Master of Social Work (MSW) - Concord University

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The Master of Social Work program (MSW) was accredited in June 2015. The MSW program is completely online and prepares graduates for advanced generalist social work practice with a specialization in rural practice. Using a conceptual framework to identify advanced knowledge and skills, the program builds an advanced curriculum from the generalist content. In the advanced curriculum, the generalist content is focused in the context of rural practice and is addressed in all four dimensions – knowledge, values, skills, and cognitive and affective reaction – and supports the Program’s advanced generalist social work practice with rural specialization (CSWE, 2017)

The Mission of the master program is “to prepare graduates for advanced generalist social work practice with a specialized area in rural practice. The MSW Program is built upon a systems approach and the strengths perspective, delivered in a manner that meets the needs of students that live and/or work primarily in rural areas.”

The Master of Social Work program’s goals are derived from the programs mission statement. They are identified as follows:

Students will demonstrate the ability to:

Conduct advanced social work practice, with a rural concentration, which operates from a systems and strengths perspective with the ability to respond to varying rural contexts, including diversity and difference and to engage, assess, intervene, and evaluate at all levels including individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
Think critically and examine issues within the rural context while applying knowledge from both a person-in-environment and human behavior perspective to determine appropriate methods of intervention and to communicate these in an ethical manner utilizing the strengths of rural settings.
Utilize an advanced reflective and developmental approach to practice.
Apply an advanced critical and analytical approach to practice that incorporates the unique culture and systems within rural settings and includes engaging in research-informed practice and practice-informed research.
Use advanced knowledge and skills in analyzing rural social policies and promoting change in rural settings through the development of more just and humane policies as they affect clients, social workers, and service systems.
Address the uniqueness of issues of human rights, mechanisms of oppression, discrimination, and social, economic, and environmental justice in order to improve the social, economic, and environmental well-being of clients within rural settings across all levels of practice (micro, mezzo, and macro).

If you are interested in our MSW program, please fill out our form here to request more information.

Application Deadlines

Fall Deadline – April 15 | Spring Deadline – November 15

PLEASE READ THE REQUIREMENTS BELOW BEFORE APPLYING

ALL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE DEADLINE IN ORDER FOR THE APPLICATION TO BE REVIEWED

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Application Requirements

Degree Requirements

Students without a BSW are required to complete the Standard Generalist Curriculum and then the student may enter the Advanced Generalist Curriculum.

Students with a CSWE accredited BSW granted within the past seven years (with a 3.0 GPA in Social Work classes and a 2.75 overall GPA) may apply directly to the Advanced Year (Advanced Standing).

Sixty (60) semester credit hours are required for graduation from the generalist program and thirty six (36) semester credit hours are required for graduation from the advanced program. There are two start dates fall and spring. If entering in the Generalist Year, the Master of Social Work can be completed in two (2) calendar years of full-time study. A part-time schedule is available which can be completed within three (3) years or in a maximum of four (4) calendar years of structured part-time professional education. If entering in the Advanced Year, the Master of Social Work can be completed in one (1) calendar year of full-time study. A part-time schedule is available which can be completed within one-and-one-half (1 ½) years or in a maximum of three (three) calendar years of structured part-time professional education.

The Concord University MSW Program cannot grant social work course credit for any life experience and/or work experience.

Students transferring from another CSWE accredited MSW Program may request to have a maximum of six (6) credits from the generalist year transferred. In order to be considered, the course description must match the MSW courses offered at Concord University, and the courses must have been completed within the last two years previous to applying to Concord University’s MSW Program.

Transcripts and course descriptions will be reviewed by the faculty as to appropriateness on an individual basis. Only courses with a grade of a “B” or “A” are considered. Credits are generally not accepted for the advanced generalist year of course work, given the program’s specialization in rural practice.
Standard Generalist Curriculum (24 Credit Hours):

SOWK 501 Intro to Generalist Practice (3)
SOWK 511 Generalist of Human Behavior and Social Environment (3)
SOWK 521 Generalist of Policy (3)
SOWK 531 Generalist of Practice (3)
SOWK 570 Generalist of Research (3)
SOWK 560 Generalist Field Practicum (6)
SOWK 620 Special Topics (3)

Advanced Generalist Curriculum (36 Credit Hours):
(To be completed by students in both the Standard Generalist Program and the Advanced Generalist Program)

SOWK 613 Advanced Human Behavior and the Social Environment in Rural Settings (3)
SOWK 622 Advanced Policy in Rural Practice (3)
SOWK 633 Advanced Rural Practice with Individuals, Families, and Groups (3)
SOWK 634 Advanced Rural Practice with Communities and Organizations (3)
SOWK 670 Advanced Rural Research (3)
SOWK 660 Advanced Field (A, B, and C) (9)
SOWK 661 Appalachian Culture, Structures, and Environment (3)
SOWK 620 Special Topics (9)

Progression Plans & Licensure Information

Progression Plans

Licensure Body by State

State	State Licensure Body	MSW Program Meets Licensure for State	Psychopathology Required for LICSW
Alabama	Alabama State Board of Social Work Examiners	Yes	No
Alaska	Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development, Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing	Yes	No
Arizona	Arizona State Board of Behavioral Health Examiners	Yes	No
Arkansas	Arkansas Department of Health	Yes	No
California	Board of Behavioral Sciences
Colorado	Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies	Yes	No
Connecticut	Connecticut State Department of Public Health	Yes	No
Delaware	Division of Professional Regulation – Board of Social Work Examiners	Yes	No
Florida	Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling	Yes	Yes
Georgia	Board of Professional Counselors, Social Workers, and Marriage & Family Therapists	Yes	No
Hawaii	Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Professional & Vocational Licensing Division	Yes	No
Idaho	Idaho Board of Social Work Examiners	Yes	No
Illinois	IDFPR	Yes	No
Indiana	Indiana Professional Licensing Agency	Yes	Yes
Iowa	Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, & Licensing	Yes	No
Kansas	Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board	Yes	Yes
Kentucky	Commonwealth of Kentucky Board of Social Work	Yes	No
Louisiana	Louisiana State Board of Social Work Examiners	Yes	No
Maine	Maine State Board of Social Worker Licensure	Yes	Yes
Maryland	Maryland Department of Health: MD Board of Social Work Examiners	Yes	Yes
Massachusetts	Board of Registration of Social Workers	Yes	Yes
Michigan	Michigan Board of Social Workers	Yes	No
Minnesota	Minnesota Board of Social Work	Yes	Yes
Mississippi	Mississippi Board of Examiners for Social Workers and Marriage and Family Therapists	Yes	No
Missouri	Missouri Division of Professional Registration	Yes	No
Montana	Montana Board of Behavioral Health	Yes	No
Nebraska	Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services	Yes	Yes
Nevada	Nevada Board of Examiners for Social Workers	Yes	No
New Hampshire	New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification	Yes	Yes
New Jersey	New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs	Yes	Yes
New Mexico	New Mexico Regulation & Licensing Department	Yes	No
New York	New York State Education Department Office of the Professions	Yes	Yes
North Caroline	North Carolina Social Work Certification and Licensure Board	Yes	No
North Dakota	ND Board of Social Work Examiners	Yes	No
Ohio	Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board	Yes	Yes
Oklahoma	Oklahoma State Board of Licensed Social Workers	Yes	No
Oregon	Board of Licensed Social Workers	Yes	No
Pennsylvania	State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapist and Professional Counselors	Yes	No
Rhode Island	State of Rhode Island Department of Health	Yes	No
South Carolina	Board of Social Work Examiners	Yes	Yes
South Dakota	South Dakota Department of Social Services	Yes	No
Tennessee	TN Department of Health	Yes	No
Texas	Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners	Yes	No
Utah	Utah Commerce Division of Professional Licensing	Yes	No
Vermont	Vermont Secretary of State	Yes	No
Virginia	Virginia Department of Health Professions Board of Social Work	Yes	Yes
Washington	Washington State Department of Health	Yes	No
West Virginia	West Virginia Board of Social Work	Yes	Yes
Wisconsin	State of Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services	Yes	Yes
Wyoming	Wyoming Mental Health Professions Licensing Board	Yes	No
District of Columbia	DC Health	Yes	Yes
Guam	Guam Board of Social Work	Yes	No
Puerto Rico	Social Work Professionals
Virgin Islands	Government of the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs	Yes	No