The M.S.W. curriculum is divided into two levels: the professional
foundation and the advanced curriculum. The first level requires 29
credits and the second level requires 31 credits to complete a
total of 60 credits for graduation. Included in these 60 credits
are both course work and fieldwork.
Professional Foundation
All students, except those with baccalaureate degrees from
programs accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, are
required to take all of the foundation courses. These courses contain a
body of knowledge, values, and skills essential for social work
practice. This common base is transferable among settings, population
groups, and problem areas. The foundation curriculum consists of
courses in generalist social work practice with corresponding field
instruction; human behavior and the social environment;
psychopathology; introductory social research methods; social welfare
policy and services; and a course focused on diversity, oppression, and
the legal environment of social work practice. Successful completion of
the foundation program is required before beginning the advanced
curriculum.
The required foundation courses are:
19:910:500, 501 Social Work Practice I,II (3,3)
19:910:502, 503 Human Behavior and Social Environment I,II (3,3)
19:910:504 Social Welfare Policy and Services I (3)
19:910:505 Methods of Social Work Research I (3)
19:910:506 Diversity, Oppression, and the Legal Environment of Social Work (3)
19:910:507 Psychopathology (3)
19:910:508, 509 Field Practicum I,II (2,3)
Students admitted on conditional status without an introductory
statistics course that covers descriptive and basic inferential
statistical procedures may not enter the advanced program until they
complete such course with a grade of C or better.
Advanced Curriculum
The advanced curriculum consists of a concentration in a method of
advanced practice, a cluster in a substantive area, an advanced
research course, advanced field instruction, and electives. Only after
successful completion of the professional foundation courses can
students begin the advanced curriculum. Students must select a
concentration and a cluster.
Students admitted on conditional
status without an introductory statistics course may not enter the
advanced program until they complete such a course with a grade of
C or better.
Concentrations. Concentrations build
on, are related to, and extend the professional foundation. A
concentration focuses on advanced methods of social work practice by
size and type of client system. Concentrations are designed to develop
greater depth in knowledge and skills building upon the generalist
foundation. Students may concentrate in Direct Practice with
Individuals, Families, and Groups (with all course work offered in
Camden), or Administration, Policy, and Planning (with two advanced
practice courses offered only in New Brunswick). Students must select a
concentration prior to entering the advanced curriculum. Both
concentrations require two advanced practice methods courses (6
credits) and a minimum of 7 credits of advanced field instruction.
Direct Practice with Individuals, Families, and Groups. The
concentration in Direct Practice with Individuals, Families, and Groups
prepares students to conceptualize, provide, and supervise the delivery
of social work services to individuals, couples, families, and small
groups. Emphasis is on developing competence in those helping processes
used to prevent problems and to enhance, develop, and restore social
functioning. Courses required for the concentration and which must be
taken concurrently with a direct practice field practicum are:
19:910:511 Advanced Direct Practice I (3)
19:910:512 Advanced Direct Practice II (3)
Administration, Policy, and Planning. The concentration in
Administration, Policy, and Planning is designed to prepare social
workers to perform administrative functions or planning, organizing,
and policy functions within organizations, communities, and in the
larger society. Courses required for the concentration and which must
be taken concurrently with an administration, policy, and planning
field practicum are:
19:910:535 Advanced Administration, Policy, and Planning Practice I (3)
19:910:536 Advanced Administration, Policy, and Planning Practice II (3)
Clusters. A cluster is an organized program of study that focuses
on a specific problem area and/or population at risk. It consists of a
cluster-related policy course, an integrative seminar, and a
cluster-related field placement that is coupled with the student`s
concentration. Clusters combine substantive knowledge of social
problems and issues and populations at risk with social work practice
methods. Currently, two clusters are offered: Children and Families
(C&F)* and Health, Mental Health, and Aging (HMHA).
Children and Families. The children and families cluster addresses
the special needs of families and children. Students learn the skills
and knowledge necessary to attempt to prevent and remedy the social
problems of this population. Opportunities to focus on child welfare
and school social work are provided. Advanced field placement
opportunities are available to direct practice and administration,
policy, and planning students. The following courses are required for
the children and families cluster:
19:910:557 Integrative Seminar: Children and Families (3)
19:910:585 Issues in Social Policy: Children and Families (3)
Health, Mental Health, and Aging. Health, mental health, and aging
provides students with the opportunity to obtain knowledge of health,
mental health, and aging concerns. Students will be able to tailor
their learning to working with, and on behalf of, the aging or the
developmentally disabled or the chronically mentally ill or those with
health problems.. Advanced field placement opportunities in HMHA are
available to direct practice and administration, policy, and planning
students. The following courses are required for the health, mental
health, and aging cluster:
19:910:559 Integrative Seminar: HMHA (3)
19:910:587 Issues in Social Policy: HMHA (3)
Gerontology Certificate. Students enrolled in the health, mental
health, and aging cluster receive a Certificate in Gerontology if (1)
they focus on aging in all course requirements, such as policy
analysis, papers, class presentation, case presentation and analysis,
etc., and in 19:910:587 Issues in Social Policy and 19:910:559
Integrative Seminar; (2) they have a second-year field placement in a
setting offering experience relevant to aging-such as in a nursing home
or a county office on aging; and (3) they complete 19:910: 572
Gerontology as an elective during the fall term of the second year.
Advanced Research. All
students take an advanced research course that builds upon the basic
knowledge acquired in the foundation research course. Major emphasis is
on the evaluation of practice models, evaluation of individual
practice, and the evaluation of agency programs.
Advanced Field Practicum. The
advanced field practicum is concentration and cluster specific. During
two terms, students take 7 credits of advanced fieldwork in the
concentration and cluster of their choice. The advanced field practicum
must be taken concurrently with the appropriate advanced practice and
cluster courses.
Elective Courses. All students must complete a minimum of 9 credits of electives.
