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Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work

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Choose Saint Rose for Your Bachelor's Degree in Social Work

Helping people is your passion. You go above and beyond for your family, friends and even strangers – often putting other people’s needs in front of your own. If you’re a community-minded individual with an altruistic drive, then consider an education at The College of Saint Rose.

Not only do we have a top Social Work program aimed at preparing you for a rewarding career, but the college’s mission is also deeply rooted in community service, social justice and wellness with outreach opportunities that reflect these core values.

Social Work is both challenging and rewarding — our program is no exception. Upon acceptance to the college, students are also required to apply for admission to the Social Work major. Graduates have gone on to accept positions at schools, residential treatment centers, mental health treatment agencies, substance abuse and alcohol treatment clinics, probation offices, long-term care facilities, and children and family services.

The Mission of the Bachelor of Social Work Program is to prepare students to serve as generalist social work practitioners who, having learned a body of knowledge and skills, promote change and the well-functioning of individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Grounded in scientific inquiry, person in environment perspective, and using generalist skills and interdisciplinary knowledge, graduates will be prepared to practice with a commitment to social work values.

The program will promote justice, respect for diversity and ethical decision making in practice, policy making and service delivery in order to improve the well-being of the greater community and its diverse members and constituencies. Committed to lifelong learning and to the ongoing evolution and improvement of practice throughout one’s career, the program also offers learning opportunities for the professionals in the community and trains students to develop and impart the profession’s knowledge base. Through academic study and agency field work, students become social workers qualified for entry-level professional positions.

View Course Requirements

Program Highlights

Accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Board of Accreditation
We are a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Board of Accreditation-accredited program, which provides our graduates with advanced standing. That means they will only need to complete one year of Master of Social Work (MSW) studies in graduate school, no matter which MSW program they attend.
  • Our program includes diverse coursework in political science, sociology, and biology, as well as opportunities for Theory in Action learning by working in a variety of community settings.
  • Unlike other schools, every member of our social work faculty holds a social work license and is actively practicing in the field.
  • We offer an accelerated path from bachelor’s degree to master’s degree, so students going straight through on a full-time schedule will complete their Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and Master of Science in Social Work (MSSW) at Saint Rose in five years.
  • We require 120 hours of internship (field work) in the third year, and a full-year internship of 400 hours during the fourth year because we believe real-world practice is essential to a deeper understanding of classroom content and makes you a better social worker.
  • And because we have an extensive network of Saint Rose social work alumni, we’re able to help you secure your field work placements.

We view social work as an integrated continuum, rather than as a series of silos. We focus on well-being and prevention across five essential domains:

  1. Spiritual
  2. Social/ Environmental
  3. Emotional/ Psychological
  4. Physical
  5. Economic

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that between 2018 and 2028 demand for social workers will grow:

Meet Our Faculty

Our faculty, all licensed practitioners from different backgrounds and practice areas, instruct and guide you in your area of interest — from addiction and LGBTQ issues to immigrant and prison populations. Our faculty care about you as a person and go the extra mile to support you, whether that means connecting outside class to discuss research, or being flexible to accommodate your work or family obligations.

Janet Acker, Ph.D., MSSW, M. Div., LCSW-R Associate Professor, Co-Chair

Over the last 30 years, Dr. Acker has developed clinical expertise in mental health, end-of-life/hospice care, HIV/AIDS, adoption and foster care, and case management, and is passionate about using this experience as a catalyst for teaching and engaging students. Her teaching interests include integrating classroom concepts and theories with practical application in the field, and on the continuum of social work at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels of society.

I grew up in a family committed to volunteerism and community service, and when I arrived at my first field placement as a young social work graduate student, I had the immediate sensation that I had found my “place.” I earned my MSSW at Columbia University, and over the next 30 years, developed clinical expertise in mental health, end of life/hospice care, HIV/AIDS, adoption and foster care, and case management.
I am passionate about using this rich body of work as a clinician, advocate, supervisor, administrator, and field instructor as a catalyst for teaching professional excellence and engaging students in their own process of experiential learning in practice settings.

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Maureen Rotondi, MSW, LCSW-R Associate Professor, Co-Chair & Program Director

She is a founding member of Rensselaer Child Advocacy Center, which provides trauma-focused counseling to children who have been abused and to non-offending family members. Professor Rotondi participated in the 2013 White House summit on the Affordable Care Act with the Council on Social Work Education. Current teaching subjects include child abuse, social welfare and social policy, diversity workshop, and field practicum.

Her expertise includes diagnosing and treating pediatric mental health disorders, interviewing individuals who have been sexually abused, and testifying in state and federal criminal and family court. She was a social worker for the emergency department at Albany Medical Center.

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Chenique Boutelle, MSW, LCSW Assistant Professor

Since graduating from Saint Rose in 2011, Professor Rowe has worked at Albany County Department for Children, Youth, and Families, as well as at a local domestic-violence shelter. She later worked in children’s mental health and as the women’s and children’s social worker in a hospital. Her teaching interests include diversity and social justice, various components of social-work practice, and field-experience courses.

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Donna Van Alst, PhD, MSW, MBA, LMSW Associate Professor

Professor Van Alst worked as a program evaluator and coordinated a direct service program for youth aging out of foster care. She holds an MBA from New York University, and is interested in how social services are organized and delivered, as well as social entrepreneurship. She taught at Rutgers University’s School of Social Work, where she was research director of the Institute for Families and held a joint appointment with the school’s Child Welfare and Child Wellbeing Research Unit. Areas of expertise include child welfare services, disaster recovery, health services, social administration, and social policy. She is a mixed-methods researcher with a strong interest in program evaluation and intervention research.

View Full Bio

Janet Acker, Ph.D., MSSW, M. Div., LCSW-RAssociate Professor, Co-Chair

Over the last 30 years, Dr. Acker has developed clinical expertise in mental health, end-of-life/hospice care, HIV/AIDS, adoption and foster care, and case management, and is passionate about using this experience as a catalyst for teaching and engaging students. Her teaching interests include integrating classroom concepts and theories with practical application in the field, and on the continuum of social work at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels of society.

I grew up in a family committed to volunteerism and community service, and when I arrived at my first field placement as a young social work graduate student, I had the immediate sensation that I had found my “place.” I earned my MSSW at Columbia University, and over the next 30 years, developed clinical expertise in mental health, end of life/hospice care, HIV/AIDS, adoption and foster care, and case management.
I am passionate about using this rich body of work as a clinician, advocate, supervisor, administrator, and field instructor as a catalyst for teaching professional excellence and engaging students in their own process of experiential learning in practice settings.

View Full Bio

Maureen Rotondi, MSW, LCSW-RAssociate Professor, Co-Chair & Program Director

She is a founding member of Rensselaer Child Advocacy Center, which provides trauma-focused counseling to children who have been abused and to non-offending family members. Professor Rotondi participated in the 2013 White House summit on the Affordable Care Act with the Council on Social Work Education. Current teaching subjects include child abuse, social welfare and social policy, diversity workshop, and field practicum.

Her expertise includes diagnosing and treating pediatric mental health disorders, interviewing individuals who have been sexually abused, and testifying in state and federal criminal and family court. She was a social worker for the emergency department at Albany Medical Center.

View Full Bio

Chenique Boutelle, MSW, LCSW Assistant Professor

Since graduating from Saint Rose in 2011, Professor Rowe has worked at Albany County Department for Children, Youth, and Families, as well as at a local domestic-violence shelter. She later worked in children’s mental health and as the women’s and children’s social worker in a hospital. Her teaching interests include diversity and social justice, various components of social-work practice, and field-experience courses.

View Full Bio

Donna Van Alst, PhD, MSW, MBA, LMSWAssociate Professor

Professor Van Alst worked as a program evaluator and coordinated a direct service program for youth aging out of foster care. She holds an MBA from New York University, and is interested in how social services are organized and delivered, as well as social entrepreneurship. She taught at Rutgers University’s School of Social Work, where she was research director of the Institute for Families and held a joint appointment with the school’s Child Welfare and Child Wellbeing Research Unit. Areas of expertise include child welfare services, disaster recovery, health services, social administration, and social policy. She is a mixed-methods researcher with a strong interest in program evaluation and intervention research.

View Full Bio

Joseph A. Twumasi-Ankrah, Ph.D., LMSW Assistant Professor

Dr. Joseph A. Twumasi-Ankrah graduated with his Ph.D. from Indiana University of Pennsylvania – Sociology – Administration and Leadership Doctoral Program. As a licensed master social worker with fourteen years of practice experience addressing the mental health needs of urban and rural at-risk populations, Dr. Ankrah’s doctoral dissertation accordingly focused on “The Experiences of School Social Workers Within The New York City Public School System”. Before completing his Ph.D. in 2021, Dr. Ankrah was the social work site director for a NYC social work nonprofit organization based in low-performing public schools. The services provided by this nonprofit helped thousands of underprivileged and underperforming students each year overcome various mental, behavioral, and emotional health barriers. His teaching / research interests focus on diversity, child welfare, social justice, and school social work.

Julie Piepenbring, Ph.D., MSW Assistant Professor

Formerly executive VP and chief clinical officer at Adelbrook Behavioral and Developmental Services (Cromwell, Conn.), which serves youths diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders, Professor Piepenbring taught social work at Southern Connecticut State University and provided clinical therapy to children and adults in private practice. Her research and academic interests focus on autism spectrum disorder and its impact on families, culturally competent clinical practice, and organizational leadership. She strongly believes in supportively challenging students to become critical thinkers and encouraging them to work to their full potential.

Patricia Weldon, Ph.D., MSW, LCSW Associate Professor

Before entering academia, Professor Weldon was a social worker providing direct care and administration in mental-health and healthcare settings, mostly in trauma and crisis intervention. She focuses on helping students develop critical-thinking skills, expand their understanding of diverse experiences, and being lifelong learners. Her current research includes projects on trauma-informed care, organizational crisis management, and workplace critical incident response.

I-Hsuan Lin, Ph.D., MSW, MBA Assistant Professor

Dr. Lin, who worked as a social worker and administrator in organizations focusing on disadvantaged women and their families in Taiwan, later served homeless and immigrant older-adult populations in California. Currently vice president for a nonprofit organization working with Asian and Asian-American populations in California, she is building connections with communities in New York. She taught and helped develop online coursework at Indiana University. Her research interests center around the gendered work-family interface.

View Full Bio

Joseph A. Twumasi-Ankrah, Ph.D., LMSWAssistant Professor

Dr. Joseph A. Twumasi-Ankrah graduated with his Ph.D. from Indiana University of Pennsylvania – Sociology – Administration and Leadership Doctoral Program. As a licensed master social worker with fourteen years of practice experience addressing the mental health needs of urban and rural at-risk populations, Dr. Ankrah’s doctoral dissertation accordingly focused on “The Experiences of School Social Workers Within The New York City Public School System”. Before completing his Ph.D. in 2021, Dr. Ankrah was the social work site director for a NYC social work nonprofit organization based in low-performing public schools. The services provided by this nonprofit helped thousands of underprivileged and underperforming students each year overcome various mental, behavioral, and emotional health barriers. His teaching / research interests focus on diversity, child welfare, social justice, and school social work.

Julie Piepenbring, Ph.D., MSWAssistant Professor

Formerly executive VP and chief clinical officer at Adelbrook Behavioral and Developmental Services (Cromwell, Conn.), which serves youths diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders, Professor Piepenbring taught social work at Southern Connecticut State University and provided clinical therapy to children and adults in private practice. Her research and academic interests focus on autism spectrum disorder and its impact on families, culturally competent clinical practice, and organizational leadership. She strongly believes in supportively challenging students to become critical thinkers and encouraging them to work to their full potential.

Patricia Weldon, Ph.D., MSW, LCSWAssociate Professor

Before entering academia, Professor Weldon was a social worker providing direct care and administration in mental-health and healthcare settings, mostly in trauma and crisis intervention. She focuses on helping students develop critical-thinking skills, expand their understanding of diverse experiences, and being lifelong learners. Her current research includes projects on trauma-informed care, organizational crisis management, and workplace critical incident response.

I-Hsuan Lin, Ph.D., MSW, MBAAssistant Professor

Dr. Lin, who worked as a social worker and administrator in organizations focusing on disadvantaged women and their families in Taiwan, later served homeless and immigrant older-adult populations in California. Currently vice president for a nonprofit organization working with Asian and Asian-American populations in California, she is building connections with communities in New York. She taught and helped develop online coursework at Indiana University. Her research interests center around the gendered work-family interface.

View Full Bio

Heather Fronckowiak, MSW, LCSW Assistant Professor

As the clinical coordinator for a child-advocacy center in Rensselaer County, in Troy, Professor Fronckowiak provided therapy to child victims and their families and worked on several multidisciplinary teams regarding child-abuse investigations and prevention. She worked on a Federally funded project to implement an evidence-based group treatment for youth with problematic sexual behavior, and helped create a community-change team focused on systemic change.

She has been a child-advocacy trainer for New York State and currently consults to Fordham University on training for child protection-and-prevention workers. Other interests include secondary traumatic stress for practitioners and effective clinical supervision.

Heather Fronckowiak, MSW, LCSWAssistant Professor

As the clinical coordinator for a child-advocacy center in Rensselaer County, in Troy, Professor Fronckowiak provided therapy to child victims and their families and worked on several multidisciplinary teams regarding child-abuse investigations and prevention. She worked on a Federally funded project to implement an evidence-based group treatment for youth with problematic sexual behavior, and helped create a community-change team focused on systemic change.

She has been a child-advocacy trainer for New York State and currently consults to Fordham University on training for child protection-and-prevention workers. Other interests include secondary traumatic stress for practitioners and effective clinical supervision.

Curriculum

Put your knowledge to work

From your first semester through the end of your final year, we give you ample opportunity to apply the knowledge you’ve gained in the classroom.Comprising coursework in practice, research, policy, and human behavior, our 64- or 65-credit bachelor’s program intertwines hands-on experience with theory throughout the curriculum. Some courses featuring a heavy emphasis on service or field work:

Fieldwork Internships

We require 120 hours of internship (field work) in the third year, and a full-year internship of 400 hours during the fourth year. That’s because we strongly believe that hands-on, real-world practice is essential to a deeper understanding of classroom content – and makes you a better social worker.

Course Typically taken*
Introduction to social work (SWK 114) Year 1
Community practice (SWK 322) Year 3
Pre-field experience (SWK 378) Year 3
Field practicum (SWK 480) Year 4
Field practicum, continued (SWK 482) Year 4
Social work research methods (SWK 451) Year 4
Practice with individuals and families (SWK 481) Year 4
Practice with groups (SWK 483) Year 4

*Assuming a full-time schedule over four years

View Course Requirements

I chose the Saint Rose social work program for multiple reasons. First, the professors are extremely kind and caring, and they want you to succeed. Secondly, the learning environment is welcoming and inviting, which makes me feel good whenever I am in the classroom. Third, the program is amazing and sets you up for success after graduation.

Lastly, this program pushes me to be a better student, future social worker, and person, which is extremely rare to find.”

Matthew Smith, Social Work Major

Matthew Smith '23

Social work major

I liked how the Saint Rose is known to provide its students with lots of internships and field work opportunities starting in their junior and senior year. Having the opportunity to do field placements in the spring semester of junior year and senior year allows me to grow and improve to become a successful social worker.

Another way our social work program is beneficial is through requiring students to do volunteer work. It has helped me build both my networking and leadership skills."

Laura Uribe, Social Work Major

Laura Uribe '24

Social Work Major BOLD Scholar

Prior to attending Saint Rose, I attended multiple other colleges, and it wasn’t until my attendance to Saint Rose that I experienced the true concept of community within an educational system. The social work program aims to prepare us for the real-world aspects of social work practice. Through the different course offerings and professors who come from experience within the social work realm, we truly are set up for success.

But the most beneficial aspect of the Saint Rose social work program comes from our professors, who give us the confidence to externalize our internal voices to advocate not only for ourselves, but for our future clientele in the fight towards social justice."

Lynsey Foster, Social Work Major

Lynsey Foster '23

Social work major, who will also complete her MSSW at Saint Rose in 2024

Career Outlook

Graduates have gone on to accept positions at schools, residential treatment centers, mental health treatment agencies, substance abuse and alcohol treatment clinics, probation offices, long-term care facilities, and children and family services.

Before I entered the BSW program at Saint Rose, like many undergraduate students, I was feeling unsure about what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. However, with the incredible guidance, leadership, passion and dedication of the amazing faculty in my program, this was short-lived.

I am forever grateful for the ways in which my worldview was altered for the better, for the ways in which I was challenged to think critically about mental health, policies, and systemic oppression, and for the lifelong relationships that were cultivated throughout my time in this program.”

Alayna Shaw

Alayna Shaw ’13, MSW (pronouns: she/her/hers)

AmeriCorps program coordinator Colorado Youth for A ChangeDenver, Colorado

Organizations employing Saint Rose graduates:

  • Albany Medical Center
  • Catholic Charities
  • City School District of Albany
  • In Our Own Voices
  • Northern Rivers Family Service
  • Rensselaer County
  • Saint Catherine’s Center for Children
  • Saint Peters Health Partners
  • United Tenants
  • Savio House (Denver, Colo.)

Outcomes Report – 2022 to 2023

Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes

Contact Us Now

Of course, if you have any questions, please reach out. We’re here to help.

Maureen Rotondi, MSW, LCSW-R

Department Co-Chair
Department of Social Work

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