Degree Requirements Master of Science in Social Work Developed in accordance with Council on Social Work Education curriculum standards and policies, the full-time MSSW program requires sixty semester hours of coursework. The program consists of a nine-course foundation curriculum that is required of all students, followed by a sequence of courses in the student's area of concentration. In both the foundation and the concentration curriculum, experiential learning is provided through internships in selected government, nonprofit, and for-profit agencies. Of the sixty semester hours required for graduation, a maximum of twenty-four may be accepted by waiver from an accredited Bachelor of Social Work or Master of Social Work program. Waivers are awarded only after careful evaluation by the faculty of a student's training and experience in the areas in which waivers are sought.
Most students enroll in the regular full-time program, which can be completed in two academic years.
Extended and part-time programs of work can be completed in three years. Each scheduling option provides students with opportunities to study independently with individual faculty members, to take elective courses in other University departments, and to waive some required coursework by examination. The school offers required courses during evening hours but cannot guarantee that the degree program can be completed only at night. Completion of a written qualifying examination that tests the student's knowledge of research design and methodology in social work and of selected aspects of social work practice. Completion of an acceptable program of original research, including the submission of a dissertation that extends the knowledge base of social work.