Image of children in a clinicial setting playing with blocks while parent looks on.

Social Work and Child Advocacy

About Our Department

The Department of Social Work and Child Advocacy at Montclair State University offers undergraduate and graduate academic programs that specialize in service and advocacy to children, youth, and families. The department’s distinguished faculty include professionals from the disciplines that define public child welfare including social work, psychology, and law. Through a multidisciplinary lens, our academic programs provide students a unique educational perspective with which to navigate the intricacies of the public child welfare system and beyond. Our unique focus, faculty, and interdisciplinary curriculum provides students an unrivaled opportunity to prepare for work in helping professions serving children and families.

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Our Programs

We offer several undergraduate and graduate programs. Our undergraduate programs include: Bachelor of Arts in Child Advocacy and Policy, Minor in Child Advocacy and Policy, and a Minor in Social Work.

Our graduate programs include: Master’s of Arts in Child Advocacy and Policy (Online) and a Master of Social Work (MSW) with a concentration in children, youth and families.

Programs of Study

Careers

Our degrees are stepping stones to building a career as a child and family advocate, social worker, case manager, family therapist, mental health counselor, addictions counselor, healthcare social worker, school social worker or community organizer. Additional opportunities exist working in child welfare agencies, the Division of Child Behavioral Health Services, the Division of Prevention and Community, Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), the Office of the Law Guardian (Investigators) and a variety of education advocacy groups, victim-witness organizations, disability advocacy groups, domestic violence programs, youth mentoring programs and supervised visitation programs.

Careers in Social Work and Child Advocacy

Image of a faculty member, Svetlana Shpiegel, listening to a student talking in a classroom setting.

Our Faculty

Members of our dynamic faculty include experts in psychology, the legal system and social work practice. Activities of the faculty promote the well-being of children and families and advance social justice for all. These activities include not only teaching and research but also policy development, interventions and community work.

Meet Our Faculty

The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.

– Mahatma Gandhi

Support Our Department


Contact Us

Our offices are open Monday through Fridays, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM. We are available for appointments in person or via zoom. View our Staff/ Faculty page to reach out to us directly.

For students with specific SWCA program questions, please contact chad@dos5.net

If you need a permit for a course, please complete the SWCA Permit Request Form. Permit requests will be addressed in the order received.

For administrative services or general departmental assistance, please Email: chssadmin@dos5.net
Location: Dickson 170
Phone: 973-655-7031