Get your college career off to a great start!
Discover the pathway that may be best for you in pursuit of an undergraduate degree at Carlow University.
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.
Explore Your Passion and Empower Global Communities
Welcome to a unique, first-semester educational opportunity that helps you in getting to know yourself better, while helping others. The Carlow faculty have designed this immersive experience so you immediately can apply your learnings in real-world settings to make a meaningful impact. In addition to core curriculum courses that you can apply to most majors, you will spend 4 weeks abroad in Uganda.
Quick facts
- Experience campus living and a structured self-reflection learning program focused on reinvigorating your passions and your purpose in life
- Serve alongside your peers, through service-learning projects in the fields of education, healthcare, social justice and more
- Benefit from onsite counseling to help you discover and process your strengths, interests and skills throughout your experience
- Minister to the needs of Ugandans, igniting your global perspective of the ways in which you can best serve yourself and the world around you
Your Discovery Program experience
On-campus discovery and preparation
You will begin your self-discovery living on Carlow University’s charming, urban campus in the heart of Pittsburgh’s exciting Oakland area.
- First semester courses can be applied to most Carlow undergraduate majors.
- You will be part of a living/learning community on campus during your first semester.
- Service-learning projects will occur locally and internationally.
- A residency fee, billed by Carlow, includes round-trip travel on major U.S. carriers, accommodations, meals, activities, and project materials.
- Financial aid and scholarships may be available for eligible students.
Get Your College Career Off to a Great Start
If you are interested in the Discovery Program, complete this form or contact Global Center Director, Susan O’Rourke, at slorourke@carlow.edu or +1 (412) 578-2054.
Service Learning in Uganda (30 days)
Apply what you learned, sharpen your problem-solving skills and make positive contributions through service and volunteer opportunities at Ugandan schools and health care clinics.
One of your guides and mentors abroad will be Global Center Director, Susan O’Rourke. She has led study abroad programs for decades and is committed to helping you become immersed in the Ugandan culture with amazing moments and adventures. Alongside Susan will be a counselor available to students, both are trained in healthy relationships, stress management practices and study-abroad protocols.
Serve, Learn & Volunteer
- Volunteer (provide tutoring and engage in fun learning activities) at Noah’s Ark School for Children with Disabilities in Entebbe
- Participate in service projects (plant orchards and tend to school gardens) for Bright Kids Uganda on Lake Victoria Island
- Serve (provide instruction and adapt learning materials for children with disabilities) at Silver Memorial Inclusive Community Learning Center (SMILE) in Opucet
- Assist with vision assessments and distribution of donated eye glasses for seniors and school children
Meet a New Culture
- Hear inspiring life stories from locals, young and old; learn about their history including the effects of living as a British colony and subsequent years of conflict
- Become familiar with local customs and their challenges
- Interact with people living in remote villages without access to electricity, clean water, phones or computers
- Prepare, taste and eat authentic Ugandan food
Take amazing adventures
- Visit the source of the Nile River and go white water rafting
- Take a hike to the tallest waterfall in eastern Africa, Sipi Falls
- Observe animals in their natural habitat on a three-day safari
- Visit Chimpanzee Island
An impactful experience
“I would go back and serve in Uganda in a heartbeat. I wish I had more time there. It had a huge impact on my life after returning and loved the opportunity to be able to have an impact on the lives of those there.”
– Kaylee Goblesky, Carlow University Nursing student
Get Your College Career Off to a Great Start
If you are interested in the Discovery Program, complete this form or contact Global Center Director, Susan O’Rourke, at slorourke@carlow.edu or +1 (412) 578-2054.
Program Director
Susan O’Rourke, EdD
Global Center Director
Global Center Director, Susan O’Rourke has been working in Uganda for 10 years (since 2012). She has personally selected the comfortable and secure living facilities for the Uganda service-learning program and prearranged secure transportation through established partners in Uganda. Dr. O’Rourke has developed experiential learning and service projects through established partnerships and non-government organizations (NGOs).
Partners such as:
- Noah’s Ark School for Children with Disabilities
- Bright Kids Uganda
- Silver Memorial Inclusive Community Learning Center (SMILE)
- Prime Tower Primary School
Contact the Discovery Program
If you are interested in the Discovery program, and have questions, email us or give us a call. We’re here to help!
Stott, Carrie
Education PhD, Health Care Ethics, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, Pa.MSW, University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work, Pittsburgh, Pa.BS, Mental Health Counseling, Gannon University, Erie, Pa. Research Impact of ethics education … Continued
Smythe-Leistico, Kenneth
Education EdD, Administrative and Policy Studies, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.MSW, Mental Health, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Ala.BA, double major, Psychology and Sociology, The University of Wisconsin at Whitewater, … Continued
Roth, Sheila
Education PhD, Administration and Policy Studies, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.MSW, Social Work, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.BS, Social Work, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa. Research Suicide Awareness Among Public … Continued
Rashid, Anne
Education PhD, English, Binghamton University, Binghamton, N.Y.MA, English, Binghamton University, Binghamton, N.Y.BA, English, Wayne State University, Detroit, Mich. Research Literature of environmental justice Contemporary women’s poetry African American literature Publications … Continued
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
Degree:
BSW
Delivery:
On campus & online
Campus:
Oakland
Transfer credits:
Up to 90 credits
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
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.
Career opportunities for Restorative Justice graduates
Restorative justice provides social workers with a framework and set of practices to repair or produce resolution, to the extent possible in individual, family, community situations that may or may not involve the criminal justice system. At the macro or societal level, social workers advocate for social justice policy as well as provide resources for disenfranchised members of society.
Social workers may be working with individuals victimized by a crime or individuals court-ordered to treatment because of offending behaviors. Applications of restorative justice may be used by social workers within the criminal justice system such as in jails or prisons; or re-entry initiatives for incarcerated individuals; or within the child welfare system in cases of child abuse and neglect; or in educational settings where restorative practices are used by school social workers to build community and respond to conflict.
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]: contains information and documents specific to the field placement component of the program
- View or download the Bachelor of Social Work program handbook [pdf]: contains policies, procedures and information about the program
- View or download the Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes [pdf]
Admission requirements and application process
- Submit an application for admission. It is free to apply.
- Request that official transcripts from all current and previous institutions you’ve attended are sent directly to the Carlow University Office of Admissions.
Apply
anytime
Start terms
Fall, Spring & Summer
Social Work faculty
Kathryn Bonach, PhD, LSW, LPC Program Director, BSW Program, Associate Professor
Sheila Roth, PhD, LCSW Professor, Social Work (MSW)
Marsha Frank, PhD, LCSW Associate Professor, Social Work (MSW)
Jessica Friedrichs, MSW BSW Field Education Director, Assistant Professor
Kenneth Smythe-Leistico, EdD, MSW, LSW Field Director, Assistant Professor, Social Work (MSW)
Carrie Stott, PhD, LSW Program Director, Assistant Professor, Social Work (MSW)
Contact Admissions
If you are interested in this major, our Admissions team is available to assist you with the next steps, including scheduling an on-campus visit.
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