Master of Social Work (MSW)

College of Health and Human Services

The Master of Social Work (MSW) program began instruction in August 1997. The MSW Program is situated in the School of Social Work. It is the mission of the School of Social Work to prepare competent and ethical social work professionals who enrich lives and advocate a just society. The Master of Social Work program prepares empowerment social workers to use a life-long praxis process in order to ensure collaborative, client-centered, multi-level, contextualized practice. Empowerment social workers promote professional social work and advocate for social, economic and environmental justice. Consistent with the purposes of social work and Catholic Social Teaching, the School seeks to advance the well-being of people, to promote social and economic justice and to protect human rights. Emphasizing client system empowerment, the School prepares graduates to practice competently, ethically and with critical understanding of diversity, human behavior and social contexts. Students acquire a comprehensive knowledge base, practice skills, and ethical standards for professional social work practice. These competencies enable graduates to provide resources and opportunities for people to live with dignity and freedom in their transactions with each other and social institutions, locally, nationally and globally.

To accommodate all students, the program offers full-time, part-time and advanced standing programs (both online and in-person), as well as a dual degree MSW/MBA.

Programs

The School of Social Work at St. Ambrose University has developed three options for persons seeking Master of Social Work degrees: Two year, three year, and Advanced Standing programs. In addition, a MSW/MBA dual degree is an option within these paradigms. All three delivery structures have the same standards and require both coursework and practicum experience, working under supervision in a social work agency or setting. The MSW program recognizes that a student may be unable to carry out the program as scheduled. Students who make changes in the course sequence should anticipate adding one or more semesters to their original schedules. Any changes should be carefully planned with the student’s academic advisor and permission sought from the Director.

Both full-time and part-time students follow the same sequence of courses. Students are expected to be able to arrange time during regular business hours for 15 hours per week to complete required practicum hours in a community social service organization.

Standard Full-Time Program

This program calls for two academic years of study (18 months, exclusive of summers) and completion of 60 credit hours. Students ordinarily spend two consecutive days per week on campus taking classroom courses and 12-15 hours per week in social work agencies or settings gaining social work experience under supervision. These combined experiences help the student synthesize and integrate social work theory and practice.

Practicum education accounts for 14 academic credit hours, and classroom experience accounts for 46 academic credit hours of the MSW degree. Usually, practicum placements can be developed for students in agencies in the region in which they live or work. Practicum placements are 12-15 hours per week.

Part-Time Program

St. Ambrose University has a part-time program, making it possible for the highly motivated student to obtain the MSW degree on a part-time basis over three years, including summer sessions. Some students find that a four-year schedule is necessary due to personal responsibilities but the MSW program encourages students to complete in the three year time frame. Students must fulfill all degree requirements within four years from date of initial enrollment.

The basic part-time program is delivered online only, during which students take two online courses (6 credits) in the fall and spring semesters. Practicum placement requirements take place concurrently with the required social work theory and practice courses in the second and third fall and spring semesters (9 credits).

Advanced Standing Program

The MSW program at St. Ambrose University offers an accelerated curriculum option available to highly qualified graduates of baccalaureate social work programs accredited by the Council of Social Work Education. This program is offered both online and in-person. Consideration for Advanced Standing is given only to those social work graduates with superior academic standing and exceptional references. Applicants for Advanced Standing must meet all the admissions criteria required for standard admission. Additionally, Advanced Standing applicants must have graduated from an accredited baccalaureate program within the past seven years from the date of application, with a 3.0 (B) grade in all required social work courses.

Applicants should submit an official transcript of their undergraduate work for review by the Admissions Committee of the MSW program. The program may request a baccalaureate program bulletin, course syllabi, title and descriptions of courses, and reading lists. Decisions will be made on the basis of comparability of the undergraduate social work courses to relevant areas of foundation curriculum.

Students given Advanced Standing may receive recognition of up to 24 credits toward the MSW. Students accepted for Advanced Standing must complete specialization requirements as well as foundation year courses. Full-time students admitted to Advanced Standing credit ordinarily begin in a summer session scheduled especially for them. During this special summer session students, will register for 6 credit hours in foundation courses in MSW-720 Social Work Program Evaluation, and MSW-690 Diversity and Social Policy. Other arrangements can be made for Advanced Standing part-time students, integrating their schedules with those of the part-time schedule.

MSW-MBA

This 3-year, dual degree would increase a MSW graduate’s ability to function in the workplace with the knowledge necessary to lead an agency to deliver quality services. In the increasingly complex job market, to have this skill set gives graduates a competitive edge when entering the workforce. This MSW-MBA articulates an intentional path for social workers with administrative aspirations. Essentially, the curriculum entails one year of MSW coursework, one year of MBA coursework, and then the final year of MSW coursework. Students meet the degree requirements for both degrees, with a few course substitutions.

Post-MSW School Social Work Preparation

The St. Ambrose University School of Social Work offers coursework leading to the recognition and certification as a school social worker in Iowa and Illinois. Persons holding MSW degrees from CSWE accredited programs who wish to meet eligibility requirements as a school social worker must speak with the Director of Practicum Education regarding the process for determining required coursework and the availability of school social work internship site. Students in good standing with their former programs may apply to the School of Social Work for the Post-MSW school social work program to complete up to nine credit hours of coursework.

Generalist Foundation Curriculum

In the foundation year of the program, students will prepare in the classroom and in their practicum settings for generalist practice. Generalist practice provides the basic helping strategies and competencies which underlie social work practice at its beginning level of competency. Additionally, as will be true throughout the program, the foundation year stresses practice with diverse groups in diverse communities. Diversity in clients includes but is not limited to groups distinguished by race, ethnicity, culture, class, gender, sexual orientation, political orientation, religion, physical or mental ability, age, national origin, and level of social and emotional functioning.

Generalist Foundation Courses

Empowerment Specialization Curriculum

The specialization year stresses a number of change strategies which include, but are not limited to: case management, mediation, solution-focused approaches, use of community resources, psychotherapy and play therapy, systems approaches, organizational and community change strategies, and advocacy and networking. This range of change strategies taught in the required and elective classes in the specialization year, as well as the specialized field placements, will provide a series of practice competencies which have applicability to a wide range of social service settings in both urban and rural communities.

Empowerment Specialization Core Courses

Empowerment Specialization Electives

The student chooses twelve (12) credit hours of empowerment specialization electives from the options offered in the MSW program during the year. The choice of electives should be consistent with the ultimate goal the student may have for his/her professional career. With advisor and director consent, other electives from an accredited MSW program within the past five years may be used.

Empowerment Specialization Elective Courses

Practicum Education

Practicum practice is a central component in each student's professional education. Practicum placements provide the student with a range of practice experiences to promote the integration of theoretical learning from class work, and to develop knowledge, values, and skills for social work practice. Students benefit from an extensive network of social service organizations in Iowa and Illinois for their practicum. These include social action agencies, public schools, community mental health settings, medical clinics and hospitals, child welfare settings, family service agencies, veterans administration, criminal justice settings, substance abuse settings, aging services, agencies serving persons with disabilities, planning and coordinating councils, and other community-based settings.

Students complete a practicum in a community social service organization during the years in which they are taking complementary research and practice courses. Students in the two-year program complete a Generalist Practicum for 12 hours per week in the first year. In the second year, a Specialization practicum is completed in a different placement for 15 hours per week. Students in the Advanced Standing Program complete a Specialization practicum for 15 hours per week. Students in the three year program complete a Generalist practicum in the second year for 12 hours per week. In the third year, students complete a Specialization practicum for 15 hours per week.

Admission Procedures

The admissions process includes application to the University and application to the MSW program. To apply to the program, students should submit the following directly to the School of Social Work:

1. Complete the Application for Admission to Graduate Studies online at https://sau.edu/apply. Submit Supplemental Application Information for the MSW Program using the link provided and submit official transcripts to the:
   School of Social Work
   518 W. Locust St.
   Davenport, IA 52803 or
   by email to msw@sau.edu.
2. Submit your personal statement of educational and career goals as indicated on the social work application and submit to School of Social Work within the supplemental application.
3. Submit two (2) references directly to School of Social Work. Use the reference link provided. References should be employers or instructors who are in a position to judge your potential for social work practice and graduate study. It is your responsibility to see that references submit completed forms.

Application forms and a program description may be obtained on the School of Social Work’s website at https://sau.edu/MSW. Your application cannot be acted upon until all application materials are received. Application for admission is a rolling admission. Admission will close when all student positions are filled. It is to your advantage to complete the application process early.

Application deadlines are as follows:

• Full-time (fall)—May 15;
• Part-time (fall)—August 1;
• Advanced Standing (summer)—April 1.

To be eligible for departmental scholarships, fellowships and graduate assistantships, students must be accepted into the program prior to April 1.

In addition to meeting the eligibility criteria of St. Ambrose Graduate Studies, the MSW program requires:

A Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university with evidence of a liberal arts foundation to include the following minimum credit hours:

• social and behavioral sciences (18 hours)
• humanities (9 hours)

The Admissions Committee will review the applicant’s transcript to determine whether or not the liberal arts requirement is satisfied.

The following list of liberal arts distribution areas will be used to determine where a course belongs:

• The social and behavioral sciences include: Anthropology, biomedical history, communications, economics, environmental studies, geography, history, international studies, political science, psychology, social work, sociology, urban planning, women’s studies, all ethnic studies courses.
• Humanities include: Architecture, art, art history, classics, comparative literature, dance, drama, English, landscape architecture, linguistics, music, philosophy, religious studies, speech communication, all foreign languages and literature.

Additional requirements include:

• Demonstrated potential for graduate studies by maintaining a 3.0 or better undergraduate grade point average.
• Preferably previous experience in the field of human services as an employee, student, or volunteer.
• Evidence of interest, ability, and potential for professional social work practice on an advanced level as demonstrated by three letters of recommendation and a written personal statement.

After each application is evaluated by the Admissions Committee, a recommendation is made for admission. The committee does not make its recommendation on one factor alone; each factor is considered in light of the total application. Written notification of admission is sent to the applicant.

Admissions Appeal Procedure

Applicants for admission to the Master of Social Work program have a right to appeal and adverse recommendation related to admission to the MSW program to the Director of the School of Social Work.

MSW Program Grading Policy

Each course instructor is responsible for establishing and notifying students of the guidelines required to complete course work. The School of Social Work has set the following criteria of letter grading for admissions and eligibility for the Social Work Honor Society: A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, and F.

Other grading assignments (P/NP, I, W, and IP) and policies (auditing, quality-points, “Resident Credit,” withdrawal from the University, policy on academic dishonesty, statement on satisfactory progress, retaking a course (second grade option), are outlined in this Catalog and the Student Handbook.

Student Retention Policy

The School of Social Work requires students to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) in their professional curriculum. Students not maintaining this level will have an academic review by the full-time faculty members. Policies and procedures for this review are located in the Master of Social Work Student Policy Manual. Failure to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 following a probationary semester will result in the student being dismissed from the program. Readmission to the program will be based upon reapplication through the regular admissions process.

Transfer of Credits

Students from other accredited graduate schools of social work may receive recognition of up to 30 credit hours, provided the courses were completed not more than five years prior to the date of application. Students must complete the 30 hours of the specialization year at St. Ambrose.

No credits, other than those from an accredited graduate school of social work, will be transferred from other institutions without permission of the MSW Director. Graduate credits earned within five years at St. Ambrose may be applied as elective credits toward the MSW degree provided those credits were not applied to another degree. Not more than 9 elective credits can be earned and those must be reviewed by MSW faculty for appropriateness to social work education.

No academic credit for life experience and previous work experience will be given, in whole or in part, in lieu of field practicum or of courses in the professional foundation areas specified in CSWE curriculum policy statement.

Accreditation

The MSW program is nationally accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.