MSW Foundation Program for Applicants Without Advanced Standing

 

Advanced Standing requires the individual to have completed their Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree from a CSWE accredited program prior to being accepted into the MSW program. The MSW Foundation program is designed for individuals without a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and is only offered through our distance education 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.

• Applications due June 15th of each year to begin the following January.
• 60 Credits
• 3+ Years to Complete
• Online
• Live Web Classes Held Evenings/Weekends with 2 On-Campus Visits
• Deadlines for Lessons/Exams
• In-State Tuition Regardless of Residency

Sample Course Schedule (subject to change):

First Spring	First Summer	First Fall
SWK 501 HBSE I (2)	SWK 502 HBSE II (2)	SWK 506 Social Policy (2)
SWK 503 Individuals & Families (2)	SWK 504 Treatment & Task Groups (2)	SWK 515 Field Instruction I (3)
SWK 507 Research (2)	SWK 505 Communities & Organizations (2)	SWK 516 Field Seminar I (1)
Total Credit Hours=6	Total Credit Hours=6	Total Credit Hours=6
Second Spring	Second Summer	Second Fall
SWK 517 Field Instruction II (5)	SWK 527 AG HBSE I (2)	SWK 528 AG HBSE II (2)
SWK 518 Field Seminar II (1)	SWK 529 AG Research (2)	SWK 533 AG Families (2)
	SWK 530 AG Individuals (2)	SWK 534 AG Treatment Groups (2)
Total Credit Hours=6	Total Credit Hours=6	Total Credit Hours=6
Third Spring	Third Summer	Third Fall
SWK 535 AG Communities (2)	SWK 537 Tools for Policy (1)	SWK 580 AG Field Instruction I (5)
SWK 536 AG Organizations (2)	SWK 997 Independent Study (2) & Elective (2) or SWK 998 Thesis (4)	SWK 581 AG Field Seminar I (1)
Electives (2)	Electives (1)
Total Credit Hours=6	Total Credit Hours=6	Total Credit Hours=6
Fourth Spring
SWK 582 AG Field Instruction II (5)
SWK 583 AG Field Seminar II (1)
Total Credit Hours=6

MSW Foundation courses are only available through the Distance Program. We do not offer the MSW Foundation program on campus. Instead, students who have a Bachelor’s degree in a related field may apply to the Fast Track BSSW Program. Successful completion of this program qualifies individuals to apply for admission to the MSW Advanced Standing programs. Completion of the Fast Track Program does not guarantee admission to the Advanced Standing MSW Program at UND.

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

• Satisfactory completion of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
• At least 30 credit hours of liberal arts courses in such fields as biology, music, languages, anthropology, economics, political science, history, literature, sociology, psychology, and philosophy.
• 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 prior to entering the Advanced Generalist Concentration portion of the MSW program.
• Willingness to abide by the National Association of Social Worker’s Code of Ethics and the University of North Dakota Code Of Student Life.
• An undergraduate GPA of 3.00 overall or a GPA of 3.00 in the last 2 years of the undergraduate program.

Admissions Process

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 60 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 foundation courses (24 credit hours).
• 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.

For additional information about the MSW Foundation 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