November 9, 2020

SVSU’s Master of Social Work program receives national accreditation

With faculty, staff and resources dedicated to empowering students eager to engage and enrich communities, the Master of Social Work program at Saginaw Valley State University was fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), an accreditation agency.

 The organization’s Commission on Accreditation is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation as the sole accrediting agency for social work education in the U.S.

 The Council on Social Work Education administers a multistep accreditation process that involves program self-studies, site visits, and Commission on Accreditation reviews. This candidacy process for accreditation started in 2017 and lasted three years, which is typical for new programs. The program was approved for full initial accreditation in February 2020 for a period spanning four years.

 “This initial accreditation is an exciting time for the Master of Social Work program,” said Lucy Mercier, an SVSU professor of social work as well as the Master of Social Work program coordinator.

 "The faculty are looking forward to creating additional opportunities for community-engaged graduate education.”

 Since the program was a candidate for accreditation beginning in 2017, graduates have been able to apply for state social work licensure. With the program now accredited, graduates will be able to continue applying for state social work licensure for the accreditation period, increasing the number of Master of Social Work practitioners in the regional area. 

 “Our region has been under-resourced in terms of Master of Social Work practitioners,” Mercier said. “Our program is helping to fill that gap, and we anticipate a significant improvement in services in each of the areas served by our alumni — including health care, mental health, children's services, aging adult services, substance abuse, and the criminal justice system.”

 The Master of Social Work program is accepting applications for its 2021 cohort. 

 For more information, please contact Lucy Mercier by email at mercier@svsu.edu or by phone at (989) 964-4077.