The School of Social Welfare at the University at Albany and the School of Education and Human Development at Binghamton University offer a dual, jointly-registered degree program culminating in the degrees of Master of Social Work and Master of Arts in Social Sciences. The MSW degree program at the University at Albany is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. The MASS program strengthens the potential for responsibility and leadership in the adult student. Students take courses from both within the School of Education and Human Development and from other schools and departments within the University.
Special attention is given to gender, class, race, ethnicity, and issues of social responsibility.
In social work, students complete generalist foundation courses, and advanced courses in direct practice that prepare them to work with individuals, families, and small groups. Concurrent with academic courses, they take field instruction in a social work agency under the supervision of a qualified social worker. In social sciences, students complete required core courses, special courses for dual degree students, and social science electives. In the planned model curriculum, approximately half the courses are taken in Albany and half in Binghamton. Field instruction may be in the Southern Tier, if the student wishes.