Social Work Degree: Master of Social Service (MSS) Program
About Our Social Work Masters Program
The Master of Social Service program is a balanced curriculum that prepares students for leadership in social work. The program emphasizes development of professional skill and in-depth practice experience. Graduates of the M.S.S. program become leaders in a variety of social work settings, such as government agencies, health care services, clinical practices, and non-profit organizations. Our curriculum is presented in the flexible format necessary for continual growth in a changing world.
Next Steps Toward Your Masters in Social Work
Our Social Work Masters Program
- Teaches social work ethics and frameworks for applying ethical principles to social work practice
- Promotes the use of knowledge, values, and skills for effective social work leaders across areas of social work practice at the foundation and advanced concentration levels
- Develops strong relationship, assessment, intervention, and evaluation skills
- Utilizes an integrated perspective on theory, practice, policy, research, and ethics
- Encourages self-reflection
- Advances social and economic justice
- Fosters a critical awareness of diversity and the social and cultural forces that impact individuals, families, organizations, and communities locally, nationally, and globally
- Understands and applies knowledge of human behavior in multiple social, cultural, and economic contexts
- Emphasizes critical and creative thinking skills
- Teaches strategies to engage in ethical research-informed practice and learn how practice experience can inform research for increased effectiveness of both
- Develops students' skills for advocacy and policy practice on behalf of clients and client systems
- Creates a learning community that is both challenging and supportive
Beyond the MSW: Choosing the Right Path for Your Social Work Degree
Choosing the right graduate degree in social work is about more than just credentials—it’s about finding a program that aligns with your values, career goals, and learning style. Bryn Mawr College’s Master of Social Service (MSS) offers the same rigorous preparation as an MSW while fostering a tight-knit cohort experience, individualized mentorship, and a deep commitment to social justice. Explore what sets the MSS apart and how it can shape your future in social work.
Explore the Social Work Degree Program
Field Education in Social Work: Essential for Earning Your Social Work Degree
Gain Practical Experience in Your Social Work Degree Program
Field education is an essential part of students' educational experience in the M.S.S. program. Students gain hands-on, real-world experience in their field placements that propels them towards successful social work careers.
Applicants are admitted with the understanding that they must be available for field placements a minimum of fifteen hours/week during regular working hours (Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.) and that the availability of a field placement occurring only during evening and/or weekend hours is not guaranteed.
Calendars and Academic Information
Bryn Mawr's Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research Master of Social Service (M.S.S.) degree is equivalent in both licensure and use to the M.S.W. degree. The M.S.S. program is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
Enhancing Your Social Work Masters Degree Experience
An MA in Social Work: Expanding Career Possibilities
A master’s degree in social work doesn’t just prepare you for traditional clinical roles. It opens doors to diverse career paths in policy, advocacy, research, and nonprofit leadership. With an MA in social work, graduates can influence systemic change, shape social policy, and drive innovation in community-based interventions. Bryn Mawr’s Master of Social Service (MSS) goes beyond conventional training, equipping students with interdisciplinary skills, hands-on experience, and a deep understanding of social justice to prepare them for impactful careers across various sectors. See MSS Alumni stories below.
Meet Our Social Work Program Alumni
Janelle FitzPatrick, M.S.S. '24
“I feel like the GSSWSR has been an environment where I went from surviving to thriving academically. It has been conducive, not only to my learning, but also my personal growth. I’ve made meaningful relationships and networked with other people that ultimately would be beneficial to me in my career path."
Shawn Maxam M.S.S./MLSP '14
“The powerful thing about Bryn Mawr was that I had experiences in the classroom that were formative in developing skills around empathy and being able to listen to different worldviews. I think about how I can use those skills in my current role to create space for engaging ideas and disagreement."
