Master of Social Work

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Description

SUNY Brockport has a long history of social work education in the Greater Rochester Metropolitan area and beyond.

The mission of the Master of Social Work Program at SUNY Brockport, State University of New York, is committed to the promotion of human rights, social, economic, and environmental justice, and the elimination of poverty and oppression. Through teaching, service, and scholarship, we strive to prepare competent, self-aware, ethical, and culturally humble integrated practice social workers, with diverse populations, advocating for the well-being of all people in our shared global community.

As a reflection of its mission, the overall goals of the Master of Social Work Program are to:

  1. Provide advanced social work education incorporating theoretical knowledge and critical thinking within an advanced integrated practice framework; emphasizing an ecological, strength-based, community collaborative, empowerment model of practice to promote social and economic justice.
  2. Educate social work practitioners who are ethical, critical thinkers engaged in ongoing inquiry and life-long learning.
  3. Develop practitioners who provide autonomous social work practice and leadership in health, human service, and other community organizations in diverse communities to assist high need or at-risk populations.
  4. Infuse a critical understanding of cultural humility and gender sensitive advanced practice in working with diverse groups, and to adapt social work knowledge and skills to meet the needs of disenfranchised and historically oppressed groups.
  5. 5. Educate social work practitioners to use evidence and knowledge to improve the effectiveness of social work practice, policies, and programs.
  6. Promote the health and well being of individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities by advancing social justice in a changing environment and in a global society.

The program anticipates that it will be fully accredited in 2020. The program is currently in pre-candidacy with the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and is registered with the New York State Education Department.

For further information, please call: (585) 395-8452 or email mswadmissions@brockport.edu.
Website address: https://www.brockport.edu/academics/social_work/graduate/masters.html


Social Work Department Chair
Pamela Viggiani, PhD, LMSW
(585) 395-8460 (Brockport Downtown)
(585) 395-2625 (Brockport Main Campus)
pviggian@brockport.edu

Criteria for Admission: 60-credit program

There is no single factor used to determine student admission to the MSW program, rather a combination of factors are considered as follows:

  1. Completed Online Application and fee through SUNY Brockport Center for Graduate Studies.
  2. Completion of the Statement of Objectives/Social Issue as described on the application.
  3. Official transcripts from all colleges attended
    • Applicant must have completed, or will be completing, a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution with a cumulative index of 3.0 and a "B" average in the major field by the start date of the desired term.
      • An applicant who does not meet these grade point average expectations must address them in his/her Statement of Objectives/Social Issue;
    • The academic record should reflect a strong liberal arts perspective. The following are required: one (3 credit) course in Human Biology; one (3 credit) course in Statistics; one (3 credit) introductory course in Psychology; one (3 credit) introductory course in Sociology; one (3 credit) course in the Humanities; and three additional (3 credit) courses distributed across the Social Sciences, Humanities, Physical Sciences, Mathematics, or Computer Sciences. All courses must have a grade of "C" or better. (Note: If an applicant is currently enrolled in a prerequisite course, he/she may still file the application. The prerequisite course must be completed before the applicant matriculates into the program.)
  4. Two reference forms and accompanying letters of recommendation.
  5. Professional Resume.

Criteria for Admission: 36-credit Advanced Standing program

Students who have graduated within the past eight years from a CSWE-accredited baccalaureate social work program are eligible to apply for admission to the MSW advanced standing program. Additional minimum admission requirements are:

  1. Completed Online Application and fee through SUNY Brockport Center for Graduate Studies.
  2. Completion of the Statement of Objectives/Social Issue as described on the application.
  3. Official transcripts from all colleges attended
    • Applicant must have completed, or will be completing, a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution with a cumulative index of 3.0 and a "B" average in the major field by the start date of the desired term.
      • An applicant who does not meet these grade point average expectations must address them in his/her Statement of Objectives/Social Issue;
  4. Two reference forms and accompanying letters of recommendation, preferably from a social work faculty member who can attest to the candidate's ability to do graduate level work, and one from a social work supervisor who can attest to the candidate's ability to engage in graduate level practice.
  5. A copy of the applicant's BSW field practicum evaluations for final acceptance.
  6. Professional Resume

Admission to the Program

The application for admission to the Master of Social Work Program 60-Credit and 36-Credit Programs may be found through SUNY Brockport Center for Graduate Studies Part I Application and Part II Application

Location

Rochester: Day and evening classes are offered at Brockport Downtown in downtown Rochester, near several human services agencies. Students can choose to be part-time students and take the majority of their classes in the evenings. The vast majority of field placements require students to complete field hours during normal daytime business hours of the agency when client appointments, team meetings, and social work supervision are available.

General Program Requirements and Curriculum

Students must meet the College's standards for graduate study.

Generalist Level Courses (30 credits)

The First 30 credits of the MSW Program are designed to provide a generalist perspective. The following courses are required during the generalist level of the 60 credit program: Grade of B- or higher required for SWK 501, SWK 502, and SWK 508

  • SWK 501 - Social Work Practice I
  • SWK 502 - Social Work Practice II
  • SWK 504 - Field Practicum I and Seminar I
  • SWK 505 - Field Practicum II and Field Seminar II
  • SWK 506 - Human Behavior and Social Environment I
  • SWK 507 - Human Behavior and Social Environment II
  • SWK 508 - Diagnostic Process: a Strength-Based Social Work Perspective
  • SWK 520 - Social Welfare Policy and Services
  • SWK 524 - Social Work Practice and Cultural Diversity
  • SWK 533 - Critical Thinking in Social Work

Advanced Level Courses (24 credits)

60 credit students begin advanced level courses after successfully completing the 30 credits in the generalist level sequence. The advanced level curriculum is designed to provide the framework for advanced integrative practice and consists of 24 credits in policy, practice, field, and masters project thesis with a specialization broadly defined as interdisciplinary health and wellness applicable to all social work settings. The exact sequence of the advanced level courses is dependent upon full or part time plans of study.

In addition, six (6) credits of electives are typically taken with the seven advanced level courses below:

  • SWK 604 - Social Work Practice in Health Care
  • SWK 605 - Cultural Humility and Social Work Practice in Health Care
  • SWK 621 - Advanced Social Welfare Policy
  • SWK 631 - Masters Project Thesis

You will also have the choice of taking one (1) of the following advanced practice courses:

  • SWK 604 - Social Work Practice in Health Care
  • SWK 616 - Disabilities Studies for in Social Work
  • SWK 645 - Sexual Health in Professional Practice
  • SWK 654 - Evidence Based Practice Seminar
  • SWK 680 - Clinical Interventions: Advanced SWK Practice with Groups

Additionally, you will choose one pair of the following Field Practicum and Seminar Courses:

  • SWK 610 - Field Practicum III and Seminar III and 
  • SWK 611 - Field Practicum IV and Seminar IV
OR
  • SWK 612 - Field Practicum III and Seminar III: Gerontological Social Work and
  • SWK 613 - Field Practicum IV and Seminar IV: Gerontological Social Work

In addition, all students, at some point in their plan of study complete

  • SWK 500 - Child Abuse Workshop

To fulfill a New York State social work licensing requirement.

Grading Requirements

Courses can only be repeated once.

In order to continue in the program, students must receive a grade of B- or better in the following courses: SWK 501, SWK 502, SWK 601, SWK 602, SWK 604, SWK 605, SWK 616, SWK 645, SWK 654, and SWK 680.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior
  2. Engage Diversity and Difference in Practice
  3. Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic and Environmental Justice
  4. Engage in Practice-Informed Research and Research-Informed Practice
  5. Engage in Policy Practice
  6. Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations and Communities
  7. Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations and Communities
  8. Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations and Communities
  9. Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations and Communities