Staff Profiles

Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work, University of Pittsburgh, USA

Masters of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, USA

Masters of Science in Social Work, University of Wisconsin, Madison. USA

Bachelor of Social Work, University of Botswana

Diploma in Social Work, University of Botswana 

Tirelo Modie-Moroka is an Associate Professor at the University of Botswana, Department of Social Work. She is a public health social worker who is broadly-trained in the behavioural and social sciences and uses this breadth to investigate various dimensions of health behaviour relative to broader social patterns. Her main teaching areas include theory and social work practice, mental health, chronic illness and disability, social science research, and intervention design. She has devoted her career to applied social work research, using both quantitative and qualitative methods, to develop and test the efficacy of public health and social work interventions among different client populations. She has dedicated her academic career to finding better ways to help communities prevent and respond to various problems. Her previous work has included research on social determinants of health and illness, stress and health outcomes, social support and social capital, women and youth in prison, adherence, severe and persistent mental illness, gender-based violence, alcohol abuse and cross-border migration, HIV risk and COVID-19. She has provided technical assistance in the development, implementation, and evaluation of health and social service programs. She is currently working on a collaborative research project on the assessments of the psychosocial dimensions of the COVID-19 pandemic among university students in five African countries. 

• Social Work Theory and Practice 
• Foundation Knowledge and Competencies in Social Work Education
• Social Work Research 
• Social Work Methods
• Mental health and Social Work Practice
• Violence Exposure and Trauma Symptomatology
• Childhood Adversity and Long-term Effects
• Chronic Illness and Disability
• Public Health: Social determinants, Interventions and Evaluations
• Intervention Design
• Development of Frameworks and Guidelines

•  Psychopathology and Social Work Practice
• Stress and health outcomes, social support, social capital
• Women, children, youth, and families
• Juvenile and adult offenders
• Persons with severe and persistent mental illness
• Survivors of partner violence
• Low-income urban populations/remote area dwellers
• Key populations: Female sex workers, Cross-border migrants
• Institutionalized populations (prison populations; mental health institutions, child welfare
• Syndemics

• Social Science Research Methods (Mixed Methods)
• Program or Intervention Evaluation
• Psychopathology
• Substance abuse
• Mental Health Services Research
• Criminal Justice Research
• Chronic illness and disability
• Stress, Coping, Social Support
• Gender-based violence
• Professional development among Social Workers
• War and Conflict Situations among Refugee populations- Mental health
• Sexual and Reproductive Health

1. Modie-Moroka, T. (2018).  A Social Science Interpretation of Poverty: Implications for Social Work Theory and Practice in Botswana. In. Jankey, O. & Friso, R. (Ed). Human Needs in the 21st Century. Perspectives from Botswana  and Germany, pp 317-337. Gesellschaften Societies in Change, Vol 1 . Paulo Freire Verlag, Oldenburg
2. Modie-Moroka, T. Dube, Musa W., Setume, S. D., Kgalemang, M., Kebaneilwe, M., D., Gabaitse, R. M., Motswapong, E., Madigele, T. (2019). Pathways to Social Capital and the Botho/Ubuntu Ethic in the Urban Space in Gaborone, Botswana.  (Global Social Welfare; https://doi.org/10.1007/s40609-019-00152-5)
3. Modie-Moroka, T. (2016). Mental Health Services in Botswana- Past and Present. (September 2016). In  Mental Health Conditions and Services in Selected African Countries: Implications for Social Work And Human Services Professionals, pg.  1013. Nova Publishers. New York, USA