Take a Step Toward Advancing Human Rights for Marginalized Communities
Students majoring in Social Work prepare for careers working with diverse groups and develop an understanding of how race, class, gender, sexuality and disability shape people’s experiences and opportunities.
Why earn your Social Work degree at St. Edward’s?
Whether you want to pursue a career in public health, education, child welfare or mental health and wellness, one thing is certain: The advantages of your St. Edward’s education will prepare you to succeed. You’ll find opportunities in and outside the classroom to learn, give back and achieve your goals. And your mentors will support you every step of the way.
Gain experience through internship opportunities
As a senior, you’ll complete an intensive field internship at a social justice-focused organization, where you’ll develop your professional skills and learn from experienced mentors.
Earn an Accelerated Master of Social Work degree
Because the St. Edward’s Social Work program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, which requires this extended internship, you will receive credit for having completed a field placement if you pursue an accelerated Master of Social Work degree. You’ll get a head start on your career and graduate with the skills and values that will help you succeed.
Conduct graduate-level research
Study with professors conducting real-world research about issues such as human trafficking, immigration detention and LGBTQIA+ youth in foster care.
Build relationships with your professors
You’ll learn in small classes taught by award-winning professors who make a point of getting to know you and becoming your trusted advisors. They’ll help you identify and focus on your goals, and provide guidance and insight during and after your college years.
Reap the Rewards of Austin
Austin is a home base for numerous nonprofits and advocacy groups aiding and spreading awareness for underserved communities within our city and surrounding areas. As a Social Work major, you’ll have access to internship opportunities at organizations focused on the disadvantaged where you’ll learn how to make a difference for the causes you care about.
What do our graduates do?
Social Work majors go on to a variety of careers and graduate schools from St. Edward’s. Here’s a sample.
- Social workers at Integral Care, Communities in Schools, Jolt, Austin Independent School District, Lifeworks and Con Mi Madre.
- Licensed social workers — which include LBSW, LMSW and LCSW — for private companies, nonprofit organizations and government agencies.
- Serving with the Peace Corps, Jesuit Volunteer Corps and Mercy Corps.
- English Teaching Assistant in the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.
- Graduate students at Washington University, Columbia University, The University of Texas at Austin and the University of Houston.
Explore Details About a Degree in Social Work
This major is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). In order to meet accreditation standards, students are required to apply for and undertake a social work field internship, demonstrate competencies in 9 core areas, complete a portfolio, and participate in an exit interview prior to graduation. Please see the Social Work Major Degree Requirements and the Social Work Program Student Handbook for additional information, or contact Social Work Program Director Dr. Laurie Cook Heffron, LMSW at lheffron@ctdj.net.
An Application for Admission is required before proceeding to upper-division social work courses. Applications must be submitted to the program director on or before October 1 in Fall and February 1 in Spring. The application, self-assessment form, and Code of Conduct are available online and as a pdf. You can also download it as a word document.
What You Will Learn
You’ll learn professional ethics that will guide you through difficult decisions, as well as strategies for taking care of yourself while you help other people.
Experiential Learning
You’ll get out into the field right away. Your Introduction to Social Work course requires 40 hours of service learning, where you’re volunteering for course credit at an organization connected to your major. This is your chance to give back while observing, listening, and understanding what social work looks like in practice.
More information can be found in the Field Education Program Manual (PDF).
Student Learning Assessment Outcomes
Recent student learning assessment outcomes are available here:
Internships
During your senior year, you’ll complete an intensive, 400-hour internship in the community. This is an opportunity to get hands-on experience in a dimension of social work that particularly interests you. You’ll choose an organization that matches your interests and take on real-world responsibilities, supervised by a practicing social worker. A sample of community organizations St. Edward’s students have recently interned with include:
- Communities in Schools
- Health Alliance for Austin Musicians
- Lifeworks
- Project Transitions
- SAFE Alliance
- Texas Advocacy Project
- The Sobering Center
- UT Law Immigration Clinic
During your internship, you’ll experience the realities of social work, including the challenges of working with different personalities and the fact that change takes time. You’ll also interact with social workers and other professionals in the field, which gives you an opportunity to build your network.
Service Experiences
St. Edward’s offers many other opportunities to meet people from different backgrounds, apply what you’ve learned in class, and be of service.
Study abroad immerses you in unfamiliar settings and cultivates understanding of people from other cultures.
Service Break Experiences, offered through Campus Ministry, give you the chance to travel to another community, volunteer and learn about local life while living simply.
Campus Ministry’s S.E.R.V.E. Austin is a structured service program that meets weekly for an entire semester. You’ll help a nonprofit with specific tasks while learning about an issue like senior care, immigration, education, youth development or homelessness.
These experiences help you apply the theory you’ve discussed in class, come face to face with ethical dilemmas and become better prepared to address them.
The Social Work program also offers professional development workshops and continuing education credits for licensed social workers and other mental health professionals. Here are a few examples of Social Work events.
- Detention and Migrant Justice
A panel of experts joins us to help the campus community understand immigrant detention, its scope and impact, and the role that various professions and community members play in supporting immigrant rights in this context. - The Unfinished Business of Our Childhoods: Helping to Heal the Childhood Trauma Wounds of Helpers Through Authentic Supervision
A continuing education webinar for social workers and other mental health professionals. - Operation Lone Star and SB 4: Know Your Rights
A continuing education training webinar for social workers and other mental health practitioners and social service providers.
Offered through the Social Work Program, the Minor in Social Welfare provides students a foundation in social welfare, focusing on social justice, human behavior and development, diversity and cultural competence. Students will learn about the history of the U.S. social welfare system, the theories of behavior used to support various social programs, and how issues of race, social class and gender intersect in the social welfare system.
Laurie Cook Heffron, PhD
Associate Professor of Social Work
Phone: 512-233-1433
Office: Equity Hall 223, 1
Email: lheffron@ctdj.net
Adam McCormick, PhD
Associate Professor of Social Work
Phone: 512-485-4619
Office: Equity Hall 238, 1
Email: adamm@ctdj.net
Natalie Beck Aguilera, PhD
Assistant Professor of Social Work
Phone: 512-448-8642
Office: Equity Hall 221, 1
Email: nbeck2@ctdj.net
Esmeralda Rubalcava Hernandez, PhD
Adjunct Faculty
Email: eherna28@ctdj.net