UConn’s School of Social Work (SSW) ranks in the top 12 percent of best graduate schools for social work, tied at no. 36, per the 2023 U.S. News & World Report rankings released earlier today. That makes SSW the no. 1 top-ranked graduate school of social work in the state of Connecticut.

The School of Social Work is the oldest program in the state graduating social workers since 1948, and it was the first public university in Connecticut to offer a bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree in social work.

“At the School of Social Work, we are proud to stand among leading graduate schools of social work in the state and nationwide,” says Dean Nina Rovinelli Heller.

“This recognition is owed to our dedicated faculty and staff, who are committed to the generation and wide dissemination of cutting edge and impactful knowledge, informed by social justice and anti-oppressive lenses, through traditional and innovative research methodologies.”

Two hundred ninety-eight MSW programs accredited by the Council on Social Work Education were ranked. In an advanced social work curriculum, students take courses in social welfare policy, human behavior and ethics, balanced with hands-on experience in clinical settings. Each school’s score reflects its average rating on a scale from 1 (marginal) to 5 (outstanding), based on a survey of academics at peer institutions. UConn ranked number 36 (tie).

Read more about the Best Schools for Social Work rankings at U.S. News.