As Dean of the School, I would like to welcome you to the Wayne State University School of Social Work! For more than 75 years, we have produced leaders in social work practice and research who have helped address and alleviate pressing societal problems such as poverty, injustice and inequality. Right now, more than 9,000 of our graduates are working across the United States and internationally to improve the human condition, and they are proud to call themselves Warriors in the fight for a better world. We are a 21st Century school of research and teaching that is leading the field, and I’m so pleased you are visiting our website to learn about our research, degrees, certificates, continuing education and learning communities.

Located in the heart of Detroit’s cultural center, our School of Social Work provides an urban context for students and faculty to practice and conduct research with individuals, families and communities. We have become a national role model due to our highly qualified and productive faculty, widely disseminated research and scholarship, skilled and supportive staff, innovative curriculum, and commitment to student success. At present, nearly 900 students are studying social work here at Wayne, either on campus, at our extension centers, or online. We offer a B.S.W., M.S.W. and Ph.D., as well as five graduate certificates and a dual title degree program in social work and infant mental health.

Our degree programs have distinguished themselves throughout the state. For example, we are the only social work program in Michigan that offers an online bachelor’s degree. Our master’s program has developed a new concentration in community, policy and leadership, and our Ph.D. program features a new clinical scholarship track for students who want to engage as university faculty in both research and clinical practice. This training is enhanced by challenging fieldwork and an opportunity to apply theory to practice. Each term, as many as 600 of our undergraduate and graduate students receive real-world training throughout Southeast Michigan under the supervision of more than 300 field instructors.

Meanwhile, our Center for Social Work Research provides state-of-the-art resources that support the research of our faculty, who are nationally renowned experts in more than two dozen areas of interpersonal and community-focused research. Our Center also partners with organizations throughout greater Detroit, helping them build capacity and increase efficiency so they can better assist and sustain communities.

We have described all that we offer in detail on this site, and I hope you’ll spend some time here
and learn more.

Thank you for your interest in the School of Social Work.

Sincerely,

Cheryl E Waites
Dean and Professor