Social Work Degrees at Barry
Barry University appears in our ranking of the 35 Best Value Christian Colleges with CSWE-accredited Programs.
Since 2002, the Ellen Whiteside McDonnell School of Social Work has granted the Bachelor of Social Work to culturally diverse Barry University undergrads on altruistic quests to right societal wrongs and advocate justice. Chaired by Dr. Phyllis Scott, the 2018 Miami-Dade Community Pillar Award recipient, the 120-credit degree develops beginning generalist skills each 14-week semester or year-round accelerated. The 11:1 student-faculty ratio keeps expert mentors close throughout South Florida courses like Models of Intervention, Trauma & Resiliency, and Environmental Context of Oppression. Seniors spend the entire year racking up 420 internship hours at Covenant House, Destination Hope, Devereaux Health, Park Summit, Gratigny Elementary, the Public Defender's Office, and more. Majors can also volunteer with Special Olympics, join the SSWA, travel to 28 nations, engage in the Ethical Leadership Conference, add the Human Trafficking Certificate, and attend LEAD Day in Tallahassee.
Admitting 175 Barry University post-grads, the Master of Social Work launched in 1968 fosters self-discovery for finding the right advanced specialization to best empower the most vulnerable global citizens. Directed by Dr. Maria Teahan, the 60-credit program forms a trauma-informed resiliency framework for clinical practice with LCSW licensure. The Advanced Standing track trades 28 credits for CSWE-accredited bachelor's to graduate in as little as seven months. Barry cohorts of 15-23 tackle courses from Clinical Assessment to Group Therapy during the daytime, evenings, or Saturdays in Miami and Palm Beach. Traditional students complete four practica for 1,000 hours total, but the Advanced Standing includes just 580. The Social Work CONNECT option is federally funded to give $30,000 for internships with underserved populations. Grads might continue for the 36-credit, part-time Ph.D. in Social Work focused on micro-to-macro trauma intervention supervision with dissertation development.
About Barry University
Barry University was established in June 1940 by Rev. Mother Mary Gerald Barry, prioress for the Congregation of the Most Holy Rosary, for Catholic women's education. Supported by Mayor John Graves Thompson, it erected a 54-building Miami Shores campus with Cor Jesu Chapel near Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserves. In 1981, it was chartered as a four-year independent, coed ICUF member in Forbes' #1 happiest city to work. Budgeting $141.3 million, Barry University now attracts 7,404 Buccaneers, including BSW/MSW majors, and links to over 36,500 LinkedIn alumni like WHO expert Saima Wazed Hossain. The U.S. News & World Report ranked Barry as the 105th best social work school nationwide. On Niche, Barry boasts America's 40th most diversity, 267th most liberal education, and 425th best faculty. Barry University also landed in the top 600 institutions overall in Times Higher Education.
Barry University Accreditation Details
In 2014, Barry University satisfactorily met evaluation standards from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) without sanctions to keep Level VI accreditation under its sixth president, Sister Linda Bevilacqua, through 2024. Located over 650 miles north up Interstate 75 in Decatur, this respected 11-state Dixieland accreditor is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education to assure the quality of Barry's 54 baccalaureate, 50 master's, and 13 doctoral degrees from Jacksonville to the Bahamas. The Ellen Whiteside McDonnell School also holds dual BSW/MSW accreditation from the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) until February 2025.
Barry University Application Requirements
Getting into Barry University is deemed "moderately difficult" by Peterson's because just 62 percent of the 5,025 Fall 2016 applicants were victorious. First-year Bucs eyeing the Bachelor of Social Work must forward verification of a high school diploma or GED certificate. Freshmen achieve a mean 3.14 GPA, 1010 SAT score, and 19 ACT score. Evidence of community or civic service is useful. Undergrads with minimum 2.7 averages can transfer up to 64 credits with no more than five withdrawals or "D" grades. The MSW Program considers post-grads from any bachelor's majors. The Advanced Standing track restricts admission to CSWE-accredited degrees and 3.0 major GPAs. Starting the Ph.D. requires a master's degree, two years of relevant experience, and 3.5 averages.
Barry University doesn't set any deadlines for the rolling undergrad admission. However, the Ellen Whiteside McDonnell School only considers MSW cohorts until July 15th for Fall, April 15th for Summer, and December 1st for Spring. The Doctor of Philosophy requires all documents by October 1st yearly. Submitting the Barry or Common Application wholly online is free. Mailing the downloaded PDF to 11300 Northeast Second Avenue in Miami, FL 33161 brings a $30 processing fee. Please contact (305) 899-3900 or [email protected] for further assistance. The social work admission checklist generally includes these:
- One transcript from each academic school
- Standardized tests (SAT, ACT, or TOEFL)
- Three references on organizational letterhead
- Typed, 1,000-word personal career narrative
- Scholarly writing sample under 15 pages long
- Most recent résumé or curriculum vitae
- Copies of BSW or MSW field evaluation forms
Tuition and Financial Aid
For 2018-19, Barry University is billing full-time Bachelor of Social Work students $14,850 every semester or $29,700 annually. Studying part-time incurs $925 per credit. Undergrads pay a $22 accident plan fee, $75 technology fee, and $60 health services fee each term. Living at the Miami Shores campus' dorms like Benincasa Hall adds $3,520 and $2,135 for room and board respectively. Annual bachelor's attendance equals $46,734 on-site and $34,284 if commuting. The MSW charges $990 per credit for a Traditional price of $62,370 and Advanced Standing total of $31,680. Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work candidates costs $1,125 per credit for at least $40,500.
According to the NCES College Navigator, 81 percent of full-time Barry Buccaneers pillage for average annual aid packages worth $16,851 each and over $48 million combined. Social work funds include the John & Neta Kolasa Scholarship, Alma E. Smith Memorial Scholarship, Dr. Beulah Rothman Memorial Scholarship, Dr. Marilyn Zide Memorial Scholarship, Goizueta Minority Empowerment Scholarship, and Nina Fox Endowed Scholarship. The Honorably Discharged Assistance Program gives veterans $1,000 atop GI Bill benefits. Immediate family members of Barry alumni receive the 10 percent Legacy Discount. Sunshine State natives could earn the Florida Assistance Grant, Access to Better Learning Grant, First Generation Matching Grant, or José Martà Scholarship. Selection for federal aid like the Pell Grant, FSEOG Grant, and Stafford Loan, only occurs with FAFSA applications coded 001466. The Master of Social Work and Ph.D. programs have limited assistantships that cover 80 percent of tuition too.
Learn more about Barry University at the Ellen Whiteside McDonnell School of Social Work website.