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Â鶹´«Ã½ School of Social Work Timeline

The Â鶹´«Ã½ School of Social Work was formed in 1930. It has been continually accredited since 1933 and is currently accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

Built upon an unwavering commitment to social justice, the school is a leader in integrating social work practice and education with faculty members who have made substantial contributions to the profession.
Interactive teaching methods integrate community-based practice with classroom activities and discussions. Small class sizes facilitate an atmosphere of intellectual dialogue that fosters relationships between students and faculty.

1930

Social work education at Â鶹´«Ã½ is founded with Joseph C. Husslein, S.J., as dean in 1930 in the wake of the nation's stock market crash. It emerges as one of the first social work programs in the region. 

1933

The social work program is accredited in 1933 by the American Association of Schools of Social Work and converts its social work program to a master's level degree. The social work program offers late afternoon and early evening classes not available in other schools at the time. As a result, the program draws men and women from throughout the nation to pursue social work degrees.

1939

The social work program becomes the first department at Â鶹´«Ã½ to admit an African American student.

1940

Aloysius H. Scheller, S.J., succeeds Father Husslein and directs the school for the next 23 years.

1952

The social work program is admitted as an accredited charter member of the Council on Social Work Education.

1963

Bernard Coughlin, S.J., becomes director of the social work program, a position he holds for the next 11 years.

1964

The social work program separates from Â鶹´«Ã½'s Graduate School to become an autonomous School of Social Work with its own dean.

1971

The School of Social Work moves into its current home, Tegeler Hall, named after Jerome F. Tegeler, a 1929 SLU graduate and member of the Board of Trustees whose generous donation made the new structure a reality.

Tegeler's son, Timothy Tegeler, continues the family's commitment to the school. His financial contributions have been significant in assuring that Tegeler Hall is maintained as a modern, well-equipped, state-of-the art building.

1974

The School of Social Work adds a bachelor's of science in social work. 

1996

Father William Hutchison (dean, 1984 to 1995) collaborates with Dr. Susan Tebb (dean, 1995 to 2007) to create the Doerr Center for Social Justice Education and Research. The center was initially funded by a generous gift from Emmett J. and Mary Martha Doerr and hosts a wide range of activities to support social justice.

2005

The School of Social Work joins the College of Education and Public Service as one of five professional programs.

2007

The School of Social Work adds an evening undergraduate program. Donald Linhorst, Ph.D., becomes director of the school.

2009

The School of Social Work adds a continuing education program.

2010

The School of Social Work adds the first off-campus master's of social work program.

2011

The School of Social Work adds programs in applied behavior analysis.

2013

SLU's schools of public health and social work combined to form the College for Public Health and Social Justice. The School of Social Work also adds a criminology and criminal justice program.

2022

The School of Social Work becomes an independent academic unit with Noelle E. Fearn, Ph.D., as its dean.