Social Work Program (BSSW)

Welcome from the Program Director

Welcome to the Bachelor of Science in Social Work (BSSW) program at the College of Staten Island, CUNY.  Social work is a respected helping profession that seeks to alleviate human suffering, improve the quality of life for the most vulnerable in society, and ensure equal access to resources.  Social workers are employed in a variety of settings (schools, hospitals, child welfare agencies, homeless shelters, battered women’s centers, criminal justice settings, and more) where they work on a variety of issues (school violence, end-of-life care, sexual assault, poverty, hate crimes, disasters, disabilities and more).  Social work is grounded in the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics with a commitment to diversity, self-determination and social and economic justice. 

This is an exciting time in the history of CSI’s social work program.  We are undergoing accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE); moved to new offices in the library; hiring new faculty; increasing BSSW student enrollment; and, developing a Master of Social Work program.  This year, our BSSW program was granted Candidacy status from CSWE (our accrediting body).  Assuming we are successful, we expect to receive full accreditation in February, 2014.  All students entering our program since the fall, 2011 will be considered to have graduated from an accredited program.

Social work students engage their learning both in and out of the classroom.  In their senior year, social work majors are placed in one of 49 social service agencies serving Staten Island and/or the surrounding area.  In this 480 hour field internship, social work knowledge, values and skills are brought together in real-life settings, working with vulnerable people from a variety of backgrounds on a variety of social problems.

Social work is a challenging and rewarding profession with endless opportunities to help others, solve problems and change the world.  If you, too, believe in making a difference, we invite you to join us in the BSSW program.

Lacey Sloan, Ph.D., MSSW, BSW
Director, Social Work program
Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work

Mission Statement

Drawing on the past and present rich diversity of Staten Island, the College of Staten Island Social Work Program is committed to the highest standards in teaching, research, and scholarship. Given the history of the Willowbrook State School where CSI is now located, the program infuses diversity, respect for all people, and integrity in all its endeavors. It is grounded in liberal arts education. The BSSW program provides a local and global context for understanding and addressing the experiences of people and societies that includes knowledge of cultural, economic, and political factors; and that fosters human and community well-being, with particular emphasis on matters of social and economic justice, and global interconnectedness. The Social Work Program is committed to community development on Staten Island and ensuring that our graduates are prepared for practice that meets the needs of the local and global community. The BSSW program honors human diversity and acknowledges its vital role in advancing mutuality and interdependence.

Program Goals

1. Graduates will have the knowledge and skills for entry-level, urban, generalist social work practice, on Staten Island and in the region.
2. Graduates will be competent, culturally sensitive professional practitioners who can help people to meet basic survival needs for food, clothing, shelter, and livelihood.
3. Graduates will be able to apply social work knowledge and skills to informed action, at direct and indirect levels, that will benefit individuals, groups, communities, organizations, and the greater society.
4. Graduates will have the knowledge, skills, and commitment to work toward a just and equitable society, and to support the rights of all people to determine their own destiny, in the context of global interconnectedness.
5. Graduates will have the foundation knowledge and skills needed to enter into the advanced study of social work.
6. Graduates will be prepared for practice with an understanding of the importance of continued self-reflection and professional development throughout their social work careers.