MSW in Social Work
The University of Missouri’s Master of Social Work (MSW) Program prepares competent, effective and ethical social work professional leaders for social change. The MSW Program emphasizes a commitment to enhancing human well-being by alleviating social problems, embracing diversity and promoting social and economic justice with systems of all sizes through advanced clinical social work practice and policy planning and administration in human services. The MSW program prepares students to promote social and economic justice that responds to the broad economic, social, and cultural needs of the public and private. The MSW Program is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, of which the School of Social Work is a charter member.
Degree Requirements
Preparation for professional leadership encompasses two major components: Foundation and Concentrations.
Foundation
Develops knowledge and skills related to social interaction, human development, community dynamics, social policy and societal values applicable to generalist social work practice.
| SOC_WK 7000 | Professional Social Work Practice | 1 |
| SOC_WK 7710 | Social Policy and Service Delivery in Social Work | 3 |
| SOC_WK 7720 | Foundations of Human Behavior | 3 |
| SOC_WK 7730 | Social Work Skills | 3 |
| SOC_WK 7740 | Large Group Theory | 2 |
| SOC_WK 7760 | Social Justice Seminar | 2 |
| SOC_WK 7952 | Research Methods in Social Work | 3 |
| SOC_WK 7971 | Graduate Field Practicum I | 4 |
Concentrations
The MSW program offers two concentrations: Advanced Clinical Practice and Policy, Planning and Administration (PP&A). Within these concentrations, students have the opportunity to create a plan of study based on their individual interests and professional goals. Decisions regarding their chosen concentration are made by students in consultation with faculty advisors. A brief description of the two concentrations is as follows:
Advanced Clinical Social Work Practice: includes strategies of clinical intervention with socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, families, and small groups in a variety of health, mental health, family and children services, and senior citizen agencies.
| Clinical concentration courses | ||
| Advanced Clinical Selective (choose 1 from those offered) * | 3 | |
| Elective (must be graduate level) * | 3 | |
| Elective (must be graduate level) * | 3 | |
| Elective (must be graduate level) + | 3 | |
| SOC_WK 7770 | Strategies of Clinical Social Work Intervention | 3 |
| SOC_WK 7820 | DSM and Psychopathology: A Social Work Perspective | 3 |
| SOC_WK 8953 | Evaluative Research in Social Work | 3 |
| SOC_WK 8970 | Professional Practice Seminar I | 3 |
| SOC_WK 8971 | Graduate Field Practicum II | 12 |
| Required cross-over course | ||
| SOC_WK 7780 | Fundamentals of Social Work Administration | 3 |
- *
Elective and clinical selective courses offered will vary from year to year.
- +
The third elective course is only required for regular standing students.
Policy, Planning and Administration in Human Services: includes intervention strategies that effect change at the organizational, interagency, community, and societal levels to advance social and economic justice for consumers of social and human services and to empower practitioners within those agencies.
| Policy, Planning & Administration courses | ||
| Elective (must be graduate level) * | 3 | |
| Elective (must be graduate level) * | 3 | |
| Elective (must be graduate level) + | 3 | |
| SOC_WK 7780 | Fundamentals of Social Work Administration | 3 |
| SOC_WK 7920 | Advanced Foundations of Human Behavior for Administrators | 3 |
| SOC_WK 8350 | Management of a Social Agency | 3 |
| SOC_WK 8953 | Evaluative Research in Social Work | 3 |
| SOC_WK 8970 | Professional Practice Seminar I | 3 |
| SOC_WK 8971 | Graduate Field Practicum II | 12 |
| Required cross-over course | ||
| SOC_WK 7820 | DSM and Psychopathology: A Social Work Perspective | 3 |
- *
Elective courses offered will vary from year to year.
- +
The third elective course is only required for regular standing students.
Course Format
On Campus MSW Program courses are primarily offered in-person. A few foundation, concentration and elective courses are offered online through Canvas, a learning management system licensed to the University of Missouri for online courses.
The Online MSW program is designed for part-time study with two courses, typically 6 credit hours of course work, per semester. All courses are offered online through Canvas with the exception of the practicum, which requires 680 hours of supervised work at an approved agency.
Standing and Additional Information
Regular Standing: Non-Social-Work Bachelor’s
The regular 60-credit hour degree is appropriate for students who have undergraduate degrees other than accredited social work degrees. The school admits full-time (on-campus) and part-time (online) students to the regular 60-credit hour program.
Advanced Standing: Bachelor’s in Social Work (BSW)
Students who have graduated within the past seven years from a baccalaureate social work program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education may be eligible for the Advanced Standing Program, which is an accelerated 39-credit hour degree.
Starting Dates
On-campus students admitted to the Regular Standing Program are admitted in fall semester (full-time). On-campus students admitted to the Advanced Standing Program are admitted in the fall or spring semester. Online students admitted to the Regular Standing program are admitted for the summer semester (part-time) and online students admitted to the Advanced Standing Program are admitted for fall semester (part-time).
Length of Study & Satisfactory Progress
Full-time Regular Standing students take 15 credits each semester and graduate in two years (4 semesters of study). Full-time Advanced Standing students take 3-5 classes each semester (9-15 credits) and graduate in 12-17 months (3 semesters of study). Part-time Regular Standing students take 2-3 classes (6-9 credits) every semester, including summer, and graduate in three years (9 semesters of study). Part-time Advanced Standing students take 2-3 classes (6-9 credits) every semester, including summer, and graduate in two years (6 semesters of study). All students are full-time during their last semester while completing block placement. All students must follow the plan of study based on their standing (regular or advanced) and status (full or part-time) and be able to complete the program in 4 years to maintain a satisfactory rate of progress.
Financial Aid from the Program
Scholarship opportunities are available for full-time and part-time program applicants who meet the early application deadline. A separate Scholarship Application is available on the department website. Submission of the Scholarship Application is due by early application deadline.
Admission Criteria
Application Deadlines
Summer/Fall deadline: January 15 (early priority), March 1 (final)
Spring deadline: September 15 (early priority), November 15 (final)
Admission Criteria
- Minimum GPA: 3.0.
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with the applicant’s undergraduate transcript reflecting a sound liberal arts foundation, including courses in the humanities, as well as in the social and behavioral sciences.
- All International students must submit Internet-based (iBT) TOEFL scores, IELTS scores, PTE scores or C1 Advanced scores. No waivers will be given.
Minimum iBT TOEFL scores:
| Test Portion | Total Minimum Score |
|---|---|
| Listening | 22 |
| Reading | 21 |
| Writing | 23 |
| Speaking | 26 |
Minimum IELTS scores:
| Test Portion | Total Minimum Score |
|---|---|
| Listening | 6.5 |
| Reading | 6.5 |
| Writing | 6 |
| Speaking | 8 |
Minimum PTE scores:
| Test Portion | Total Minimum Score |
|---|---|
| Listening | 58 |
| Reading | 58 |
| Writing | 50 |
| Speaking | 79 |
Minimum C1 scores:
| Test Portion | Total Minimum Score |
|---|---|
| Listening | 176 |
| Reading | 176 |
| Writing | 169 |
| Speaking | 197 |
Prerequisites
All MSW applicants must complete an approved college level statistics course with a grade of C- or higher before they will be accepted to enroll in the MSW program. SOC_WK 4310 is the recommended course for University of Missouri students. The following University of Missouri courses are also approved and may be taken in lieu of SOC_WK 4310: STAT 1200, STAT 1400, STAT 2500, and ESC_PS 4170. Statistics courses completed at other academic institutions may substitute for University of Missouri statistic courses, pending submission of official transcript and approval by the MSW Program Director. Completion of the statistics course prior to application submission is preferred and strongly recommended. If an applicant is enrolled in a statistics course at the time of application and accepted into the MSW Program, the acceptance will be “pending successful completion of the approved statistics class".
Note: Priority admission deadline for On-campus and Online, Regular Standing Applicants and Online, Advanced Standing Applicants: January 15. A student qualifies for Regular Standing Admission if they have an undergraduate degree in any field other than Social Work. An applicant qualifies for Advanced Standing admission if they have a bachelor’s degree in Social Work earned within the last seven (7) years. Any applicant who applies after the priority deadline will be considered on the rolling admission cycle until March 1.
Note: Priority admission deadline for On-campus, Advanced Standing applicants: September 15. An applicant qualifies for Advanced Standing admission if they have a bachelor’s degree in Social Work earned within the last seven (7) years. Any Advanced Standing applicant that applies after the priority deadline of September 15 for spring admission will be considered on a rolling admission cycle until November 15.
Required Application Materials
To the Graduate School:
- All required Graduate School documents
To the MSW Program:
- Personal statement (see department instruction)
- Résumé/CV
- Three letters of professional reference from persons who can address the applicant’s intellectual ability and interpersonal skills, potential for graduate education, and potential for professional social work practice through observation in an educational or work (paid or volunteer) setting. Letters of reference should not be submitted from friends or family
- Unofficial transcripts
- Advanced standing students only: the most recent copy of your field evaluation (see department instruction) or one of your three required references should be from your supervisor at your practicum site.
Admission Contact Information
Crystal Null (nullc@missouri.edu)
725 Clark Hall; Columbia, MO 65211
573-884-9385
https://healthprofessions.missouri.edu/social-work/masters-degree/