The University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford and Salve Regina University, both Mercy institutions, will partner once again in response to increasing demand in the social work field.
University of Saint Joseph (USJ) in West Hartford, CT and Salve Regina University in Newport, RI, both Mercy institutions, have partnered to develop a pathway for Salve’s undergraduate students to earn a Master of Social Work degree (MSW). USJ has established a mission to educate students from diverse backgrounds for careers in social work. Both universities will recruit and facilitate the entry of students into the field of social work by developing a pathway leading to a bachelor’s degree from Salve Regina University and Master of Social Work from the University of Saint Joseph.
Up to 10 seats will be reserved for qualified Salve Regina University students who meet program requirements and are accepted into USJ’s MSW program with the intention to enroll on a part-time or full-time basis. Salve Regina students graduating from the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited Bachelor of Social Work program and maintain an overall 3.0 GPA or higher and submit positive recommendations supporting their readiness to enter the advanced year MSW curriculum and field practice setting are eligible for entry into USJ’s advanced standing MSW program. The program will begin enrolling MSW students in fall 2023.
The collaboration is committed to and values diversity in the recruitment of eligible students, including persons of diverse backgrounds, defined as students who are members of racial or ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ populations, students who are economically disadvantaged, provide geographic diversity to the student body; or contribute to other unique and valuable characteristics to the student body.
Dr. Madeline Perez, Interim Dean of the School of Interdisciplinary Health and Science at USJ, said, “We are thrilled to collaborate with Salve Regina University to respond to a growing critical need for social workers of diverse backgrounds. They are an ideal partner with whom we share Mercy Values, a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion allowing us to extend our ability to service students across New England.”
“We are so excited to partner with USJ to provide our students with a pathway to enhance their Mercy Education with an MSW,” said Dr. Nancy Schreiber, Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs at Salve Regina. “A Salve/USJ graduate will be best prepared to be a leader in the field of social work with mercy at the heart of all they do.”
Partnership between the two Mercy institutions has precedence. In 2020 USJ and Salve Regina agreed to a 3+3 Bachelor’s and Pharm.D. program, where Salve students enrolled in the B.S. in biology or B.A. in biochemistry majors apply during their third year of study to complete their next three years of pharmacy training at USJ, culminating with the Pharm.D. Participating students earn their bachelor’s degrees after their fourth year and participate in undergraduate commencement with the Salve community.
Both partnerships respond to the current and projected workforce needs of pharmacy and social work. Given the Mercy mission alignment of the two institutions, the Salve/USJ 3+3 partnership and Social Work partnerships bring ‘mission to market’ in an innovative and practical manner for students.
Salve Regina and the University of Saint Joseph are both founded by the Religious Sisters of Mercy in the Catholic tradition and are both accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.
