Community, Organization, and Social Action
The Community, Organization, and Social Action (COSA) specialization in the MSW Program (formerly Community Organization and Social Administration) is seeking socially-active and civically-engaged students who seek leadership careers in community human services, community development, and community change/social policy practice as professional social workers. Graduates pursue established and emerging professional opportunities in public and private, profit, nonprofit and community-based organizations in such fields as health, children and youth, family services, disability services, community revitalization and development, philanthropy, policy and advocacy, community and social planning, community/neighborhood centers, human resources and community affairs, and more. In COSA, we see our work as:
Community Organizing, Planning, Development, and Change
Organizational Leadership and Human Services Management
Social Policy & Advocacy Practice in the Social Policy Arena
Action as Activist social workers leading change in communities, organizations, & policy arenas
COSA Curriculum
The MSW in COSA can be generally completed in two-years of graduate study; however, students have options for either part-time study (must be completed in four years) and a new one-year option (for students with advanced standing from an undergraduate social work degree). See Curriculum Requirements.
COSA Specialization - Human Services Management Certificate
Our School of Social Work is one a number of leading macro social work program in schools of social work to offer a national Human Services Management Certificate in partnership with the Network of Social Work Management, a national organization supporting education and practice for human services management competency. See Human Services Management Certificate Requirements.
COSA Joint Degrees
Many COSA students pursue joint degree study with other professions, including a new joint MSW/MBA option, as well as long-standing joint degree studies in Public Health (MSW/MPH), Public and International Affairs (MSW/MPA, MID, or MPIA), Law (MSW/JD), and Divinity (MSW/MDiv) in partnership with the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. The School of Social Work and COSA strong support and seek to develop opportunities for inter-professional study and practice for social workers. See Joint Degree Opportunities.
Celebrating 60 Years of Community Organizing (CO)
The School of Social Work has the first and long-standing program in Community Organizing (CO) in any social work or professional school in the country. In fall 1958, the School launched its first two-year curriculum in Community Organizing, and with our 100th Anniversary as a school of social work in 2018 we are also celebrating our 60thyear of CO. Read a history of the community organizing program.
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