Social Work, MSW

The M.S.W. is a professional degree that prepares students to work with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities in clinical settings.

• Depending on your educational background you can choose from a regular track or an advanced standing track. 

Learn more about the courses for the Master of Social Work degree program. 

No academic credit is given for life experience or previous social work experience.

There are two standing programs students can choose from, depending on their undergraduate degree and academic standing:

• A two-year 60-hour track (Regular Standing Program)
• A one-year 36-hour track (Advance Standing Program)

The Advance Standing Program is designed for highly qualified BSW students.

Course of Study (Regular Standing Program)

 Fall Year 1

• SW 601: Human Behavior and the Social Environment
• SW 602: Social Work Practice with Individuals
• SW 604: Social Work Welfare Policies and Programs
• SW 621: Field Instruction I

Spring Year 1

• SW 603: Social Work Research Methods
• SW 615: Practice with Families and Groups
• SW 620: Practice with Organizations & Communities
• SW 622: Field Instruction II

Summer Year 1

• SW Elective (3 hrs)
• SW Elective (3 hrs)

Fall Year 2

• SW 630: Theories & Methods of Family Intervention
• SW 683: Theories of Psychotherapy
• SW 650: Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis
• SW 660: Clinical Practice and Supervision

Spring Year 2

• SW 680: Evaluation Research
• SW 640: Advance Practice with Groups
• SW 686: Traumatic Stress and Crisis Intervention
• SW 687: Substance Abuse and Addiction

Summer Year 2

• SW 623: Field Instruction III
• SW 624: Field Instruction IV

Course of Study (Advance Standing Program)

Summer

• SW Elective (3 hrs)
• SW Elective (3 hrs)

Fall

• SW 630: Theories & Methods of Family Intervention
• SW 683: Theories of Psychotherapy
• SW 650: Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis
• SW 660: Clinical Practice and Supervision

Spring

• SW 680: Evaluation Research
• SW 640: Advance Practice with Groups
• SW 686: Traumatic Stress and Crisis Intervention
• SW 687: Substance Abuse and Addiction

Summer

• SW 623: Field Instruction III
• SW 624: Field Instruction IV

Prospective students should understand that admission to the Master of Social Work Program is competitive, limited in number, and dependent upon the availability of faculty.

Meeting the requirements below does not guarantee admission.

Admission Requirements (Regular and Advanced Standing Programs)

Students seeking admission to the MSW program must complete a Graduate School application online. This application will require the following:

• Resume
• Statement of Purpose
• Essay/ Writing Sample
  • Acceptable writing samples can come from your undergraduate career or a or a recent publication (e.g., practice report for your profession) that showcases your writing as well as critical thinking.
    
    Topics related to social work are encouraged, but not required.
• Three letters of recommendation
  • Recommenders will be contacted by the Graduate School and asked for a recommendation.
    
    Please note that it is your responsibility to make sure these recommendations are submitted.  Please check your application regularly to make sure the letters are submitted by your recommenders. We recommend you ask:
    • Previous professor or instructor
    • Current supervisor or professional
    • One other professional contact, work associate, or professor/instructor

Admission Requirements (Advanced Standing)

In addition to the requirements above, students seeking admission to the Advanced Standing Program for the Master of Social Work must meet the following requirements:

• 3.0 GPA on the last 60 hours of undergraduate coursework or 3.0 Overall GPA
• Completion of Bachelor of Social Work degree from a CSWE accredited program within the last five years

Financial aid and scholarship information may be found online with the Graduate School and with the Department of Social Work.

Application Deadline

(Regular and Advanced Standing): April 1.

The mission of the Master of Social Work is to prepare competent and ethical clinical social workers for careers guided by scientific inquiry.

Our program works diligently to educate Social Workers that are committed to diversity, social and economic justice, and the enrichment of the quality of life, with systems of all sizes and at every level of society.

Program Goals of the Master in Social Work Degree

We want our graduates to be ready for the varied realities of a career in Social Work. To make sure they are capable and thoughtful leaders in their field, we work tirelessly to prepare clinical social workers who:

1. Continue to develop knowledge for competent, effective, and ethical autonomous social work practice and the development of service delivery systems.
2. Practice social work through the study of its history, purposes, philosophy, and theoretical and practice frameworks.
3. Provide leadership in the effective and ethical clinical social work practice with diverse populations and systems of all sizes, striving to alleviate poverty and oppression, and to provide social and economic justice for all citizens at the local, national, and global levels.
4. Understand the social contexts of clinical social work practice, the changing nature of those contexts, the behaviors found in systems, and the dynamics of change.
5. Demonstrate a commitment to continue life-long learning and professional growth.

Council on Social Work 

The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) requires social work programs to ensure that all social work students demonstrate the certain competencies by graduation.