Department of Social Work

Teaching and research in social work was started in Lucknow University in the first phase of the development of professional social work education in India. J.K, Institute of Sociology, Ecology and Human Relations was established in 1948 under the inspiring leadership of the doyen of social sciences in India, Late Prof. Radha Kamal Mukerjee. As Director of the Institute, Prof. Mukerjee started the Diploma in Social Service in 1949. This was superseded by a two year Master's Programme in 1952. In 1954, the degree of Master of Social technique (MST) was awarded. In 1955, the nomenclature of MST was changed to Master of Social Work (MSW). In 1956, a composite Department of Sociology and Social Work was constituted by taking out Sociology from the erstwhile Department of Economics, and Social Work from the J.K. Institute of Sociology, Ecology and Human Relations. The composite Department was again bifurcated in 1972 to create an independent Department of Social Work.

The Department of Social Work, Lucknow University offers a full sequence of Social Work courses from Bachelor to D.Litt. level. It has also the distinction of being the first Department in the country to start Ph.D. and D.Litt. degree programmes in Social Work, and had the distinction of having produced the first Ph.D. and the first D.Litt. In addition to Prof. Radha Kamal Mukerjee, the Department had the credit of having on its teaching staff some of the early pioneers of social work education in India. These teachers of towering height excelled in academic attainments and made a distinct contribution to the development of professional social work education in the country. They have left behind a legendary legacy, which the department is pursuing with determination and distinction. The Department has produced a large number of professionals, many of whom are occupying senior positions in the Government's social welfare sector, in public and private sector of industry, in social work academics and in other allied professions.