phd in social work fordham university

At Fordham University’s Graduate School of Social Service (GSS), we’ve been preparing students like you to stand up for human rights and social justice for more than 100 years. Fordham GSS provides a foundation in the traditions of the social work profession while meeting the challenges of the future with a sophisticated interdisciplinary curriculum. Ranked among the best in the nation, our social work graduate programs offer a flexible, experiential education that will prepare you to change lives and transform communities.

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Join us for an Information Session

The GSS Admissions team is here to answer any questions you have about our programs and the application process. Please attend one of our virtual information sessions to learn more about the Fordham GSS experience and how you can make the most of your education.

If you're ready to transform your ideals into a meaningful innovative career, we're ready to help.

• Academic Excellence : U.S. News & World Report ranks our CSWE-accredited Master of Social Work program in the top 10 percent in the nation. Our highly regarded online M.S.W. program is taught by the same accomplished faculty as our traditional M.S.W.
• Flexibility : Part-time plans of study and weekend courses are available. Our M.S.W. program offers an advanced standing option as well as the ability to tailor coursework to your career goals.
• Accessibility : Our M.S.W. program is offered on three campus locations—Lincoln Center, Westchester, and Long Island. Our quality M.S.W. curriculum is also available through our hybrid campus-online program and online-only program.
• Career Opportunities : Our forward-thinking, competency-based programs are designed to turn you into a well-rounded, integrated practitioner capable of taking on new challenges throughout your career.

The GSS Mission

The mission of the Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service is to educate students to promote human rights and social justice. The school strives to improve the well-being of people and communities through teaching culturally responsive, evidence-informed practice and engaging in research, public advocacy, and community partnership.

Nationally Accredited Programs

Fordham GSS offers accredited B.S.W., M.S.W., and Ph.D. in Social Work programs by the Council on Social Work Education. Students are evaluated based on mastery of competencies aligned with accreditation standards. These competencies are essential dimensions expected of all social workers during their training. Assessment scores meeting or exceeding benchmarks indicate competency mastery. We regularly share assessment data with the Council to enhance and refine our program and learning environment.

Learn more about our accreditation information. 

Meet Cynthia, GSS '24

"When deciding on M.S.W. programs, diversity was a priority for me. The unique range of student perspectives and experiences that the Fordham GSS community represented stood out to me. Location and flexibility were also a priority. Fordham offers several plans of study options as well as campus locations—this flexibility is so helpful when you are trying to juggle school, work, and other life responsibilities. Lastly, being part of a community that is intentionally supportive in helping students succeed was important to me, and the Fordham GSS community has provided just that."

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• NEW YORK, NY

Graduate School of Social Service - Fordham University

• Rating 4.42 out of 5   45 reviews
• Social Work

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• Social Work 622 Students
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• Social Work 6 Students

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• Down-to-earth 20%
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• Just trying to get through 4%
• Engaged 24%
• Competitive and intense 16%
• Prepared me for the real world 4%
• Supportive/helped me grow 56%
• All of the above 4%
• Money driven 4%
• so-so fot eh money 4%

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• $25,000 - $50,000 24%
• $50,000 - $75,000 68%
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Fordham University

School of social service.

Fordham University's PhD in Social Work program empowers you to be a leader of change in education, research and organizations. Our accredited integrated curriculum allows you to focus on social work practice or policy and implementation, while also concentrating on a specific field such as gerontology, children and family services, and health or mental health.  From our campus at Lincoln Center, the unparalleled diversity of the New York metropolitan area offers unique opportunities for you to collaborate with faculty in research, training, and educational projects while earning your PhD in Social Work.

• Where: Manhattan, New York
• Type: Private, Non-Profit
• Degree Offered: PhD in Social Work
• Program Type: In-Person Program Only
• Students: Full or Part-time Enrollment
• Average Enrolled Students Yearly: 3-5 Students
• GRE Requirement: Yes
• TOEFL Requirement: Yes, there is no cut-off score
• MSW Requirement: Yes, MSW or other master's degree required
• Two Years Post-MSW Experience Required: No, but preferred
• Joint MSW/PhD Program: No

Substantive Research Areas of Faculty

• Adolescent and Youth Development
• Aging/Gerontology
• Child Welfare
• Children & Families
• Corrections/Criminal Justice/Restorative Justice
• Mental Health
• School Social Work
• Social Work Education

For more information visit Fordham University .

To update your program's profile, please complete the Program Directory Update Form .

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Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service

Ranked top 10 percent in the nation by U.S. News & World Report , Fordham University's Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) program will prepare you to engage effectively across all areas of social work throughout your career.

We offer our program on three New York campuses:

• Manhattan (Lincoln Center)
• Westchester (West Harrison)
• Long Island

As well as fully online and hybrid learning options.

An Innovative and Flexible Curriculum

The world of social work is complex and changing. Our future-focused curriculum provides students with tools and skills grounded in theory and ethics. Students receive an evidence-based education, graduating with the ability to practice across all populations and sectors—micro, mezzo, or macro.

Fordham M.S.W. students can complete their coursework through full-time or part-time plans of study, with the ability to finish their degree in as little as nine months or as long as four years.

Mindful of our students' busy schedules, coursework can be stacked onto one day per week.

Scholarships to Fund Your Future

Fordham offers a number of scholarships for M.S.W. students to help with the financial commitment of graduate school.

Along with many merit-based scholarships, Fordham students can earn tuition stipends through fellowships, including our:

• NYC Public Schools Collaborative Program
• Palliative Care Fellowship
• Children and Families Institute Scholarship
• Ravazzin Center on Aging and Intergenerational Studies Scholarship

An Experiential and Specialized Education

Fordham students participate in supervised field placements with one of the 12,000 social work agencies in the New York metropolitan and tri-state area.

M.S.W. students must complete a minimum of 950 hours of fieldwork:

• 450 hours in their Generalist Phase Field Practicum
• 500 hours in their Specialist Phase Field Practicum

Fordham field internship settings span the breadth of social work practice, allowing our students to pursue their individual passions. Field placement sites include:

• NYC Department of Education
• Weill/Cornell Medical Center
• Connecticut Institute of Refugees & Immigrants
• Family & Children's Agency

For students looking to specialize and separate themselves in the social work job market, Fordham offers two Specialized Practice Certificates (SPCs) that can help you stand out throughout your career search, and find the role best suited for your abilities:

• Specialized Practice Certificate in Health
• Specialized Practice Certificate in Crisis and Resilience

Students can choose one Specialized Practice Certificate to complete simultaneously with their M.S.W. degree . To receive the certificate, students must complete 3 courses that are offered for the certificate.

Unique M.S.W. Experiences Found Only at Fordham

We've created a host of unique opportunities that allow you to build a better future for your community throughout your Fordham M.S.W. experience. As a Fordham M.S.W. student, you can:

• Influence global policy in collaboration with the United Nations through a UN field placement
• Perform fieldwork in historic NYC- and London-based settlement houses through our study abroad summer program
• Collaborate with our renowned faculty of Fulbright Scholars, authors, and activists on the cutting-edge of innovative social work research

Fordham's four centers and institutes allow students to complete research and field placements based on their interests. These include:

• The Beck Institute on Religion and Poverty
• The Children and Families Institute
• The Institute for Women and Girls
• The Ravazzin Center on Aging and Intergenerational Studies

Other Opportunities at Fordham's Graduate School of Social Service

Fordham offers advanced standing admission for students with a CSWE-accredited Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.) degree. Advanced standing students can complete their degree in as little as nine months.

Additionally, Fordham's Graduate School of Social Service offers two additional programs—our Bachelor of Arts in Social Work and our Ph.D. in Social Work.

Graduate Social Work

Fordham University Graduate School at Molloy University

Have you considered the value of a graduate degree for your professional growth and career?

If you have an undergraduate degree and are committed to making a positive difference in your community and the world, the Master of Social Work degree (M.S.W.) through the collaborative Fordham and Molloy Program awaits you. Recently, U.S. News and World Report ranked Fordham's Graduate School of Social Service eleventh among the finest social work programs in the nation and earned accreditation from the Council on Social Work Education.

Why Earn Your Masters in Social Work?

Social work stands as a fulfilling and rapidly expanding field, offering a wide range of specialized paths to explore. Recent research confirms that while there are currently over 255,843 social workers employed in the U.S., these numbers are expected to grow. And, data from the New York State Education Department underscores that 3,377 licenses were issued to New York social workers in 2022 alone.  Given the thriving trajectory of this profession and all of the opportunities it can provide, it’s an ideal time to take the next step in your journey into the realm of social work.

This is why Fordham University has developed a future-focused curriculum that provides students with tools and skills grounded in theory and ethics, with numerous scholarships and fellowship opportunities available to graduate Social Work students. Accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), the Fordham M.S.W. program curriculum is designed to turn you into a highly competent, integrated practitioner with the tools to succeed in every setting. Seize the moment and propel your educational career forward with the Master of Social Work degree (M.S.W.) offered through the collaborative Fordham and Molloy Program. 

What Our Collaborative M.S.W. Program Offers

As a Fordham and Molloy M.S.W. student, you’ll engage in 1,200 hours of supervised fieldwork, gaining invaluable real-world experience along the way. Fordham GSS has partnered with Molloy University so our Long Island students can get a Fordham experience without the commute. Split your classes between Molloy’s campus and our Lincoln Center (Manhattan) campus or complete your classes online. Both paths lead to a Fordham M.S.W. upon completion.

The program kicks off with foundational courses diving into topics like social policy, human behavior in social environments, human rights and social justice, and generalist practice and research. You’ll also have the flexibility to choose from concentrations such as clinical practice, research, and leadership. Following these foundational courses, you’ll delve into advanced classes and field experiences that align with your chosen concentration.

Two pathways offer flexibility and convenience to our Long Island students:

• The Fordham and Molloy face-to-face class option allows you to be part of an urban and vibrant university at Fordham's Lincoln Center Campus coupled with the sense of community at Molloy University. 
• Long Island hybrid Fordham’s online hybrid Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) option on Long Island, is a collaborative program with Molloy University that combines traditional face-to-face classes at Molloy’s campus with online courses.

In addition to our flexible programs, we have plans of study to fit all students' needs, which makes it possible to balance work, family, and life while pursuing a degree to advance your career. Through this collaborative M.S.W. program, you’ll receive an education rooted in the mission and values unique to the social work profession.

Highlights include:

• Flexible plans of study (Part-time, Full Time, Advanced Standing Options).
• Classes at suburban Molloy Campus and either Lincoln Center or in our online program.
• Long Island Field Placement (you’ll engage in supervised fieldwork, gaining invaluable real-world experience along the way).
• Scholarship Opportunities.

You can apply online to the Fordham University School of Social Service Office of Admissions at Lincoln Center through their website or apply here and select the on-campus application.

• Official Transcripts (All Undergraduate and other graduate programs if applicable).
• One Recommendation Letter.
• Personal Statement.
• B.S.W graduates from Molloy University can apply for advanced standing. You’ll need to provide a copy of your undergraduate social work internship evaluation. 
• Special scholarship opportunities specifically for Molloy B.S.W. students.
• Your application will be reviewed by Fordham's Admissions Committee when all required materials have been received and you’ll be notified as to the decision of the committee. 
• No Personal Statement Required.
• Application Fee Waived.

Keep in mind that because the M.S.W degree is granted by Fordham University, your application will be reviewed by Fordham's Admissions Committee when all required materials have been received and you’ll be notified as to the decision of the committee.

Fordham M.S.W. Experience

This experience is designed for Long Islanders. Through our collaboration with Fordham University, students can split time between virtual classes and in-person coursework at Molloy University's Rockville Centre Campus.

Take the Next Step Toward a Rewarding Career in Social Work

Experience a comprehensive program with flexible study options and a commitment to excellence in learning. You’ll blend social work theory and practice in esteemed Long Island social service settings and apply knowledge actively. Upon completion, you’ll emerge as a skilled, value-based professional poised to impact lives.

Join a vibrant scholar community and become a voice for change, advocating for social justice and improving the lives of the people you serve — including your own

*Molloy College has a partnership with Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service. M.S.W. degrees are granted by Fordham University. Explore the Fordham University Graduate Program application to get started.

Director, Fordham/Molloy MSW Program

Joanna suppa, lcsw-r.

• 516-323-3884
• [email protected]

The Body Tells the Story: Fordham M.S.W. Student Using Degree to Support Narrative Healing

Fordham M.S.W. student Lisa Weinert believes Western culture doesn’t appreciate the body enough. In a rise-and-grind world, we treat our bodies as things to tolerate—hunched over a desk, moving from project to project, only noticing when something goes wrong, forcing a doctor visit. Our sophisticated organism is reduced to a mere vessel for task completion.

She began Narrative Healing , a mind-body writing community that offers individual and group coaching, workshops, and listening circles to “help writers (re) connect with their bodies, develop a sustainable writing practice to heal from trauma, and share their stories in the world.” 

She has come to Fordham to earn her M.S.W . and get clinical expertise to enhance her programs. She wants to create a bigger, more meaningful impact on those seeking help.

“I looked around at the people I admire most in the world…and they all had this degree,” she said. “And I was like, ‘this seems to be something I need to do.’”

A Born Storyteller

From a young age, Weinert’s dream was to become a writer. A born-and-raised New Yorker, she comes from a family of storytellers, which left an impression on her. 

“I always knew I was a writer,” Weinert said. “I always turned to writing as a way to make sense of the world around me.”

The act of writing became therapeutic, Weinert said. It gave her an outlet to articulate her thoughts and feelings, work through chaotic times, and discover who she was emotionally. 

“I’m a particularly sensitive person, and I had a sense that my skin was sort of inside out,” Weinert said. “Writing [allowed me]to translate and understand really big emotions I was having.”

It was no surprise, then, when she worked in publishing as an adult. Weinert began her writing career at the Nation Magazine before accepting a publicist position at Vintage/Achor Books , an imprint of Knopf Doubleday at Penguin Randomhouse, Inc. This is where Weinert “cut her teeth” in the publishing world, she said—and also thrived: promoted nine times in eight years, Weinert was the first publicist in Knopf’s history to become an editor. 

“I experienced this Harvard education in publishing, and I got to work with incredible people,” Weinert said. “It was a phenomenal experience.”

In her personal life, Weinert was a “mover.” A member of multiple sports teams as a child, her passion for movement continued into adulthood through a regular yoga practice. Weinert said she had kept these physical practices separate from her publishing and storytelling work. A medical diagnosis changed that forever.

“I thought that writing came from my mind and was the important work of the world, and my body was essentially there to take me places and tolerate when it wasn’t really well,” she said “And about ten years ago, I had an acute medical crisis that really changed my life.”

Regaining Her Voice

Weinert had left Vintage/Achor Books and was working at a digital startup as a publishing consultant when she received a medical diagnosis that caused her whole world to halt. Although the situation eventually ended up being a misdiagnosis, the impact and trauma it left lasted. 

“My body was caught up in fight, flight, or freeze—and in this particular environment, it was with medical voices, but you could replace that with any other kind of system of oppression,” Weinert said. “I felt powerless in a really big way. I had no access to my voice.”

It caused her to reassess the kind of storytelling she was doing, and the viewpoint with which she saw her body and physical health. Weinert leaned into her yoga and mindfulness practice like never before, becoming certified in therapeutic, restorative, and trauma-informed yoga as well as mindfulness meditation. She began teaching and studying with master practitioners, and the knowledge she gained helped Weinert combine the physical and writing practices she’d kept separate for so long. 

“I started to learn from people who were talking about storytelling in a different way, and they were talking about how your body holds your stories,” she said. “I had these skills in a Western form of telling stories, and I started to tap into more somatic experiences—internal, instinctive, embodied approaches to how we connect to the stories within.”

This is how Weinert came to create Narrative Healing, her mind-body writing program. She began by teaching a course at Wesleyan University of the same name and organizing a conference at the Kirpalu Center for Yoga and Health in Stockbridge, Massachusets. 

Narrative Healing

Over the next six years, Narrative Healing took shape—and as the demand for her services increased, Weinert transitioned into running the program full-time. She described the content of Narrative Healing workshops and retreats as a “rotating combination of mindfulness, practice, or breathwork followed by creative practice,” all designed to be done at a desk—the ultimate practicality for the working person. 

“I’m looking at the desk environment as a potential studio of sorts,” she said. “I’m hoping to approach this in the same way you might approach a yoga class or a meditation class or going to the gym. Just another thing to add to your bag of tricks that might make you feel better.”

Weinert’s workshops continued to grow, and her coaching sessions multiplied exponentially. There was a need for this work, this connection between mind and body—and she was there to meet it. Being only one of her to go around, it was difficult to meet all that demand. What came next was a lifelong passion realized. 

“You could be interviewing little Lisa at age eight, and I would tell you that my dream was to write a book,” she said. “I started focusing on other people’s stories before coming back to my own, but when the book came out, it was really a lifelong dream.”

Pursuing Clinical Knowledge to Enhance Her Practice

In the fall, Weinert’s personal journey and business were flourishing. She was an entrepreneur with a thriving program, an in-demand speaker, and a published author. Most people would probably say, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. But then came another need. 

As coaching and workshop requests filed in, Weinert noticed a pattern — more and more of them were trauma-related. Those who sought out her workshops weren’t just people who needed to de-stress from everyday living; they were people suffering from trauma and looking for help coping. 

“I saw very clearly that this was a mental health offering and that I was in over my head,” she said. “I felt like I needed not just more skills; I felt like I needed colleagues. I was going and doing these workshops and then coming home, and I’d have to lie on the floor for an hour.”

Weinert was desperate for her own support system—professional colleagues who could relate to the result of absorbing others’ traumas. A community that understood what she was going through. 

Lisa had an epiphany while facilitating a workshop for gun violence survivors with Abby Hurst, LMSW, Director of Trauma-Informed Programs at Everytown for Gun Safety. Their collaboration left Weinert energized and hungry for the skills Hurst brought to the workshop.

“She had a very specific lens that she was working with,” Weinert said. “I felt like I either wanted to work with Abby on everything I do, or I wanted to learn what Abby’s doing.”

Weinert is now in her first semester as a part-time student in GSS’s M.S.W. program, taking her coursework from the Lincoln Center campus. And although she has already connected with professors like Dr. Derek Tice-Brown , who conducts scholarly research in yoga therapy and related disciplines, she is open to a holistic learning experience. She wants to take in everything this diverse career path has to offer. 

“Fordham has an incredible history of social justice and incredible scholars,” she said. “I’m completely open to my mind being blown.”

Most importantly, though, Weinert recognizes the global mental health crisis and knows there is a need for credentialed practitioners.

“I don’t think we have a lot of room in this world for people who are making it up as they go,” she said. “People are suffering tremendously. Studies show over 70 percent of Americans are living with trauma …and I saw it in my workshops. I want to offer people the care that they deserve.”

Visit Weinert’s website here. Weinert is offering exclusive access for GSS Community members to access her online class  Labs . Labs is a mindfulness and somatic-based writing class that offers meaningful opportunities to relax, release, build resilience, build confidence, and foster expression. GSS Community members can learn more about  Labs  here and use this one-time link to access a class for free. Additionally, GSS Community members can access an excerpt of Weinert’s book, Narrative Healing,  using this link .

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• The Graduate School >
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• UB social work researcher signs amicus brief supporting rights of homeless in upcoming landmark Supreme Court case

campus news

UB social work researcher signs amicus brief supporting rights of homeless

A ruling by the Supreme Court in favor of Grants Pass, Oregon, would make it possible for communities to criminally or civilly punish people sleeping outside when no other shelter is available.

By BERT GAMBINI

Published April 19, 2024

UB faculty member Amanda Aykanian has joined 56 other social scientists across the country in signing an amicus brief supporting the plaintiffs in an upcoming U.S. Supreme Court case that many observers are calling the most significant case in decades concerning the rights of people experiencing homelessness.

The case, Grants Pass v. Johnson, will decide whether laws that either criminally or civilly punish people sleeping outside when no other shelter is available violate the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which protects against cruel and unusual punishment.

The court will hear oral arguments on April 22.

“Criminalizing homelessness does nothing to end homelessness,” says Aykanian, assistant professor in the School of Social Work. “These efforts are not only ineffective, but have compounding negative effects on people’s health, safety and their ability to maintain access to other critical services.”

Aykanian is a leading expert on homelessness. Her research examines how social policies and programs affect unhoused people. She is the national co-leader for the Grand Challenge to End Homelessness, and is principal investigator for the National Homeless Services Workforce Study.

In 2018, the city of Grants Pass, Oregon, started issuing fines to people sleeping in public, even though the city lacked adequate homeless shelter space.

A case against the city was filed on behalf of Gloria Johnson and others.

In September 2022, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed the decision of the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon, in Johnson’s favor. 

If the Supreme Court upholds that decision, communities cannot punish people for sleeping outside when there is no available shelter, establishing the behavior as constitutionally protected under the Eighth Amendment. Ruling in favor of Grants Pass would make it possible for communities to criminally or civilly punish that behavior.

“Attempts to criminalize homelessness are as old as the nation, but over the last 20 years those efforts have intensified, with accompanying legal challenges,” says Aykanian. “Those efforts have been mostly local and focused on specific areas within a community.

“Overturning the original ruling could result in statewide efforts to criminalize sleeping outside.”

The amicus (friend of the court) brief Aykanian signed with the other researchers cites more than 50 peer-reviewed studies summarizing the latest scientific evidence on the laws affecting homelessness.

“Looking at all the briefs submitted for this case, we don’t see much research evidence supporting the other side,” says Aykanian. “A good reason for that is that the vast majority of the scientific evidence is in opposition to criminalization of homelessness.”

But Aykanian remains concerned.

The Supreme Court in 2018 refused to hear a similar case, Martin v. Boise, also decided by the same federal appeals court to rule in Grants Pass v. Johnson, that cities cannot enforce laws prohibiting sleeping outside if there aren’t enough homeless shelter beds.

“If the Supreme Court looks at previous cases in Grants Pass v. Johnson, there are plenty of precedents to uphold the earlier decision,” says Aykanian. “But the fact that the court has decided to hear this case does make me nervous about the possible outcome.”

Aykanian says there have been significant increases recently in homelessness rates, particularly unsheltered homelessness, as well as rising poverty rates and higher rates of food insecurity, factors that contribute to homelessness.

“Addressing that takes a lot,” she says. “And a place like Grants Pass — where the population has been steadily increasing, while their housing stock has not — faces big challenges.

“But let’s not punish the people when we can’t solve the problem.”