Welcome to the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work! Now in our 105th year as a school, we are building from our strong past; working to eradicate complex social problems in the present; and dismantling racism, injustice, and inequity as we move forward.
This is a wonderful time to be in social work and to be at Pitt! The current challenges in our world highlight the critical importance of social work and social workers. We are confronted by the unequal effects of a public health pandemic, disparities in economic impact, disproportionate burden of risk, and the long history and current incarnation of systemic racism and oppression. In many ways, this feels overwhelming. But the glory of social work is that it confronts these issues directly – at the micro level (with a focus on direct practice) and at the macro level (with its focus on history, policy, administration, and community organizing). We take the anger, pain, and frustration and turn it into action, momentum, community building, and progress. At Pitt you will find colleagues who bring the expertise, skills, and experience to transform the world.
No matter what your area of interest, Pitt Social Work can help you achieve your dreams. We bring a strong synergy of education, research, and community engagement. Our faculty are exemplary teachers, scholars, and collaborators who bring expertise in a wide range of topical areas – from race, to mental health, to child welfare, to interprofessional health, to aging, to community organizing, to public administration, to gender and sexuality, to evidence-based practice, to innovative methods and research approaches. Our BASW, MSW, and PhD programs thrive in a rich mix of resources within the school, the university, and the community.
At Pitt, we strive to prepare courageous practitioners and leaders who will transform social work practice, policy, research and education. We insist on centering community-engaged work. And we do all of this with a focus on advancing a more equitable, anti-racist, anti-oppressive, inclusive, and welcoming school, university, and community.
The school’s world-class centers and programs – on race and social problems, child welfare, mental health, health, and aging – advance discourse, knowledge, and practice on critical challenges facing society. The school’s community-engaged emphasis pushes the envelope by working collaboratively with partners in Pittsburgh and beyond to develop, implement, and evaluate the changes we want to see and be in the world.
Join us to help transform the world!
In solidarity,
Betsy Farmer
