Graduate School of Social Service Fordham University

A Flexible Approach to Study Meets the Needs of All Students

Fordham works with students to design personal study programs to accommodate their schedules and demands of life. Degree levels are available to any type of graduate student, including new college graduates moving ahead with full-time study programs, parents with young children, long-time practitioners needing to refine skills, or people changing careers.

Students may complete coursework at any of three campuses: Lincoln Center in Manhattan, Fordham Westchester in West Harrison, New York, or the Molloy Campus in Rockville Centre, Long Island. Fordham accommodates students' busy lives by offering full-time and part-time plans of study, weekend classes, and transfer of credits for social work courses completed previously.

Field Work Programs Give Students a Hands-On Approach to Learning

An integral part of the graduate degree programs at Fordham is the internship experience. Students are assigned to work in real agencies with actual clients, while being supervised by experienced social workers.

Field work programs arranged near students' general locations give them the chance to accumulate actual work experience and give students a more hands-on, intense approach to problem solving. Field work is performed in conjunction with classes in methods of social work practice, and internships are specifically focused on the specialized areas of practice chosen by students.

Master of Social Work Program Combines Theory with Practice

The Master of Social Work (MSW) degree offered by Fordham is earned through a combination of classes where social work theory is examined and field work where that theory is put into actual practice.

Foundation classes introduce students to the history of the social work profession, the fundamental theories of human behavior, and the basic skills and values that underlie social work practice. Then students learn how to understand social work research, begin to develop their own framework of professional ethics, and become familiar with the concepts of social justice and oppression that are vital to understanding how to become an agent of change.

Students on a clinical track study advanced theories of practice with individuals, families, and small groups. Students concentrating on research learn how to conduct social work research to advance professional knowledge. Fordham also offers specializations in children and families, substance abuse, social work and law, older persons and their families, and global service.

Collaborative Program with Molloy College Welcomes Students on Long Island

Fordham University's Graduate School of Social has a collaborative program in place with Molloy College in Rockville Center, Long Island. The program allows students on Long Island to take some coursework on the Molloy Campus and complete their field work placements on Long Island.

However, to complete a master's degree in social work, students must attend some classes at the Lincoln Center Campus. Courses are taught by faculty from both Fordham GSSS and Molloy College, and the MSW degree is awarded by Fordham University.

Advanced Standing Programs Accelerate Degree Completion for Qualifying Students

Two special advanced standing programs exist for students with prior qualifications. Applicants holding a bachelor's degree in social work may qualify for advanced standing and complete the MSW degree in one year. Applicants who have worked in the field of social work for more than three years may qualify for the Experienced and Employed Social Service Practitioner (EESSP) model and complete the degree with a single extended field placement arranged at their current place of employment.

Fordham's Doctoral Program in Social Work Lets Students Translate Academic Preparation into Experience

By balancing theoretical learning with scholarly research opportunities and mentored skill development, Fordham's doctoral program in social work prepares experienced social work practitioners for professional careers in the field of social work.

Students may specialize in gerontology, children and families, mental health, or any area they develop with their adviser. The program includes advanced theoretical coursework, oral and written comprehensive examinations, and a dissertation.

Fordham's social work doctoral program offers students great flexibility, a range of research opportunities, and a high level of faculty support.

Fordham Ph.D. Graduates Become Leaders

Students who earn a Ph.D. in Social Work from Fordham University can go on to practice as researchers, university professors, public and private sector agency administrators, policy makers in leadership positions, community planners, and investigators of new theories. Past graduates have taken leadership positions in universities throughout the United States, in government organizations and community institutions, in national and international professional organizations, and in positions of advanced professional research.

• Degrees Offered
• Major Degree Levels Offered
• Social Work Master of Social Work (MSW)
  Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
• Juris Doctor/Master of Social Work (JD/MSW)

• Degrees Awarded
• Master's Degrees 539
• Doctoral Degrees 4
• First Professional Degrees Not reported
• Other Advanced Degrees Not reported
• * Shows the number of degrees awarded for the last academic year that data was reported.

• Earning Your Degree
• Part-time study available? Yes
• Evening/weekend programs available? Yes
• Distance learning programs available? Yes
• Terminal master's degree available? No

• Degree Requirements
• Master's Degrees 1200 hours of field placement
• Doctoral Degrees Required and Required
• First Professional Degrees Not reported
• Other Advanced Degrees Not reported

• Acceptance Rate
• AppliedNot Reported
• Accepted909
• Acceptance RateNot Reported
• Enrolled544
• Applying
• Application Fee - Domestic $60
• Application Fee - International $60
• Electronic applications accepted? Yes
• Applications processed on a rolling basis? Yes
• Application Deadlines
• Type Domestic International Priority Date
• Fall deadline June 1st Not Reported Yes
• Winter deadline Not Reported Not Reported Not Reported
• Spring deadline December 1st Not Reported Yes
• Entrance Requirements
• Master's DegreesBA in liberal arts
• Doctoral's DegreesGRE, master's degree in social work or related field
• First-Professional's DegreesNot Reported
• Other Advanced DegreesNot Reported
• International DegreesTOEFL required, 575 paper based, TOEFL iBT

• Tuition & Fees
• In-state tuition *$30,480
• Out-of-state tuition *$30,480
• International student tuitionNot Reported
• * Tuition for full-time graduate student per academic year
• Fees
• Per-academic year fees$586.00
• Per-term feesNot Reported
• One-time feeNot Reported
• * Fees for full-time graduate students
• Financial Support
• Financial award applicants must submitFAFSA
• Application deadlines for financial awardsSeptember 1
• Types of financial support availableResearch Assitantships, Tuition Waivers, Career or Field-Related Internships, Financial Support for Part-time Students, Scholarship and/or loans, Graduate Assistantships

• Gender
• Total Graduate Students1250
• Female Percentage89%
• Male Percentage11%
• Participation
• Total Graduate Students1250
• Part-time Percentage29%
• Full-time Percentage71%
• Ethnicity
• Hispanic / Latino15%
• Black / African American22%
• White / Caucasian53%
• American Indian / Alaskan Native0%
• Asian2%
• Native Hawaiian / Other Pacific Islander0%
• Two or more races0%
• Unknown8%

• Faculty Breakout
• Total Faculty126
• Full-time Percentage38%
• Part-time Percentage62%
• Female Percentage77%
• Male Percentage23%

• Existing Research
• Focus of faculty researchAging, children and family, healthcare, domestic violence, substance abuse
• Externally sponsored research expenditures last yearNot Reported