Master of Social Work

A Clinical Practice specialization will prepare you for social work in a clinical mental health setting. If you’re interested in working in direct practice with individuals, families, or groups in a counseling or mental health setting, you might consider the clinical specialization.

COURSES

• SOWK 670 Motivational Interviewing & Solution-Focused Brief Therapy
• SOWK 671 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy & Dialectical Behavior Therapy
• SOWK 672 Neurobiology & Social Work Practice
• SOWK 673 Marital & Family Therapy
• SOWK 674 Play Therapy
• SOWK 675 Clinical Practice with Adolescents
• SOWK 676 Grief
• SOWK 677 Advanced Behavioral and Social Interventions for Exceptional Children
• SOWK 678 Crisis Intervention

The Community Practice and Administration specialization will prepare you to work in public or non-profit organizations, communities, and faith-based agencies at the administrative or community level. You’ll learn to apply evidence-informed and asset-based community practice frameworks and methods of intervention to develop responsive systems, sustainable physical and social environments, and social justice-oriented public and institutional policies.

COURSES

• SOWK 680 Organizational & Community Change Planning
• SOWK 681 Nonprofit Administration & Organizational Theory
• SOWK 682 Community Organizing & Advocacy
• SOWK 683 Quantitative Analysis & Program Evaluation (MPA)
• SOWK 684 Budgeting & Public Finance (MPA)
• SOWK 685 Grant Writing & Fundraising
• SOWK 686 Leadership (MPA)
• SOWK 687 HR Management (MPA)

The Advanced Generalist specialization is a good option if you're open to a career path that might take you into direct or indirect practice. This specialization allows you to pick and choose courses that are most interesting or seem most useful to you.

COURSES

Students will choose courses from the Clinical and Community Practice & Administration specializations.

To learn more, visit our admissions requirement page.

The MSW program requires 36 credits for students qualifying for advanced standing. Regular standing requires 60 credits.

Because your MSW plan of study will be custom tailored based on your interests and objectives, your time to complete the program may vary.

A regular standing full-time plan of study typically takes 1¾ years (21 months), and a part-time plan of study typically takes 2¾ years (33 months) with 15-week semesters and two 7.5-week summer terms.

An advanced standing full-time plan of study typically takes one year beginning in the summer, and a part-time plan of study typically takes two years with 15-week semesters and two 7.5-week summer terms.

Preference for admittance to Advanced Standing will be given to those students who completed their BSW degree no more than five years prior to application. If students completed their BSW more than five years before applying to the MSW program, they must demonstrate that they have engaged in continuing education and professional social work practice during the majority of the years since their baccalaureate education.

A copy of the Field Evaluation from BSW field experience(s) documenting satisfactory generalist practice experience and skills in the internship is required. While prospective students may be admitted conditionally based on their performance in the field, full admission is contingent upon receipt of final field evaluation. When the final field evaluation is not available, the applicant must submit the Field Verification Form.

Students who have obtained a bachelor’s degree in an area other than social work will have regular standing.

Dordt's MSW program is approved and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.