Social Welfare

Are you passionate about social justice—including problems, policies and the people they impact? Whether you’re interested in working with individuals, families, groups or communities, pursuing a social welfare major at Gordon College will equip you with the skills needed to work for social change. The major will begin your journey of preparation to work toward peace, justice and social transformation.

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Why study social welfare at Gordon?

Develop a broad-based understanding of America’s social welfare problems and social policies as you learn practice methods used by social workers. You’ll build on a firm understanding of human relationships and the interactions between people as you take a closer look at topics like aging, family and child welfare, poverty, mental health, developmental disabilities, substance abuse, diversity, race and ethnicity, criminal justice and justice issues for at-risk populations. During your senior practicum, you’ll put your knowledge and skills into hands-on practice by interning at a social service organization in the greater Boston area.

What careers can I pursue with a social welfare major?

Wondering what you can do with a social welfare degree? Social welfare graduates are prepared for accredited MSW programs and enter a variety of careers, including in the following areas:

Adoption / foster care
Anti-poverty programs
Child welfare
Community organizing and development
Court-appointed services, such as probation and juvenile justice work
Disability advocacy and services
Eldercare
Hospital social work
Mental health
Public/government sector
Refugee resettlement
School social work
Sustainable development

Learn more about jobs and internships ➔

Experiential learning in social welfare

As a social welfare student, you can be a part of clubs on campus like the Alzheimer's Buddies, International Justice Mission chapter, Social Justice Initiative, Dialogue Club, and the Social Work Student Advisory Commission.