Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) | Catalog 2024-25

253.535.8773	www.plu.edu/socw/	socw@plu.edu
Anissa Rogers, Ph.D., Chair

The Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) program has a focus on health and is designed to help students prepare for a career in a variety of settings related to physical and behavioral health. The M.S.W. Program is designed to meet the needs of a variety of students who may have multiple demands. There are two pathways to enter the M.S.W. program, the regular option or the advanced standing option. The regular option is a 24-month, 60 credit program for students who do not have an undergraduate degree in social work. The advanced standing option is a 14-month, 36-40-credit program for students who have an undergraduate degree in social work.

Admission

Admission to the M.S.W. program is based on a holistic review of the applicant’s academic preparation, work and volunteer experiences, and potential contributions to the classroom experience, the social work profession, and social justice. Review of applications and acceptance into the M.S.W. program is determined by faculty evaluation by the M.S.W. Graduate Admissions Committee. Review of M.S.W. applications is based on the following requirements:

Regular Standing
- An earned baccalaureate degree from a college or university accredited by a recognized regional accrediting organization
- Undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
Advanced Standing
- Bachelor’s degree of social work from a CSWE accredited program, or a CASWE-accredited baccalaureate social work degree (from the Canadian social work accreditor, recognized through an MOU with CSWE and CASWE), or an internationally earned ISWDRES-evaluated degree comparable to a baccalaureate in social work
  - Applicants who graduated from a CSWE-accredited B.S.W. program within 7 years from the time of application to the M.S.W. program may opt to waive the bridge course (SOCW 535) offered in the first summer of the program*
- GPA in social work courses of 3.0 or higher and cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher

Applicants with a GPA below a 3.0 may also be considered. Applicants with less than a 3.0 GPA are encouraged to provide additional information related to the context of their GPA in the application.

Application Materials

Official transcript(s) from all colleges and universities attended
A personal essay
A resume or vita
Two letters of recommendation
Personal interview (optional)
Application fee

Fast track application: Current PLU BA social work majors with a GPA of 3.0 or higher in social work courses may apply to the M.S.W. program (advanced standing) by submitting only a resume and a personal essay. Current PLU social work minors with a cumulative 3.0 GPA may apply to the M.S.W. program (regular standing) by submitting a resume and personal essay. Fast track applicants are not guaranteed admission.

Transfer Credits

For the regular standing (2-year) program, up to 18 credits may be transferred into PLU’s M.S.W. program. For the advanced standing (1-year) program, up to 12 credits may be transferred into PLU’s program. As a general rule, several of the program’s “practice” courses – Social Work Theory and Practice I & II courses and all three Practicum Experience courses – cannot be transferred. In cases where any practice course transfers are approved, they must be from another CSWE-accredited M.S.W. program. All transferred courses must fulfill PLU M.S.W. course requirements and learning outcomes. Credits from another discipline, from international institutions, or which receive grades of C+ or lower are generally not transferrable. Students may not receive credit for life experience or previous work experience nor have any practicum experience or courses waived on this basis.

To request consideration of transfer credits, please submit a statement to the M.S.W. Chair that includes the courses you are requesting to transfer; including, grade earned, which courses in the PLU curriculum you would like to replace, and how you think the courses you are transferring meet the learning outcomes of the replacement courses. Include the syllabi of the courses you are requesting to be transferred and offer documentation (via a website reference or letter of support) that practice courses are from a CSWE-accredited program. Request will be reviewed after students are admitted to the PLU M.S.W. program and are considered on a case-by-case basis by the M.S.W. Chair.

*Those who earned their B.S.W. degrees 8+ years in the past upon the time of applying for the M.S.W. program and who have not been working at least part-time in a social services-related field for every year since earning the B.S.W. degree, must take the bridge course (SOCW 535) the first summer term. These applicants may also be asked to schedule an interview with program faculty members. All other students (in both the regular and advanced standing programs) may access content in the bridge course upon request for review purposes.

Degree Requirements

Regular Standing – 60 semester hours

SOCW 505: Human Behavior & the Social Environment (4)
SOCW 510: Social Work Theory & Practice I (4)
SOCW 515: Social Work Theory & Practice II (4)
SOCW 525: Anti-Racism, Diversity, & Equity in SW Practice (4)
SOCW 532: Social Work Research Methods (4)
SOCW 555: Social Work in Health Care (4)
SOCW 560: Mental Health Assessment & Intervention (4)
SOCW 565: SUD Assessment & Intervention (4)
SOCW 570: Comparative Health Care (4)
SOCW 573: Policy Practice & Advocacy in Health Care (4)
SOCW 576: Practicum I (4)
SOCW 586: Advanced Practicum II (4)
SOCW 596: Advanced Practicum III (4)
SOCW 500+ electives (8)

Advanced Standing – 36-40 semester hours

SOCW 525: Anti-Racism, Diversity, & Equity in SW Practice (4)
SOCW 535: Advanced Social Work Foundations (4)
SOCW 555: Social Work in Health Care (4)
SOCW 560: Mental Health Assessment & Intervention (4)
SOCW 565: SUD Assessment & Intervention (4)
SOCW 570: Comparative Health Care (4)
SOCW 573: Policy Practice & Advocacy in Health Care (4)
SOCW 586: Advanced Practicum II (4)
SOCW 596: Advanced Practicum III (4)
SOCW 500+ electives (4)

Master of Social Work (SOCW) - Graduate Courses

SOCW 505 : Human Behavior & the Social Environment

This course is designed to introduce students to human behavior in the social environment through a critical race lens as students begin to explore theory and practice with diverse clients in healthcare settings. Students will explore the concepts of privilege, oppression, social justice in their work with diverse clients. This course will emphasize the impact discrimination and oppression by individuals and society on the developmental experience for people from culturally diverse backgrounds and orientations. Students will develop an understanding of the ecological systems perspective and how it is utilized in social work. Issues of power and oppression will be explored at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels of social work practice. (4)

SOCW 510 : Social Work Theory & Practice I

This course provides a foundation and background to the field of social work practice. Students will be introduced to the history of social welfare and the development of the social work profession in the United States. They will learn about foundational theories that apply to generalist social work practice as well as a more focused exploration of work with individuals and families. Content on working with diverse populations will be integrated to assist students in developing social work practice skills using various theoretical constructs (i.e. strengths perspective, problem-solving, empowerment) and evidence-informed practices. Additional focus will be to assist students in developing a professional self with an integration of social work values and ethics throughout the course. Skill building will be practiced using role plays, videos, and written assignments in preparing students for their field experience in the spring semester. (4)

SOCW 515 : Social Work Theory & Practice II

Students will build on the foundation provided in SOCW 510 to explore work with groups, organizations, and communities. Content on working with diverse populations will be incorporated and students will be encouraged to use an anti-racist lens to look at social work theories that underlie mezzo and macro level practice. (4)

SOCW 525 : Anti-Racism, Diversity, & Equity in Social Work Practice

In this course, human diversity is broadly explored and defined to include race, ethnicity, culture, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and ability. The course content looks critically at privilege and the ways in which a society's cultural practices and structure may oppress, marginalize, and alienate some while enhancing power and privilege of others. Students will explore their own intersecting identities and how awareness of these factors influences delivery of social work practice in healthcare and mental healthcare settings. (4)

SOCW 532 : Social Work Research Methods

Social work relies on careful collection and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data to answer theoretical, empirical, and applied research questions. This course will introduce students to methods of data collection and analysis in social work and provide students with the tools to engage in this central component of scientific inquiry. This course lays the foundation for social research, including an introduction to the scientific method and ethics. Students will learn about several of the most used methods of research in social work; including, experiments, surveys, interviews, field research, single subject design, content analysis, and analysis of secondary data. Research design, conceptualization, and sampling will be covered. Students will apply methods in course assignments and will demonstrate their cumulative learning through preparation of a research proposal using one of the methods. (4)

SOCW 535 : Advanced Social Work Foundations

This course is provided for incoming students into the advanced standing program. The course provides a review of the central social work theories, values, and skills that enhance the understanding of social work assessment and intervention at multiple system levels. Students will also review research methods as well as history and policy underlying the social work profession and social work practice. (4)

SOCW 555 : Social Work in Health Care

This course builds on generalist social work theory and practice with a look at advanced assessment and intervention skills in healthcare settings across micro, mezzo, and macro practice settings. Theory will guide assessment and intervention selection for social work practice in healthcare settings. Issues of diversity and equity in practice will be addressed to meet the needs of multiple constituencies. Prerequisite: SOCW 505, 510, 515, or acceptance into the MSW program in advanced standing status. (4)

SOCW 560 : Mental Health Assessment & Intervention

This foundational course helps students develop a multi-dimensional assessment and intervention framework for clinical social work practice. This course builds on Social Work Theory and Practice from a Racial Justice Perspective and focuses on bio, psych, social, and spiritual assessment and intervention at the individual and family level and includes children, youth, adults, and older adults. The DSM-5 classification system is discussed within the context of social work values and ethics. Several empirically-based assessment tools and intervention techniques that are grounded in social work practice are explored to meet the needs of clients and families from diverse backgrounds. Prerequisite: SOCW 505, 510, or acceptance into the MSW program in advanced standing status. (4)

SOCW 565 : SUD Assessment & Intervention

This course provides a broad understanding of the stages, processes, and effects of substance use disorders, the social and psychological dynamics of substance use disorders, and the social worker's role in prevention, intervention, and aftercare, including recovery and relapse prevention. Students will also learn specific interventions for substance abuse treatment, such as motivational interviewing (MI) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). (4)

SOCW 570 : Comparative Health Care

In this course, students will have the opportunity to visit and learn about health care in another country or location. They will explore different cultural meanings attached to health and well-being, see how healthcare policy is implemented in other countries and communities, and learn about access to and quality of health care in a global context. Prerequisite: SOCW 555.(4)

SOCW 573 : Policy Practice & Advocacy in Health Care

This course builds on policy content offered in previous courses. The course provides students with knowledge, skills, and abilities for understanding the interrelationship between developments in health policy, the health care delivery system, and social work practice. Diversity, inequality, and social and economic justice are continuing themes of study in the advanced concentration year. Prerequisite: SOCW 555, 570. (4)

SOCW 576 : Foundation Practicum Experience I

Students are assigned to a practicum setting (e.g. healthcare, mental healthcare, or social service agency) and participate under social work (practicing MSW-degreed social worker) supervision and mentoring in the delivery of social work services. Students will have the opportunity to practice foundational social work skills; including, completing intakes, developing social histories, interviewing, developing intervention plans, analyzing politics relevant to practice, and other skills that the student, the practicum instructor, and faculty liaison mutually develop. The experience requires a minimum of 320 clock hours. Along with practice int he community, students attend a regular classroom seminar, which provides students with the opportunity to integrate the content in their courses with their practicum experience learning activities. Students develop a plan to monitor and evaluate their practice in their practicum experience setting. The seminar provides students with an opportunity to explore, question, and process their experiences in their placements. Prerequisite: SOCW 505 and 510. (4)

SOCW 586 : Advanced Practicum Experience II

Students are assigned to a practicum setting (e.g. healthcare, mental healthcare, or social service agency) and participate under social work (practicing MSW-degreed social worker) supervision and mentoring in the delivery of social work services. Building on their foundational skills, students will begin to practice advanced social work skills of assessing, intervening with research-informed practices, and assessing interventions with individuals, families, and groups. The experience is a minimum of 320 clock hours. Along with practice in the community, students attend a regular classroom seminar, which provides students with the opportunity to integrate the content in their courses with their practicum experience learning activities. Students develop a plan to monitor and evaluate their advanced clinical practice in their advanced practicum experience setting. The seminar provides students with an opportunity to explore, question, and process their experiences in practicum related to advanced clinical social work practices. Prerequisite: SOCW 576 or acceptance into the MSW program in advanced standing status. (4)

SOCW 587 : Special Topics in Social Work

To provide graduate students with new, one-time and developing courses not yet available in the regular curriculum. The title will be listed on the student term-based record as ST: followed by the specific title designated by the academic unit. Selected advanced topics. (1 to 4)

SOCW 588 : Special Topics in Social Work

SOCW 589 : Special Topics in Social Work

SOCW 591 : Independent Study

To provide individual graduate students graduate-level study not available in the regular curriculum. The title will be listed on the student term-based record as IS: followed by the specific title designated by the student. (1 to 4)

SOCW 596 : Advanced Practicum Experience III

Students continue their advanced clinical practicum experience under social work (practicing MSW-degreed social worker) supervision and mentoring in the delivery of social work services. Building on their advanced practice skills, students will continue to practice advanced social work skills of assessing, intervening with research informed practices, and assessing interventions with individual, families, and groups. The experience is a minimum of 320 clock hours. Along with practice in the community, students attend a regular classroom seminar, which provides students with the opportunity to integrate the content of their courses with their practicum experience learning activities. Students develop a plan to monitor and evaluate their advanced clinical practice in their advanced practicum experience setting. The seminar provides students with an opportunity to explore, question, and process their experiences in practicum related to advanced clinical social work practices. Students have the opportunity to prepare and present a capstone project to document their learning and skills related to the specialized competencies of the program. Students will also develop a professional resume and explore the MSW job search and licensing process. Prerequisite: SOCW 586. (4)