VCU School of Social Work

What VCU School of Social Work does

VCU School of Social Work is an academic unit within Virginia Commonwealth University, a public research university in Richmond, Virginia. Founded in 1917, the school delivers Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited programs at the baccalaureate (B.S.W.), master's (M.S.W., with clinical and macro concentrations, advanced standing, and dual-degree options), and doctoral (Ph.D.) levels, supported by 500+ community partners for required field placements. Revenue is generated primarily through tuition and fees set within the VCU system, plus continuing education fees for practicing social workers, with a freemium pricing structure that provides free or reduced access to VCU-affiliated participants and $35-$210 standard rates for external professionals.

The school operates on-campus programs alongside a fully online M.S.W. with synchronous class times and Zoom-delivered continuing education, the most prominent being the Clinical Supervision Training program (fulfilling Virginia Board of Social Work and Counseling LCSW supervision requirements) and a seven-session "Insights into Mental Illness: Practice Models" webinar series covering ACT, Play Therapy, EMDR, IFS, and Open Dialogue. In Fall 2025 the school launched an 18-credit Minor in Mental Health Practice and an M.S.W. Certificate in Mental Health, expanding beyond traditional social work credentials.

The school is a non-revenue-disclosing, government state entity operating within Virginia, with no external investors, venture funding, or subsidiaries; governance runs through VCU's central administration under Dean Gary S. Cuddeback (appointed October 28, 2024, after serving as interim dean since July 1, 2023). Distribution runs through direct on-campus admissions, self-serve online enrollment, and virtual continuing education delivery; marketing relies on the school's website, social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube), VCU News, webinars, student-produced podcasts, and admissions events. The school is ranked No. 28 in U.S. News & World Report's 2024 Best Graduate Schools for Social Work.

Name

VCU School of Social Work

Legal name

Virginia Commonwealth University - School of Social Work

Website

https://socialwork.vcu.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1900

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

VCU School of Social Work is a CSWE-accredited academic unit within Virginia Commonwealth University offering B.S.W., M.S.W., and Ph.D. degrees, plus mental health minors, certificates, and Zoom-based continuing education, serving students, licensed practitioners, and 500+ community field partners across Virginia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Work Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Social Sciences & Public Policy Research Universities (EDAHABAD)

Keywords

• Social work education
• Graduate social work
• Clinical supervision training
• Mental health practice
• Continuing education social work

Headquarters

HQ city

Richmond

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Academic Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate B.S.W., graduate M.S.W., and doctoral Ph.D. programs through Virginia Commonwealth University tuition structure.
2. Continuing Education Fees: Professional development and continuing education programs for social workers and clinical practitioners, including clinical supervision training, mental health webinar series, and specialized workshops. Fees range from $0 for VCU students/faculty to $210 for full clinical supervision training.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

VCU School of Social Work is an academic unit within Virginia Commonwealth University that educates undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students in social work through B.S.W., M.S.W., and Ph.D. programs, plus specialized minors and a graduate certificate in mental health. It supplements its degree programs with continuing education offerings such as Clinical Supervision Training and the Insights into Mental Illness webinar series, supported by a 500+ community partner field education network.

Product overview

VCU School of Social Work is an educational institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of degree programs and continuing education. The core academic offerings include undergraduate (Bachelor of Social Work), graduate (Master of Social Work with clinical and macro specializations), and doctoral (Ph.D. in Social Work) degrees. Supporting credentials include undergraduate minors in Mental Health Practice and Social Welfare, plus a Graduate Certificate in Mental Health. Field education with 500+ community partners is integrated into degree programs. Continuing education includes clinical supervision training and the Insights into Serious Mental Illness webinar series covering practice models such as ACT, Play Therapy, EMDR, IFS, and Open Dialogue. Programs are designed to prepare professional social workers with focus on social justice, anti-racist practice, and trauma-informed care.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Insights into Mental Illness: Practice Models: A continuing education webinar series on serious mental illness practice modalities including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Play Therapy, EMDR, IFS, and Open Dialogue.
• Clinical Supervision Training

Products and services

• Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.) Undergraduate degree program preparing students for professional social work practice. Available on campus or online, full-time, with transfer agreements with Brightpoint and Reynolds community colleges.
• Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) Graduate degree program with full-time or part-time options, clinical and macro specializations, advanced standing, dual-degree and certificate options. Includes on-campus and online formats.
• Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work (Ph.D.) On-campus doctoral program funded by assistantships, fellowships and other aid, designed for scholars pursuing advanced research and academic careers in social work.
• Minor in Mental Health Practice Six-course, 18-credit undergraduate minor providing foundational knowledge and skills for mental health field work. Includes courses on mental illness treatment, trauma, spirituality, criminal justice intersection, case management, and substance use disorders.
• Minor in Social Welfare 18-credit undergraduate minor available to non-social work majors, providing overview of social work profession with foundational courses in Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare Legislation and Services.
• M.S.W. Certificate in Mental Health Graduate-level certificate program focusing on mental health knowledge and skills for social work practice. Launched Fall 2025.
• Clinical Supervision Training Continuing education training fulfilling Virginia Board of Social Work and Counseling requirements for Licensed Clinical Social Workers to provide clinical supervision. Includes topics on supervisory relationship, ethics, tele-supervision, and cultural competence.
• Insights into Mental Illness: Practice Models (SMI Series) Seven-session Zoom-based continuing education webinar series on serious mental illness practice models including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Play Therapy, EMDR, IFS, and Open Dialogue. Provides CE credits and digital badges.
• Continuing Education Courses Continuing education courses focused on clinical social work practice, clinical supervision, and serious mental illness (SMI) for practitioners and professionals seeking training.

Quantifiable outcome

• Ranked No. 28 in Best Graduate Schools for Social Work nationally
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Brightpoint Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransfer agreement partnership allowing community college students to seamlessly transition into the B.S.W. program at VCU School of Social Work
• Reynolds Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransfer agreement partnership allowing community college students to seamlessly transition into the B.S.W. program at VCU School of Social Work
• 500+ Community PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerField education partners including VCU Health, hospitals, social service agencies, mental health organizations, and community nonprofits providing supervised field placements for B.S.W. and M.S.W. students
• Virginia Department of Social ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership funded through Title IV-E of the Social Security Act supporting the Child Welfare Stipend Program, which provides specialized training and prepares social work students for careers in public child welfare. Program has produced 43 graduates in four years.
• NASW-Virginia ChaptermajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for providing continuing education (CE) credits through the VCU School of Social Work's serious mental illness webinar series. The NASW-Virginia Chapter approves CE credits for social work professionals.
• Henrico Area Mental Health & Developmental ServicesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity mental health agency where presenter Sara Tolentino has worked for 27 years, providing clinical services and serving as a model for similar community partnerships
• VCU School of PharmacymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCross-school collaboration involving clinical pharmacy specialist Katie Smithwick who provides education on psychopharmacology for serious mental illness, demonstrating interdisciplinary approach to mental health training
• VCU Department of PsychiatrymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterdisciplinary collaboration including Dr. Ryan Chiarella's forensic psychiatry expertise and psychiatric emergency services training for social work students and practitioners

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• University of Washington School of Social Work: Another top-5 ranked social work school with B.S.W., M.S.W., and Ph.D. programs including an online M.S.W. Directly comparable offering portfolio and national draw.
• Boston University School of Social Work: Private university social work school with online M.S.W. and CE programs; comparable in clinical/macro specialization structure and CE revenue model.
• Simmons University School of Social Work: Historically women-focused institution with strong online M.S.W. and continuing education; comparable in clinical practice emphasis and LCSW pipeline focus.
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Social Work: Public research university social work school offering B.S.W., M.S.W., and Ph.D. with strong community partnership model — Dean Cuddeback was previously UNC faculty.
• University of Maryland School of Social Work: Public university social work school with B.S.W., M.S.W., and Ph.D. offerings, including an online M.S.W. Direct comparable in scale and East Coast public-research positioning.
• University of Michigan School of Social Work: Top-ranked U.S. social work school offering B.S.W., M.S.W., and Ph.D. programs with on-campus and online options. Direct peer in mission, program structure, and target audience.
• Howard University School of Social Work: HBCU peer offering B.S.W., M.S.W., and Ph.D. with strong anti-racist, social justice curriculum aligned with VCU's stated positioning.

Others

• National Association of Social Workers — Virginia Chapter: Professional association that approves CE credits for VCU's SMI webinar series and Clinical Supervision Training; key ecosystem partner rather than direct competitor.

Regional players

• Old Dominion University School of Social Work: Virginia-based public university with B.S.W. and M.S.W. programs; regional competitor for Virginia students and field partners.
• Virginia Tech School of Social Work: Other Virginia-based public university social work program (B.S.W. and M.S.W.); competes for the same in-state applicant pool and field placements.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCtDy7Ktomkvx2oB7540zRlQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/VCUSSW
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vcussw
• Instagraminstagram.com/sswatvcu

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about VCU School of Social Work