WELCOME TO THE DIVISION OF SOCIAL WORK!

We are proud to offer two social work degrees, fully accredited by the Council of Social Work Education. Our MSW program was the first graduate program at FGCU and was fully accredited in 2004. The MSW program has a concentration in Advanced Clinical practice, combining clinical social work with individuals, families, and groups with advocacy and social change at the community and organizational levels. In 2008 our accreditation was reaffirmed for a full eight years through 2016. Graduates from this program provide professional social work to the community and are eligible to sit for the Licensed Clinical Social Work Exam upon graduation. We received full accreditation for our BSW program in June of 2009. Our BSW program prepares generalist social workers for practice in the Ft. Myers community, the State of Florida and beyond.

Our programs have the reputation for being rigorous and demanding while at the same time being student-friendly. Classes are ‘stacked’ so that required face-to-face classes meet one day per week. For example, first year BSW classes meet on Tuesdays, and first year MSW classes meet on Wednesdays. The BSW program includes 500 hours of professional internship and the MSW program requires 1000 hours. Internships are assigned according to student interest, location, and availability in collaboration with the Field Education Coordinator.

Southwest Florida is a wonderful environment in which to study social work. Our population is diverse, including people from many cultural and ethnic backgrounds and experiences; our location includes both urban and rural communities; the age, socioeconomic status, and educational attainment of the people who live here vary dramatically. Whatever your interests, we can help you connect with the groups and agencies that serve them. We are embarking on an international program that will, this year, include service learning and research courses to Germany and England to compare health care systems of those countries with the United States.

Please contact me to discuss our program and your interest in becoming a professional social worker.

Mary Hart, MSW, PhD
Director, Division of social Work
mhart@fgcu.edu
239-590-7839