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Master of Social Work at NMU
The Master of Social Work (MSW) Program is designed to prepare students for advanced generalist social work practice. After completing foundational courses, students are able to select from two concentrations, Clinical Practice or Policy, Planning and Administration (PPA). This program is designed to be a full-time, two year (4 semester) program. Students who have previously earned a Bachelor of Social Work Degree from a CSWE accredited program may have the option of completing an accelerated, Advanced Standing curriculum track (3 semester)—special admission required.
Master of Social Work Mission
To prepare advanced practitioners of social work by extending the department’s and profession’s commitment to higher learning that promotes service, social justice, human rights and dignity, worth and well-being of individuals, groups, families, organizations and communities through specialized clinical and macro practice.
Master of Social Work Admissions Requirements
Applicants who have not previously achieved a BSW must have:
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A four-year undergraduate degree from a college or university recognized by a regional accrediting association.
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A personal statement demonstrating understanding of and commitment to the values underlying the social work profession: service, social justice, competence, integrity, importance of human relationships, dignity and worth of the person.
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Three academic or professional letters of recommendation.
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A Cumulative GPA of 3.00
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In addition, non-BSW applicants’ transcripts will be reviewed by the program director to determine if there is sufficient preparation for MSW program content. Courses needed to demonstrate preparation are as follows:
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a combination of courses equivalent to SW 100 Exploring Social Work and SW 230 Human Behavior in the Social Environment I
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at least a 3 credit course in Statistics, Research Methods, or Quantitative Reasoning
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at least a 3 credit course in Biology (must include human biology content)
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at least 10 credits in some combination of the following content areas
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Lifespan Development
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Psychology
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Sociology
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OR
Applicants who have previously achieved a BSW without meeting criteria for advanced standing must have:
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A BSW degree from a CSWE accredited program
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A personal statement demonstrating understanding of and commitment to the values underlying the social work profession: service, social justice, competence, integrity, importance of human relationships, dignity and worth of the person.
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A Cumulative GPA of 3.00
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If a student meets the level of achievement for advanced standing, as outlined below, but chooses to enroll in the regular standing program, they will be required to complete the Applied Study option. This will mean within the first year MSW generalist courses, Applied students will further apply prior generalist knowledge through research and/or more rigorous evaluation and analysis of generalist theories and practices. This will be determined by reviewing transcripts prior to admission.
All advanced standing applicants must have:
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A B.S.W. degree from a CSWE-accredited institution, or recognized through its International Social Work Degree Recognition and Evaluation Services, or covered under a memorandum of understanding with international social work accreditors, conferred no more than five years prior to the date of application
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A personal statement demonstrating understanding of and commitment to the values underlying the social work profession: service, social justice, competence, integrity, importance of human relationships, dignity and worth of the person.
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A Cumulative GPA of 3.25 with no BSW courses falling below a B+ (3.3 GPA)
If it is determined that preparation is insufficient, applicants may be admitted on a conditional basis, requiring that applicants complete specific courses recommended by the program director prior to starting the MSW program.
Graduation requirements for the program
In order to be retained in the MSW program, students must act within the professional standards outlined in the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics (https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English.aspx).
Graduates must meet the requirements of the Office of Graduate Education as outlined in the Graduate Bulletin in addition to the following:
- Complete the minimum number of credits for each degree track as stated in the graduate bulletin (Advanced Standing 36 credits, Regular Standing 50 credits)
- Maintain a 3.0 GPA
- Successfully complete SW 682
Programs
Bulletin Year: 2020 - 2021 Graduate Bulletin | View the current NMU Catalog.