The Master’s in Social Work degree is a two-year program offering advanced practice training in clinical, school, and community settings. Graduates of this program are well positioned for leadership roles in clinical, human services, outreach, and development settings. Learn more about course offerings for Master of social work students.

Students in the Master’s in Social Work Program can select an area of specialization in:

• Micro Practice Specialization
• Leadership, Mezzo, & Macro Practice Specialization (LMMP)

Students in the Micro Practice Specialization can choose a track from the following:

• Advanced Clinical Practice
• Certified Alcohol and other Drugs Counselor training program (CADC)
• Migration Studies
• Schools/Professional Educator License (PEL)

The Leadership, Mezzo, & Macro Practice (LMMP) area of specialization offers a track in:

• Leadership, Community, Advocacy, and Policy (LCAP)

Upon completing the program, students have completed the education requirements for the LSW and the LCSW licenses. The LSCW requires additional clinical supervision hours by an Licensed Clinician and a passing score on the licensure exam.

Curriculum

Master of Social Work (MSW)

The MSW program requires the completion of 49 credit hours, including two internships totaling 1,000 hours. The program takes two years to complete for students who attend full-time or four years to complete for students who are attending part-time (two classes per semester).

Internships

The first internship is 400 hours, performed at the rate of 16 hours per week on Tuesday and Thursday during normal business hours. The second internship is 600 hours performed at the rate of 24 hours per week on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during normal business hours.

There are three internship timeframes: fall-spring, spring-summer, or summer block. The summer block consists of 35-40 hours per week, Monday–Friday, during normal business hours.

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for the MSW program.

Coursework

The MSW curriculum is split up by year with generalist and specialized courses.

Generalist Courses

Generalist MSW Curriculum

26 Credit Hours

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Community Immersion Program (1-Week Community Immersion Program)		0
SOWK 500	Life Span Development, Human Behavior, Trauma, & Theory	3
SOWK 501	Assessment of Client Concerns in Context	3
SOWK 502	Power, Oppression, Privilege, and Social Justice	3
SOWK 503	Practice Skills with Individuals and Families	3
SOWK 504	Integrated Micro/Mezzo/Macro Theory and Practice	3
SOWK 505	Group Work Practice in SW: Micro/Mezzo/Macro	3
SOWK 506	Research and Evaluation in Social Work Practice	3
SOWK 509	Social Work Policy and Community Intervention	3
SWFI 530	Internship I & Simulated Experience	.5
SWFI 531	Internship II & Simulated Experience	.5
SWFI 530S	Integrative Seminar	1

Specialized Courses

23 Credit Hours

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Courses Required of All Students
SOWK 680	Advanced Micro-Level Practice	3
SOWK 681	Advanced Mezzo & Macro Practice	3
SWFI 632	Internship Instruction III & Simulated Experiences	0.5
SWFI 632S	Integrative Seminar	1
SWFI 633	Internship Instruction IV & Simulated Experiences	0.5
Micro Practice Specialization
Schools/Professional Educator’s License (PEL) Track
CIEP 401	The Exceptional Child	3
SOWK 609A	School Social Work Policy and Practice I	3
SOWK 609B	School Social Work Policy and Practice II	3
Certified Alcohol and Other Drug Counselors (CADC) Track
SOWK 722	Introduction to Alcohol and Other Drug Disorders	3
SOWK 621	Clinical Practice in Addiction	3
SOWK 622	Substance Abuse Treatment in Groups	3
Migration Studies Track
SOWK 730	Immigration Dynamics and U.S. Social Policy	3
SOWK 731	Social Work Practice with Refugees and Immigrants	3
SOWK 732	Migration, Social Justice, and Human Rights	3
Advanced Clinical Track
3 Track Courses		9
See Course Options1 for the Advanced Clinical Track
Leadership, Mezzo & Macro Practice (LMMP) Specialization
Leadership, Community, Advocacy, and Policy (LCAP) Track
SOWK 650	Leadership & Supervision in Service Organizations	3
SOWK 652	Organizations, Program Development, and Evaluation	3
SOWK 653	Community Organizing and Policy Practice	3
Electives
All students will choose to take two electives. Any 600 or 700-level course may be considered an elective.		6

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Course Options

Specializations & Tracks Options

The Master of Social Work program have the following specialization and track options:

• Leadership, Mezzo, and Macro Practice (LMMP) Specialization
  • Leadership, Community, Advocacy, and Policy (LCAP) Track
• Micro Practice Specialization
  • Advanced Clinical Practice Track
  • Certified Alcohol and Other Drugs Counselor Training Program (CADC) Track
  • Migration Studies Track
  • Schools/Professional Educator License (PEL) Track

MSW Program Learning Outcomes

Competency 1: Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior

Social workers understand the value base of the profession and its ethical standards, as well as relevant laws and regulations that may impact practice at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels. Social workers understand frameworks of ethical decision-making and how to apply principles of critical thinking to those frameworks in practice, research, and policy arenas. Social workers recognize personal values and the distinction between personal and professional values. They also understand how their personal experiences and affective reactions influence their professional judgment and behavior. Social workers understand the profession’s history, its mission, and the roles and responsibilities of the profession. Social Workers also understand the role of other professions when engaged in inter-professional teams. Social workers recognize the importance of life-long learning and are committed to continually updating their skills to ensure they are relevant and effective. Social workers also understand emerging forms of technology and the ethical use of technology in social work practice. Social workers:

• make ethical decisions by applying the standards of the NASW Code of Ethics, relevant laws and regulations, models for ethical decision-making, ethical conduct of research, and additional codes of ethics as appropriate to context;
• use reflection and self-regulation to manage personal values and maintain professionalism in practice situations;
• demonstrate professional demeanor in behavior; appearance; and oral, written, and electronic communication;
• use technology ethically and appropriately to facilitate practice outcomes; and
• use supervision and consultation to guide professional judgment and behavior.

Competency 2: Engage Diversity and Difference in Practice

Social workers understand how diversity and difference characterize and shape the human experience and are critical to the formation of identity. The dimensions of diversity are understood as the intersectionality of multiple factors including but not limited to age, class, color, culture, disability and ability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity and expression, immigration status, marital status, political ideology, race, religion/spirituality, sex, sexual orientation, and tribal sovereign status. Social workers understand that, as a consequence of difference, a person’s life experiences may include oppression, poverty, marginalization, and alienation as well as privilege, power, and acclaim. Social workers also understand the forms and mechanisms of oppression and discrimination and recognize the extent to which a culture’s structures and values, including social, economic, political, and cultural exclusions, may oppress, marginalize, alienate, or create privilege and power. Social workers:

• apply and communicate understanding of the importance of diversity and difference in shaping life experiences in practice at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels;
• present themselves as learners and engage clients and constituencies as experts of their own experiences; and
• apply self-awareness and self-regulation to manage the influence of personal biases and values in working with diverse clients and constituencies.

Competency 3: Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice

Social workers understand that every person regardless of position in society has fundamental human rights such as freedom, safety, privacy, an adequate standard of living, health care, and education. Social workers understand the global interconnections of oppression and human rights violations, and are knowledgeable about theories of human need and social justice and strategies to promote social and economic justice and human rights. Social workers understand strategies designed to eliminate oppressive structural barriers to ensure that social goods, rights, and responsibilities are distributed equitably and that civil, political, environmental, economic, social, and cultural human rights are protected. Social workers:

• apply their understanding of social, economic, and environmental justice to advocate for human rights at the individual and system levels; and
• engage in practices that advance social, economic, and environmental justice.

Competency 4: Engage in Practice-informed Research and Research-informed Practice

Social workers understand quantitative and qualitative research methods and their respective roles in advancing a science of social work and in evaluating their practice. Social workers know the principles of logic, scientific inquiry, and culturally informed and ethical approaches to building knowledge. Social workers understand that evidence that informs practice derives from multi-disciplinary sources and multiple ways of knowing. They also understand the processes for translating research findings into effective practice. Social workers:

• use practice experience and theory to inform scientific inquiry and research;
• apply critical thinking to engage in analysis of quantitative and qualitative research methods and research findings; and
• use and translate research evidence to inform and improve practice, policy, and service delivery.

Competency 5: Engage in Police Practice

Social workers understand that human rights and social justice, as well as social welfare and services, are mediated by policy and its implementation at the federal, state, and local levels. Social workers understand the history and current structures of social policies and services, the role of policy in service delivery, and the role of practice in policy development. Social workers understand their role in policy development and implementation within their practice settings at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels and they actively engage in policy practice to effect change within those settings. Social workers recognize and understand the historical, social, cultural, economic, organizational, environmental, and global influences that affect social policy. They are also knowledgeable about policy formulation, analysis, implementation, and evaluation. Social workers:

• Identify social policy at the local, state, and federal level that impacts well-being, service delivery, and access to social services;
• assess how social welfare and economic policies impact the delivery of and access to social services;
• apply critical thinking to analyze, formulate, and advocate for policies that advance human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice.

Competency 6: Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

Social workers understand that engagement is an ongoing component of the dynamic and interactive process of social work practice with, and on behalf of, diverse individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Social workers value the importance of human relationships. Social workers understand theories of human behavior and the social environment, and critically evaluate and apply this knowledge to facilitate engagement with clients and constituencies, including individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Social workers understand strategies to engage diverse clients and constituencies to advance practice effectiveness. Social workers understand how their personal experiences and affective reactions may impact their ability to effectively engage with diverse clients and constituencies. Social workers value principles of relationship-building and inter-professional collaboration to facilitate engagement with clients, constituencies, and other professionals as appropriate. Social workers:

• apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person-in-environment, and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks to engage with clients and constituencies; and
• use empathy, reflection, and interpersonal skills to effectively engage diverse clients and constituencies.

Competency 7: Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

Social workers understand that assessment is an ongoing component of the dynamic and interactive process of social work practice with, and on behalf of, diverse individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Social workers understand theories of human behavior and the social environment, and critically evaluate and apply this knowledge in the assessment of diverse clients and constituencies, including individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Social workers understand methods of assessment with diverse clients and constituencies to advance practice effectiveness. Social workers recognize the implications of the larger practice context in the assessment process and value the importance of inter-professional collaboration in this process. Social workers understand how their personal experiences and affective reactions may affect their assessment and decision-making. Social workers:

• collect and organize data, and apply critical thinking to interpret information from clients and constituencies;
• apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person-in-environment, and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks in the analysis of assessment data from clients and constituencies;
• develop mutually agreed-on intervention goals and objectives based on the critical assessment of strengths, needs, and challenges within clients and constituencies; and
• select appropriate intervention strategies based on the assessment, research knowledge, and values and preferences of clients and constituencies.

Competency 8: Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

Social workers understand that intervention is an ongoing component of the dynamic and interactive process of social work practice with, and on behalf of, diverse individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Social workers are knowledgeable about evidence-informed interventions to achieve the goals of clients and constituencies, including individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Social workers understand theories of human behavior and the social environment, and critically evaluate and apply this knowledge to effectively intervene with clients and constituencies. Social workers understand methods of identifying, analyzing and implementing evidence-informed interventions to achieve client and constituency goals. Social workers value the importance of inter-professional teamwork and communication in interventions, recognizing that beneficial outcomes may require interdisciplinary, inter-professional, and inter-organizational collaboration. Social workers:

• critically choose and implement interventions to achieve practice goals and enhance capacities of clients and constituencies;
• apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person-in-environment, and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks in interventions with clients and constituencies;
• use inter-professional collaboration as appropriate to achieve beneficial practice outcomes;
• negotiate, mediate, and advocate with and on behalf of diverse clients and constituencies; and
• facilitate effective transitions and endings that advance mutually agreed-on goals.

Competency 9: Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

Social workers understand that evaluation is an ongoing component of the dynamic and interactive process of social work practice with, and on behalf of, diverse individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities. Social workers recognize the importance of evaluating processes and outcomes to advance practice, policy, and service delivery effectiveness. Social workers understand theories of human behavior and the social environment, and critically evaluate and apply this knowledge in evaluating outcomes. Social workers understand qualitative and quantitative methods for evaluating outcomes and practice effectiveness. Social workers:

• select and use appropriate methods for evaluation of outcomes;
• apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person-in-environment, and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks in the evaluation of outcomes;
• critically analyze, monitor, and evaluate intervention and program processes and outcomes; and 
• apply evaluation findings to improve practice effectiveness at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels.