Program Contact: DeVonne Allen 203-582-7344
The Master of Social Work online program prepares students for achievement and leadership in the field of social work. The curricular approach of the MSW program is unique in that it engages students in interprofessional education and the health and mental health care team approach.
Quinnipiac’s MSW online program embraces the university’s commitment to the development of professional expertise through practice experience. The two field placements offer students the opportunity to practice skills learned in the classroom in real-world settings. A seminar that supports the student in integrating academics and fieldwork is held monthly. Upon completion of the MSW degree, students will have at least 1,000 hours of professional preparation in the field.
The 60 credits required for the MSW online degree include 30 credits in the generalist curriculum and 30 credits in the specialized practice curriculum. The degree can be completed full-time over two years or through part-time study over four years. Students with a BSW from a CSWE-accredited program may apply for Advanced Standing and complete 30 credits over one or two years.
The specialized practice curriculum has a concentration of health and mental health. All MSW students are required to participate in interprofessional education activities offered by the Center for Interprofessional Healthcare Education. These requirements are embedded in practice courses in both the generalist and specialized years. The MSW online program at Quinnipiac University does not give credit for life or work experience.
The MSW degree meets the academic requirements for licensure as a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) and Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Connecticut. Please check the licensure requirements for your particular state.
Program of Study
Students can choose to take courses either full time or part time. Full-time students complete the degree in two academic years. Part-time students complete the degree in three and a half academic years. In addition to their classes, students are required to complete generalist and specialized practice field placements.
The curriculum for the professional courses in the program is subject to modification as deemed necessary to maintain a high-quality educational experience and keep current with best practices in the profession. Students will take the following courses during their degree program:
Two-Year Full-Time Plan of Study
| First Year | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | ||
Term A |
||
| SW 504 | Social Welfare and Social Policy | 3 |
| SW 507 | Issues of Diversity and Oppression | 3 |
Term B |
||
| SW 505 | Social Work Research | 3 |
| SW 511 | Human Behavior in the Social Environment I: Theories for Practice for Individuals and Families | 3 |
| Semester 2 | ||
Term A |
||
| SW 501 | Social Work Practice I: Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families | 3 |
| SW 512 | Human Behavior in the Social Environment II: Theories for Groups, Organizations and Communities | 3 |
Term B |
||
| SW 503 | Social Work Practice II: Practice With Groups and Communities | 3 |
| SW 580 | Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis | 3 |
| Semester 3 | ||
Term A |
||
| SW 500 | Generalist Field Education Practicum I | 3 |
| Elective 1 | 3 | |
Term B |
||
| SW 500 (con't) | ||
| Elective 1 | 3 | |
| Credits | 33 | |
| Total Credits | 33 | |
| Second Year | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| Semester 4 | ||
Term A |
||
| SW 502 | Generalist Field Education Practicum II | 3 |
| SW 604 | Evaluation Research Work Programs and Practice | 3 |
Term B |
||
| SW 502 (con't) | ||
| Elective 1 | 3 | |
| Semester 5 | ||
Term A |
||
| SW 600 | Specialized Practice Field Education Practicum in Health/Mental Health I | 3 |
| SW 601 | Social Work Practice III: Specialized Clinical Social Work Practice | 3 |
Term B |
||
| SW 600 (con't) | ||
| Elective 1 | 3 | |
| Semester 6 | ||
Term A |
||
| SW 602 | Specialized Practice Field Education Practicum in Health/Mental Health II | 3 |
| SW 603 | Social Work Practice IV: Specialized Organizational Social Work Practice | 3 |
Term B |
||
| SW 602 (con't) | ||
| Elective 1 | 3 | |
| Credits | 27 | |
| Total Credits | 27 | |
- 1
Two of the five elective courses must be clinical based courses.
Three-and-a-half-year Plan of Study
| First Year | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | ||
Term A |
||
| SW 504 | Social Welfare and Social Policy (Semester 1) | 3 |
| Term B | ||
| SW 505 | Social Work Research (Semester 1) | 3 |
| Semester 2 | ||
Term A |
||
| SW 507 | Issues of Diversity and Oppression | 3 |
Term B |
||
| SW 511 | Human Behavior in the Social Environment I: Theories for Practice for Individuals and Families | 3 |
| Semester 3 | ||
Term A |
||
| SW 501 | Social Work Practice I: Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families | 3 |
Term B |
||
| SW 580 | Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis | 3 |
| Credits | 18 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Semester 4 | ||
Term A |
||
| SW 512 | Human Behavior in the Social Environment II: Theories for Groups, Organizations and Communities | 3 |
Term B |
||
| SW 503 | Social Work Practice II: Practice With Groups and Communities | 3 |
| Semester 5 | ||
Term A |
||
| SW 500 | Generalist Field Education Practicum I | 3 |
| Elective 1 | 3 | |
Term B |
||
| SW 500 (cont'd) | ||
| Semester 6 | ||
Term A |
||
| SW 502 | Generalist Field Education Practicum II | 3 |
| SW 604 | Evaluation Research Work Programs and Practice | 3 |
Term B |
||
| SW 502 (cont'd) | ||
| Credits | 18 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Semester 7 | ||
Term A |
||
| SW 601 | Social Work Practice III: Specialized Clinical Social Work Practice | 3 |
Term B |
||
| Elective 1 | 3 | |
| Semester 8 | ||
Term A |
||
| SW 600 | Specialized Practice Field Education Practicum in Health/Mental Health I | 3 |
| SW 603 | Social Work Practice IV: Specialized Organizational Social Work Practice | 3 |
Term B |
||
| SW 600 (cont'd) | ||
| Semester 9 | ||
Term A |
||
| SW 602 | Specialized Practice Field Education Practicum in Health/Mental Health II | 3 |
| Elective 1 | 3 | |
Term B |
||
| SW 602 (cont'd) | ||
| Credits | 18 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Semester 10 | ||
Term A |
||
| Elective 1 | 3 | |
Term B |
||
| Elective 1 | 3 | |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 60 | |
- 1
Two of the five elective courses must be clinical based courses.
Requirements for Academic Progression and Graduation
All graduate students in the MSW program are expected to maintain a GPA of at least 3.00 on a 4.00 scale. Full-time graduate students are required to achieve a 3.00 GPA each semester. All graduate students in the MSW program are required to have a cumulative GPA of 3.00 by the time of graduation (MSW students earning dual/joint degrees must have a GPA of 3.00 in the MSW degree component). The MSW program requires students to achieve a grade of C or better (or Pass in a pass/fail format) in all MSW courses. All MSW students are required to demonstrate professional behavior according to the MSW Program's Standards for Professional Practice and the NASW Code of Ethics. Review of academic progression and/or professional performance may occur during the semester and does occur at the end of each semester.
Admission
To qualify for admission to the program, students must have earned a bachelor’s degree from a college or university accredited by a recognized regional accrediting association, with a preferred minimum GPA of 3.00 and at least 20 semester credits in liberal arts. Students with a BSW from a CSWE-accredited program are encouraged to apply for Advanced Standing.
For more information, see the Dual-Degree JD/MSW page.
Background Check and Drug Screening
To ensure their safety and maintain high-quality care of patients, clinical affiliates of the university require students to have a criminal background check. All students entering the Quinnipiac MSW program are required to undergo a criminal background check (through the university vendor) prior to beginning classes. This is a mandatory component of the program. In addition, MSW students may be required to undergo a criminal background re-check and/or drug screen prior to any of their field placements. The results are made available to the student through their own personal and secure online portal. Whenever a Quinnipiac MSW student may need proof of their criminal background check for field placements, the student will release the information directly from their personal portal to the clinical site. The cost of the criminal background check and any re-checks and/or drug screens is the responsibility of each individual student.
Additional Program Costs
As a clinical education program, the MSW program requires some expenses that go beyond standard university tuition and fees:
- Clinical/Fieldwork Education Travel (e.g., gas, parking, public transportation): Students are responsible for the costs associated with travel to and from field internships. Cost: variable.
- Background Check: Quinnipiac University and its clinical affiliates require that all students undergo a criminal background check, through the university vendor, prior to beginning classes (University Criminal Background Check Policy). Please note that placement sites may require that students participate in the agency’s background check, in addition to the one required by the university.
- University background check – Cost: $63 for all domestic addresses for the past 7 years or $158 for students who have resided in New York state in the last 7 years due to NY state surcharge.
- Some students may be required to do an annual re-check one year after the initial background re-check. Cost: $32 per annual re-check.
- Drug Screening: Some sites require physical and/or substance use drug screens as well as fingerprinting. MSW students are expected to comply with all agency requirements prior to beginning field internships.
- Liability Insurance: All students have liability insurance coverage through the university, free of charge, while performing required clinical activity. Students may choose to purchase additional coverage at their own expense.
- Exxat and APPROVE: Students enrolled in the MSW program must enroll in Exxat and APPROVE.
- Exxat is the clinical tracking and assessment program used by the School of Health Sciences. Cost: one-time payment of $150 per student enrolled in the MSW program (students are responsible for this cost).
- APPROVE is the program within Exxat that tracks all student health and safety records, provides documentation to prospective clinical sites and provides notification of impending expiration dates. Cost: $35 - first year, after which it is $10 per year.