PMHNP Curriculum

The greater demand for PMHNPs coincides with a dramatic increase in reported cases of depression and anxiety, which has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Ensuring that get the treatment they need remains a key concern. With such an unmet need for service providers in this specialty to care for existing patients and help new ones, the demand for more nurses to pursue this specialty will likely only grow.

Quick Facts

75 Years of Nursing Excellence

For 75 Years, Carlow University’s School of Nursing has been dedicated to educating and empowering nurses who make a significant impact on healthcare as clinicians, educators, leaders, and researchers. As we look to the future, Carlow University remains devoted to creating ethical leaders who strive to build a more just and merciful world.

Alternate Degree Completion Options

Online Degree

Gain the knowledge you need at your convenience with our online degree option. When applying, indicate your interest in the online option.

Accelerated

Fast track your way to a master’s by taking graduate courses as an undergraduate student. Course credits count towards both degrees. Apply for this option after your sophomore year.

Applicants for this program are eligible for the Anne Kisak endowed scholarship, upon acceptance and enrollment.

Faculty & staff

Deborah Lynn Mitchum DNP, ANP-C, WHNP, Project Director, Clinical Coordinator Chair of Department of Graduate Nursing

Susan Mihaljevic, DNP, CRNP-PC Associate Professor

Carlow University’s New EdD Program: Devoted to the Future of Education

EdD courses at Carlow are different from other programs because they feature a distinctly integrated doctoral study design, with each course building upon previous ideas while preparing students to engage with new concepts that can inform their practice. Throughout the program, students are invited to study systems design, to engage in discursive deliberation, and to explore new transformational approaches to education.

Quick Facts

• Our EdD is rooted in our rich history and traditions of social justice, Mercy values, and Scholar-Practitioner philosophy
• We invite and respect diversity of thinking and expression as we learn together to challenge social injustices and inequities in schools.
• This program positions students as innovative thinkers as they present their ideas and practice-based research.
• Students can learn and work with other innovative system thinkers.

Online Degree
Gain the knowledge you need at your convenience with our online degree.

Discover the advantages of Carlow University’s Education Programs

Now more than ever, our nation’s schools need skilled and compassionate educators, curriculum specialists, and instructional leaders.

In Carlow University’s Education programs, you will gain specialized knowledge and hands-on teaching experience. Just as importantly, you will come away with a deeper understanding of how to care for the whole student as an empathetic instructor and mentor.

Carlow purposefully offers programs devoted to the unique needs of today’s diverse student populations. Program options include art education, early childhood development, special education, and secondary education.  Certificate options include dyslexia, online teaching, and autism. Learn firsthand from passionate faculty and recognized experts in the field.

New! Doctorate in Education

Reimagine the future of education

The Campus Lab School provides incredible practicum and field experiences for Education students.

The Apprenticeship Program is a degree pathway for individuals working in childcare centers devoted to high quality early education.

Education students have the opportunity to join Future Educator’s Club, Best Buddies, or by-invitation, the international honor society in Education, Kappa Delta Pi. 

Our College in High School provides four Education classes during the school year and summer opportunities for those interested in teaching.

We offer special graduate level PD classes for $270.00, and we have a robust Speaker Series available for community organizations and schools. In addition, we offer a virtual Educator Workshop series accessible free of charge to the community. 

Faculty & staff

Our faculty and staff are devoted to nurturing and supporting current and future Scholar-Practitioners who are reflective in action, capable of creating and serving in High Performance Learning environments, and who support and respect the dignity and diversity of all learners.

Matthew E. Gordley, PhD Interim Provost & Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences

Keely Baronak, EdD Dean, College of Education and Social Work

Tanya Baronti, MS, MEd Director of Clinical Placements

Ann Bisignani Graduate Program Coordinator

Debra Campbell Administrative Assistant

Sean P. Freeland, PhD Assistant Professor of Education, Program Director for Secondary Education

Mimi Loughead, MEd Southwest Workforce Apprenticeship Coordinator

Patricia L. McMahon, PhD Professor

Tammi McMillan ECE College in High School Coordinator

Lillian Naccarati, EdD Executive Director

Valerie Piccini, MEd Program Director, MEd in Reading Specialist & Graduate Certificate in Dyslexia Teaching

Susan L. Polojac MEd Director, Dr. Rae Ann Hirsh Apprenticeship Program for Early Childhood Education

MiIsha Reid, PhD Program Director and Assistant Professor of Special Education

Pamela Zimmerman MEd Undergraduate Program Coordinator

Accreditation

Our Education programs are accredited by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. In addition, our Reading Specialist Program is accredited by the International Dyslexia Center.

View our student teaching handbook
View our education department handbook

Department of Education Points of Pride (2019-2023)

• In June 2023, Carlow University’s Education Department and Campus Laboratory School received a $85,000 grant from a private charitable foundation to continue the legacy of The Campus Lab School’s Founder, Sister Mary Paul Hickey. “The Sister Mary Paul Hickey Professional Educator Development Project,”encompasses an annual Sister Mary Paul Hickey Professional Development Educator Workshop Series; The Sister Mary Paul Hickey Symposium; The Sister Mary Paul Hickey Teacher Research Mini-Grants Project; and graduate scholarship awards to teachers from The Campus Lab School and schools in the Pittsburgh and Greensburg Dioceses. Sister Mary Paul Hickey was the founder of The Campus Laboratory School of Carlow University and served as Principal for more than 40 years. She left a legacy of service, innovation and a deep love for the students and teachers at The Campus Lab School. This grant honors her memory while building on her legacy of excellence in education and support of teacher development.

• In January 2023, Carlow University’s Department of Education was awarded two workforce diversity grants from the Pennsylvania Department of Education in the amount of $100,000 each. These grants established, “The Innovative Teacher Prep2Practice Program,” and “The Innovative Principal Prep2Practice Program,” for aspiring educators and principals and to support Pennsylvania’s workforce.

• In September 2022, Carlow’s Department of Education was awarded a $12 million sunsetting grant from a local, anonymous donor. “The Dr. Rae Ann Hirsh Apprenticeship Hub for Early Childhood Education,” was successfully endowed, following a two-year concept testing period that resulted in the receipt of the sunsetting grant. Carlow University is the first, four-year university in Pennsylvania to be designated by the Department of Labor as a four-year early childhood apprenticeship program and its work will continue in perpetuity as a result of this endowment gift.

• In May 2022, Carlow’s Department of Education was awarded an $808,025 grant from the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Professional Development Organization (PASSHE PDO) in support of apprenticeship scholarships, student supports, and professional development opportunities.

• In December 2021, the Education Department was the recipient of a $109,122 grant from The Peirce Family Foundation in support of “The Peirce Dyslexia Program at Carlow University.” Funding encompasses a 4-week intensive summer structured literacy program, Camp Carlow and after school literacy workshops for children from The Campus Laboratory School and from the West Oakland/Hill District and greater Pittsburgh community.  The program also provides literacy tutoring support for Perry High School students (one of Pittsburgh Public Schools) conducted by graduate students of  Carlow’s four-course dyslexia track, which is embedded in the MEd Reading Specialist Program. 

• In July 2021, Carlow’s Department of Education was awarded an $80,150 grant from McAuley Ministries for the “Community Literacy Engagement Project (CLEP),” an individualized literacy support, four-week summer program for children from Campus Lab School and the West Oakland/Hill District communities. The grant also supports literacy tutoring in The Campus Lab School’s Dyslexia Center throughout the school year.

• In July 2021, Carlow University’s Education Department and Campus Laboratory School received a $93,500 grant from a private charitable foundation to establish, “The Sister Mary Paul Hickey Symposium and Teacher Leader Institute.”Components of the project include an annual professional development educator workshop series and symposium, teacher research mini-grants, and scholarship awards to teachers from The Campus Lab School and from schools in the Pittsburgh or Greensburg Diocese. 

• In June 2021, the Department of Education was the recipient of two separate $225,000 grants to fund the “Power of ONE,” a program aimed at providing teacher certification for educators of color. Funded generously by the McElhattan Foundation and The Grable Foundation, these grants benefit a strategic partnership between the University and partnering school districts. The grants allow Carlow to partner with school districts to diversify Pittsburgh’s teacher pipeline, allowing for a more seamless and supportive degree pathway for initial teacher certification for Black and Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC), having a tangible impact on increasing the number of educators of color in school districts where many students identify as Black and multi-racial.

• In May 2021, Carlow University was awarded $886,892 from the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education’s Professional Development Organization Grant (PASSHE PDO) through the Office of Child Development and Early Learning for scholarships and supports for childcare providers who are attending a college or are enrolled in university programs. Supports include textbooks, tutoring support, a full-time workforce coordinator, and an apprenticeship coaching website. Part of the grant will support Carlow’s early childhood apprenticeship program, which helps to improve childcare employee retention, reduce barriers for workforce entry, and increase diversity in teacher candidates.

• In February 2020, The Heinz Endowments awarded a $1 million grant and a $1 million endowment to support “The Dr. Rae Ann Hirsh Apprenticeship Hub for Early Childhood Education” to improve the quality of early childhood education in Pennsylvania.

• In September 2019, a local, anonymous foundation awarded two grants totaling $1 million to Carlow’s Department of Education to support a two-year concept testing period for the establishment of, “The Western Pennsylvania Early Childhood Apprenticeship Hub,” the first, four-year early childhood apprenticeship program in the state of Pennsylvania. 

In the Healthcare Social Work concentration of Carlow University’s online BSW, you’ll gain a conceptual, ethical and practical framework for social work practice in healthcare.

Healthcare Social Work Concentration (for BSW Majors only) 

The Healthcare Social Work concentration provides the student with a conceptual, ethical, and practice framework for social work practice in health care. Emphasis is on an overview of the United States health care system, the unique knowledge and skill base of social work in health care, the biopsychosocial/spiritual impact of illness on patients and their family members and/or support system, and the special psychosocial needs of populations most often served in health-related social work. The  introduction to biomedical ethics is provided as well as the fundamental medical terminology necessary for social work practice in health care. 11 required credits (4 courses) plus  9 pre-requisite credits (3 courses) 

*Students who wish to take a course(s) and are not a Healthcare Social Work Concentration, may request to enroll in the course with permission from the department chair/program director approval. 

** Minimum of six credits in Healthcare Social Work must be taken at Carlow University. 

Discover a world of possibilities with an MA in Psychology

Did you know there are personal benefits to studying psychology?¹

• Understand yourself better 
• Learn about research methods 
• Improve your understanding of others 

• Become a better communicator 
• Develop critical thinking skills 
• Help you in your future career 

• Learn about human development 
• Complement other areas of study 
• Develop insight into mental illness

Learn from professionals

MA in Psychology Career-focused Curriculum

Taught in a personalized, hands-on learning environment, our master’s in psychology curriculum focuses on advanced general and applied psychology principles, and valuable research and clinical skills that you can immediately apply to your place of work.  

Choose the psychology specialization that is best for you

Specialize your psychology courses to fit your career goals and personal aspirations. Each guided elective specialization provides you with the opportunity to learn the theories, skills, tools and treatments for that area.

Alternate degree completion options

Accelerated

Fast track your way into this master’s program by taking graduate courses as a Carlow undergraduate student. Course credits count toward both degrees. Apply for the accelerated option after your sophomore year.

Online Degree

Gain the knowledge you need at your convenience with our online degree option. When applying, indicate your interest in the online option.

Mickenna Ansell ’22

“The faculty and staff were very easy to connect with and I was able to get professional experience in research and clinical practice with their help. My time at the University prepared me to take doctoral-level classes and work in the field of psychology.”

Rachel Seamans ’21

“They [the faculty] took an interest in us and made sure we succeeded as both students and people. We weren’t just numbers to them. And, we were learning from professionals who were still practicing, not years removed from working in the field.”

Admission requirements and application process

You can apply for free online, and must submit the following materials:

Psychology faculty

Joseph Roberts, PhD Professor, Department Chair, Program Director of MA in Psychology and MS in Criminology & Criminal Justice

Mary C. Burke, PhD Professor, Program Director

Jennifer K. Roth, PhD Professor of Psychology, Counseling, Criminology and Behavioral Neuroscience

Shannon White, Psy.D. Assistant Professor & Clinical Coordinator of MA in Psychology

¹ “Why We All Can Learn From Studying Psychology,” Verywell Mind
² “Working in Psychological Science,” American Psychological Association
³ “Career Paths in Psychology,” American Psychological Association

Expand your career opportunities with a healthcare management degree

Our healthcare management degree provides the educational and business background necessary to pursue a career in a variety of healthcare positions including healthcare advocacy, long-term care, healthcare institutions, insurance or physicians’ practice.

Healthcare Management curriculum

The Healthcare Management major curriculum focuses on healthcare finance, services, and data analytics. In consultation with your advisor, you may construct your major (add biology or chemistry and 6 electives) to help accomplish your healthcare career goals.

Quick facts

• Take advantage of Carlow’s location and medical resources
• Explore healthcare data analytics as part of your core classes
• Get a jump start on master’s in Fraud and Forensics or Business Administration

Alternate degree completion options

Online Degree

Gain the knowledge you need at your convenience with our online degree option. When applying, indicate your interest in the online option.

Accelerated

Fast track your way to a master’s by taking graduate courses as an undergraduate student. Course credits count toward both degrees. Apply for the accelerated option after your sophomore year.

Admission requirements & application process

Healthcare Management faculty

Michael Kistler, PhD Assistant Professor, Business Management

Help students improve their literacy skills

As a reading specialist, you can help students identify their reading difficulties and develop methods to overcome those struggles by providing remedial instructions. The Graduate Certificate in Reading Specialist prepares you to teach reading programs at various educational levels.

Graduate Certificate in Reading Specialist Curriculum 

Interested in pursuing a a graduate certificate in Reading Specialist with an embedded Dyslexia Certificate from Carlow University? 

Carlow Univeristy is a LEADER in the field of evidenced-aligned reading instruction. Carlow Reading Specialist candidates learn how to deliver systematic, explicit, multi-modal, diagnostic and intensive instruction. 

At Carlow University, our Reading Specialist program is accredited by the International Dyslexia Association (IDA). We are in an elite crowd, as one of only a small number of universities nationwide with IDA accreditation! Best of all, Carlow’s Reading Specialist certificate program is available online, with class meeting times occurring synchronously (virtually) and asynchronously. 

At Carlow all of our coursework is aligned to IDA and Structured Literacy, and we are proud to have been awarded IDA accreditation for our MEd in Reading Specialist program! 

Unique options exist, that meet various needs: 

1.  Four Course Dyslexia Certificate, 12 credits 

• READ 721 Dyslexia and Structured Literacy 

• READ722 Critical Components of Phonological Awareness 

• READ723 Structures of Language & Linguistics I 

• READ 724 Data Integration and Instruction 

2.  Reading Specialist Certificate, 25 credits 

The four courses in the Dyslexia Certificate, plus: 

• READ 725 Teachers as Writers 

• READ 726 Critical Analysis of Text 

• SE 711 Disciplinary and Digital Literacy 

• READ 729 Structures of Language & Linguistics II 

• READ 740 Evaluating Literacy Curriculum 

3.  MEd in Reading Specialist, 31 credits 

All courses in the Dyslexia Certificate and the Reading Specialist Certificate, plus: 

• READ 727 Adolescent and Adult Literacy 

• ED 731 Creative Inquiry 

International Dyslexia Association’s Accredited Universities 

Center for Effective Reading Instruction, Structured Literacy/Dyslexia Interventionist 

Quick facts

• International Dyslexia Association, IDA Accredited 

• Practioner oriented equipping teachers of reading and writing with Structured Literacy and evidenced-aligned teaching practices 

• Faculty instructors who serve as national LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) trainers, Certified Orton-Gillingham Fellows, and literacy leaders and practitioners in the field 

• Connected to Carlow’s Campus Laboratory School where Reading Specialist candidates have the unique opportunity of working directly with students with dyslexia in the school’s multi-sensory learning lab 

• Partnerships with regional schools that enhance professional development 

• No student teaching required 

• Approved provider for the federal TEACH Grant 

Admission requirements and application process

You can apply for free online, and must submit the following materials:

An undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher is preferred; however, provisional admission is also possible if you do not meet all of the admission criteria but exhibit a strong possibility of academic success. No prerequisites or teacher licensure are required for this degree and certification.

Enter the workforce ready to make a change

Studies in the area of Restorative Justice will provide you with a foundational focus in addressing community-based issues pertaining to inequities in the justice system. You will also be introduced to alternate methods for addressing crime-related issues beyond the typical incarceration models most often employed by the United States.

You will be encouraged to consider how race and class affect interactions with the police and court systems. This concentration provides a solid foundation of theory, policy and research to help students become active change agents as they enter the workforce

Restorative Justice concentration curriculum

Students are required to complete the Restorative Justice sequence — Communities, Organizations in Praxis and Race, Class and Justice, as well as two courses from the following:Violence and Victims of Crime, Crime and Mental Health, Prison and Society and/or Juvenile Delinquency. Prior to taking these courses, students must complete Introduction to Social Work and Introduction to Criminal Justice.

Quick Facts

• Students are required to satisfy the requirements for the Social Work or Criminology major
• Concentration requires 12 credits, not including prerequisites
• A minimum of six credits of the selected Restorative Justice courses must be taken at Carlow University

View Plan of Study

Alternate degree completion options

Online Degree

Gain the knowledge you need at your convenience with our online degree option. When applying, indicate your interest in the online option.

Accreditation

The Bachelor of Social Work is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). CSWE’s Commission on Accreditation is responsible for developing accreditation standards that define competent preparation and ensuring that social work programs meet them. CSWE administers a multistep accreditation process that involves program self-studies, site visits, and reviews. Carlow University’s next accreditation visit will be in 2028.

View or download the following for more information:

• View or download the Bachelor of Social Work field manual [pdf]. It contains information and documents specific to the field placement component of the program  
• View or download the Bachelor of Social Work program handbook [pdf]. It contains policies, procedures and information about the program
• View or download the Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes [pdf]. 

Admission requirements and application process

Social Work faculty

Kathryn Bonach, PhD, LSW, LPC Chair, Social Work Department, BSW Program Director, Associate Professor

Marsha Frank, PhD, LCSW Associate Professor, Social Work (MSW)

Jessica Friedrichs, MSW, MPA Assistant Professor, Social Work and Director, BSW Field Education

Kenneth Smythe-Leistico, EdD, MSW, LSW Field Director, Associate Professor, Social Work (MSW)

Carrie Stott, PhD, LSW Program Director, Assistant Professor, Social Work (MSW)