MSW Curriculum: On Campus Program
The MSW curriculum consists of generalist knowledge (thirty credits) and specialized practice knowledge (thirty credits). In the specialized practice year, we educate two types of advanced social work practitioners:
- social workers engaged in Clinical Practice, who are eligible to be licensed clinical social workers in various direct practice settings.
- social workers engaged in Community, Administration, and Policy Practice, who are prepared for careers in community organization and development, administration of human service programs, and policy analysis and advocacy.
Students may take selected courses from either concentration as electives to expand their knowledge base, thus creating their own individualized program of studies.
Specialized Areas of Practice
Clinical
The clinical specialized practice is the area of social work practice that focuses on advanced practice theory courses with individuals across the life cycle (children and adolescents or adults and older adults) in the context of family and community. The practice skills emphasized in these courses are rooted in the explanatory concepts of psychodynamic, cognitive, behavioral, and family system theories, that are critiqued and applied within a multicultural context. The intervention skills students are taught are based on evidence-based practice processes and a strengths-perspective. These elected requirements, together with ethics, research, and a field practicum focused on specialized practice competencies, form the core of the clinical concentration. This core enables students to facilitate change that will promote individual and family well-being. Thus, in addition to the objectives above, clinical concentrators will:
- Apply advanced practice theory to understand the needs of individuals as bio-psycho-social-spiritual beings functioning in a family or family-like structures, as well as the differences between explanatory theories, clinical practice theories, and practice models.
- Apply advanced clinical skills to facilitate change in individuals as bio-psycho- social spiritual beings, exploring how use of self in clinical practice differs by theory.
- Integrate the knowledge and skills learned from the academic educational experiences with those of the practicum developing clinical case formulations that incorporate developmental perspectives.
- Apply the knowledge and skills of research methods to evaluate practice with client systems and program services.
- Apply professional values and ethical principles to clinical practice.
- Apply knowledge of the impact of difference and the mechanisms of oppression on populations-at-risk, including use of strategies for promoting social and economic justice within clinical social work practice.
- Demonstrate awareness of biases, omissions, and cultural limitations of individual theories, particularly related to race, gender, sexuality, religion, and abilities and apply this knowledge in particular in practice with clients who are oppressed and/or marginalized.
Community, Administration, & Policy Practice (CAPP)
The CAPP specialized practice is an area of social work practice that focuses on courses covering approaches to human service agency management, policy analysis and advocacy, social planning and community development and organizing. The practice skills in these courses are rooted in theories of social justice, with an emphasis on anti-oppressive and anti-racist lenses. These requirements, together with ethics, research, and a field practicum within a chosen field of practice, form the core of this concentration. This core prepares students to take leadership roles in organizations and communities and to facilitate change processes to address the structural causes and deleterious consequences of social, economic, and environmental inequities. More specifically, CAPP concentrators will:
- Apply theories of justice and anti-oppressive, anti-racist, and strengths-based perspectives to assess communities, organizations, and policies in ways that promote solidarity and the dignity and self-worth of the person.
- Take an evidence-informed approach to facilitate change processes to promote the common good and address the root causes and symptoms of collaboratively defined social problems.
- Expand the depth, breadth, and specificity of the foundation knowledge of research and evaluation approaches that are sensitive to the complexity of the practice context, competing goals and perspectives, and power dynamics.
- Apply professional values, ethical principles, ethical decision-making, and professional use of self to practice with groups, organizations, and communities.
- Apply anti-oppressive and anti-racist lenses to engage with and on behalf of diverse constituents, including use of strategies for promoting social, economic, and environmental justice.
Program of Study Leading to the MSW Degree
The school offers several options for working toward the MSW degree: the full-time two-year program, the part-time program, and the advanced standing program. All three of these programs can be completed on campus or online. The National Catholic School of Social Service and the Columbus School of Law offer a dual-degree program where students may earn both the MSW and the Juris Doctor degrees. See here.
Full-Time Two-Year Program – On Campus and Online
The full-time structure is a four-semester (two academic years) program, which provides for a sequential learning experience of coursework and concurrent field experience.
Part-Time Programs – On Campus and Online
The part-time program allows students to complete their MSW degree requirements over several years. On campus, students complete coursework in the first and third years, and field placement, integrative field seminar, and practice theory coursework in the second and fourth years. Summer school coursework may be required to complete part-time enrollment in four years. Students in the part-time online clinical program generally complete the program in three and half years if they maintain continuous enrollment. All requirements for the degree must be completed within five years.
Advanced Standing Program – On Campus and Online
The advanced standing program is individually structured in relation to the courses and credits completed in the social work program at the bachelor's level (see Admissions). All accepted advanced standing students must satisfactorily complete the summer on-line course SSS 680D, Essential Foundations for Advanced Level Social Work Education, in order to continue in the fall semester.
MSW Curriculum
The MSW curriculum comprises generalist (foundation) knowledge (30 credits) and advanced knowledge in an area of specialized practice (30 credits). In the on-campus program during the specialized practice year, students can focus on two types of advanced social work practices: (1) Clinical Social Work, (2) Community, Administration, Policy Practice (Macro). In the online program, the clinical specialized practice course plan is offered in the advanced year. MSW students may complete the 60-credit MSW program within a minimum of two years and a maximum of five years. During the graduate program, students complete 12 credits of field placement (two placements over four semesters) and 48 credits of coursework.
Full-time students complete the 60-credit MSW program in two academic years. All part-time students must take at least six hours of academic credit per semester. All students must have completed or be concurrently registered for SSS 570, SSS 571, SSS 581, and SSS 605 when registering for SSS 673; similarly, they must have completed or be concurrently registered for SSS 572, SSS 582, SSS 591, and SSS 606 when registering for SSS 674.
Part-time students may have to take course(s) during summer sessions, depending on the number of credit hours taken during fall and spring semesters. While we make every effort to offer many courses during late afternoon and evening hours, it is imperative that students understand that they will not be able to complete the entire MSW curriculum only during evening hours. Part-time students usually complete the MSW program within four years. Students in the part-time online clinical program generally complete the program in three and half years if they maintain continuous enrollment.
Generalist Curriculum
Social Welfare Policy and Services (SSS 581, SSS 582) presents the historical and contemporary context for understanding social work practice. Students learn the political and organizational processes that are used to influence policy as well as develop skill in analyzing policy. With a focus on affecting policy change for vulnerable and stigmatized populations, issues of power and oppression are considered. Foundations of Multilevel Social Work (SSS 591) integrates practice, theory and research to inform ethical and culturally responsive professional social work or scientific inquiry.
Human Behavior and Social Environment (SSS 571) utilizes an ecological perspective to examine micro, mezzo, and macro theoretical frameworks related to the bio-psycho-social-spiritual aspects of human development. and community well-being. Human Development and Psychopathology (SSS 572) utilizes a "life course perspective" and introduces students to major milestones of human development and complexities often faced across the lifespan, from conception through late adulthood and death as well as the impact of social and economic forces are highlighted as salient influences on life course trajectories and the emergence of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders.
Diversity in a Multicultural Society (SSS 570) examines the history of diversity and discrimination, enhancing self-awareness and sensitivity for a culturally competent social work practice. The generalist model of social work practice is introduced through the two generalist practice courses (SSS 605 - Individuals, Families and Groups, and SSS 606 - Groups, Organizations and Communities) and an integrative field seminar (SSS 673 or SSS 674), taken concurrently with the foundation year field internship.
Supplementing supervised practice in the field, the seminar provides the opportunity for practicing skills through role play, case and project presentations, and seminar discussion. The seminar instructor serves as the liaison between the field agency and the school, maintaining and enhancing that link.
Generalist Curriculum
| SSS 570 |
Diversity in a Multicultural Society |
| SSS 571 |
Human Behavior and the Social Environment |
| SSS 572 |
Human Development and Psychopathology |
| SSS 581 or SSS 582 |
Social Welfare Policy and Services I and II |
| SSS 591 |
Foundations of Multi-Level Social Work |
| SSS 605 |
Generalist Practice with Individuals, Families and Groups |
| SSS 606 |
Generalist Practice with Groups, Communities and Organizations |
| SSS 673 or SSS 674 |
Foundation Field Education and Seminar I and II |
Specialized Practice Curriculum
Upon completion of the foundation curriculum, MSW students choose between the Clinical and CAPP areas of specialized practice on campus. Online, only the Clinical specialized practice is offered in the advanced year.
Students in the clinical specialized practice elect advanced practice theory courses within categories of advanced clinical theory, theory and practice with individuals across the life cycle, and theory and practice with family. The practice skills emphasized in these courses are rooted in the explanatory concepts of psychodynamic, cognitive, behavioral, and family system theories, that are critiqued and applied within a multicultural context. The intervention skills students are taught are based on evidence-based practice processes and a strengths-perspective. These elected requirements, together with ethics, research, and a field practicum within a chosen field of practice, form the core of the clinical concentration. This core enables students to facilitate change that will promote individual and family well-being. Thus, in addition to the objectives above, clinical concentrators will:
Students in clinical specialized practice have a two-semester field internship along with a weekly Clinical Field Integrative Seminar (SSS 871 or SSS 872) Clinical students round out their program with six hours of free electives.
Students in the Community, Administration, and Policy Practice (CAPP) specialized practice focus on practice with organizations, communities, and policy systems. Currently this area of specialization is offered only in an in-person format. The two-course CAPP sequence builds on generalist year coursework, focusing on developing advanced competencies in macro social work practice. This sequence, to be taken alongside required Ethics, Research, and Field courses, prepares students to take leadership roles in organizations and communities and to facilitate change processes to address the structural causes and deleterious consequences of social, economic, and environmental inequities. Together, the courses help prepare MSW graduates to work within the three primary focus areas of macro practice--administration and management, community practice, and policy practice--with a clear social justice lens that emphasizes human rights, anti-oppressive and anti-racist perspectives, and Catholic social teaching
Capp specialized practice students also participate in a two semester field internship along with a weekly Field Integrative Seminar (SSS 871 and SSS 872).
Elective courses may include other advanced-year methods and theory courses in the CAPP and Clinical areas of specialized practice; relevant courses from NCSSS or other CUA departments (with guidance from the specialized practice chair adviser); and relevant courses from the university consortium (with guidance from the concentration advisor and approval from the MSW chair.)
Clinical Specialized Practice Coursework
Nine elective credits complete the concentration. Note that electives may be taken from the CAPP Concentration to create a dual focus.
CAPP Specialized Practice Coursework
Nine elective credits complete the concentration. Note that electives may be taken from the clinical concentration to create a dual focus. Three semester hours
Field Education
Field internship learning experiences are essential to the achievement of the objectives of the MSW curriculum. In the MSW program each student completes two academic-year internships in two different agencies. In the generalist practice year, utilizing the generalist model of practice, students gain social work skills with individuals, families, groups, communities and organizations using a range of intervention modalities. Their learning experiences in the internship support what they are learning in the classroom. Direct engagement in service activities enables the student to experience the discipline of professional relationships; to apply human behavior, research, and social policy curriculum content to the theory and practice of social work; to develop the self-awareness required for a professional level of performance; and to learn to integrate social work knowledge, values, skills, and ethics within the context of a professional social work practice setting.
In the specialized practice year, students practice in agency settings with assignments and activities focused in their chosen area of concentration. Clinical students gain practice skills at an advanced level, learning to differentially apply explanatory theories to the assessment of client systems, to distinguish the appropriate treatment modality for particular client problems, and to differentially apply practice models to treatment planning and intervention. Community Administration Policy Practice (CAPP) students learn to differentially apply macro theories to their practice, and they gain the expertise and skills necessary to facilitate change that promotes organizational and community well-being.
Field education is a collaborative endeavor between the National Catholic School of Social Service, the agency and the student. The school, through its Office of Field Education, assumes responsibility for fieldwork being educationally directed, coordinated and monitored.
With some exceptions (i.e. advanced standing students), students complete four semesters of field education (over two academic years) in two different field settings. Students are in the field placement 14 hours per week in the generalist practice year (total of 420 hours) and 16 hours per week (total of 480 hours) in the specialized practice year. Most students are assigned to agencies on Wednesdays/Thursdays during the generalist practice year and during the specialized practice year. A very limited number of flex-time placements are available to part-time students. These placements all require daytime hours for staff meetings, case conferences and training. Every part-time student should plan for a minimum of one eight-hour block per week during regular working hours, with other hours scheduled on evenings and, sometimes, weekends. Students should be prepared to travel to and from the practicum either by car or public transportation. Agencies and students are expected to arrange field learning experiences so that they are in consonance with the academic calendar. It is the school's expectation that students will have only two weeks' break from the practicum between the first and second semesters. Any additional time away from clients must be negotiated between field instructor and student.
Students are placed in agencies and programs that provide specific social services or use qualified social work practitioners in the planning, administration, and delivery of a variety of human services. These agencies and programs are selected and approved by the staff of the school's Office of Field Education. The school works with agencies in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area, Maryland and Virginia and other states where online students may reside. Supervision in the field setting is the responsibility of the field instructor, who is a qualified and committed social work professional, most often agency-based. The field instructor orients the student to the agency, assigns and oversees the student's activities, and provides the student regular weekly one-on-one supervision. In many agencies, additional training opportunities are available to interns, e.g., case conferences, group supervision, peer supervision, and educational seminars.
In placing generalist and specialized practice students, the Office of Field Education considers their prior experience, interests and educational goals, as discussed in the field application. Students research agencies of interest and appropriate to their level in the MSW Program, submit their preferences to the Director of Field Education, and are then referred for interviews, based on availability and suitability of their choices.
The weekly integrative seminar, taken concurrently with the field practicum, helps students to integrate course content and the field work experience. Supplementing supervised practice in the field, the integrative seminar provides the opportunity for practicing skills through role play, case and project presentation, and seminar discussion. The seminar instructor serves as the liaison between the field agency and the school, maintaining and enhancing that link, and providing support and monitoring as necessary. The seminar instructor assigns the grade for field education/integrative seminar at the end of each semester. The final grade is based on evaluation of student performance in field education (60 percent) and seminar work (40 percent).
Students in field practica are required to pay an additional fee for malpractice insurance and to furnish proof of health insurance coverage. Some agencies may have additional requirements, e.g., immunization verification, police clearance, or drug screening.