DePaul University’s new master’s degree program in social work (MSW) is designed to equip social workers to take leadership positions at community-based organizations and agencies, according to its director, Tracey Mabrey, a DePaul associate professor of sociology.

The MSW program is composed of a part-time four year component that begins in the fall of 2005, and a full-time two year program that will begin in the fall of 2006.

The program curriculum offers a single concentration in community practice, which serves as an extension of DePaul’s mission of service to the urban community, which is rooted in the teachings of the Vincentian order that founded DePaul. “Focusing on service to others, social justice and respect for human diversity, the profession of social work has much in common with the Vincentian identity of DePaul,” said Mabrey. “This strong corollary creates a niche identity separate and apart from other area graduate programs in social work.”

Described by Mabrey as “rigorous” and “student-centered,” the part-time program is specifically designed to accommodate working students. Classes are offered exclusively in the evenings and on weekends and, unlike programs at neighboring schools, spans four years instead of three. Applications for fall enrollment are now being accepted.

“Adult learners need a program that is not as disruptive to their lives as three-year programs can be,” explained Mabrey, who spent nine years at Western Michigan University as associate and interim director of its MSW program. Arriving at DePaul two years ago, Mabrey said that her contact with working students has provided her an understanding of their challenges and concerns that has helped her to shape the program.

For example, internships, an important component of any social work program, are offered in the evenings and weekends and at organizations that are reflective of the geographical and ethnic diversity of the students and the city. After hearing from practitioners that social workers needed to hone their communication skills, Mabrey incorporated a professional communication and writing course as a requirement of the program. Additionally, the program aims to provide its graduates with specific skills in interviewing assessments, program evaluation, fund development, leadership and supervision.

When compared to other MSW programs, such as the Jane Addams School of Social Work at the University of Illinois at Chicago, which offers 12 concentrations, and the oldest and most prestigious program in the country housed at the University of Chicago, Mabrey is confident that DePaul’s program will build a reputation based on its commitment to providing personalized education for adult learners – a group whose needs often go unmet. “DePaul has a special heritage and role,” she said. “Vincentian mission will flow through the program and it will pay attention to all Chicago communities.”

“This program has been carefully designed,” commented Michael L. Mezey, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, in which it is housed. “It represents a “continuation of the university’s historical commitment to public service, lifelong learning and extended educational opportunities to working professionals and first-generation college attendees.”

For more information about DePaul’s MSW program contact its director, Tracey Mabrey, at 773/325-4141.