Program Contact: Carol R. Awasu 203-582-6433
The Master of Social Work (MSW) program includes both the on-campus and online formats and prepares students for achievement and leadership in the field of social work. The curricular approach of the MSW program is unique in that it directly engages students in interprofessional education and the health and mental health care team approach.
Quinnipiac’s MSW program embraces the university’s commitment to the development of professional expertise through practice experience. Students must have at least 900 hours of professional preparation in field internship practicum (400 hours in the generalist year and 500 hours in the specialized year). The generalist and specialized field internships offer students the opportunity to practice skills learned in the classroom in real-world settings.
The 60 credits required for the MSW degree include 30 credits in the generalist curriculum and 30 credits in the specialized practice curriculum. 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 specialization in 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 program at Quinnipiac University does not give credit for life or work experience.
For those who have already earned a Bachelor of Social Work, Quinnipiac offers an Advanced Standing Master of Social Work program.
Students entering Quinnipiac as undergraduates who are interested in the social work program have the option of pursuing a dual-degree bachelor's to master's program. The Accelerated Dual-Degree BS in Health Science Studies/Master of Social Work (3+2) begins with an undergraduate degree in Health Science Studies in the School of Health Sciences. The Accelerated Dual-Degree Bachelor's/Master of Social Work (3+2) begins with undergraduate study in the College of Arts & Sciences. Undergraduate students may also opt into the Dual Degree 4+2 program.
Undergraduate students at Quinnipiac may choose to apply for the Dual-Degree 4+2 program. Undergraduate students earn a BA or BS in 4 years and apply to the 4+2 program in their junior year. In their senior year, they take 9 MSW credits and then transition to the MSW program.
Students who are interested in earning a JD and a Master of Social Work may earn both degrees on an accelerated basis by enrolling in the joint Dual-Degree JD/MSW program. Please see the Admission tab for additional details.
The MSW degree also meets the academic requirements for licensure as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW).
Traditional MSW Program of Study
Students can choose between two plans of study for the on-campus traditional MSW.
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.
Two-year full-time MSW
Students in this plan of study enter the MSW program in the fall semester and complete the degree over four terms of study in two academic years. In addition to their classes, students are required to complete generalist and specialized practice field placements.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Credits | |
| SW 500 | Generalist Field Education Practicum I | 3 |
| SW 501 | Social Work Practice I: Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families | 3 |
| SW 504 | Social Welfare and Social Policy | 3 |
| SW 505 | Social Work Research | 3 |
| SW 511 | Human Behavior in the Social Environment I: Theories for Practice for Individuals and Families | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| SW 502 | Generalist Field Education Practicum II | 3 |
| SW 503 | Social Work Practice II: Practice With Groups and Communities | 3 |
| SW 507 | Issues of Diversity and Oppression | 3 |
| SW 512 | Human Behavior in the Social Environment II: Theories for Groups, Organizations and Communities | 3 |
| SW 580 | Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| 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 |
| SW 604 | Evaluation Research Work Programs and Practice | 3 |
| Select two electives 1 | 6 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| 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 |
| Select three electives 1 | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 60 | |
- 1
Of the five elective courses, two must be clinical elective courses.
Three-year extended MSW
Students complete the generalist and specialized curricula over three years with 9 credits per semester in the first and second years and 12 credits per semester in the third year. In addition to their classes, students are required to complete generalist and specialized practice field placements.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Credits | |
| SW 504 | Social Welfare and Social Policy | 3 |
| SW 505 | Social Work Research | 3 |
| SW 511 | Human Behavior in the Social Environment I: Theories for Practice for Individuals and Families | 3 |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| SW 507 | Issues of Diversity and Oppression | 3 |
| SW 512 | Human Behavior in the Social Environment II: Theories for Groups, Organizations and Communities | 3 |
| SW 580 | Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis | 3 |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| SW 500 | Generalist Field Education Practicum I | 3 |
| SW 501 | Social Work Practice I: Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families | 3 |
| Select 1 elective 1 | 3 | |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| SW 502 | Generalist Field Education Practicum II | 3 |
| SW 503 | Social Work Practice II: Practice With Groups and Communities | 3 |
| Select 1 elective 1 | 3 | |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| 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 |
| SW 604 | Evaluation Research Work Programs and Practice | 3 |
| Select 1 elective 1 | 3 | |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| 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 |
| Select two electives 1 | 6 | |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 60 | |
- 1
Of the five elective courses, two must be clinical elective 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.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the MSW program, students will demonstrate the following competencies:
- Demonstrate ethical and professional behavior.
- Engage diversity and difference in practice.
- Advance human rights and social, economic and environmental justice.
- Engage in practice-informed research and research-informed practice.
- Engage in policy practice.
- Engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.
- Assess individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.
- Intervene with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.
- Evaluate practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Quinnipiac University MSW program is to prepare social workers for specialized practice in health and mental health through a curriculum that focuses on clinical and organizational practice, experiential learning and interprofessional teamwork. Guided by respect for human dignity and a commitment to social justice, the MSW program uses a person-in-environment framework to ready students for professional practice in dynamic contexts.
MSW Program Values
The MSW program’s core values reflect the NASW Code of Ethics for Social Workers: service, social justice, the dignity and worth of the person, the importance of human relationships, integrity and competence.
MSW Program Goals
The MSW program has the following five goals:
- Prepare students to be competent ethical social workers in a variety of health and mental health settings.
- Prepare students to engage in anti-racist and anti-oppressive clinical and organizational social work practice.
- Prepare students to advocate for equity and social justice at all levels of social work practice.
- Prepare students to integrate social work perspectives within interprofessional collaborations and across systems.
- Promote lifelong learning and professional development for students, alumni and social work colleagues.
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.
Dual-Degree JD/MSW
Students interested in earning both a JD and a Master of Social Work may earn both degrees on an accelerated basis by enrolling in the Dual-Degree JD/MSW program. Students must apply and be accepted separately to each program. Ideally, students would apply to both programs before starting either but a student enrolled in either program could, during the first year (and possibly later), apply for and be accepted to the other program.
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 recheck one year after the initial background recheck. Cost: $32 per annual recheck.
- 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.
The MSW program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
The CSWE address is:
Council on Social Work Education
333 John Carlyle Street, Suite 400
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: 703-683-8080
Fax: 703-683-8099
Email: info@cswe.org
Website: CSWE.org
All Council on Social Work Education programs measure and report student learning outcomes. Students are assessed on their mastery of the competencies that comprise the accreditation standards of the Council on Social Work Education. These competencies are dimensions of social work practice that all social workers are expected to master during their professional training. A measurement benchmark is set by the social work programs for each competency. An assessment score at or above that benchmark is considered by the program to represent mastery of that particular competency.
Please click Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes (PDF) for more information.