About Us
Founded in 1920, the Whitney M. Young Jr. School of Social Work is the nation’s first accredited school of social work at a historically black college or university (HBCU), and the first to be accredited in the State of Georgia. The school is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and has maintained its accreditation since 1952.
The School utilizes an Afrocentric, autonomous social work practice model to prepare culturally competent practitioners capable of intervening and working with systems of all sizes and resolving problems that particularly affect African American children, families, and males within the context of family and community.
The curriculum is built on a liberal arts base and is guided by humanistic values. Graduates are prepared to recognize and impact social and economic injustice issues at the local, regional, national, and international levels.
Our History | Accreditations | About Whitney M. Young Jr.
Mission/Vision
The mission of the Whitney M. Young, Jr., School of Social Work, congruent with the University’s mission, is to prepare social work professionals, practitioners and leaders with the knowledge, skills and abilities to address culturally diverse human and social issues locally, nationally and globally.
The School’s mission reaffirms the mission and the cultural creed of the University. The mission preserves and disseminates the heritage of African American people and seeks to produce diverse graduates who are productive and responsible citizens who advance the purposes of social work education and address social, economic, and racial disparity issues that prevail on a global level.
Our vision is to advance a just and compassionate society that promotes health and well-being and the empowerment of all oppressed groups, especially those affected by racial, social, and economic inequities.
Degrees/Programs
The School offers three-degree granting programs, the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW), the Master of Social Work (MSW), and the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).
Learn more about our degree programs