Social Work, M.S.W.

Social Work Department Chair and MSW Program Director: Rachel Young, Ph.D., MSW, LISW-S

MSW Field Education Director: Mary Brown, MSW, LISW-S

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Master of Social Work (MSW) Program prepares both recent Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) graduates and working professionals with a bachelor’s degree in another discipline to enter the social work field, and more specifically in the areas of behavioral health or school social work. BSW students who have obtained LSW licensure will be able to take steps toward independent licensure after program completion. For individuals with a bachelor’s in another field, the MSW program will allow entry into the social work profession.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

Upon completion of the MSW program, students should be able to:

1. demonstrate mastery of the nine core competencies of the social work profession, as described by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE);
2. enter a social work position at a school or a facility or organization providing behavioral health services, such as a hospital, community mental health center, addiction treatment facility, or private therapy practice;
3. conduct an assessment of individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities within the context of school social work or behavioral health practice;
4. intervene with and on behalf of diverse individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities;
5. utilize critical thinking skills to evaluate the effectiveness of social work practice and programs at the Individual, family, group, organization, and community levels;
6. utilize clinical social work skills in the context of practice within schools or organizations providing behavioral health services.

PROGRAM GOALS

The goals of the MSW program are based upon the program mission, the values of the social work profession, and the expectations for the structure of graduate social work education. Through quality teaching and intentional community engagement, the program seeks to:

1. prepare graduate-level social workers for specialized practice in school social work or behavioral health, with diverse populations at the individual, group, family, organizational, and community level;
2. develop competent social work practitioners who identify with and adhere to the core values and ethics of the social work profession;
3. equip students to integrate the mission of the social work profession with faith-based principles, with a particular emphasis on social justice and service to vulnerable and oppressed populations;
4. prepare graduate-level social work graduates for continuing professional development within the field;
5. develop students into active citizens, who are prepared to contribute to the social work profession in the local, national, and global arena;
6. foster an appreciation of evidence-based practice, by providing learning opportunities centered on the importance of practice-based research and research-based practice;
7. develop social work practitioners who foster an understanding of cultural competence that values the worth of individuals, families, and communities, while promoting and preserving the dignity of each.

PROGRAM COMPETENCIES

1. demonstrate ethical and professional behavior;
2. advance human rights and social, racial, economic, and environmental justice;
3. engage anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion (ADEI) in practice;
4. engage in practice-informed research and research-informed practice;
5. engage in policy practice;
6. engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities;
7. assess individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities;
8. intervene with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities;
9. evaluate practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Admission requirements for the MSW program include the following:

• submission of official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work completed to date;
• an earned baccalaureate degree from a college or university accredited by a recognized regional accrediting organization;
• completion of an online application and Registration Agreement Form;
• submission of an admissions essay;
• completion of a background check for purposes of admission to field and licensure.

Applicants from foreign countries and U.S. territories must also provide recent evidence of proficiency in English by: 1) scoring 80 or above on the Internet-based TOEFL with subscores in writing, reading, speaking and listening of at least 20; 2) scoring 550 or above on the written TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) with subscores in writing and reading of at least 50; or 3) scoring 6.0 or above on the IELTS (International English Language Testing System). All tests of English proficiency must have been taken in the last two years to be considered for acceptance. The program follows the institution’s policies and procedures for admitting international students.

Applicants who do not meet one or more of the admission requirements above (with the exception of completion of a baccalaureate degree and submission of transcripts) may be granted conditional admission if approved by the MSW Program Director.

Students admitted to the advanced standing program must meet the following additional criteria:

• completion of a baccalaureate degree in social work within the last 5 years, with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.00 scale;
• degree must be from a CSWE-accredited institution or a Canadian or international institution with similar accreditation status (i.e., CASWE);
• submission of undergraduate field practicum evaluations, showing positive performance (i.e., no serious deficiencies on field instructor evaluation).

ADMISSION DECISIONS

The Assistant University Registrar for Graduate and Professional Studies, in consultation with members of the MSW Program, will review each admissions application and decide on one of the following four options:

• Unconditional Full Acceptance: The applicant has met all admissions criteria and will be notified in writing, via letter sent to home or mailing address or via email, of unconditional full admission by the Social Work Department Chair.
• Conditional Acceptance: The applicant will be notified in writing by the GPS Social Work Program Coordinator of specific areas that need improvement, correction, or completion. Students The applicant will be notified in writing, via letter sent to home or mailing address or via email, by the Social Work Department Chair of specific areas that need improvement, correction, or completion. Students admitted conditionally may enter the program and continue to take courses in the program sequence, but they must correct the specified deficiencies or meet conditional requirements prior to admission to practica. For instance, if a student’s GPA is lower than the admission standard on specific courses, they must retake the course or if a student has not provided completed background checks to the department, they must be received and reviewed prior to achieving full admission. Students are responsible for meeting all specified conditions and reporting to the MSW Program Director for consideration of admission to practica.
• Probational Acceptance: The applicant will be notified in writing, via letter sent to home or mailing address or via email, by the Social Work Department Chair of specific areas that need improvement, correction, or completion. Students admitted conditionally may enter the program and continue to take courses in the program sequence, but they must correct the specified deficiencies or meet conditional requirements prior to admission to practica. For instance, if a student’s GPA is lower than the admission standard, they may be required to maintain a specific GPA in their first three courses. Students are responsible for meeting all specified conditions and reporting to the MSW Program Director or Social Work Department Chair for consideration of admission to practica.
• Conditional and Probational Acceptance: : The applicant will be notified in writing, via letter sent to home or mailing address or via email, by the Social Work Department Chair of specific areas that need improvement, correction, or completion. Students admitted conditionally and probationally may enter the program and continue to take courses in the program sequence, but they must correct the specified deficiencies or meet conditional requirements prior to admission to practica. For instance, if an overall GPA is below admission standard they must achieve the required GPA for 9 credits and fix conditional requirements. Students are responsible for meeting all specified conditions and reporting to the MSW Program Director for consideration of admission to practica.
• Denial of Admission: The applicant will be notified in writing, via letter sent to home or mailing address, by the Social Work Department Chair of specific reasons why he/she has been denied admission into the Social Work program.

PROGRAM CONTINUATION

A student who enters the MSW program on conditional admission must achieve a grade of at least "B" in each of the first three courses in order to continue in the program and achieve full acceptance.

A student with full acceptance will be placed on academic probation at any time that his/her graduate program GPA falls below 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale). Any MSW student who is placed on academic probation must achieve a program GPA of at least 3.00 at the completion of an additional nine (9) graduate credit hours. The student will be removed from academic probation once his/her program GPA meets or exceeds 3.00 for the summation of 9 gradate credit hours.

A student may be dismissed from the MSW program if s/he:

• receives more than six (6) credit hours of grades below a "C";
• fails to achieve the required GPA at the end of any probationary period;
• fails to remit payment for an outstanding financial balance; and/or
• fails to comply with the policies set forth in the "School of Graduate and Professional Studies" section of this Catalog.

DISCIPLINARY PROCESS

Probation, suspension, or termination from the Social Work Program for academic reasons is consistent with academic policies and standards established by the University. Probation, suspension or termination for professional concerns focuses on appropriate conduct and behavior in accordance with the principles of the social work profession.

Academic reasons for probation, suspension or termination from the Social Work Program include, but are not limited to:

• failure to maintain at least a cumulative GPA of 3.00 on all course work attempted at the University;
• earning a grade below "B" in required social work courses;
• violations of academic integrity.

The Social Work Program aligns with University processes in addressing academic concerns.

• Field Experience Accommodations: Reasonable accommodations will be considered on a case-by-case basis for individuals who meet eligibility under applicable statutes. Any person expecting to need accommodations should request them prior to beginning the program, as some accommodations may not be considered reasonable and may impact an applicant's ability to complete all components of the program. Policies and procedures for accessing accessibility services are provided in the General Provisions section of this Catalog.
• Grade Appeal Process: Any GPS Master of Social Work student who wishes to submit a grade appeal must do so according to the procedures outlined in the "Academic Policy Decision Appeals" portion of the Academic Standing (School of Graduate and Professional Studies) section of this Catalog.
• Academic Integrity: Policies and procedures for addressing issues of academic integrity can be viewed in the GPS Catalog. Professional concerns focus on the appropriate conduct and behavior in accordance with the principles of the social work profession. The Social Work Program follows the State of Ohio Standards of Ethical Practice and Professional Conduct and The National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics that applies to students in social work educational programs. Violations may result in probation, suspension or termination from the program. Social work students receive written copies of the ethical practice standards and instruction as to the meaning, value, and application of the standards.

If a student is struggling with ethical, non-academic development and/or behavior that impedes professional performance, the following procedures are intended to provide due process so that student evaluations (and faculty decisions regarding students) balance the professional gate-keeping responsibility and the program faculty’s commitment to student development. Students may be placed on probation, suspended, or terminated from the social work program for any one or more violations of program policies and standards, including:

• excessive field education absences;
• legal disqualifications;
• unethical conduct;
• professional impairment;
• lack of reliability and dependability;
• misrepresentation;
• participation in derogatory and/or disrespectful behavior;
• participation in discriminatory behavior.

The Faculty endeavors to assist students in resolving issues that may interfere with professional growth and development before the situation escalates into concerns serious enough to warrant termination procedures. The Yellow Flag Alert system is designed to identify and strategize with students to correct behavior that would be egregious in the professional workplace and classroom learning environment. Broad categories include professional behavior (e.g. attendance, punctuality, issues of impairment), professional dispositions (e.g., disrespectful interactions, lack of cultural responsiveness), and academic dispositions.

First Alert: The first alert is intended to draw attention to a concern as a teaching moment in their professional development. The person who completes the alert must communicate with the student via email, telephone, or face-to-face conversation AND send/give a copy to the student. Face-to-face is the preferred method of communication but if that is not possible, then a telephone or email conversation may suffice.

Second Alert: If the student receives a second alert regarding the same issue or multiple alerts from different categories the social work department will communicate with the student and require a written response to the issue that includes an action plan for remediation of the issue. The action plan will receive follow-up by the social work department.

Third Alert: If the student receives a third alert for the same issue or multiple alerts from different categories, there will be a mandatory meeting with the social work department to determine the student’s continuation in the social work program. Depending on the severity of the issue(s), the following may occur:

• Probation: A student may be placed on probation for a specific period of time if it is determined that a student’s continuation in the program is in jeopardy unless changes are made. The student will be informed in writing, within seven (7) days, of the probationary status. Upon receipt of the notice, the student will be required to develop, with the assistance of the MSW Program Director, a plan of remediation which indicates when and how any deficiencies will be made up, and any other conditions required to remediate the situation. The written Plan of Remediation must be approved and signed by the MSW Program Director and Social Work Department Chair within one (1) month of student being placed on probation. Failure to carry out the plan developed during the probationary period, according to the timeline specified in the plan, may result in suspension from the Social Work Program.
• Suspension: Serious violation of the performance standards and/or actions taken by a student that places him/her and/or others in jeopardy may result in the immediate suspension of the student from the program while the issue is being resolved. A student who is being suspended will be verbally notified immediately and is not allowed to attend classes until the issue is resolved. In addition, the student will receive a letter from the Social Work Department Chair within seven (7) days of the decision for suspension, stating the reason(s) for suspension, the terms of the suspension, and the steps to be taken. A copy of the letter will be given to the MSW Program Director, and a copy will also be placed in the student’s file.
• Termination: Although rare, termination may result from a single grave incident or from a pattern of behaviors/incidents. As reflected in the Yellow Flag Alert System every effort is made to identify issues and work with students to remediate concerns. However, in some cases, issues are not resolved or a student engages in a serious violation that places him/her and/or others in jeopardy. The student will receive a letter from the Social Work Department Chair within seven (7) days of the decision for termination, stating the reason(s) for termination.

Appeal Process: The student may appeal a disciplinary action resulting from any of the above by accessing the "Academic Policy Decision Appeals" portion of the Academic Standing (School of Graduate and Professional Studies) section of this Catalog.

TRANSFER CREDIT PROVISIONS

Up to six (6) credit hours of graduate work may be transferred from regionally accredited colleges, or universities. Credit is transferred on a course-by-course basis as applicable to the degree. Transfer credit is granted only if grades of "B" or better were earned, and provided the course is a reasonable equivalent to one required in the program. No credit for prior learning is awarded. Equivalence of course content and transfer of credit is determined by the Program Director.

ADMISSION TO FIELD PRACTICUM EXPERIENCE

Students formally admitted to the MSW program must complete the admissions process for the practicum experience. The foundation practicum experience allows students an opportunity to apply generalist practice knowledge, skills, and values in a supervised social service setting. Since students work with actual clients, their behavior must meet the highest standards. Therefore, students should carefully evaluate their readiness for placement.

SOCIAL WORK PRACTICUM ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS & PROCEDURE

Students desiring formal admission into the practicum experience must give evidence that they have acquired the requisite professional knowledge, skills, values and ethics, and professional characteristics that are deemed necessary for the practicum experience and for eventual entry into the profession of social work. The social work program will only admit students to the field practica experiences that have met the program’s admissions criteria. Removal of Conditional Status: The applicant must remove any conditions imposed by the Social Work Department when admitted or after admission to the social work program. Review the admission to practicum process in the MVNU Catalog.

The social work faculty may utilize objective and subjective measures to make admissions decisions. Evaluative measures include, but are not limited to:

• content of admissions application and essay;
• feedback from social work faculty;
• academic transcripts;
• oral interview with social work field education director;
• examination scores;
• classroom participation, discussion, and behavior;
• class attendance;
• quality of classroom work;
• punctuality in meeting course assignment deadlines; and
• violations of the University’s Academic Integrity Code.

Students are eligible for admission to the first foundation field practicum course after the completion the following four courses:

• SWKR-6003: Entering the Social Work Profession
• SWKR-6023: Introduction to Social Welfare Policy
• SWKR-6043: Direct Practice with Individuals, Families, and Groups
• SWKR-6063: Social Work Macropractice

While enrolled in SWKR-6003, students must schedule an online interview with the MSW Field Education Director, during which they will discuss their readiness for field, in addition to their potential areas of interest for field placement. The MSW Field Education Director will then determine, in conjunction with the MSW Program Director, whether students are appropriate for admission to the foundation field experience. Students must complete the four foundation courses above to be formally admitted to field. As a part of the admissions process, they must also submit to background checks, as outlined in the MSW Field Education Manual.

Students will complete a similar process before admission to the Advanced Practicum Experience. Students admitted into the Advanced Standing (ASAP) Program, or who have completed the foundation curriculum and practicum, will be required to complete the following courses before admission to the Advanced Practicum Experience:

• SWKR-6203: Advanced Clinical Social Work Skills
• SWKR-6223: Global Social Problems
• SWKR-6243: Spirituality in Social Work Assessment and Intervention
• SWKR-6263: Psychopathology and Deviance

While enrolled in SWKR-6203, students must schedule an online interview with the MSW Field Education Director, during which they will discuss their readiness for advanced practicum, as well as their potential areas of interest for field placement. The MSW Field Education Director will then determine, in conjunction with the MSW Program Director, whether students are appropriate for admission to the advanced field experience. Students must complete the four advanced generalist courses above to be formally admitted to the advanced field practicum experience.

Students admitted to the Advanced Standing program will complete only the courses under that section and will not complete the Foundation Curriculum (total of 31 credits). Requirements of the Generalist Practice Curriculum are waived for Advanced Standing students. Students who must complete the Foundation Curriculum will complete a total of 62 credits.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

Graduate students must meet the degree requirements as stated in the Catalog under which they first enrolled. Students must earn their degree within a maximum of six (6) years from the first date of enrollment at MVNU. Students who withdraw from MVNU for more than six (6) months will meet the graduation requirements as stated in the catalog under which they resume enrollment. Students changing majors or programs must meet requirements as stated in the Catalog that is current at the time they make such changes. A student who receives a grade of less than a "B" will be required to repeat that course until a grade of "B" or better is earned. A minimum program GPA of 3.00 is required for graduation.