Discover the Carlow social work difference

We are preparing ethical, competent professionals seeking a more just and merciful world. We are preparing leaders committed to making a difference in the lives of individuals, their families, their communities, and societies here and abroad. At Carlow, we care about teaching. We are devoted to our students and their futures as social workers. You will never be a number here.  Your faculty members are experienced social workers who know your name. You will receive hands-on experience in class and in professionally supervised internships. You will be prepared to be a culturally humble social worker, ready to work with diverse populations and seek social justice.

Carlow’s social work programs provide high quality, flexible pathways to a promising career in the growing field of social work. Our BSW program offers on-campus and online options to pursue the BSW, with multiple concentrations in health care social work, forensic social work, crisis and trauma, and restorative justice. Our trauma informed MSW program offers an online program option as well as an in-person/hybrid option enabling students to take a select number of courses in a traditional classroom on Carlow’s main campus while the others are taken online. The MSW Program offers three specializations: direct practice, macro practice, and school social work.

Interdisciplinary BSW concentrations in health care social work, forensic social work, crisis and trauma, and restorative justice.

Carlow Community Scholars program focused on supporting college success among former foster youths and/or homeless youths

Interdisciplinary BSW concentration in health care linked to placement opportunities at UPMC hospitals

Federally funded School-based Mental Health Training Program which provides paid placements for MSW students in the School Social Work track and offers a pathway for those with an MSW to obtain their School Social Work certification

Federally funded interdisciplinary CURE grant providing financial stipends for MSW student field placements in behavioral health in urban and rural underserved areas

Faculty & staff

Our social work programs are supported by experienced social work educators and staff members who are devoted to our students and their futures. They are committed to providing an inclusive learning environment and flexible pathways for student success.

Kathryn Bonach, PhD, LSW, LPC BSW Program Director, Associate Professor

Dawn Diehl, DSW Assistant Professor, Social Work (MSW)

Marsha Frank, PhD, LCSW Associate Professor, Social Work (MSW)

Jessica Friedrichs, MSW, MPA Assistant Professor, Social Work and Director, BSW Field Education

Cynthia Karaffa Adjunct Lecturer, Political Science

Sarah Laite Project Coordinator, CURE

Danielle Lowery Administrative Assistant II

Jovonne Rose-Robinson Family Engagement Specialist

Kenneth Smythe-Leistico, EdD, MSW, LSW Field Director, Assistant Professor, Social Work (MSW)

Sophie Rice CURE Project Coordinator

Ashley Soske, DSW, LSW, MBA Assistant Professor, Social Work (MSW)

Carrie Stott, PhD, LSW Program Director, Assistant Professor, Social Work (MSW)

Pamela C. Twiss, PhD, MSW Chairperson and Associate Professor

Accreditation

The programs in the department of social work are accredited nationally by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE. Successful graduates are eligible to sit for the appropriate social work licenses at the baccalaureate and master’s levels. The state of Pennsylvania has a title protection law. Only social workers with CSWE accredited degrees can carry the job title of “social worker.”

View our student teaching handbook
View our education department handbook

Department Points of Pride

Start Our faculty members demonstrate their social work values in the classroom and in the world outside the University. Carlow social work faculty are actively engaged in diverse university coalitions and efforts to address community problems. Their work is focused on aging, Appalachian community development, childhood trauma, diversity, environmental issues, equity and inclusion, ethics in health care, prison re-entry, SUD recovery to workforce initiatives, veterans and military social welfare, and more.

They are also actively pursuing scholarly work in their areas of expertise, presenting at national conferences and publishing peer-reviewed work. They have collaborated with others to bring in grants worth over 7 million dollars in recent years.

Discover the advantages of Carlow University’s Business Programs

In honoring the Mercy tradition of Carlow University, the Department of Business Management, Accounting, and Ethics empowers students to be competent, critical, and responsive stewards of disciplinary degree knowledge. We provide students with the knowledge to make meaningful, ethical contributions to their professions and the community for a just and merciful world.

The Department of Business Management, Accounting, and Ethics works collaboratively with industry, government, and non-profit organizations to enhance the student experience from outside of the classroom to the workplace. All undergraduate majors are required to complete an internship as a graduation requirement.

Carlow purposefully offers programs devoted to the unique needs of today’s diverse student populations. Program options include Business Management, Human Resource, Esports Business Management, and the MBA options. Students can easily complete a double-major or major-minor(s) within our department. 

Carlow has one of the few Esports Business Management bachelor’s degree programs in the area. We have a new state-of-the-art Esports Lab that is utilized for classes and the Esports team.

Faculty & staff

Our faculty are devoted to fostering an environment of analysis and application of skills for students. We prepare our graduates to apply their knowledge and skills to help make their workplace an environment that contributes to creating a more just and merciful world.

Kathryn Bonach, PhD, LSW, LPC BSW Program Director, Associate Professor

Dawn Diehl, DSW Assistant Professor, Social Work (MSW)

Marsha Frank, PhD, LCSW Associate Professor, Social Work (MSW)

Jessica Friedrichs, MSW, MPA Assistant Professor, Social Work and Director, BSW Field Education

Cynthia Karaffa Adjunct Lecturer, Political Science

Sarah Laite Project Coordinator, CURE

Danielle Lowery Administrative Assistant II

Jovonne Rose-Robinson Family Engagement Specialist

Kenneth Smythe-Leistico, EdD, MSW, LSW Field Director, Assistant Professor, Social Work (MSW)

Sophie Rice CURE Project Coordinator

Ashley Soske, DSW, LSW, MBA Assistant Professor, Social Work (MSW)

Carrie Stott, PhD, LSW Program Director, Assistant Professor, Social Work (MSW)

Pamela C. Twiss, PhD, MSW Chairperson and Associate Professor

Accreditation

The BSM, HR, and MBA Programs are accredited by IACBE. The Esports Business Management major will be accredited within the next year.

View our student teaching handbook
View our education department handbook

Department Points of Pride

• We have a new state-of-the-art Esports Lab that supports the Esports Business Management major and team.
• Carlow MBA students who specialize in Human Resource Management and Project Management are prepared to sit for the nationally recognized Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) or Project Management Professional (PMP) exams.

Minor in Business Analytics

Business analytics is the practice of improving business decisions through the use of data analysis and statistics. In this 19-credit minor, students will learn basic business management and finance principles, as well as data analysis and visualization. Students will also select one programming elective in a language of their choice (Python, R, or SQL). At least 9 credits of the minor must be completed at Carlow. 

Business Analytics curriculum 

You will complete 5 required courses in business management and data analytics, and one elective course in a programming language of your choice.

Devoted to the Future of Healing

When someone is struggling to breathe, taking steps to ease that struggle is the job of the respiratory therapist. Respiratory therapists provide care to patients who are experiencing difficulty breathing due to chronic respiratory diseases, heart failure, or other emergencies. They improve the care of patients at all stages of life, from premature infants whose lungs have not fully developed, to older adults.  

Carlow University is devoted to the future of healing, and service to others is the foundation of the Respiratory Care profession.  And with respiratory therapists in high demand, we offer programs that can get students working in the field quicker. The associate degree program is a gateway to a healthcare career, and students can be working in the field within two years. The three-year accelerated bachelor’s degree program is designed for those seeking leadership roles in the respiratory care field. Both degrees can be pathways to advanced degrees. 

Accreditation

Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy Program 

The Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy Program, CoARC program number 200617, BS degree, Pittsburgh, PA is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (www.coarc.com). 

Associate of Science in Respiratory Therapy Program 

The Associate of Science in Respiratory Therapy Program, CoARC program number 210617, AS degree, Pittsburgh, PA holds Provisional Accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (www.coarc.com). This status signifies that a program with an Approval of Intent has demonstrated sufficient compliance with the Standards (through submission of an acceptable Provisional Accreditation Self Study Report (PSSR) and any other documentation required by the CoARC, as well as satisfactory completion of an initial site visit), to be allowed to admit students. It is recognized as an accredited program by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC), which provides enrolled students who complete the program with eligibility for the Respiratory Care Credentialing Examination(s). The program will remain on Provisional Accreditation until it achieves Continuing Accreditation. 

Visit CoARC website

CoARC accredits respiratory therapy education programs in the United States. To achieve this end, it utilizes an ‘outcomes based’ process. Programmatic outcomes are performance indicators that reflect the extent to which the educational goals of the program are achieved and by which program effectiveness is documented.

View CoARC outcomes

Program goal for the AS program:

To prepare graduates with demonstrated competence in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains of respiratory care practice as performed by registered respiratory therapists.

Program goals for the BS program:

1. To prepare graduates with demonstrated competence in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains of respiratory care practice as performed by registered respiratory therapists.

2. To prepare leaders for the field of respiratory care by including curricular content with objectives related to the acquisition of skills in management, education, research, and evidence-based practice.

April Butchki, MEd, RRT, CPFT Program Director/Instructor, Respiratory Therapy

Kimberly Haley, MEd Clinical Director/Instructor

Kathy Palombo MSN, RN, RRT, M-CTTS, NCTTP Respiratory Instructor

Christin Smerkol Administrative Assistant II

Devoted to Making a Difference in Students’ Lives

At Carlow, we strive to develop ethical leaders who will take compassion, mercy, and a passion for inclusivity and fairness into their classrooms. That’s why our secondary education program is designed for those who are devoted to discovering how to make a difference in the lives of their future students.

With a degree in secondary education, you can teach biology, chemistry, mathematics, social studies, or English to students in grades 7-12. After completing the program, you will have the skills needed to educate and guide your students in a safe and unbiased learning environment.

Curriculum for Secondary Education

The number of courses in this major will vary depending on the content area for each student. Students are required to choose an area of focus from biology, chemistry, mathematics, social studies, and English. In addition to classroom work, field work and student teaching are a requirement of this major. Carlow will connect students with opportunities for both field work and student teaching. Students will be prepared to be just, merciful, and culturally responsive educators.

Quick Facts

• This program is rooted in the values of the Sisters of Mercy to prepare just and merciful educators who are committed to inclusivity and who are able to adapt to cultural differences.
• Through field experience, students will be well-prepared to become ethical leading educators in our region’s schools.
• Carlow University has partnerships with area school districts for field work, student teaching, and the residency program.
• This program prepares students for Pennsylvania Department of Education teaching certification.
• Opportunities for field work and student teaching can be done on campus at the Carlow University Laboratory School.

Faculty & staff

April Butchki, MEd, RRT, CPFT Program Director/Instructor, Respiratory Therapy

Kimberly Haley, MEd Clinical Director/Instructor

Kathy Palombo MSN, RN, RRT, M-CTTS, NCTTP Respiratory Instructor

Christin Smerkol Administrative Assistant II

Curriculum for degree in special education

Carlow’s special education degree majors will embody the spirit of mercy while learning how to create effective and appropriate teaching strategies for various mental, physical, social, emotional, and behavioral disabilities in a variety of diverse settings—all the while helping to create an environment where special needs students feel safe, respected, and valued.

Quick Facts

• There are 39 total courses (29 major courses and 10 Compass Core Courses)
• Students in this program will be required to complete fieldwork hours embedded within individual courses. Those particular hours will vary depending on the course.
• Per the Pennsylvania Department of Education, students in this program must also complete a 12-week student teaching experience.
• Carlow’s BSPED Certification program provides the necessary coursework required for special education certification in Pennsylvania.(Students must meet additional requirements and apply for certification after graduation.)

Discover the advantages of Carlow University’s Education Programs

Now more than ever, our nation’s schools need skilled and compassionate educators, curriculum specialists, and instructional leaders.

In Carlow University’s Education programs, you will gain specialized knowledge and hands-on teaching experience. Just as importantly, you will come away with a deeper understanding of how to care for the whole student as an empathetic instructor and mentor.

Carlow purposefully offers programs devoted to the unique needs of today’s diverse student populations. Program options include art education, early childhood development, special education, and secondary education.  Certificate options include dyslexia, online teaching, and autism. Learn firsthand from passionate faculty and recognized experts in the field.

New! Doctorate in Education

Reimagine the future of education

The Campus Lab School provides incredible practicum and field experiences for Education students.
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It takes one teacher or one principal to change the trajectory of a child’s life. Representation matters.

The Apprenticeship Program is a degree pathway for individuals working in childcare centers devoted to high quality early education.

Education students have the opportunity to join Future Educator’s Club, Best Buddies, or by-invitation, the international honor society in Education, Kappa Delta Pi. 

Our College in High School provides four Education classes during the school year and summer opportunities for those interested in teaching.

We offer special graduate level PD classes for $270.00, and we have a robust Speaker Series available for community organizations and schools. In addition, we offer a virtual Educator Workshop series accessible free of charge to the community. 

Faculty & staff

Our faculty and staff are devoted to nurturing and supporting current and future Scholar-Practitioners who are reflective in action, capable of creating and serving in High Performance Learning environments, and who support and respect the dignity and diversity of all learners.

Kathryn Bonach, PhD, LSW, LPC BSW Program Director, Associate Professor

Dawn Diehl, DSW Assistant Professor, Social Work (MSW)

Marsha Frank, PhD, LCSW Associate Professor, Social Work (MSW)

Jessica Friedrichs, MSW, MPA Assistant Professor, Social Work and Director, BSW Field Education

Cynthia Karaffa Adjunct Lecturer, Political Science

Sarah Laite Project Coordinator, CURE

Danielle Lowery Administrative Assistant II

Jovonne Rose-Robinson Family Engagement Specialist

Kenneth Smythe-Leistico, EdD, MSW, LSW Field Director, Assistant Professor, Social Work (MSW)

Sophie Rice CURE Project Coordinator

Ashley Soske, DSW, LSW, MBA Assistant Professor, Social Work (MSW)

Carrie Stott, PhD, LSW Program Director, Assistant Professor, Social Work (MSW)

Pamela C. Twiss, PhD, MSW Chairperson and Associate Professor

Accreditation

Our Education programs are accredited by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. In addition, our Reading Specialist Program is accredited by the International Dyslexia Center.

View our student teaching handbook
View our education department handbook

Department of Education Points of Pride (2019-2023)

• In June 2023, Carlow University’s Education Department and Campus Laboratory School received a $85,000 grant from a private charitable foundation to continue the legacy of The Campus Lab School’s Founder, Sister Mary Paul Hickey. “The Sister Mary Paul Hickey Professional Educator Development Project,”encompasses an annual Sister Mary Paul Hickey Professional Development Educator Workshop Series; The Sister Mary Paul Hickey Symposium; The Sister Mary Paul Hickey Teacher Research Mini-Grants Project; and graduate scholarship awards to teachers from The Campus Lab School and schools in the Pittsburgh and Greensburg Dioceses. Sister Mary Paul Hickey was the founder of The Campus Laboratory School of Carlow University and served as Principal for more than 40 years. She left a legacy of service, innovation and a deep love for the students and teachers at The Campus Lab School. This grant honors her memory while building on her legacy of excellence in education and support of teacher development.

• In January 2023, Carlow University’s Department of Education was awarded two workforce diversity grants from the Pennsylvania Department of Education in the amount of $100,000 each. These grants established, “The Innovative Teacher Prep2Practice Program,” and “The Innovative Principal Prep2Practice Program,” for aspiring educators and principals and to support Pennsylvania’s workforce.

• In September 2022, Carlow’s Department of Education was awarded a $12 million sunsetting grant from a local, anonymous donor. “The Dr. Rae Ann Hirsh Apprenticeship Hub for Early Childhood Education,” was successfully endowed, following a two-year concept testing period that resulted in the receipt of the sunsetting grant. Carlow University is the first, four-year university in Pennsylvania to be designated by the Department of Labor as a four-year early childhood apprenticeship program and its work will continue in perpetuity as a result of this endowment gift.

• In May 2022, Carlow’s Department of Education was awarded an $808,025 grant from the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Professional Development Organization (PASSHE PDO) in support of apprenticeship scholarships, student supports, and professional development opportunities.

• In December 2021, the Education Department was the recipient of a $109,122 grant from The Peirce Family Foundation in support of “The Peirce Dyslexia Program at Carlow University.” Funding encompasses a 4-week intensive summer structured literacy program, Camp Carlow and after school literacy workshops for children from The Campus Laboratory School and from the West Oakland/Hill District and greater Pittsburgh community.  The program also provides literacy tutoring support for Perry High School students (one of Pittsburgh Public Schools) conducted by graduate students of  Carlow’s four-course dyslexia track, which is embedded in the MEd Reading Specialist Program. 

• In July 2021, Carlow’s Department of Education was awarded an $80,150 grant from McAuley Ministries for the “Community Literacy Engagement Project (CLEP),” an individualized literacy support, four-week summer program for children from Campus Lab School and the West Oakland/Hill District communities. The grant also supports literacy tutoring in The Campus Lab School’s Dyslexia Center throughout the school year.

• In July 2021, Carlow University’s Education Department and Campus Laboratory School received a $93,500 grant from a private charitable foundation to establish, “The Sister Mary Paul Hickey Symposium and Teacher Leader Institute.”Components of the project include an annual professional development educator workshop series and symposium, teacher research mini-grants, and scholarship awards to teachers from The Campus Lab School and from schools in the Pittsburgh or Greensburg Diocese. 

• In June 2021, the Department of Education was the recipient of two separate $225,000 grants to fund the “Power of ONE,” a program aimed at providing teacher certification for educators of color. Funded generously by the McElhattan Foundation and The Grable Foundation, these grants benefit a strategic partnership between the University and partnering school districts. The grants allow Carlow to partner with school districts to diversify Pittsburgh’s teacher pipeline, allowing for a more seamless and supportive degree pathway for initial teacher certification for Black and Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC), having a tangible impact on increasing the number of educators of color in school districts where many students identify as Black and multi-racial.

• In May 2021, Carlow University was awarded $886,892 from the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education’s Professional Development Organization Grant (PASSHE PDO) through the Office of Child Development and Early Learning for scholarships and supports for childcare providers who are attending a college or are enrolled in university programs. Supports include textbooks, tutoring support, a full-time workforce coordinator, and an apprenticeship coaching website. Part of the grant will support Carlow’s early childhood apprenticeship program, which helps to improve childcare employee retention, reduce barriers for workforce entry, and increase diversity in teacher candidates.

• In February 2020, The Heinz Endowments awarded a $1 million grant and a $1 million endowment to support “The Dr. Rae Ann Hirsh Apprenticeship Hub for Early Childhood Education” to improve the quality of early childhood education in Pennsylvania.

• In September 2019, a local, anonymous foundation awarded two grants totaling $1 million to Carlow’s Department of Education to support a two-year concept testing period for the establishment of, “The Western Pennsylvania Early Childhood Apprenticeship Hub,” the first, four-year early childhood apprenticeship program in the state of Pennsylvania. 

Surgical Technology Program

The Surgical Technology Program Outcomes reflect: The Sisters of Mercy Core Values (Carlow University Mission Statement, 2009), and the Association of Surgical Technologist Foundational Principles (1997).

The Surgical Technology Program prepares Carlow ST Graduates to:

• Provide care in a responsible, accountable manner within ethical-legal dimensions. 
• Utilize appropriate medical terminology.
• Identify and assume appropriate responsibility for patient care.
• Relate principles of asepsis in the surgical setting. 
• Utilize principles of surgical technology to meet the needs of the surgical patient in the operating room and ambulatory surgical unit.
• Organize the sterile surgical field to provide safe and efficient surgical care to the patient. 
• Preforms with knowledge, skills, and affective behaviors of a competent entry-level Surgical Technologist. 
• Demonstrates a basic understanding of the concepts of pharmacology and sciences.
• Demonstrate effective oral and written communication methods necessary for the profession.

In the Healthcare Social Work concentration of Carlow University’s online BSW, you’ll gain a conceptual, ethical and practical framework for social work practice in healthcare.

Healthcare Social Work Concentration (for BSW Majors only) 

The Healthcare Social Work concentration provides the student with a conceptual, ethical, and practice framework for social work practice in health care. Emphasis is on an overview of the United States health care system, the unique knowledge and skill base of social work in health care, the biopsychosocial/spiritual impact of illness on patients and their family members and/or support system, and the special psychosocial needs of populations most often served in health-related social work. The  introduction to biomedical ethics is provided as well as the fundamental medical terminology necessary for social work practice in health care. 11 required credits (4 courses) plus  9 pre-requisite credits (3 courses) 

*Students who wish to take a course(s) and are not a Healthcare Social Work Concentration, may request to enroll in the course with permission from the department chair/program director approval. 

** Minimum of six credits in Healthcare Social Work must be taken at Carlow University. 

AS in Neurodiagnostic Technology

Comparable to a program from Mayo Clinic, Carlow’s is the only program of its kind in the Pittsburgh region—giving hospitals and healthcare systems in Pennsylvania local access to highly trained, compassionate employees.

Neurodiagnostic technicians are valuable members of the healthcare team. Graduates of this program will:

• Understand fundamental concepts in neuroscience and how they relate to various disease conditions
• Demonstrate the ability to operate neurodiagnostic equipment in accordance with industry standards
• Use a variety of technologies to precisely obtain appropriate recordings
• Accurately interpret and evaluate various neurodiagnostic tests in laboratory and clinical settings
• Apply theoretical knowledge to neurodiagnostic techniques and related disease conditions
• Practice patient-centered care in accordance with the ethical and legal framework of the discipline
• Explain measurements, techniques, and results related to neurodiagnostic testing to healthcare team members.