College of Health

School of Social Work

Take Action with Social Work

School of Social Work

Mailing Address
Cleveland State University College of Health/School of Social Work
2121 Euclid Avenue, RT 1417
Cleveland, OH 44115

Campus Location
Rhodes Tower, Room 1417
Phone: (216) 687-3520
bsw@csuohio.edu

msw@csuohio.edu

Why study Social Work at CSU?

Social work is a profession dedicated to helping people enhance their well-being, overcome barriers, advocate for the rights of the people we work with, and create lasting, positive change in communities. At Cleveland State University's School of Social Work, you learn how become a social worker who makes a difference. You get to define the difference you want to make across a nearly unlimited number of professional areas - behavioral health, alcohol/drug addiction, community mental health, child welfare, early childhood development, developmental disabilities, senior care, school-based, healthcare/hospital care, victim assistance, residential care, mental health clinical care, crisis/suicide assistance, and hospice/palliative care, among others. You can help individuals, families, or groups across your community as a licensed social worker and can advocate to make the changes needed at practice and/or policy levels.

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CSU School of Social Work Highlights

Both the BSW and MSW Programs are accredited as in-person and online programs by the Council on Social Work Education. Students can complete their degrees fully online.
Certificates are available for students in Chemical Dependency, Gerontology, and Veterinary Social Work.
The School’s University Partnership Program (UPP) is a Title IV-E Child Welfare Program provides special opportunities for students interested in public child welfare work.

Faculty Highlights:

Social work faculty are highly productive scholars, publishing books, multiple research articles, and recipients of grants to fund their research.

Dr. Stoddard Dare is the 5th Distinguished Professor in the history of CSU. This Distinguished Professorship appointment (2025) constitutes the highest honor that can be accorded to a member of the faculty.
Dr. Cyleste Collins received the 2025 Distinguished Faculty Award for Research. This is a distinct honor and recognition of the importance of Dr. Collins’ contributions to the academic (scholarship) mission of Cleveland State University.
Dr. Cyndi Hovland received the 2026 College of Health Outstanding Researcher Award. This honor recognizes Dr. Hovland’s exceptional research and scholarship impact across the College.
Two of the School's faculty members - Dr. Aviva Vincent, Assistant Professor, & Lisa Wiborg, Adjunct Professor, were named NASW Ohio's 2024 Regional Social Worker of the Year. Dr. Vincent for Region 2 and Lisa Wiborg for Region 3, and more details are found here: https://www.naswoh.org/page/2024winners
Faculty members have been awarded the 2018 Ohio NASW Social Worker of the Year (Dr. Larry Foster) and the 2022 Ohio NASW Outstanding Service to the Profession Award (Dr. Mike Dover). Four of our alumni have been recently recognized by the Ohio National Association of Social Workers for Region Three: the 2022 Emerging Leader Award (Phillip Emerson), the 2023 Emerging Leader Award (Gabrielle Fowlkes), the 2022 Student of the Year Award (Jeff Goad), the 2023 Student of the Year Award (Karla Fitch). Emeritus Professor, Dr. Edward A. McKinney, was inducted into the 2022 Ohio Department of Aging “Senior Citizens Hall of Fame”.
Three faculty members serve in leadership roles for national social work organizations.