The Division of Social Work offers the only graduate social work degree program leading to the MSW degree in the State of West Virginia. In addition, the Division offers a baccalaureate social work program leading to the BSW and a comprehensive continuing education program. A dual degree program offered jointly with the Division of Public Administration and a 15-hour graduate Nonprofit Management Certificate program are also available.
Graduate Social Work Education dates from the first decade of the twentieth century, when a coalition of private universities began to offer MSW degrees. Since that time nearly 200 MSW degree programs have been established in the U.S.
Baccalaureate education in social work arose from a group of public universities, including WVU, which began offering undergraduate degrees in social work in the 1940’s. Under the leadership of what became known as the WVU Study, undergraduate social work education was re-organized and re-vitalized in the 1970’s and there are now more than 500 undergraduate social work programs in the U.S.