Social Work (MSW)

 

Student Learning Outcomes

Program Goals

  1. To prepare graduate-level practitioners to collaboratively serve and lead in areas of need, both locally and globally, for the promotion of social, racial, economic, and environmental justice and reconciliation.
  2. To support and encourage the ethical integration of faith and social work practice.
  3. To provide accessible social work education using innovative, effective, and personal distance technology and strategies.
  4. To prepare graduate-level social workers for professional licensure and for doctoral-level academic engagement as appropriate.

Competencies (SLOs):

Competency 1: Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior

Competency 2: Advance Human Rights and Social, Racial, Economic, and Environmental Justice

Competency 3: Engage Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI) in Practice

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

Competency 5: Engage in Policy Practice

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

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

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

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

Competency 10: Apply Christian Faith Principles to Inform and Guide Competent, Professional, and Ethical Practice

61 credits

Program Core Requirements (52 credits)

SOWK 505Professional Seminar I

1
SOWK 510Human Behavior in the Social Environment

3
SOWK 515Diversity and Social Justice

3
SOWK 520Social Welfare Policy and Change

3
SOWK 540Generalist Social Work Practice with Individuals

3
SOWK 545Generalist Social Work Practice with Families

3
SOWK 550Generalist Social Work Practice with Groups

3
SOWK 555Generalist Social Work Practice with Organizations and Communities

3
SOWK 560Field Instruction and Seminar I

3
SOWK 565Field Instruction and Seminar II

3
SOWK 605Professional Seminar II

1
SOWK 620Advanced Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families

3
SOWK 625Advanced Social Work Practice with Groups

3
SOWK 635Advanced Social Work Research Methods

3
SOWK 630Advanced Social Work Practice with Organizations and Communities

3
SOWK 650Field Instruction and Seminar III

3
SOWK 655Field Instruction and Seminar IV

3
SOWK 680Professional Seminar III

2
IPEC 580Research Methods

3

Electives (9 credits)

Select three (3) of the following courses:
COUN 523Psychopathology and Diagnosis Across the Lifespan

3
COUN 535Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy (SIP)

3
COUN 543Substance Abuse/Addiction and Families

3
COUN 550Crisis, Trauma, and Grief Counseling

3
COUN 552TraumaCounseling: Assessment and Intervention

3
HLTH 506Bioethics

3
HLTH 620Collaboration in Inter-professional Teams

3
HLTH 631Health Policy and Legal Aspects of Healthcare

3
HLTH 640Economics of Healthcare

3
LEAD 505Strategic Thinking, Planning and Organizational Change

3
LEAD 515Best Practices in Leadership

3
LEAD 550Organizational Effectiveness

3
LEAD 560Diversity and Leadership

3
SOWK 610Mental Health and Social Policy

3
SOWK 615The Social Work Leader and Manager

3

30 credits

Program Core Requirements (21 credits)

SOWK 605Professional Seminar II

1
SOWK 620Advanced Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families

3
SOWK 625Advanced Social Work Practice with Groups

3
SOWK 635Advanced Social Work Research Methods

3
SOWK 630Advanced Social Work Practice with Organizations and Communities

3
SOWK 650Field Instruction and Seminar III

3
SOWK 655Field Instruction and Seminar IV

3
SOWK 680Professional Seminar III

2

Electives (9 credits)

Select three (3) of the following courses:
COUN 523Psychopathology and Diagnosis Across the Lifespan

3
COUN 535Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy (SIP)

3
COUN 543Substance Abuse/Addiction and Families

3
COUN 550Crisis, Trauma, and Grief Counseling

3
COUN 552TraumaCounseling: Assessment and Intervention

3
HLTH 506Bioethics

3
HLTH 620Collaboration in Inter-professional Teams

3
HLTH 631Health Policy and Legal Aspects of Healthcare

3
HLTH 640Economics of Healthcare

3
LEAD 505Strategic Thinking, Planning and Organizational Change

3
LEAD 515Best Practices in Leadership

3
LEAD 550Organizational Effectiveness

3
LEAD 560Diversity and Leadership

3
SOWK 610Mental Health and Social Policy

3
SOWK 615The Social Work Leader and Manager

3

Accreditation

Messiah University’s MSW Program has achieved candidacy status for accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education’s (CSWE) Board of Accreditation (BOA).

Candidacy status for an MSW program by the BOA indicates that it has made progress toward meeting standards of program quality evaluated through a peer review accreditation process. A program that has attained candidacy status has demonstrated a commitment to meeting the standards set by the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) but has not yet demonstrated full compliance.

Students that are admitted to candidacy programs in the fall (or later) of the academic year in which the program is granted candidacy status will be retroactively recognized as graduates from a CSWE-BOA accredited program as long as the program attains initial accreditation. 

Initial accreditation is typically a 3-year process and attaining candidacy does not guarantee that a program will eventually attain initial accreditation. Accreditation provides reasonable assurance about the quality of the program and the competence of students graduating from the program.