Degrees

Social Work Master of Science in Social Work

Obtain a master's degree in social work from the fully accredited School of Social Work at Colorado State University. This degree is designed for individuals who are employed full-time and have access to the Colorado Springs area. Taught by the full-time faculty, the degree will enable you to obtain a licensing in the social work profession.

The School of Social Work is dedicated to the values and the ethics of the profession of social work: the welfare of humankind, the disciplined use of a recognized body of knowledge about people and their interactions, and the marshaling of community resources to promote the well-being of all.

Who Should Attend

• Individuals working in human services who want to increase their professional skills and earning potential.
• Individuals who are interested in a career in social work and want to broaden their knowledge base from an advanced generalist perspective. Working professionals or students who are interested in a part-time degree program without interruption of their work schedule.
• Individuals seeking a career change to expand opportunities and increase marketability.

Program Eligibility and Requirements

There are two admission options for this part-time Master's of Social Work. The three-year regular program and the two-year advanced standing program. Students enrolled in either program will graduate at the same time.

Three-year Regular Program (62 credits)

• A four year undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university
• 18 credits in social and behavioral sciences including the following:
  • Statistics
  • Human biology
  • Human life cycle development covering the life span
  • 9 credits in any combination of the following course: sociology, psychology, economics, political science, anthropology or history.(These courses must be completed prior to beginning the program)
• 3.0 GPA. Occasional exceptions may be made if applicant demonstrates the ability to be successful in a graduate program
• A minimum of 450 hours of verifiable human service work and/or volunteer experience before admission.

Two-Year Advanced Standing Program (40 credits)

• Four-year undergraduate degree in social work (within the last 7 years) from an accredited BSW program
• 3.0 overall GPA
• 3.0 GPA in social work courses
• 1200 hours of supervised human experience (internship, paid, and/or volunteer) within the last 7 years

Program Curriculum

Colorado State University teaches a nationally recognized Advanced Generalist curriculum. The first year of the three-year regular program consists of foundation courses that follow the core areas of social work practice, human behavior and the social environment, social welfare policy and services, social science research, and a field placement in a human service agency. Other required content includes social work values and ethics, populations at risk, diversity, and social and economic justice.

The concentration courses, during the second year of the 62 credits regular program and the first year of the 40 credits Advanced Standing program, build on the foundation courses to include advanced content on individual, group and family practice, community practice, organizational practice, social welfare policy and organizational research. The concentration year also includes a 720 hour field placement. Field placements will be secured for students in the communities in which they reside.

Benefits

The Master's of Social Work is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education and provides the basis for obtaining a state social work license.

The advanced generalist curriculum allows individuals to work in countless areas of the social services sector in communities across the nation, including careers as:

• Adoption worker
• Agency Administrator
• Case Manager
• Casework Supervisor
• Child Care Counselor
• Coordinator of Geriatric Services
• Developmental Disabilities Counselor
• Director of Social Services for a Nursing Home
• Director of Volunteers
• Domestic Abuse Counselor
• Employee Assistance Counselor
• Probation Officer
• Family Court Officer
• Foster Care Worker
• Group Home Supervisor
• Hospice Social Worker
• Information and Referral Resources Coordinator
• Managed Health Care Counselor
• Medical and Mental Health Social Workers
• Police Officer
• Psychiatric Rehabilitation Counselor
• School Social Worker
• Sexual and Substance Abuse Counselors
• Rape Crisis Counselor
• Social Service Administrator
• Researcher
• Head Start Social Worker
• Legislator

Profile of Faculty

Learn with a faculty committed to educational and professional excellence and who work in a collaborative and collegial relationship with students. Our diverse faculty has extensive social work experience in child welfare, mental health, disabilities, social policy, human service administration, community and organizational change, populations at risk, and research.