At the Graduate School of Social Work (GSSW), teaching and research are shaped and guided by our social justice mandate and the needs of our community. Our small classes mean youll develop close research and scholarship collaborations with faculty mentors. Individual career planning and support services will help you realize your ambitions, and a range of organizations, activities and events from the Shades of Brown Alliance for individuals of color and allies, to the Catalyst Series for Social Justice will provide opportunities to connect outside of the classroom.<br><br>Coping with trauma, balancing mental health needs or helping communities through feelings of isolation and loneliness are all ways a mental health practitioner can affect the day-to-day lives of the people they serve. A master's degree in social work with a specialization in Mental Health will prepare you to work as a behavioral health clinician, psychiatric social worker or health policy advocate. <br><br>You will learn about clinical interventions, advanced theory and research related to mental health, substance use and trauma. You also will learn about mental health assessment from a culturally responsive framework that considers practitioner and systemic bias and bigotry when developing and assigning diagnoses. You will be encouraged to critically evaluate the cultural relativity of stigma, and cultural contributions to mental well-being, such as poverty, discrimination and crime. Core topics include the assessment of mental health, substance use and suicide risk, and mental health and substance use intervention policy. You will practice clinical intervention and skills from a wide array of theoretical approaches such as solution-focused, trauma-informed and strengths/empowerment. Youll graduate with the foundational knowledge required to begin your career as a clinical social worker.