Department of Social Work

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The Master of Social Work Program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. The Master of Social Work (MSW) degree is designed to prepare students for professional social work practice and leadership with a focus on issues concerning children, families, mental health, and substance abuse. The program is designed to prepare students with the competencies to practice with individuals, families, groups, communities, and organizations in rural, urban, and military settings. Students are prepared to engage in prevention, treatment, intervention, clinical practice, research, and administrative activities that promote human well-being.

The program goals are:

1. To prepare students for advanced social work practice, research, and leadership by concentrating in children and family services or in mental health and substance abuse services.
2. To equip social work students with the knowledge, skills, and values to respond to the needs of oppressed and at risk populations in a multicultural society.
3. To cultivate students’ pursuit of lifelong learning by emphasizing participation in professional development, involvement in professional and community organizations, and participation in further graduate study.

The MSW program is a two-year program offered to full time students. The curriculum prepares students for advanced social work practice in one of the two areas of concentration: Children and Family Services or Mental Health and Substance Abuse.

Learning Outcomes

1. To prepare students for advanced social work practice, research and leadership by concentrating in children and family services or in mental health and substance abuse services in urban, rural, and military communities.
2. To equip social work students with the knowledge, skills, and values to alleviate oppression, poverty, and discrimination in a multicultural society and global community.
3. Develop social workers who seek and promote competency in advocating social and economic justice in a multicultural society through professional development and involvement in professional and community organizations.

The MSW Program provides opportunities for students who have been admitted to the MSW Program to challenge up to two courses. Permission to take the challenge exam (s) will be granted to students who are admitted to the MSW Program and who have taken and made a “B” or above in SWRK 510 - Social Welfare Policy and Services  and/or SWRK 520 - Human Behavior and the Social Environment I . Students who meet program requirements may challenge any of the following two courses: SWRK 510  and SWRK 520 . Eligible students must successfully complete written examinations. Credit hours are not awarded to students who pass the challenge exam. Students will need to complete additional graduate social work course electives to ensure completion of the minimum credit hours required by the MSW Program. For specific requirements and procedures for matriculating through the MSW Program, please contact the Social Work Department Chair or see the MSW Program Student Handbook. In order to have sufficient time for course and field planning, the MSW Program admissions application deadline is January 15. All documents pertaining to admission must be received by the application deadline.

The program requires 61 semester credit hours, including a minimum of 960 hours of field practicum and the completion of a thesis or research project. During the first year students acquire foundation knowledge and skills for advanced social work practice. Foundation knowledge is supported by courses in social welfare policy and services, diversity, populations at risk, social and economic justice, research, and field education. During orientation, students are required to choose their area of concentration: Children and Family Services or Mental Health and Substance Abuse. The curriculum for the 2-year full-time program is designed such that students enroll in the following credits each terms: Foundation Year (Fall Semester: 16 credit hours; Spring Semester: 16 credit hours); and Advanced Year (Fall Semester: 16 credit hours; Spring Semester: 13 credit hours). The curriculum for the part-time program is designed such that students enroll in the following credits each term: Foundation Year 1 (Fall Semester: 6 credits; Spring Semester: 9 credit hours; and Summer Term: 3 credit hours); Foundation Year 2 (Fall Semester: 10 credit hours; Spring Semester: 10 credit hours; Summer Term: 3 credit hours); and Advance Year 3 (Fall Semester: 10 credit hours; Spring Semester: 10 credit hours). The MSW program is consistent with the university’s mission and institutional goals, and the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards of the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).

Advanced standing status is only awarded to graduates of baccalaureate social work programs accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Advanced standing is a one-year full-time academic program that is granted to students with a bachelor’s degree in social work from a program accredited by the CSWE. Students must have completed their bachelor’s degree in social work within five years of expected enrollment in the MSW Program and have a cumulative 3.0 GPA to apply for advanced standing. It is assumed advanced standing student will have mastered the fundamentals and have demonstrated the ability to perform in an accelerated learning program. Advanced standing students begin course work during the first summer session. Students enroll in SWRK 606 - Social Work Practice Seminar  (3 s.h.) and SWRK 608 - Statistics and Research Seminar  (3 s.h.) courses. During the fall and spring semesters, students complete the advanced field instruction courses: SWRK 650  and SWRK 655  and course requirements for their identified concentration area. Thirty-five (35) hours will be required for graduation. The curriculum for the Advanced Standing Track is designed such that students enroll in the following credits each term: Year 1 (Summer Term: 6 credit hours; Fall Semester: 6 credit hours; Spring Semester: 6 credit hours; Summer Term: 3 credit hours); and Year 2 (Fall Semester: 7 credit hours; Spring Semester: 7 credit hours).

Graduate Certificate Programs

The department also offers a Graduate Certificate in Military Behavioral Health and a Graduate Certificate in Substance Abuse Studies. The Military Behavioral Health curriculum requires 18 credit hours and the Substance Abuse Studies curriculum requires 12 credit hours.

Programs

• Social Work, Children and Family Concentration Advanced Standing, M.S.W.
• Social Work, Children and Family Concentration Part-Time Advanced Standing, M.S.W.
• Social Work, Children and Family Concentration Part-Time, M.S.W.
• Social Work, Children and Family Concentration, M.S.W.
• Social Work, Mental Health Concentration Advanced Standing, M.S.W.
• Social Work, Mental Health Concentration Part-Time Advanced Standing, M.S.W.
• Social Work, Mental Health Concentration Part-Time, M.S.W.
• Social Work, Mental Health Concentration, M.S.W.

• Military Behavioral Health Graduate Certificate
• Substance Abuse Studies Graduate Certificate

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