Chair: Adam Schneider, MA, MSW
Students who specialize in community action and social policy prepare for careers helping community organizations, non-profit agencies, and their constituents collaborate to enhance their individual and collective well-being. Through a grassroots, empowerment-based approach they collaborate with other disciplines and professions to create social and policy change through advocacy to reduce poverty and socio-economic inequality, promote community economic and social development, and provide services that are more responsive to community needs. During this era of community fragmentation, social alienation and exclusion, and economic degeneration of the poor and the middle class, the need for skilled professionals in social and community development, policy analysis, and policy advocacy has never been greater.
The School of Social Work is one of the few schools of social work in the nation that offers a specialization in these areas. In addition to faculty expertise, a strong alumni and social network, and excellent resources to support this specialization, the School is located in downtown Baltimore, yet only a short drive or train ride from the nation’s capital and social policy center, and near the state capital, Annapolis. This prime location provides a host of opportunities for policy analysis and advocacy at the local, state, and national levels. In addition, the diversity of the Maryland-DC area provides numerous opportunities for both rural and urban social and community action and development.
This specialization is only available to Macro concentrators.