University of Nebraska at Omaha
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The University of Nebraska at Omaha School of Social Work offers an accredited graduate program of study that prepares students for advanced social work practice in a variety of fields and qualifies them for the Master of Social Work (MSW) degree. UNO has offered graduate education in social work since 1937, with continuous accreditation for the program since 1940. The School of Social Work offers the only accredited MSW program in the state of Nebraska.
The MSW degree is the primary degree recognized for certification, registration or licensure for independent social work practice in all states in the United States. In the state of Nebraska, the MSW degree qualifies one to become a Certified Social Worker (CSW). After 3,000 hours of supervised post-graduate MSW experience and passage of a national examination, an individual is eligible to become a Certified Master Social Worker (CMSW) and/or a Licensed Mental Health Practitioner (LMHP). The combination of CMSW and LMHP gives one the title of Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). Click here for more information about the Nebraska licensure requirements.
The MSW program consists of two levels, the 63-credit hour Foundation Program and the 39-credit hour Advanced Standing Program. The graduate social work programs begin in the fall semester and graduate students are required to take a minimum of two courses per semester (excluding summer), and to complete their degree within four calendar years.
Admission Instructions and Forms for the MSW Program.
The 63-credit hour Foundation MSW Program is designed for students who have earned a baccalaureate degree in a discipline other than social work. The foundation level of the MSW program prepares students for advanced practice by helping them gain the knowledge, values, and skills necessary for effective generalist practice in a variety of social work roles. The values, knowledge, and skills include:
- Commitment to strengthening the functioning of vulnerable populations-at-risk;
- Respect for diversity, social justice, and professional social work ethics;
- Understanding of the person-in-environment through the general systems framework;
- Critical analysis of psychobiological theories of human behavior, the role of larger systems in social problems, policy issues involved in social problems and social welfare, and the role of diverse cultures and oppression in understanding individual, family, and social functioning;
- Skills in implementing the generalist social work roles: assessment of client, family, group, neighborhood, community, and organizational needs;
- Skills in engagement, interviewing, problem solving, supportive/educational counseling, crisis intervention, case management, referral, and advocacy with various client systems; and
- Skills in analyzing the impact of social policies on client systems of all sizes as well as beginning advocacy skills in developing or modifying policies and practices in order to advance social justice.
The Foundation program consists of 27-credit hours of generalist knowledge and skills common to all professional social workers. Students completing the Foundation Program automatically progress to the Advanced Standing Program.
Specific prerequisites include undergraduate courses in Statistics and Research Methods, a course (or evidence of having had content) in Human Biology, and a strong liberal arts base. Waiver examinations are available for the Human Behavior and the Social Environment I (SOWK 8070) and Social Welfare Policy (SOWK 8090) Foundation courses. See Waivers, Transfers and Exceptions for more information on waivers and transfers of credit.
Click on the links to read more about the MSW Program Goals and Objectives.
NOTE: Due to admission requirement changes through the School of Public Administration, Dual Degree students are required to take the GRE. Official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores on the verbal, quantitative, and written sections are required for admission consideration. An admission decision will not be made without these scores. There is no minimum cut-off score. For additional information on the GRE, please visit http://www.gre.org. UNO's university code is 6420.
foundation msw program curriculum (27 credit hours)
- 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
- SOWK 8190—Research and Computer Applications*
advanced standing msw program.
The Advanced Standing MSW Program continues the process whereby students gain increased and in-depth professional knowledge and competence. Admission to the advanced standing level assumes competence in generalist practice whether obtained in the UNO School of Social Work’s Foundation-level MSW Program, or in a CSWE-accredited bachelor’s social work program (any deficiencies are noted at the time of admission, and the student will be advised on procedures to remediate these).
The Advanced Standing MSW Program is comprised of the 3-credit Research and Computer Applications course (SOWK 8190) and the 36-credit hour Advanced Standing curriculum. This program consists of 39* credit hours of advanced courses, which include concentration-based courses in either Clinical Social Work Practice (CSWP) or Integrated Social Work Practice (ISWP).
The Advanced Standing curriculum builds on and expands the foundation curriculum through two broad components: the advanced standing program core, which all MSW students take, and the concentration choice, which consists of requirements unique to each concentration (although each includes content in the curriculum areas of: social issues/policies/service delivery, advanced practice, research, and field experience).
Click on the links to read more about th MSW Program Goals and Objectives of the Advanced Standing MSW Program Concentrations .
* For Foundation MSW students proceeding to the Advanced Standing Program, the total credits required at the Advanced Standing Program is 36 credits, because SOWK 8190 has already been completed.
advanced standing msw program core requirements
The advanced core is required for all MSW students. The assumption for this requirement is that highly competent MSW professionals will need in-depth knowledge and mastery of advanced direct and indirect practice skills for a wide range of fields of practice and as a base for the integration of subsequent concentration requirements.
The advanced core objectives center on learning outcomes that go beyond the foundation-level. These objectives provide in-depth knowledge of empirically-supported theories of individual and social systems and more advanced skills for effective intervention with these systems.
advanced standing msw program concentrations
The UNO School of Social Work requires graduate students to select one of two advanced areas of study, referred to as a concentration. In offering two concentrations—Clinical Social Work Practice (CSWP) and Integrated Social Work Practice (ISWP)—the program is congruent with its broad goal of preparing MSW graduates with the competencies needed to accept leadership positions in particular areas of clinical practice and social service administration. The concentrations are designed to respond to ongoing, well-documented needs (in Nebraska and surrounding states) with regard to significant problems in child and family welfare, health and mental health, and the broad array of social problems in urban areas and rural communities that require the services of social workers with advanced level competence in both direct and indirect fields of practice.
Clinical Social Work Practice (CSWP) Concentration
The following definition is taken from the NASW Standards for the Practice of Clinical Social Work.
Clinical social work shares with all social work practice the goal of enhancement and maintenance of psychosocial functioning of individuals, families, and small groups. Clinical social work practice is the professional application of social work theory and methods to the treatment and prevention of psychosocial dysfunction, disability, or impairment, including emotional and mental disorders. It is based on knowledge of one or more theories of human development within a psychosocial context.
The perspective of person-in-situation is central to clinical social work practice. Clinical social work includes interventions directed to interpersonal interactions, intrapsychic dynamics, and life-support and management issues. Clinical social work services consist of assessment; diagnosis; treatment, including psychotherapy and counseling; client-centered advocacy; consultation; and evaluation. The process of clinical social work is undertaken within the objectives of social work and the principles and values contained in the NASW Code of Ethics. (NASW, 1989, p. 4)
Part of this process requires that students and advisors craft plans of study designed to prepare students to achieve their future career goals.
Integrated Social Work Practice (ISWP) Concentration
The MSW Integrated Social Work Practice (ISWP) concentration allows students flexibility in designing their educational program to address social service delivery system needs for advanced knowledge and skill in both direct and indirect practice. Students who select the ISWP concentration generally desire clinical, administrative, and policy knowledge and skills, so that they are prepared to take leadership positions in either a rural or an urban setting. The ISWP concentration emphasizes social justice, civic engagement, and an appreciation for diversity. Students in the MSW-MPA Dual Degree Program must choose the ISWP concentration.
Building on the liberal arts perspective, the social work foundation, and incorporating the advanced core, the ISWP concentration provides an opportunity for students to gain both advanced micro and advanced macro practice knowledge and skills. Through the advising process, faculty members regularly meet with students to help them identify their professional interests and develop professional identities. This way, the School ensures that students are receiving a coherent and integrated curriculum.
advanced standing msw program curriculum (39 credit hours)
1. Advanced Standing Core Requirements (15 credits)
- SOWK 8190*—Research and Computer Applications
- SOWK 8220—Clinical Social Work with Individuals
- SOWK 8230—Clinical Social Work with Groups
- SOWK 8510—Personnel Administration and Supervision
- SOWK 8540—Social Welfare Planning
2. Advanced Standing Practicum Requirements (6 credits/512 working hours)
3. Advanced Standing Research Requirements (3 credits)
Choose one of the following based on advisement
- SOWK 8940—Evaluation of Social Programs
- SOWK 8950—Research Methods in Clinical Practice
- SOWK 8960—Research Other Than Thesis
- SOWK 8990—Thesis (must be taken for a minimum of 6 hours; 3 hours count toward elective)
4. Advanced Standing Concentration Requirements (15 credits)
Every MSW student must select one of two academic concentrations: Clinical Social Work Practice or Integrated Social Work Practice.
- SOWK 8650—Social Work in Health and Mental Health (3 hours)
- SOWK 8250—Social Work Practice with Families (3 hours)
- SOWK 8290—Social Work Practice in Health and Mental Health (3 hours)
- Choose one of four:
- SOWK 8240—Social Work Practice with Children (3 hours) or
- SOWK 8260—Social Work Practice with Older Adults (3 hours) or
- SOWK 8270—Social Work Practice with Sexual Concerns (3 hours) or
- SOWK 8280—Social Work Practice with Couples/ Changing Family Structures (3 hours)
- Graduate Only Social Work Elective (3 hours, see Social Work Program Elective Courses)
- Total Clinical Social Work Concentration Requirements = 15 hours
- Advanced Micro Practice Course (3 hours) -- Choose one of the following
- SOWK 8240—Social Work Practice with Children
- SOWK 8250—Social Work Practice with Families
- SOWK 8260—Social Work Practice with Older Adults
- SOWK 8270—Social Work Practice with Sexual Concerns
- SOWK 8280—Social Work Practice with Couples and Changing Family Structures
- SOWK 8290—Social Work Practice in Health and Mental Health
- Advanced Clinical Practice Course (3 hours) -- Choose one of the following
- SOWK 8550—Social Justice and Social Advocacy
- SOWK 8560—Advanced Community Practice
- SOWK 8570—Administration of Social Welfare Agencies
- Graduate Social Issues/Policies/Service Delivery (3 hours) -- Choose one of the following
- SOWK 8600—Permanence for Children
- SOWK 8610—Social Work & Family Violence
- SOWK 8650—Social Work in Health/Mental Health
- SOWK 8700—Social Work & Addictive Disorders
- Graduate Only Social Work Elective (3 hours, see Social Work Program Elective Courses)
- Elective (choose a course not already taken) (3 hours of graduate or combined graduate/undergraduate course, see Social Work Program Elective Courses)
- Total Integrated Social Work Practice = 15 hours
* Common to both Foundation and Advanced Standing programs.