Master of Social Work (MSW)
Millersville and Shippensburg universities are jointly offering a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree program. It is designed for students who want to either further their education in social work or join the social work profession. The program was developed to support both the full-time student and the working professional. State-of-the-art technology will permit students to acquire social work knowledge, skills, and values through multiple educational methods, including traditional campus classes, teleconferencing and web-based activities. Because this is a joint program, students will benefit from the quality faculty and resources of both universities.
An MSW permits graduates to work in a variety of human service programs and agencies in an advanced clinical and/or administrative capacity. The flexibility of the social work degree provides graduates with many options as they pursue their careers in the helping fields.
The Program
The mission of the joint MU-SU MSW Program is to provide accessible social work graduate education in the south central region of Pennsylvania in order to prepare students for advanced generalist practice and to provide professional leadership and contribute to the development and dissemination of social work practice knowledge.
Our Program Goals are to:
- Prepare students for competent advanced generalist practice, with a focus on rural client systems, through the acquisition and demonstration of social work knowledge, skills, and values.
- Provide leadership and service for the social welfare systems and the social work profession.
- Foster commitment to professional development and the creation and dissemination of knowledge.
Admission Requirements
Grade Point Average
Applicants must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.8 on a 4.0 scale from a regionally accredited undergraduate institution. If a student has attended more than one undergraduate institution, all undergraduate GPAs will be used in the calculation of the overall GPA.
Provisional Admission
In exceptional cases, applicants who lack the required grade point average but whose other qualifications are outstanding may be admitted on a provisional basis. Applicants admitted provisionally must earn a 3.0 grade point average by the end of the first 12 credits.
Liberal Arts Foundation Courses
Students must demonstrate that they have successfully completed coursework with substantial content in each of the following areas: Human Biology, Economics, Government/Political Science, Psychology, Sociology/Anthropology, and Statistics. Applicants can be admitted with up to two course deficiencies. These course deficiencies must be completed by the end of the foundation year or within the first 12 credits of Advanced Standing.
Advanced Standing Program
Students will be considered for the Advanced Standing program if they have earned a baccalaureate degree in the last eight years from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited social work program with an overall GPA of 3.0 and a major GPA of 3.25 or higher on a 4.0 scale. If a student has attended more than one undergraduate institution, all undergraduate GPAs will be used in the calculation of the overall GPA.
Exemption from Foundation (First-Year) Courses
Students who graduated with a baccalaureate degree from a CSWE-accredited social work program may be eligible to receive credit for those first-year foundation course equivalents for which they earned Bs or higher within the past eight years.
Life Experience
This program does not grant academic credit for life or work experience.
Personal and Professional Qualities
Applicants must evidence a combination of personal qualities and values that are considered essential for the professional practice of social work. The following documents are required to serve as evidence for this purpose:
- Three professional references with a minimum of one from a faculty member and one from a social service agency employer/supervisor. The third may be from either a faculty member or an employer/supervisor. No personal or colleague references will be accepted.
- A written personal statement (see below for contents).
- A comprehensive resumé of work and related volunteer experience.
The program may request a personal interview or additional information about an applicant when necessary to make a fully informed admissions decision.
SUPPLEMENTAL PACKET MATERIALS
Personal Statement
Applicants need to submit a four to five page personal statement describing the following:
- Events and experiences that led you to apply for a master's degree in social work as a profession.
- How the MSW will further your career goals.
- Your experiences with issues of diversity in practice and/or life.
Criminal Record
Persons who have criminal records are not eligible to work in many human service fields. Applicants with criminal records should contact the MSW program director for additional information.
Admission Procedures
Application Dates
Students are admitted into the 36-credit Advanced Standing Program and the 60-credit Regular Admission Program during the summer term only. Applications will be accepted until the program is full.
Examinations
Only applicants who do not meet the GPA requirements of 2.8 for admission must take either the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) or the General Graduate Record Exam (GRE) as part of the admission process. Scores should not be more than five years old at the time of application. Both MU and SU are official MAT testing sites. To find the location of GRE testing, contact the Graduate Studies office at MU or SU.
Transfer Students
Students may transfer a total of nine (9) credit hours. All nine may be from another MSW program, or up to six (6) credits may be from a related field. Graduate credit earned more than five years prior to the date you begin your graduate program at MU-SU does not qualify for transfer credits. Students may only transfer credits from other accredited schools provided they are in good standing in those schools. Courses must be listed on an official transcript with a B or higher. Courses transferring must be approved by the program. Condensed one-week graduate courses do not qualify for transfer.
Campus Selection
Candidates may choose to apply through either Millersville or Shippensburg University. If all seats are full at one campus, successful applicants will be given the option to enroll through the other campus, if seats are available. Applicants desiring admission to a specific campus may also be placed on a waiting list if all seats are full.
Degree Requirements
Students enrolling in the Regular Program must complete 60 credits of graduate study including: 12 credit hours of field practicum, 6 credit hours of electives, and 42 credit hours of required coursework. BSW graduates in the Regular Program may receive exemption for some coursework, as per admission guidelines.
Students enrolled in the Advanced Standing Program must complete 36 credit hours of graduate study including: six credit hours of field practicum, nine credit hours of electives, and 21 credit hours of required coursework including a summer "bridge" course.
Due to the cohort nature of this program, all courses must be taken in sequence. The Regular Program can be completed in two years full time (four courses a semester) or four years part time (two courses a semester). The Advanced Standing Program can be completed in one year full time or two years part time. Both programs are year round.
Accreditation
The joint MSW program was designed according to the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accreditation guidelines. At the January 2007 meeting of the Accreditation Commission of CSWE the MU-SU MSW program was awarded candidacy, which is the first major action in the accreditation process. In February 2008 a second year of candidacy was granted and the self-study process, which takes two years to complete, was begun. Initial accreditation is anticipated in February 2010. It will be retroactive to include the students who entered the program since it began in the Fall 2006.
Courses
- Foundation courses - all regular admit students - 30 credits
- SWK/SOWK 501: Principles & Philosophies of Social Work
- SWK/SOWK 505: Social Work Practice with Diverse Populations
- SWK/SOWK 510: Human Behavior in the Social Environment I
- SWK/SOWK 511: Human Behavior in the Social Environment II
- SWK/SOWK 515: Social Welfare Policy
- SWK/SOWK 520: Micro/Mezzo Social Work Practice
- SWK/SOWK 521: Macro Social Work Practice
- SWK/SOWK 525: Research Methods
- SWK/SOWK 530: Field Practicum I
- SWK/SOWK 531: Field Practicum II
- Advanced Standing (Bridge Course) 3 credits
- SWK/SOWK 601: Integrative Seminar
- Advanced Courses all students including Advanced Standing 24 credits
- SWK/SOWK 610: Advanced Human Behavior in the Social Environment
- SWK/SOWK 612: Social Work and the Law
- SWK/SOWK 615: Advanced Social Welfare Policy
- SWK/SOWK 625: Advanced Research Methods
- SWK/SOWK 620: Advanced Micro/Mezzo Social Work Practice
- SWK/SOWK 621: Advanced Macro Social Practice
- SWK/SOWK 630: Advanced Field Practicum I
- SWK/SOWK 631: Advanced Field Practicum II
- Electives - 6-9 credits required
- SWK/SOWK 602: Behavioral Health
- SWK/SOWK 603: Gender Issues
- SWK/SOWK 604: Health Care
- SWK/SOWK 605: Child Welfare
- SWK/SOWK 606: School Social Work
- SWK/SOWK 607: Disaster Services
- SWK/SOWK 608: Social Work Administration and Supervision
- SWK/SOWK 609: Introduction to Art Therapy
Social Work Department Faculty
- Sam Benbow, M.S., Shippensburg University of Pittsburgh; Ed.D., Indiana University of PA.
- Dara Bourassa, MSW, University of Pittsburgh; Ph.D., University of Maryland.
- Jennifer Clements, MSW & Ph.D., University of Maryland.
- Elizabeth Fisher, MSW & Ph.D., University of Maryland.
- Marita Flagler, MSW & Ph.D., Colorado State University.
- Richard H. Fulmer, MSW, University of Pennsylvania; Ph.D., Bryn Mawr College.
- Ann L. Gantt, MSW, Temple University; Ph.D., University of Maryland.
- Heather Girvin, MSS & Ph.D., Bryn Mawr College.
- Kathryn A. Gregoire, MSSW, University of Tennessee; Ph.D., University of Maryland.
- Deborah F. Jacobs, MSW, University of Michigan; Ph.D., Brandeis University.
- Dorlisa Minnick, MSW, SUNY-Stonybrook; Ph.D. Candidate, Catholic University.
- Michael Lyman, MSW & Ph.D., University of Utah.
- Katherine Walsh, MSW & Ph.D., University of Maryland.