Social workers empower communities to make change. Their role in society continues to grow, both in Manhattan and throughout NYC, thanks to new insight into the value of social services and the growth of many initiatives aimed at helping underserved and at-risk communities throughout the city.
The Big Plan to Assign a Social Worker to Each of Manhattan’s 77 NYPD Precincts
For example, City Council members like Erik Bottcher (D-Manhattan) are pushing for more social workers within the NYPD. Specifically, they want to see at least one social worker stationed at every one of the NYPD’s 77 precincts. In May 2024, Bottcher introduced legislation that would make this a reality, requiring the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to oversee the placement of social workers at precincts throughout the city. It’s the hope of City Council members that doing so would help people break the arrest-release cycle.
NYC has already begun experimenting with pilot programs that involve bringing social workers to 9-1-1 calls for mental health emergencies. Now, City Council wants them to become part of the civilian workforce of the NYPD. If passed, the legislation would allow social workers to evaluate individuals for substance abuse and mental health disorders and connect them with follow-up resources and services.
As a result of an increase in new and proposed initiatives like this, degrees in social work are growing in popularity, providing the training it takes to make a career out of advancing the social good in areas like child welfare, immigration, mental health, and substance use disorder counseling.
Earning the BSW or MSW Designed to Open Doors to Social Work Careers in Manhattan
Where does a career in social work begin? For many, it’s the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW), which serves as a solid foundation for many careers in the field. But if you want to position yourself for the most patient-centered roles at the micro level of social work practice or the most influential ones at the macro end of the spectrum, then the Master of Social Work (MSW) should be a top priority.
The New York State Education Department oversees credentialing for Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW) and Licensed Master Social Workers (LMSW). In both cases, you’ll need to earn a Master of Social Work (MSW) accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
(You’ll need to earn an LMSW license first and then complete a period of supervised experience in diagnosis and psychotherapy to be licensed and registered to practice as an LCSW.)
There are two, major routes to earning the MSW that will qualify you for New York’s MCSW or LMSW:
(1) Earn a bachelor’s degree in a human services field (e.g., community mental health, psychology, sociology, health and human services, etc.) and then complete a traditional, two-year MSW.
OR
(2) Earn a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) that provides you with an advanced-standing status that allows you to earn your MSW in just one year.
Whether you’re just beginning your education in social work or are looking to earn the CSWE-accredited MSW that will lead to state licensure, you have a number of options available to you in Manhattan:
Columbia University
Columbia School of Social Work
Accreditation: MSCHE
New York, NY
MSW (online, on-campus)
Also Offers:
- PhD in Social Work
Columbia University has long been heralded as a leader in social work, education, and training. Today, it continues its legacy of academic excellence in social work by offering both an on-campus and online MSW. Specialization is central here, with students able to complete their MSW by choosing:
- A platform (two-year, full-time residential program, online program, 16-month program, advanced standing, part-time, five-term international, or one-year residency)
- A social work specialization (advanced clinical social work practice, policy practice, advanced generalist practice & programming, or leadership management and entrepreneurship for social justice)
- A specialized programming track (DBT program or accelerated policy practice)
- And an optional dual degree or minor (eight dual degrees and three minor options)
Fordham University
Graduate School of Social Service
Accreditation: MSCHE
New York, NY (other locations include Westchester and Long Island)
MSW (on-campus, online, hybrid)
Also Offers:
- BASW
- MSW/JD
Ranked among the top MSW programs in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, Fordham University’s MSW boasts a contemporary curriculum and options to complete it through a traditional, on-campus format or in a fully online or hybrid format. Students of this program enjoy opportunities for scholarships and fellowships, including the Palliative Care Fellowship and the PIPELINE for Youth Health Fellowship Program. Students choosing the on-campus program also have the option of earning a specialized practice certificate in either health or crisis and resilience alongside their MSW.
Hunter College CUNY
Silberman School of Social Work
Accreditation: MSCHE
New York, NY
MSW (on-campus)
Also Offers:
- MSW
- MSW-MsEd
- PhD in Social Welfare
Established in 1958, the Samuel J. Silberman School of Social Work is the oldest and largest public school of social work in New York, and the MSW is its crown jewel. Students here choose from a two-year, traditional program; a one-year residency program for full-time social workers; an advanced standing program for students who completed a BSW; an accelerated, full-time program of 18 months; and an accelerated, one-year residency program.
New York University
Silver School of Social Work
Accreditation: MSCHE
New York, NY
MSW (on-campus, hybrid)
Also Offers:
- BSSW
- DSW
- PhD in Social Work
New York University’s MSW boasts a flexible design that allows students to earn their graduate degree in a traditional, full-time format; a 16-month accelerated format; an advanced-standing format for those with a BSW; through part-time and extended formats; or in a hybrid, part-time format. The Silver School also offer a truly unique MSW program with a study abroad option in Shanghai, the only MSW program offered by an American university in China. Students here study in both Shanghai and New York, thereby allowing them to study economic, cultural, and social similarities and differences between the two countries. This global MSW consists of both a generalist practice curriculum in Shanghai (with bilingual opportunities) and a specialized practice curriculum in NYC for a truly immersive experience.
Stony Brook University SUNY
School of Social Welfare
Accreditation: MSCHE
New York, NY
(other location in Stony Brook)
MSW (on-campus)
Also Offers:
- BSW
- MSW/MA in Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care and Bioethics
- MSW/MPH
- MSW/JD
- PhD in Social Welfare
Stony Brook University brings its famed MSW program to Manhattan. Students of this program specialize in one of three areas: community, policy, and political social action; families, youth, and transition to adulthood; and integrated health: physical, psychological, and social well-being. Stony Brook is connected to Stony Brook University Hospital in Long Island. It also sponsors the Sayville Project, a nonprofit community-based organization that provides field-based care management support and services to adults with severe and chronic physical and mental health conditions. MSW students volunteering with this program enjoy outstanding opportunities to familiarize themselves with the New York State Department of Health, the New York State Office of Mental Health, and the Suffolk County Division of Community Mental Hygiene, all of which serve as overarching agencies for the program.
Touro University
Graduate School of Social Work
Accreditation: MSCHE
New York, NY
(other location in Brooklyn)
MSW (on-campus, online)
Offering both an in-person cohort and a fully online program, Touro University’s MSW is designed with flexibility in mind. Students of this program can also choose from a part-time, full-time, or 16-month accelerated format. The traditional MSW boasts courses in the evenings and on the weekends, while the online format can be completed entirely online. Specialization options, which include The Aging Population, Social Work in Schools, and Mental Illness, provide students with opportunities to distinguish themselves in the field and gain valuable experience with underserved and vulnerable populations.
Yeshiva University
Wurzweiler School of Social Work
Accreditation: MSCHE
New York, NY
MSW (on-campus, online)
Also Offers:
- DSW
- PhD in Social Welfare
For nearly 70 years, Yeshiva University has been a national leader in social work education, and their MSW continues this legacy of excellence with outstanding options to specialize through your choice of platform, practice method, and optional certificate. Available as both a traditional and advanced standing program for students who have earned their BSW, Yeshiva’s MSW comes complete with your choice of an on-campus, online, or live virtual classroom format… your choice of clinical focus on individuals and families, group work, or community practice… and options to specialize your program with a certificate in one of seven areas of study:
- MSW/CASAC (credentialed alcohol and substance abuse counselor)
- Gerontology & palliative care
- School social work
- Creative arts and healing
- Trauma-informed practice
- Social work with the military