Spalding University’s Master of Social Work program offers a social justice focused curriculum and is designed for excellence in professional preparation. It builds on practical change-promoting strategies for work with our most vulnerable citizens and offers unique skill-focused theme courses in Critical/Reflective Thinking and Social Justice in practice

It is an intensive curriculum held on alternating weekends, offering a fully-accredited MSW degree in 1 year for persons with BSW degrees and 2 years for students with other bachelor degrees. Admission for BSW graduates admitted to our Advanced Standing program is in June. Both groups then join with the cohort of 2nd year regular program students in mid-August. June is also the admission point for Regular Program (2 year) students who do not possess BSW degrees from CSWE-accredited programs.

We offer one highly adaptable single concentration in Integrative Practice. This concentration helps to prepare advanced practitioners who sustain throughout their careers, a consistent focus on achieving both of social work’s interconnected purposes: human well-being and the alleviation of poverty.

As required by the Council on Social Work Education, all MSW students must engage in extensive field education. MSW students in the Regular, two year program are required to successfully complete 450 hours of field during their Foundation year. Students in the Concentration year are also required to complete 450 field hours. There are many different opportunities for field placements, dependent upon the student’s interests, time schedule and location, and the agency’s availability. Students are encouraged to peruse the Field Roster to become acquainted with the various agencies and settings available.

Our highly skilled faculty members are interested in persons who expect to make a difference in the world and understand the adult learners’ need for balancing multiple responsibilities. Offering classes on alternating weekends assists many students in being able to successfully pursue their MSW in a full time manner while maintaining other aspects of their lives.  Our method of instruction combines active, cooperative and experiential learning strategies in addition to group discussion and input.

Each year’s class is admitted in a cohort, an adult learning group that serves as a source of both support and challenge. Our classes are intentionally small, rarely over 15 for practice classes, or 30 for combined classes. The combination of the cohort model and availability of faculty as mentors lends to a rich educational experience.

For more information about our program and unique calendar of courses:

MSW Learner Handbook 2011-2012

MSW First Year Full-Time 2012-2013 Calendar

MSW Second Year Full-Time 2012-2013 Calendar

MSW Advanced Standing Full-Time Regular 2012-2013 Calendar

MSW Second Year Advanced Standing Summer 2012-2013 Calendar