The Department of Social Work was founded in 1973 as a part of the School of Health Professions of the former TEI of Crete, which became the Hellenic Mediterranean University in May 2019. Throughout its many years of operation, it has significantly contributed to the provision of valuable experience and knowledge in the field of Social Work. The Department aims to train Social Workers who will mostly staff the country’s social services.
The education it offers includes:
- specialization in the field of Social Work through the relevant specialization courses;
- an interdisciplinary approach to Social Work with a set of courses covering other relevant fields of knowledge;
- an internship that prepares students for the subsequent application of any acquired theoretical knowledge in their chosen profession, and is what differentiates the curriculum of the Department from those of related schools and faculties.
Unlike other academic programs which students can successfully complete by scoring well in a classroom or laboratory setting, education in Social Work, as well as in other human-centric sciences (medicine, nursing, etc.), requires the application of knowledge and skills in real-life social situations and conditions. Students have to be in contact and continuously interact with individuals, social groups, and the community.
The teaching staff of the Department – 10 tenured professors and a number of scientific and laboratory partners – mainly consists of Social Workers with many years of experience in the practice of Social Work, as well as Social Scientists, Psychologists, Lawyers, Statisticians, etc. Approximately 100 new students enroll in the Department every year. One of the main pursuits of the Department is to expand its operations in Europe through student and teacher academic exchange programs, as well as through collaborations with European partners both in terms of education and research.
For more information please visit the Website of the Department.