School of Social Work Records

The College of St. Catherine (CSC) offered courses its Department of Sociology and Social Service with an emphasis on social work from 1933 but Social Work did not become a major at CSC until 1969.  A combined major in social work was first established for the College of St. Thomas (CST) and the College of St. Catherine (now St. Catherine University) in 1974.  In 1976,  Social Work changed from a major in the Sociology Department to a combined CST-CSC Department of Social Work.

In the Fall of 1990, the Master of Social Work (MSW) degree was established with the concentration in clinical social work. In addition to the social work degree programs, the School of Social Work has been a partner with dual degree programs with the Theology and Holistic Health departments and the School of Law.  In 2003, in collaboration with the UST School of Law and School of Professional Psychology, the School of Social Work established the Interprofessional Center for Counseling and Legal Services providing services to the working poor of the Twin Cities.  The Advanced Practice Doctorate (DSW) was established in 2014 with an emphasis on "education as practice," the first such program on with its sole emphasis on teaching.

In 2019, the collaborative program with St. Catherine University was dissolved.  The School of Social Work continues at St. Thomas as a part of the Morrison Family College of Health offering BSW, MSW and DSW degree programs.