Social Work, MSW

The Master of Social Work program consists of five areas—foundation courses, advanced clinical practice, specialized areas, elective courses, and the fieldwork component. The following is a brief description of each area:

1. Foundation Course Sequence - designed to introduce the student to the field of social work and provide a firm foundation to professional training.
2. Advanced Clinical Practice - the sequence of advanced courses assumes mastery of foundation courses and moves the student into more complex issues of human behavior and advanced clinical practice in areas of specialization.
3. Specialization areas - These consist of two specialized areas - 1) Children and Family Services; and 2) Mental Health Services including Addiction/Substance Abuse Services. The Children and Family Services specialization prepares students for entry level professional social work practice in the area of child welfare and protective services, and service to families, children, and youth. The Mental Health Services specialization prepares students for entry level practice in the area of community mental health, resident psychiatric services, substance abuse prevention and intervention.
4. Elective courses - a small group of elective courses offered to enrich the student’s understanding of particular areas of social work practice and programs.
5. Fieldwork Component - placement at a clinical internship site is an integral aspect of the MSW program. Fieldwork offers students direct practice learning in real-world service settings. Under the supervision of an experienced clinical social worker, students are placed in practicum settings that are an integral part of the MSW Program.