and the academic programs to get you there. Our team of academic and admissions experts offer many communication options from chat or text to online meetings and email options.