Description of Program
The MSW program is a 60-credit program designed to prepare generalist social work leaders and practitioners for careers in health care, human services, clinical practice, and administration. Social Work is a rapidly developing field, responding to the current changes in economics, living standards and education, but it has a capacity challenge. The environment of increased demand, compressed resources, complex social challenges, and changing demographics has challenged the ability to deliver “public value” — the measure of how effective and efficient a program is in achieving outcomes.
Students new to the field of social work can enter the Foundation Track where they will explore the practice of contemporary social work, including social work practices, ethics, communication and other key skills. This is the 60-credit program. Students who already have a bachelor’s degree in social work from a CSWE accredited program can enter the Advanced Standing track where they will take more advanced coursework this is a 36 credit hour program. Students on both tracks will benefit from experiential learning opportunities with real social workers in the field. At the core of both tracks is an integrated, rigorous, and practical curriculum intended to help prepare students to take on social work related roles in health care, human services, clinical practice, and policy and administration.
The program is based on the knowledge, values, and skills of the social work profession, emphasizing the importance of strengths-based and research-informed training and coursework necessary for the diverse career opportunities in the field. The Master in Social Work degree can prepare graduates for a variety of careers in public and private agencies, including medical and rehabilitation settings, schools, behavioral health settings, court and correctional agencies, and local and state governments. The MSW program is in alignment with NCU’s mission of helping students achieve academically and become valuable contributors to their communities and within their professions through providing an educational program that focuses on professional practice and professional competence.
The program includes a Foundation program and Advanced-Standing program. The Foundation Generalist program is designed for non-Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) students and will prepare students for the generalist concentration designed for social work leaders and practitioners for careers in health care, human services, clinical practice, and administration – just to name a few. For the Advanced-Standing Specialized Generalist, we will only accept those students who have a BSW from a CSWE accredited program. The Generalist Concentration builds on the generalist perspective by teaching specialized skills for working with individuals, families, and groups and leadership skills within the context of community, state, and national agencies and organizations. The program is based on the knowledge, values, and skills of the social work profession, emphasizing the importance of evidence-based and research-informed education and coursework necessary for the diverse career opportunities in the field.
Our master’s level program includes the following:
- The MSW foundation track in which courses are designed for students whose undergraduate degree is not in social work
- The MSW advanced track in which courses are tailored for students who have completed a BSW degree within seven years
- Advanced standing will be awarded to students who have received a 3.0 GPA in their undergraduate social work curriculum and have finished a BSW within the past seven years (with some exceptions)
Learning Outcomes
Learning outcomes are derived from the Council on Social Work Education’s (CSWE) nine core competencies
- Students will apply NASW Code of Ethics to guide professional behavior (Com #1)
- Students will examine how diversity and social justice impacts various groups and social policy (Com #2, 3, 6, & 5)
- Students will interpret research to inform practice (Com #4)
- Students will assess the needs of clients and constituents (Com #7)
- Students will evaluate evidence-informed social work interventions, processes, and outcomes with clients and constituents (Com#8 & 9)
Basis for Admission
Admission to an NCU master’s program requires a conferred bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited academic institution or an international institution that is determined to be equivalent through an approved evaluation service.
**Admission into MSW-Advanced Standing requires a Bachelor of Science in Social Work (BSSW) degree from a CSWE accredited program within the past seven years (with some exceptions)
The MSW program will allow for transfer of up to 6 credit hours for the Advanced Standing track and 12 credits for the Foundation track. Transfer credits for the Foundation track must be completed at a regionally accredited institution and must be awarded a B/3.0 or higher grade. For the Advanced Standing track, students may apply for transfer of up to 6 credit hours of graduate credit hours from a CSWE accredited MSW program (grades must be B or higher) under the following guidelines:
- Course work which would be over five years old at the completion of the degree program (as defined by the student’s plan of study) may not be used
- Acceptance of transfer credits will depend upon how they fit within the MSW requirements and the student’s overall plan of study
- Only applicants from CSWE-accredited graduate social work programs will be considered for admission as transfer students for the Advanced Standing track
Additional State requirements may need to be met for Basis for Admissions into a program:
Degree Requirements
Admission to an NCU master’s program requires a conferred bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited academic institution or an international institution that is determined to be equivalent through an approved evaluation service. Admission into MSW-Advanced Standing requires a Bachelor of Science in Social Work (BSSW) degree from a CSWE accredited program.
Time to Completion
Time to completion varies depending upon the pace in which a student completes courses and the number of transfer credits accepted. As most NCU students are working adults balancing educational, professional, and personal commitments, our academic advisors will work with you to develop a program schedule that works best for your needs.
Students following the preferred schedule designed by the Dean for this program, and applying no transfer credits, can expect to finish in as little as 12 months in the Advanced Track (36 credits) and 23 months to complete the Foundational program (60 credits).
Practicum Information
MSW practicum courses require approval from the MSW Field Education Director prior to enrollment in the practicum courses. Students wishing to enroll in a practicum course should begin the approval process with their Academic and Finance Advisor at least three to four months prior to their anticipated practicum enrollment date. MSW students must complete two practicum courses (3 credits each) for the Advanced-Standing track and four practicum courses (3 credits each) for the Foundation track. Prior to enrolling in the first practicum course, students must complete the Practicum Preparation Process (PPP) and receive approval. As part of the PPP, students, with the support of the Field Education Director, will be required to secure a local practicum placement as well as a local supervisor. In order to finish the practicum requirements and continue on to the practicum, students must meet bi-weekly in the practicum seminar. Students are required to complete a minimum of 225 hours for each practicum. Students who have significantly fewer hours than that will be asked to meet with the Field Education Director and may be required to complete a practicum extension course. Students must also receive satisfactory evaluations from their local site supervisor and their Northcentral faculty supervisor in order to complete the practicum sequence. Students must complete the required number of hours in order to graduate.
The MSW program provides support to students in securing quality practicum placements that include but are not limited to full-time faculty and staff to help guide students through this process, speak with potential placement sites that have been identified as a possible fit for the student, a national database of potential placements sites, and training materials to help student present in a professionally and appropriate manner. The MSW program cannot require a potential placement site to accept students thus it is the responsibility of the student to present their self in a professional manner and secure a placements site and supervisor. We encourage students to contact the Field Director for any additional individualized support they may need in this process.
The practicum courses for the MSW program are MSW-6009 , MSW-6010 , MSW-6901 , and MSW-6902 . Additional details can be found in the course descriptions.
For Washington state students: For practicum placement it is the responsibility of the student to secure a site for their practicum placement(s). The Field Education Director will provide support in the process, but it is ultimately the student’s responsibility to actively engage in finding, and securing, a practicum site.
Liability Insurance
Students in practicum courses must purchase liability insurance prior to practicum. Many practicum sites require students to show evidence of liability coverage prior to beginning a practicum. Northcentral requires students participating in practicum to purchase student professional liability insurance, typically available at a lower student rate through the National Association of Social Workers (NASW).
Certification and Licensing
NCU’s MSW program is in candidacy for accreditation through the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), the accrediting body for MSW programs in the United States. The practice of clinical social work is regulated in every jurisdiction in North America. Licensure requirements include graduation from a CSWE-accredited program or program in candidacy. Most licensing boards require evidence of appropriate coursework and practicum experience in clinical settings to practice clinical social work. Some state regulatory boards may have requirements for specialized accreditations or other unique course/credit requirements above and beyond NCU’s standard MSW degree plan that may prevent successful application for licensure. Although licensure laws are governed by individual states and can change frequently, the MSW program administration seeks to identify these states and notify applicants in those states of any known limitations. If a student is seeking post-graduate licensure it is the responsibility of the student to be familiar with licensure requirements in their jurisdiction.
Program Specific Accreditation Information
The NCU MSW program is currently in Pre-Candidacy for Accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education’s Commission on Accreditation. Pre-Candidacy for a master’s social work program by the Council on Social Work Education’s Commission on Accreditation indicates that it has submitted an application to be reviewed for Candidacy. A program that has attained Pre-Candidacy has not yet been reviewed by the Commission on Accreditation or been verified to be in compliance with the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards. The Council on Social Work Education does not publicly disclose whether programs have currently attained Pre-Candidacy Status until they are granted Candidacy. Students who enter the program while it is still in Pre-Candidacy will not be recognized as attending a program in Candidacy unless the program attains Candidacy in the academic year in which those students enter.
The Candidacy Process is typically a three-year process and there is no guarantee that a program in Pre-Candidacy will eventually attain Candidacy or Initial Accreditation. Students who enter programs that attain Candidacy in or before the academic year in which they begin their program of study will be retroactively recognized as having graduated from a CSWE-accredited program once the program attains Initial Accreditation. Candidacy by the Council on Social Work Education’s Commission on Accreditation applies to all program sites and program delivery methods of an accredited program. Accreditation provides reasonable assurance about the quality of the program and the competence of students graduating from the program. Most state licensing boards allow graduates from “Candidacy for Accreditation” programs to pursue state licensure. Students are encouraged to contact their state licensing board to confirm what is allowed, as state regulations can change over time
Most state licensing boards allow graduates from “Candidacy for Accreditation” programs to pursue state licensure. Student applicants/students are encouraged to contact their state licensing board to confirm what is allowed, if the program’s current accreditation status will qualify for licensure, as states can change their regulations and requirements over time.
Some state licensing boards will not recognize a degree from a program that is in Candidacy. Specifically, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Pennsylvania, and Virginia have educational requirements for MSW licensure that indicates an applicant for licensure must possess a master’s degree in social work from a college or university fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education at the time of graduation.
Washington State students can contact the Washington Department of Health/Health Professions Quality Assurance division to ensure the NCU MSW program will qualify them for licensure as a Social Worker in the state.
As an out-of-state program, some states require that programs receive state authorizations before offering a program to current residences of that state, even if a state licensing board will accept the degree to pursue licensure. At this time the MSW program is not accepting students from Arkansas, District of Columbia, Illinois, Iowa, Georgia, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, or North Carolina.