MSW Concentration Program for

Applicants with Advanced Standing

 

Advanced Standing requires the individual to have completed their Bachelor of Science in Social Work (BSSW) degree from a CSWE accredited program prior to being accepted into the MSW program.

Mission Statement

The University of North Dakota, Master of Social Work Program provides broad access to quality graduate education that prepares versatile advanced generalist practitioners with the necessary knowledge, values, and skills to serve their communities in North Dakota, the region and beyond.

About the Program

The Master of Social Work program at the University of North Dakota is accredited by The Council on Social Work Education. The MSW program offers advanced generalist curriculum that prepares students to practice competently in a variety of settings and across practice levels. Upon completion of this program, the student will have earned the Advanced Generalist MSW degree. This degree can be completed via the Campus Program or through the part-time Distance Program.

Thank you for your interest in the MSW programs. Important dates and deadlines for the Graduate School can be found here. If you have questions about our full-time MSW program, please contact Carenlee Barkdull, MSW Director, or call (701) 777-3770. For questions about our part-time MSW program, please contact Carol Schneweis, MSW Coordinator, or call (701) 777-3768.

Admission Requirements

• BSSW from a CSWE accredited program.
• An undergraduate GPA of 3.00 overall or a GPA of 3.00 in the last 2 years of the undergraduate program.
• A course with human biology content.  (If you do not have this course, please click here for more information, as we offer it online.)
• A grade of C or higher in a statistics course.
• Willingness to abide by the National Association of Social Worker’s Code of Ethics and the UND Code Of Student Life.

Admissions Process

Campus Program Deadline: January 15.

Distance Program Deadline: Applications due November 15 of each year to begin the following May.

The Department of Social Work will consider only completed application files. Applicants whose files are not completed until after the deadline for application may be rejected solely because of the number of applicants already accepted. It is recommended that applicants begin the process of application at least 6 weeks prior to the application deadline to ensure the file is completed on time. A completed application consists of the following:

• Graduate School application
• Three references
• 3-5 page personal statement (the essay described in the Graduate School application) covering: motivation for being a social worker, values and beliefs regarding social work, experience with diversity, qualities the applicant brings to the profession, personal qualities in leadership and creativity, and professional goals.
• Resume
• Official transcript (undergraduate and graduate course work)
• Background check

All materials are submitted to the Graduate School, which then transmits the materials to the Department of Social Work. Applications are reviewed and ranked in a competitive admission process. Rating criteria include: written statement, references, resume and grade point average. Not all students will be admitted in this process.

Degree Requirements

• Successful completion of 36 credit hours of courses approved by the social work faculty with at least a 3.00 grade point average. The number of electives required is dependent on whether a student selects the independent study or the thesis option.
• Satisfactory completion of the advanced generalist concentration courses (36 credit hours).
• Completion of SWk 997, an independent study and comprehensive exam, or SWk 998, a thesis.
• Completion of at least 24 semester credits with UND. Transfer credits must be obtained in a CSWE accredited program, and a maximum of 9 credits will be allowed for transfer.
• The development of a program of study in the semester in which the full-time student first enrolls in concentration courses, or the second semester in which the part-time student enrolls in concentration courses.
• Part-time students will meet the residency requirement by enrolling in a minimum of 18 credits in a two-year period, including at least one summer with a minimum of six-credit enrollment on campus in Grand Forks and participation in field seminars near the end of their program.

On-Campus Program:

• 36 Credits
• 1+ years to complete
• Classes held primarily Thursday and Friday
• Requires acceptance into the UND Graduate School

Sample Course Schedule (subject to change):

Term	Courses	Credit Hours
Fall	SWK 527 AG HBSE I	2 credits
	SWK 529 AG Research	2 credits
	SWK 530 AG Individuals	2 credits
	SWK 533 AG Families	2 credits
	Electives	3 credits
		Total Credit Hours=11
Spring	SWK 528 AG HBSE II	2 credits
	SWK 534 AG Treatment Groups	2 credits
	SWK 535 AG Communities	2 credits
	SWK 536 AG Organizations	2 credits
	SWK 537 AG Tools for Policy	1 credit
	Independent Study (2) and Elective (2) or Thesis option (4)	4 credits
		Total Credit Hours=13
Summer	SWK 580 AG Field Instruction I	5 credits
	SWK 581 AG Field Seminar I	1 credit
	SWK 582 AG Field Instruction II	5 credits
	SWK 583 AG Field Seminar II	1 credit
		Total Credit Hours=12

Distance Program:

• 36 Credits
• 2+ Years to Complete
• Online
• Live Web Classes Held Evenings/Weekends with 1 On-Campus Visit
• Deadlines for Lessons/Exams
• In-State Tuition Regardless of Residency

Sample Course Schedule (subject to change):

First Summer	First Fall	First Spring
SWK 527 AG HBSE I (2)	SWK 528 AG HBSE II (2)	SWK 535 AG Communities (2)
SWK 529 AG Research (2)	SWK 533 AG Families (2)	SWK 536 AG Organizations (2)
SWK 530 AG Individuals (2)	SWK 534 AG Treatment Groups (2)	Elective (2)
Total Credit Hours = 6	Total Credit Hours = 6	Total Credit Hours = 6
Second Summer	Second Fall	Second Spring
SWK 537 AG Tools for Policy (1)	SWK 580 AG Field Instruction I (5)	SWK 582 AG Field Instruction II (5)
Independent Study (2) and Elective (2) or Thesis (4)	SWK 581 AG Field Seminar I (1)	SWK 583 AG Field Seminar II (1)
Elective (1)
Total Credit Hours = 6	Total Credit Hours = 6	Total Credit Hours = 6

For additional information about the MSW distance program including technical requirements and tuition cost, please visit the Online & Distance Education website.

Thesis Option

• Full time students select a Faculty Advisory Committee by the end of the first semester of enrollment in concentration courses. Part time students select a Faculty Advisory Committee during the second semester of enrollment in concentration courses.
• A proposal must be submitted no later than the semester prior to the student’s final semester.

Non-Thesis Option

• Full time students select a faculty adviser by the end of the first semester in concentration courses. Part time students select a faculty advisor during the second semester of concentration courses.
• A proposal must be submitted no later than the semester prior to the student’s final semester.
• The final comprehensive examination is completed in the last semester of enrollment.

Frequently Asked Questions