About SSW
Why Social Work?
At Portland State University School of Social Work we have been a critical partner in Oregon for nearly fifty years. Our school is the only graduate social work program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education in the State of Oregon. Additionally, our undergraduate programs include the popular Child and Family Studies program, preparing students for careers in human services, education, criminal justice, and special education - and the Bachelors in Social Work Program, recently accredited with CSWE and offering the only undergraduate social work degree in a public institution in Oregon.
Students in our programs are diverse, representing a spectrum of cultures, and life experiences. That range of differences enriches the classroom as well as creates a learning community where we grow and learn in an intellectually stimulating and culturally responsive enviornment. Through our Field Education Program, students have the opportunity to work directly with community field partners, getting on the ground experience and offering countless hours of capacity to the non-profit organizations.
In addition to our academic programs, we have a robust research and continuing education engine in the School of Social Work including:
- The Regional Research Institute for Human Services, serving the region for nearly 40 years as a resource for funded research and evaluation.
- The Center for Improvement of Children and Family Services, and the Child Welfare Partnership
- Reclaiming Futures: Building Community Solutions to Substance Abuse and Delinquency, a Robert Wood Johnson funded program.
