Contact Information

phone: (716) 839-8515
daemen.edu/socialwork

Chair

Diane R. Bessel, PhD, LMSW, CNM
dbessel@daemen.edu

Degrees Offered

• Master of Social Work

Accreditation Information

The Master of Social Work program is an accredited program. You can find SW accreditation information in our catalog.

Mission Statement

Daemen University’s Master of Social Work Program supports the development of exceptional, clinically oriented social work practitioners who promote the well-being of individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

The program provides a hands-on learning environment wherein students engage with scholar-practitioners and develop their professional identity by exploring different therapeutic modalities, techniques, and tools associated with engagement, assessment, intervention, and evaluation at the generalist and specialized practice levels. Students benefit from the exploration of contemporary issues faced by children, youth, adults, and families through academic and applied research and critical examination of social work practices, policies, structures, and systems. Students work to develop strategies designed to support diverse populations; ensure equity, inclusion, and justice; and improve societal conditions.

Daemen University’s Master of Social Work Program Graduates contribute — individually and collectively — to the profession and the world through state-of-the-art practice, scholarship, advocacy, and activism.

Program Goals

In accordance with its mission, the Daemen University MSW Program seeks to:

1. Provide students with opportunities to connect their social work education to their lived experience, personality, belief systems, cultural heritage, and passion to serve their clients authentically and ethically;
2. Motivate students to engage evidence – in its various forms – to build their knowledge, guide their processes, and inform their decision-making;
3. Encourage thoughtful critique of the social environment – recognizing how various forms of oppression, discrimination, power, and privilege contribute to inequality;
4. Prepare students to skillfully navigate the complexities of diversity and difference to support the empowerment of oppressed, marginalized, and alienated populations through their practice;
5. Join with students and other professionals to engage the full continuum of social work advocacy (micro-mezzo-macro) to advance human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice; and
6. Enrich the local, national, and international community through service, research, innovation, and other capacity building support.

Program Objectives

Graduates of the Daemen University Master of Social Work Program will be able to:

• Demonstrate ethical and professional behavior;
• Engage diversity and difference in practice;
• Advance human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice;
• Engage in practice-informed research and research-informed practice;
• Engage in policy practice;
• Engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities;
• Assess individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities;
• Intervene with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities; and
• Evaluate practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

Admission Requirements

Regular Admission

All applications for the upcoming Fall semester will be reviewed after November 1st for any student with a conferred bachelor’s degree. 

For a student who is still completing their baccalaureate’s degree, you will need to submit your final Fall semester grades for your application to be considered complete and reviewed. 

Once your application is complete, it will be reviewed and a decision will be sent to you within a week. Please contact your admissions counselor at admissions@daemen.edu if you have questions. 

• A baccalaureate degree from a regionally-accredited college or university.
• Submit ALL official transcripts from colleges and universities attended (regionally accredited colleges and universities only).
• Complete and submit a Daemen University graduate school application.
• Complete and submit a 3-4 page typed personal statement that focuses on the following points:
  • Your experience related to social work, including volunteer experience.
  • The life experiences that impacted your interest in social work.
  • Your personal qualities that will be useful in working with others as a social work professional.
  • Your values that will be useful in working with others as a social work professional.
  • Your career goals and how social work education will help you achieve these goals.
• Provide three letters of reference: two (2) from an academic source and one (1) from a volunteer experience, internship, or employer. No personal references accepted. 
• Have an overall GPA of 2.7 or higher.
• Coursework in Human Biology and Statistics is strongly recommended at program entry.

Advanced Standing

All applications for the upcoming Fall semester will be reviewed after November 1st for any student with a conferred bachelor’s degree. 

For a student who is still completing their baccalaureate degree, you will need to submit your final Fall semester grades and your mid-year field experience evaluation for your application to be considered complete and reviewed. 

Once your application is complete, it will be reviewed and a decision will be sent to you within a week. Please contact your admissions counselor at admissions@daemen.edu if you have questions. 

• A baccalaureate degree in Social Work (BA, BS, or equivalent) within the last five (5) years from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)-accredited program.
• Submit ALL official transcripts from colleges and universities attended (regionally accredited colleges and universities only).
• Complete and submit a Daemen University graduate school application.
• Complete and submit a 3-4 page typed personal statement that focuses on the following points:
  • Your experience in social work, including volunteer experience.
  • The life experiences that impacted your interest in social work.
  • Your personal qualities that will be useful in serving others as a social work professional.
  • Your values that will be useful in serving others as a social worker.
  • Your career goals and how social work education will help you achieve these goals.
• Provide three letters of reference: two (2) letters from academic sources (BSW/BASW Program Director encouraged) and one (1) letter from a volunteer experience/internship/employer. No personal references accepted.
• Provide a copy of final field evaluations (Field Instruction I and II).
• Have an overall GPA of 3.0 and GPA of 3.2 or higher in major courses such as:
  • Social Work Methods I/II
  • Research Methods I
  • Human Behavior in the Social Environment I/II
  • Field Instruction I/II
• Coursework in Human Biology and Statistics is strongly recommended at program entry.
   

Conditional Admission

Applicants not meeting one or more the minimal requirements for admission will be evaluated for conditional admissions to the Master of Social Work Program at Daemen University. Applicants who are admitted conditionally must enroll in at least 9 credit hours (full-time) during the first semester and must achieve a 3.0 overall GPA at the end of their first semester in the Master of Social Work Program at Daemen Unviersity.

* Daemen University’s Master of Social Work Program does not award credit for life experience