Approved by: Graduate Council
Implementation Date: Spring 2016
Note: Deletions are strikethroughs. Insertions are underlined.
Catalog Copy
Social Work
- Master of Social Work (MSW)
Department School of Social Work
socialwork.uncc.edu
Graduate Program Director
Dr. Robert Herman-Smith
Graduate Faculty
Suzanne Boyd, Associate Professor
Vanessa Drew-Branch, Lecturer
Mark Ezell, Professor
Robert Herman-Smith, Associate Professor and MSW Program Director
Shanti Kulkarni, Associate Professor
Othelia Lee, Associate Professor
Vivian Lord, Interim Chair and Professor
Sue Marchetti,Hontah Epps, Lecturer and Director of Field Education Director
Terri Matthews, Lecturer
Susan McCarter, Associate Professor
Julian Montoro-Rodriguez, Professor and Director of Gerontology
Sonyia Richardson, Lecturer
Diana Rowan, Associate Professor
Roger Suclupe, Lecturer
Marye LLori Thomas, Associate Professor
Master of Social Work
The Master of Social Work (MSW) degree prepares students for advanced social work practice with individuals, families, small groups, organizations, and communities in a variety of public, voluntary, and proprietary human service settings. Graduates are skilled in addressing the many social and individual problems of society—especially for those who constitute membership in low income, vulnerable, and historically oppressed groups.
Full-Time Program
The Full-Time Program takes four semesters of course and field work beyond the bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. The first practicum starts in the Fall semester of the first year and continues through Spring semester. The second practicum spans the Fall and Spring semesters of the second year.
Extended Study Program
The Extended Study Program takes three years to complete. There is no practicum the first year; the first practicum starts in the Fall of the second year and continues through Spring. The second practicum is completed in the Fall and Spring of the third year.
Advanced Standing Program
The Advanced Standing Program is available for eligible students with a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW), and consists of course and field work spanning over one calendar year of full-time study (Summer, Fall, and Spring semesters). Students in the Advanced Standing program complete the MSW in one calendar year. Admission to the Advanced Standing program assumes the student is competent in knowledge, values, and skills typically learned during the first year of the Full-Time MSW program. Advanced Standing students begin in the Summer Session with courses that prepare them to enter the second year of the Full-Time MSW program.
Accreditation
The UNC Charlotte MSW degree is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, the national accrediting organization for social work education programs.
Concentration
The MSW Program at UNC Charlotte offers a curriculum concentration in Advanced Interpersonal Generalist Practice that focuses on individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. The concentration program embraces the profession’s commitment to social justice as well as the Department School of Social Work’s special attention to the region’s most vulnerable populations. Graduates of the program will be advanced practitioners of social work who engage client systems at all levels of practice in a manner consistent with social work values and ethics. Students specialize by selecting a vulnerable population for intensive study.
Outcomes
The following key themes undergird the advanced knowledge and practice behaviors associated with the successful engagement, assessment, intervention, and evaluation of client systems:
- Context – Recognizes the inseparability of individual struggles and social issues;
- Multi-Level Practice – Takes action on multiple levels of social work practice;
- Evidence-Based – Engages in research-informed practice and practice-informed research;
- Strengths – Understands and employs the strengths of vulnerable populations but also insures their capacity and power to engage societal opportunities;
- Cultural Sensitivity and Humility – Conducts social work practice with cultural sensitivity and humility;
- Local and Global – Practices social work in communities everywhere; and
- Critically Reflective – Encourages the continuous development of critically reflective practitioners.
Graduates are employed in a range of human service settings, including youth and family agencies, child and adult protective services, schools, area mental health agencies, substance abuse centers, healthcare settings, and neighborhood service centers as therapists, program coordinators, and supervisors.
Additional Admission Requirements
Full-Time and Extended Study students begin in the Fall semester. Advanced Standing students begin in the first Summer Session. The department School of Social Work admits students to the MSW program once a year. The deadline for all application materials for all programs is February 1. Admission is selective. In addition to the general requirements for admission to the Graduate School, applicants for the MSW program are required to meet the following criteria:
- For Full-Time and Extended Study applicants, a minimum 3.0 GPA overall for undergraduate work. Advanced Standing applicants must have a BSW degree from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited program within the past five years and have a 3.0 GPA overall for undergraduate work.
Meeting the minimum required GPA is not a guarantee of admission. - Acceptable scores on the GRE. For entrance into graduate programs at UNC Charlotte, the University sets a standard of scores in the verbal and quantitative sections of the GRE that are within the top 70th percentile.
GRE scores above 150 in both the quantitative and verbal sections would be indicators of potential success in Graduate School. Earning a particular GRE score, though, is not a guarantee of admission. - Liberal Arts foundation. Students must present evidence of having a liberal arts foundation for MSW study. Courses in statistics and human biology are recommended. In addition, transcripts may be evaluated for a liberal arts foundation with courses in the humanities, the social and behavioral sciences, and the physical sciences.
- Personal Essay. Social work applicants should complete the Personal Narrative within the electronic application. The Personal Essay should be five pages in length and must include the following:
- Please discuss your reasons for seeking admission to UNC Charlotte’s MSW Program.
- Are you interested in the Full-Time, Extended Study, or Advanced Standing program? How will you manage your schedule and resources to meet the demanding program requirements and attend to self-care?
- How are your personal career interests congruent with the UNC Charlotte MSW program?
- The Social Work Program values diversity in its student population. Diversity may be defined in terms of race, age, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, unique skills, or life experiences. What personal characteristics, unique skills, or life experiences will you bring to the program?
- Social workers practice with individuals from historically oppressed and diverse groups. Will people from particular groups be challenging for you to work with, either because of your personal values and/or attitudes? How will you handle this?
- Describe a time when you were given critical feedback. What was your reaction to that experience? What did you learn about yourself?
- As a prospective graduate student, what strengths and skills do you bring to the program? What do you identify as your areas of growth?
- Describe a time when you offered help to someone else (other than a family member). Explain your reaction. What did you learn about yourself?
- Your signature and date.
- Resume. The resume is an addendum to the Personal Essay, and it should outline the applicant’s educational, work,
andvolunteer experience, and special skills or attributes. The attachment should be no more than two pages and should be in resume format. Be sure the resume includes all of the following:
- Personal data including name, address, phone number, email address
- Educational experience including the institutions, dates you attended, and academic degrees awarded
- Volunteer and/or Paid Work experience including dates for each position, 2-3 line description of each position, whether the position was full-time (FT) or part-time (PT) and whether a degreed social worker supervised you
- Professional affiliations and service groups including any offices held in these organizations
- Honors or special awards
- Letters of Recommendation. Each applicant should provide three letters of recommendation. For recent graduates, at least two letters
mustshould be from faculty members or supervisors from internships for course credit. For applicants who have been out of the education system for some time, letters should be from employment or volunteer supervisors. Ideally, references will be written by MSW social workers or others who can speak to your suitability for the MSW.
The professionals providing references for you must complete two items: 1) an online recommendation form; and 2) a narrative letter. The Office of Graduate Admissions will email the link to the online form to the person providing the reference. Applicants should notify references that the UNC Charlotte MSW program requires both the Graduate School form checklist and a narrative letter uploaded onto the online form. The narrative letter should be submitted on business stationery, and it should identify the writer’s title and educational credentials.
For Advanced Standing students, one letter should be written by your agency field instructor or University field liaison.
All applicants should be sure to inform those writings letters of recommendation to describe aptitude for graduate education, as well as:
- Volunteer or work activities and duties
- Skills and values relevant to social work practice with diverse populations
- Enthusiasm for learning
- Responses to supervision and critical feedback
- Ability to collaborate with others
- Overall strengths and challenges relevant to graduate study
- Interview. Applicants may be required to participate in an interview process.
Upon acceptance to the program, students are asked to complete an Intent to Enroll Form and a Field Application Form. Because some field placement agencies serving vulnerable populations exclude personnel with criminal convictions, students entering the program may be subject to a criminal history inquiry. Many agencies require drug testing as well.
Degree Requirements
Full-Time Program (Two Years)
(62 credit hours)
First Year
Fall (15 credits)
SOWK 6121 Social Work Practice: Theories and Skills (3)
SOWK 6131 Social Work Research (3)
SOWK 6141 Foundations of Social Work (3)
SOWK 6151 Social Work, Social Justice, and Diversity (3)
SOWK 6441 Social Work Practicum I (3)
Spring (15 credits)
SOWK 6212 Advanced Social Work Practice with Individuals (3)
SOWK 6232 Practice and Program Evaluation (3)
SOWK 6242 Advocacy and Policy Change (3)
SOWK 6252 Mental Health Assessment (3)
SOWK 6442 Social Work Practicum II (3)
Elective (3)*
Second Year
Fall (16 credits)
SOWK 7122 Advanced Social Work Practice with Individuals (3)
SOWK 7125 Advanced Social Work Practice with Groups and Families (3)
SOWK 7126 Advanced Social Work Practice with Groups (3)
SOWK 7222 Advanced Social Work Practice with Communities and Organizations I (3)
SOWK 7443 Social Work Practicum III (4)
Elective (3)*
Elective (3)*
Spring (16 credits)
SOWK 7127 Advanced Social Work Practice with Families (3)
SOWK 7223 Advanced Social Work Practice with Communities and Organizations II (3)
SOWK 7444 Social Work Practicum IV (4)
SOWK 7651 Synthesis and Reflection (3)
Elective (3)*
Elective (3)*
*For Full-Time students, two one of the four three elective courses must be taken within the Department School of Social Work.
Extended Study Program (Three Years)
(62 credit hours)
First Year
Fall (6 credits)
SOWK 6131 Social Work Research (3)
SOWK 6141 Foundations of Social Work (3)
Spring (6 credits)
SOWK 6232 Practice and Program Evaluation (3)
SOWK 6242 Advocacy and Policy Change (3)
Summer (3 credits)
Elective (3)*
Second Year
Fall (9 credits)
SOWK 6121 Social Work Practice: Theories and Skills (3)
SOWK 6151 Social Work, Social Justice, and Diversity (3)
SOWK 6441 Social Work Practicum I (3)
Spring (9 credits)
SOWK 6212 Advanced Social Work Practice with Individuals (3)
SOWK 6252 Mental Health Assessment (3)
SOWK 6442 Social Work Practicum II (3)
Elective (3)*
Summer
Elective (3)*
Third Year
Fall (13 credits)
SOWK 7122 Advanced Social Work Practice with Individuals (3)
SOWK 7125 Advanced Social Work Practice with Groups and Families (3)
SOWK 7126 Advanced Social Work Practice with Groups (3)
SOWK 7222 Advanced Social Work Practice with Communities and Organizations I (3)
SOWK 7443 Social Work Practicum III (4)
Elective (3)*
Spring (13 credits)
SOWK 7127 Advanced Social Work Practice with Families (3)
SOWK 7223 Advanced Social Work Practice with Communities and Organizations II (3)
SOWK 7444 Social Work Practicum IV (4)
SOWK 7651 Synthesis and Reflection (3)
Elective (3)*
*For Extended Study students, two one of the four three elective courses must be taken within the Department School of Social Work.
Advanced Standing Program (One Year)
(44 credit hours)
Advanced Standing students begin in the Summer Session. After the Summer Sessions, Advanced Standing students enroll in the Full-Time Program Second Year courses listed above except they have three two electives (instead of four three) and take SOWK 6242 in their final semester). The curriculum for the Fall and Spring Semesters are the same as for Full-Time MSW students.
Summer
SOWK 6212 Advanced Social Work Practice with Individuals (3)
SOWK 6232 Practice and Program Evaluation (3)
SOWK 6242 Advocacy and Policy Change (3)
SOWK 6252 Mental Health Assessment (3)
SOWK 6343 Advanced Social Work Practicum and Seminar (3)
Fall
SOWK 7125 Advanced Social Work Practice with Groups and Families (3)
SOWK 7122 Advanced Social Work Practice with Individuals (3)
SOWK 7126 Advanced Social Work Practice with Groups (3)
SOWK 7222 Advanced Social Work Practice with Communities and Organizations I (3)
SOWK 7443 Social Work Practicum III (4)
Elective (3)*
Elective (3)*
Spring
SOWK 6242 Advocacy and Policy Change (3)
SOWK 7127 Advanced Social Work Practice with Families (3)
SOWK 7223 Advanced Social Work Practice with Communities and Organizations II (3)
SOWK 7444 Social Work Practicum IV (54)
SOWK 7651 Synthesis and Reflection (3)
Elective (3)*
*For Advanced Standing students, one of the three two electives must be taken within the Department School of Social Work.
Electives
Electives may be from outside the departmentSchool, but must have a social work relevance. The Department School of Social Work offers different elective topics each year, depending on the expertise of the faculty and student interests. As such, the department School cannot guarantee which electives will be offered. Electives must be approved by the student’s MSW faculty advisor prior to registration.
The Field Placement
Field placements are assigned from a variety of agencies and practice settings approved by the UNC Charlotte Social Work Field Office. Field Instructors, approved by the Department School of Social Work, guide the student through learning experiences, coordinating field experiences with the concurrent classroom coursework. The first year of field placement for Full Time and Extended Study students focuses on foundation practice skills. The second year of placement for these students, in a different setting, focuses on advanced practice within the student’s Field of Practice Emphasis area skills. Advanced Standing placements will reflect second year placement advanced practice goals.
State Certification
Graduates of the MSW Program are eligible to pursue North Carolina State Licensure/Certification at three levels: Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Master Social Worker, and Certified Social Work Manager. Licensure/certification is managed by the North Carolina Certification Board for Social Work. Additional information on The Board may be found online at ncswboard.org. Students may also pursue licensure as a School Social Worker. Those who wish to become licensed as a School Social Workers should make the MSW Program Director and Field Director aware of this as soon as they are accepted into the MSW program.
Financial Assistance
Paid internships and assistantships are limited. Visit socialwork.uncc.edu for more information.
Courses in Social Work (SOWK)
SOWK 6121. Social Work Practice: Theories and Skills. (3) Introduces the theories of human behavior and models of social work intervention necessary to engage all levels of client systems. (Fall)
SOWK 6131. Social Work Research. (3) Introduction of social science research methods and their relevance to social work. Other content relates to the application of critical thinking and how to engage in research-informed practice and practice-informed research. (Fall)
SOWK 6141. Foundations of Social Work. (3) Students are introduced to the profession of social work, with attention to social work history, social welfare history, and current social policies and programs that influence the contexts of social work practice. Professional values, identity, and critical thinking are discussed in relationship to current and historical understandings of social problems and policy responses. Introduction to professional development as a social worker, with attention to social work history, ethics, professional identity, and critical thinking. Other topics include: self-reflection, the importance of career-long learning, and practitioner comportment. (Fall)
SOWK 6151. Social Work, Social Justice, and Diversity. (3) Examines individual, systemic, and ideological factors related to diversity and social justice. Theories and perspectives that contribute to understanding oppression and privilege are emphasized. Implications for social work practice, research, and policy are examined. Strategies to counter discrimination and oppression are identified. Requires considerable critical analysis and self-reflection on the part of participants. (Fall)
SOWK 6212 7122. Advanced Social Work Practice with Individuals. (3) Prerequisite: SOWK 6121 (Advanced Standing students are exempt from this prerequisite). Expands social work students’ knowledge, values, and skills with regard to advanced micro practice with individuals, especially members of vulnerable groups. (Spring for Full-Time and Extended Study, Summer for Advanced Standing Fall)
SOWK 6232. Practice and Program Evaluation. (3) Prerequisite: SOWK 6131 (Advanced Standing students are exempt from this prerequisite). Demonstrates how to engage in research-informed practice and practice-informed research. Managing client data and critically analyzing, monitoring, and evaluating interventions are covered in-depth. (Spring for Full-Time and Extended Study, Summer for Advanced Standing)
SOWK 6242. Advocacy and Policy Practice. (3) The role of advocacy in the social work profession, tools for bringing about policy change, and use of advocacy to promote social justice, especially for vulnerable populations. (Spring & Summer)
SOWK 6252. Mental Health Assessment. (3) Prerequisite: SOWK 6121 (Advanced Standing students are exempt from this prerequisite). An overview of social work theories related to mental/behavioral health assessment with special emphasis on and critique of the APA Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). (Spring for Full-Time and Extended Study, Summer for Advanced Standing)
SOWK 6343. Advanced Social Work Practicum and Seminar. (3) Prerequisite: Admission to the Advanced Standing program. Designed for Advanced Standing students, this field internship course has an integrated twofold purpose. First, it solidifies students’ preparation in foundation social work practice methods and skills with individuals, families, small groups, and organizations and communities. Students demonstrate their understanding of foundation theories and concepts by applying practice methods and skills across systems and with diverse clients. They also demonstrate the ability to accurately assess client systems, formulate and carry out plans of intervention, and evaluate the effectiveness of practice. Second, students develop an emerging understanding of interpersonal practice with individuals, families, and small groups and how foundation practice theories and methods can prepare them for utilizing interpersonal practice methods within a selected field of practice emphasis. (Summer)
SOWK 6441. Social Work Practicum I. (3) A foundation field practicum that prepares students to apply generalist social work knowledge, skills, values, and ethical principles gained in the classroom to actual practice at a social agency. Students work in an approved field site under the supervision of a UNC Charlotte field instructor and attend a monthly seminar. (Fall)
SOWK 6442. Social Work Practicum II. (3) Prerequisite: SOWK 6441. A foundation field practicum that prepares students to apply generalist social work knowledge, skills, values, and ethical principles gained in the classroom to actual practice at a social agency. Students work in an approved field site under the supervision of a UNC Charlotte field instructor and attend a monthly seminar. (Spring)
SOWK 6635. The Social Context of Mental Health. (3) Cross-listed as SOCY 6635, PSYC 8636, and PPOL 8636. Prerequisite: Admission to graduate program or permission of instructor. Draws upon contributions from the field of psychiatry, psychology, social work, and anthropology. The focus is on mental health and illness it is social context, with an emphasis on the relationship between social structure and mental health/disorder. Social factors are examined which shape psychiatric diagnosis, the effects of socio-demographic variables on mental health, and the role of social support and stress for different groups. Also examines the organization, delivery, and evaluation of mental health services, and mental healthcare policy. (Every other year)
SOWK 7090. Special Topics in Social Work. (3) A topics course that is only available for graduate credit. May be repeated for credit with change of topic. (Fall, Spring, or Summer)
SOWK 7010. School Social Work. (3) Exploration of school social work practices from a theoretical as well as practical point of view. Also focuses on the roles of school social workers and the type of issues they confront. (Spring)
SOWK 7015. Child Welfare. (3) Prerequisite: Permission of MSW Program Director or the instructor. Examination of the history, purpose, and goals of child welfare services in North Carolina and in the United States. Course information is provided from the context of the child- and family-centered model that guides child welfare services. (Summer)
SOWK 7020. Social Welfare and Philanthropy. (3) Introduction to philanthropy which allows students, through a community-based project, to experience two predominant aspects of philanthropy – grant making and fundraising – with an emphasis on supporting the well-being of vulnerable populations. (On demand)
SOWK 7025. Social Development in Malawi. (3) Students actively participate in several pre-departure class lectures and work sessions. They travel to Malawi for 11 days and engage in service-learning activities aligned with social development in rural Malawi. Experiential projects are designed and implemented by students using funds they raise. Sustainability and anti-oppressive approaches to social development are highlighted. (Fall, Spring, Summer)
SOWK 7030. Trauma and Recovery: Theory and Intervention. (3). This course will review the history and evolution of trauma theory and social movements and explore the impact of trauma and healing upon survivors. Students will master the foundational principles and basic skills of trauma intervention. Students will also participate in community project that involves learning about services available for trauma survivors locally. (On demand)
SOWK 7035. Social Work with HIV and AIDS. (3). This course responds to the impact of HIV on social work client populations and emphasizes the need for social work practitioners and other helping professionals to be knowledgeable about the disease, prevention strategies, and related epidemiologic disparities. The course addresses skills necessary to assist with needs of people living with HIV/AIDS, their significant others, families, and communities.
SOWK 7125. Advanced Social Work Practice with Groups and Families. (3) Expands knowledge, values, and skills with regard to advanced micro practice with groups and families especially vulnerable populations. (Fall)
SOWK 7126. Advanced Social Work Practice with Groups. (3). Prerequisite: SOWK 6121 (Advanced Standing students are exempt from this prerequisite). Theory and practice related to social work with small groups. Various approaches to group development and facilitation, including social change, therapeutic change, goal setting, and assessment in groups, with an emphasis on work with vulnerable populations. (Fall)
SOWK 7127. Advanced Social Work Practice with Families. (3). Prerequisite: SOWK 6121 (Advanced Standing students are exempt from this prerequisite). This course expands social work students’ knowledge, values, and skills with regard to advanced micro practice with families, especially members of vulnerable populations. (Spring)
SOWK 7222. Advanced Social Work Practice with Organizations and Communities I. (3) Builds on the foundational theories and skills introduced in Social Work Practice with specific attention to communities and organizations as primary client systems. Introduces theories that inform and guide practice in communities and organizations. Builds advanced skills in engaging and assessing communities and organizations. (Fall)
SOWK 7223. Advanced Social Work Practice with Organizations and Communities II. (3) Prerequisite: SOWK 7222. Builds advanced practice skills in the design, development, implementation, and evaluation of interventions at the community and organizational levels. Also builds skills in leadership and ethical decision-making. Emphasizes the use of critical thinking and self-awareness concerning leadership and ethical challenges in community and organizational contexts. (Spring)
SOWK 7443. Social Work Practicum III. (4) Prerequisite: SOWK 6442 (Advanced Standing students are exempt from this prerequisite). Students work in an approved social service agency developing specialized social work skills in their area of focus. Students are expected to demonstrate advanced social work practice skills that indicate an integration of theories, research, and policies in relation to their area of specialization within interpersonal practice. (Fall)
SOWK 7444. Social Work Practicum IV. (4) Prerequisite: SOWK 7443. Corequisites: SOWK 7223 and SOWK 7651. Continuation of SOWK 7443. Fieldwork of 24 hours per week. (Spring)
SOWK 7651. Reflection and Synthesis. (3) Prerequisites: SOWK 7222 and SOWK 7443. Corequisites: SOWK 7223 and SOWK 7444. Provides MSW students with an opportunity to practice personal reflection, synthesize their learning from the MSW program, and demonstrate competency. (Spring)
SOWK 7627. Seminar in Advanced Practice: Supervision and Staff Training. (3) Prerequisites: SOWK 6121, SOWK 6131, SOWK 6141, SOWK 6151, or admission to Advanced Standing program. Students may choose to satisfy their social work elective requirement with this course. This seminar is for students who anticipate working in traditional social welfare organizations in the public or private sectors. The focus is on knowledge and skills that a social worker needs to succeed in practice in large organizations. Included is content on supervision, staff training and development, and the role of the professional in large organizations. (Spring)