Board of Accreditation
The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Board of Accreditation (BOA), formerly the Commission on Accreditation (COA), is recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) to confer accreditation status to baccalaureate and master’s social work degree programs in the United States and its territories. Since its inception in July 1952, CSWE has accredited master’s programs. In 1974, CSWE began accrediting baccalaureate programs.
In addition to baccalaureate and master’s program accreditation, CSWE-BOA also accredits post-master’s social work fellowship programs and is currently piloting accreditation processes for professional practice doctoral programs.
The CSWE-BOA is responsible for both formulating accreditation standards and policies, and determining the criteria and process for evaluating these standards. The BOA's accreditation decisions are accompanied by a reasoned opinion, and the accreditation process is conducted in a manner that ensures the continuation of the BOA’s role as the accrediting body for social work education.
Memorandum Of Agreement Between the Council on Social Work Education Board of Directors and the Accrediting Body
In January 2023, the CSWE Board of Directors and the CSWE accrediting body updated the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with respect to delegation of accreditation authorities of the CSWE accrediting body, as established in the CSWE bylaws Article 3, Section 5.
The completion of the MOA comes from a years-long collaborative process between the CSWE Board of Directors and the CSWE Board of Accreditation to update the previous memorandum of understanding, adopted in 2010.
View the MOA revision and process timeline here.
Chair
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Deana F. Morrow, PhD, LICSW, ACSW
Director and Professor
West Virginia University
Vice Chair
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Thomas K. Gregoire, PhD, MSW
Associate Professor, Dean Emeritus
The Ohio State University
Member
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César G. Abarca, PhD, MSW
MSW Program Director and Associate Professor
Cal Poly Humboldt
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George Ashley, PhD, LMSW
MSW Field Director and Associate Professor
Eastern Kentucky University
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Christina Bruhn, PhD, LCSW
Associate Professor
Aurora University
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Terry Cluse-Tolar, PhD
Professor and Chair
Ohio University
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Michael R. Daley, PhD, MSW
Department Chair & Professor
Texas A&M University-Central Texas
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Kim S. Downing, PhD, LCSW, ACSW
Professor and Director of the Social Work Program
Elizabeth City State University
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Humberto E. Fabelo, PhD, LCSW
Associate Professor
Virginia Commonwealth University
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Antoinette Y. Farmer, PhD
Professor and Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
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Debra Fromm Faria, LCSW
Clinical Associate Professor of Social Work Emerita
State University of New York Brockport (SUNY Brockport)
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Maria A. Gurrola, MSW, PhD
Professor
California State University, Monterey Bay
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Michele D. Hanna, PhD, MSW
Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
University of Denver
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Daria V. Hanssen, PhD, LCSW-R
BSW Program Director and Associate Professor
Marist College
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Sarah Hessenauer, PhD, MSW, LSCW, MBA
Professor and Chair
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
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Lihua Huang, MSW, PhD
Associate Professor
Grand Valley State University
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Randy H. Magen, PhD
Professor
Boise State University
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Isiah Marshall, Jr., PhD, MSW
Dean
Norfolk State University
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Cheryl A. McAuliffe PhD, LMSW
Director of Social Work
Grand Canyon University
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Christopher G. Mitchell, PhD, LCSW
Associate Professor
University of Illinois Chicago
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Lisa B. Moon, PhD, LCSW
Dean
Walden University
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April Murphy, PhD, MSW, CSW
Associate Professor
Western Kentucky University
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Larry P. Ortiz, MSW, PhD
Professor, Social Work & Social Ecology / Director, Social Policy & Social Research PhD Program
Loma Linda University
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Katherine Perone, DSW, MSW, LSW
Professor and Director of Field Education
Western Illinois University
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Helen E. Petracchi, PhD, MSSW
Associate Professor and Interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
University of Pittsburgh
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Octavio Ramirez, PhD., LSCSW
Professor and BSW Program Director
Fort Hays State University
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Clifford J. Rosenbohm, PhD, LCSW, ACSW
MSW Program Coordinator, Professor
King University
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Shelly A. Wiechelt, MSW, PhD
Chair & Associate Dean
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
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James Herbert Williams, PhD, MSW, MPA
Arizona Centennial Professor of Social Welfare Services
Arizona State University