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social work graduate program.
The mission of the University of Nebraska at Omaha School of Social Work is to educate students to become highly qualified social workers who serve people of all ages and influence the systems that affect them, to advance knowledge through teaching and research, and to engage with diverse communities to promote socially just societies.
The primary purpose of the social work profession is to enhance human well-being. Social workers help to meet the basic human needs of all people and empower those who are vulnerable, oppressed, or affected by poverty. The social work profession was founded on a set of core principles that still guide its unique purpose and perspective today:
- Service
- Social Justice
- Dignity and Worth of the Person
- Importance of Relationships
- Integrity
- Competence
Social Work maintains a dual focus on individual well-being in a social context and on the betterment of society. Social workers seek to enhance the capacity of people to address their own needs, helping people to identify and address the environmental forces that create and contribute to problems in living. For over 100 years, social workers have worked to promote social justice and social change with and on behalf of individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities, helping millions of people to challenge their circumstances and change their lives, and promoting the responsiveness of organizations, communities, and other social institutions to individuals' needs and social problems.
Social workers are sensitive to cultural and ethnic diversity and strive to end discrimination, oppression, poverty, and other forms of social injustice. These activities may be in the form of direct practice, community organizing, supervision, consultation, administration, advocacy, social and political action, policy development and implementation, education, research and evaluation.
The masters program in social work prepares the student for advanced social work practice. Master's level social workers are employed in public and private agencies, including medical settings, schools, residential treatment centers, court and correctional agencies, and community planning and development agencies. Their activities and interventions are designed to promote more effective functioning of society as it struggles to "provide for the general welfare" as well as to help people, families, groups, and institutions within the society achieve self-fulfillment.
The School of Social Work and its MSW degree program are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), the national accrediting body for all social work education
Master of Social Work (MSW)
Our MSW programs are the only accredited MSW programs in the state of Nebraska. The MSW degree is the primary degree recognized for certification or licensure for independent social work practice in the United States.
Foundation program (24 credit hours + an Advanced Standing program)
If your undergraduate degree is not in social work or you earned a BSW from an accredited school of social work more than 10 years ago, you will first complete the MSW Foundation program. The Foundation program teaches generalist knowledge and skills common to all professional social workers. Students completing the Foundation program automatically progress to one of the Advanced Standing programs.
Required courses for the MSW Foundation program (3 credit hours each):
- SOWK 8070 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I
- SOWK 8080 Human Behavior and the Social Environment II
- SOWK 8090 Social Welfare Policy
- SOWK 8110 Institutional Oppression
- SOWK 8130 Generalist Practice I
- SOWK 8150 Generalist Practice II
- SOWK 8160 Generalist Practicum I
- SOWK 8170 Generalist Practicum II
(Waiver examinations are available for SOWK 8070 and 8090. See Academic Policies & Standards for more information on deficiencies, waivers, and transfers of credit: www.unomaha.edu/socialwork/documents/academic_policies.pdf)
Advanced Standing programs (39 credit hours)
If you have a BSW from an accredited school of social work or have completed the MSW Foundation program, you can choose from four programs:
A certificate in gerontology is available with any of the on-campus programs (Options 1-3 above).
MSW Advanced Standing program, Advanced Generalist concentration (39 credit hours)
The Advanced Generalist Social Work Practice concentration prepares students with advanced knowledge and skills in direct and indirect practice to address social service delivery system needs. Students who select this concentration desire knowledge and practice skills in clinical, administrative, policy, advocacy, community practice, and research so that they are prepared to take leadership positions in rural, urban, or international settings. The Advanced Generalist concentration emphasizes social justice, civic engagement, and diversity.
The Advanced Generalist concentration builds on the liberal arts perspective and social welfare theory, providing an opportunity for students to integrate direct and indirect practice across the lifespan. Examples of direct practice include: clinical intake and assessment, treatment planning, intervention, and discharge planning. Examples of indirect practice include: community organizing, social welfare planning, policy analysis, legislative advocacy, and program evaluation.
Required courses for the Advanced Standing program, Advanced Generalist concentration (3 credit hours each):
MSW Advanced Standing program, Clinical concentration (39 credit hours)
Clinical social work shares with all social work practice the goal of “enhancement and maintenance of psychosocial functioning of individuals, families and groups” (NASW Standards for the Practice of Clinical Social Work). Clinical social work is the application of advanced professional knowledge and skills to aid in the prevention, treatment, and ongoing rehabilitation of the psychosocial problems experienced by individuals, families, and groups across the life span. These problems may include normal challenges and problems in living and psychosocial dysfunction, disability, or impairment, including mental and behavioral health disorders. Clinical social work practice draws on current theory from social work and other clinical disciplines, including theories of human development/behavior within a psychosocial context, and treatment methods established by research as best practices.
Clinical social work maintains the perspective of person-in-situation, including a focus on diversity and multiculturalism, and encompasses a range of services; e.g., assessment; diagnosis; treatment, including psychotherapy and counseling; support and education; client-centered advocacy; consultation; and evaluation, all of which should support the broad social work value of promoting social and economic justice for vulnerable groups. Clinical practice is conducted in the context of principles and values contained in the NASW Code of Ethics. In collaboration with clients, clinical practice helps clients set treatment goals and enact changes that will help them gain access to resources and develop/maintain their adaptive capacities, achievements and strengths.
Required courses for the Advanced Standing program, Clinical concentration (3 credit hours each):
MSW/MPA Advanced Standing Dual Degree program (54 credit hours)
The UNO Schools of Social Work and Public Administration offer prospective candidates the option to receive both graduate degrees offered by these programs (MSW and MPA) through the MSW/MPA Dual Degree Program. Students who have already graduated with an MSW or an MPA degree are not eligible for this program. This program prepares students to provide a variety of advanced direct and indirect social work services and assume leadership in the public service sector, specifically administrative and policy work with governmental units and non-profit organizations.
MSW/MPA Dual Degree students will complete a 4-hour social work comprehensive exam focused on Advanced Generalist Social Work Practice administered by the School of Social Work. Students will also complete a 6-hour public administration comprehensive exam administered by the School of Public Administration. Students have the option to take a 3 credit hour capstone course in lieu of the MPA comprehensive exam. Details are available on the Public Administration website at: www.unomaha.edu/spa/index.php
Required courses for the MSW/MPA Advanced Standing Dual Degree program (3 credit hours each):
MSW/MPH Advanced Standing Dual Degree program (57 credit hours)
A dual degree program awarding both the MSW and the MPH is offered through the UNO School of Social Work and the UNMC College of Public Health. The degrees are awarded after all requirements for both degree programs have been met. This option is available only to new students admitted to either program.
This program prepares highly skilled professionals with competence in both social work practice (health and mental health) and in public health. Graduates will have the knowledge and skills to engage in a variety of administrative tasks necessary to the promotion of community health and mental health: policy analysis, assessment of community needs, program development and administration, personnel management, grant writing, developing community capacity, training, and program implementation and evaluation. In addition, graduates will also be able engage in practice across the continuum of care with health and mental health problems, including prevention, crisis intervention, clinical intervention, and rehabilitation services, especially with populations at risk.
Required courses for the MSW/MPH Advanced Standing Dual Degree program (3 credit hours each):
Academic Policies and Standards
A student must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher in all graduate work taken as part of an MSW program, including courses taken for a certificate. Additionally, a student must receive a grade of B or higher in practicum courses (8160, 8170, 8400, 8410, and 8420).
A student whose cumulative GPA drops below 3.0 or who receives a grade of C+ (2.33 on a 4.0 scale) or below in nine credit hours will be considered in academic difficulty and will receive a Review.
A student who receives a grade of C- (1.67 on a 4.0 scale) or below in any graduate work taken as part of the MSW program, including courses taken for a certificate, will be automatically dismissed from the program by the Office of Graduate Studies.
When a student is dismissed from the MSW program by the UNO Graduate Office, a student may request reinstatement if the student was a “student in good standing” prior to the incident preceding the dismissal.
Other requirements for any MSW program:
- An undergraduate human biology course or equivalent;
- An undergraduate research methods course;
- An undergraduate statistics course.
See the School of Social Work website for requirements and for details about research, practicum, waiver exams, etc. The website is www.unomaha.edu/socialwork/graduate.php. The Academic Policies and Standards can be found: www.unomaha.edu/socialwork/documents/academic_policies.pdf .
How to Apply
Applications for the MSW programs are accepted once a year and are due January 15. Students are admitted each year for the Fall semester. All admissions forms are completed online through the UNO Graduate College. Applications will be available for review by the School of Social Work Admissions Committee when all requested information has been received and uploaded by the Graduate College.
MSW admission requirements:
- Graduate application for admission. Can be found at: www.unomaha.edu/graduate/prospective/applyforadmission.php
- $45.00 non-refundable application fee
- Official transcripts from each college or university attended
- GRE scores if undergraduate GPA is between 2.7 and 3.0, or if applying to the MSW/MPA dual degree program – send results to the UNO Office of Graduate Studies before the application is reviewed by the Admissions Committee
- Three letters of recommendations - Please provide the names and email addresses for your recommenders. (A Request form will be emailed to recommenders by UNO when you submit your online application.)
- Statement of purpose ( also known as Personal Essay ); Five page personal statement (specific criteria for the essay can be found at www.unomaha.edu/socialwork/documents/MSW_admissions_info.pdf )
- Updated resume or work history
Applications for the MSW/MPH and MSW/MPA programs are also due January 15. The MPH application is completed online through the College of Public Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center; see website for more information: www.unmc.edu/publichealth/mph. For more information on applying for the MSW/MPA program, see this website: http://spa.unomaha.edu
The Admissions Committee of the School of Social Work has the responsibility to determine the applicant’s suitability for the profession and reserves the right to request an interview and/or additional evaluative material. The School of Social Work reserves the right to change admission and graduation requirements in order to remain in compliance with the accreditation standards of the Council on Social Work Education.
For more information, visit the website (www.unomaha.edu/socialwork/admissions.php) or call 402-554-2792.
last updated : 11/22/2011 at 1:43pm